I bought the iHome after recieving a Black Video iPod for Christmas, thinking it would be the perfect companion to my new toy.I have had a number of alarm clocks in the past including many CD alarm clocks, and the important thing for me was (1) that I could choose the song to wake to, and (2) absolute reliability of the alarm.On those two counts, the iHome is a champ.Simply cue up your iPod to the song you want to wake up to, hit pause, and it will start right in when the alarm hits.And if power should be lost, the iPod unseated, or if you forget to plug in the iPod, no problem.It switches to a "beep" alarm which is loud enough to wake you, but not so obnoxious that you wind up in a bad mood all day.Sound quality is SUPERIOR. And the controls are pretty obvious, and nicely lit with a gentle red glow for night useage.However, there are a few gotchas with this product that probably will mean I will be going back to my old CD alarm clock.First, the LCD display has no "lights off" feature.For some, this will be nice as it means the display is visible even in pitch blackness.But I have a sensitivity to light that sometimes makes it hard to sleep if there is too much of it.Even the lowest light setting (there are three) is sometimes too much for me.Second, there is not a whole lot of iPod integration as far as controls go.You can turn on the iPod, wake to it, and turn it off.That's it.If you want to change the song, you will want to pick it up OUT of the iHome, change the settings on the wheel, and then plug it back in.Not a bigee, but a step down from the integration that most iPod accessories have.Third, this is NOT a "portable" solution.If you travel, this unit will be too big and bulky to bring along.
Overall, a good product which I recommend if the gotchas do not worry you.But neither of these are mentioned anywhere on the packaging or any of the reviews I have read.Buyer beware... and then enjoy!
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Product Description:
With its built-in docking station and clean, contemporary design, the iHome iH5 clock radio is the perfect complement for your Apple iPod digital music player. Not only does the iH5 let you listen to your iPod music free from cumbersome headphones, it also lets you fall asleep or wake to music you've loaded into your iPod. You can also wake or sleep to FM/AM radio or wake to a traditional buzzer.
The compact unit measures roughly 9 x 3 x 6 inches (W x H x D) yet comes complete with stereo speakers, drift-free digital FM/AM radio tuning, a multifunction LCD with adjustable backlighting, and the ability to charge your docking iPod's battery right from its center seat. (The iH5 includes handy inserts to accommodate any type of docking iPod: gen 3, gen 4, iPod mini, or iPod photo.)
Immediately upon plugging it in and the clock will set itself, drawing on its factory-installed 100-year calendar (year/month/day, 2000 to 2099). The clock will maintain accuracy all on its own, even self-adjusting for Daylight Savings time and leap years.
Fall asleep to your favorite station or a carefully chosen iPod playlist using the unit's programmable sleep timer (15 to 120 minutes in 15-minute increments). Gradual Wake and Gradual Sleep features will increase (with on wake-up) or decrease (on sleep) the system volume so as not to startle you. Adjustable sleep volume lets you select a comfortable "sleep" volume level without affecting the wake-to or listening volume levels.
A supplied analog audio interconnect affords hookups with non-docking iPods, other MP3 players, cassette players, or other audio devices. Other features include automatic frequency control (AFC) for enhanced FM reception, an amber backlight on all primary buttons, and optical knobs for precise volume/tuning.
For extra security, if you've selected iPod as your wake-to source and your iPod isn't docked, a buzzer will sound instead. The clock also comes with Sure Alarm battery backup--just install 2 AA batteries to activate the feature. In the event of a power failure, or if you disconnect the AC power cord to move it, the Sure Alarm system will maintain your clock and alarm setting for the life of the batteries, ensuring that the alarm will sound at the set time.
The iH5 is "Made for iPod"-certified by Apple.
What's in the Box
Clock radio, a stereo analog audio interconnect, dock inserts for any type of docking iPod (gen 3, gen 4, iPod mini, iPod photo, iPod nano), an AC power adapter, and a user's manual with warranty information.
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