Slacker G2 Personal Radio Player Dock Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The home dock has been a key missing accessories. Hopefully there will be a car dock as well. The home dock provides fix audio-out so this means that the volume must be controlled by the boombox, stereo or whatever you are using to listen. It also has a variable volume headphone jack, plus you can use almost any 5 volt USB cable with mini tip to power the dock. I am using a Motorola Razr AC power adapter and it works great. If you use the USB cable included with the G2 plug it into the dock and then into a computer it will allow you to charge the G2, but also you can add mp3's or you can refresh your station.
Now with the latest G2 firmware update, you have the ability to have the backlight come on when docked and powered. You can also have the G2 only come up when a song changes which as another cool feature.
You can also use the dock without power, though the backlight will not stay on, unless you set the G2 to have the backlight always on, but you can set it to turn on when a song changes. This allows you to use the dock and also make use of the G2's battery. Always charging it without every draining the battery is probably not a good idea for long term use.
The dock is well worth the $29.99.

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Get the most out of your Slacker G2 personal radio player at home with the Slacker G2 Dock. Easily connect the Slacker G2 to your home stereo or computer speakers, and charge the player while you listen. The Dock also connects to your PC to refresh your music and transfer songs.

Charge Your Slacker G2 You can charge the Slacker G2 while it's docked. Use the G2's USB cable to connect the dock to your computer's USB port or to the G2's AC adapter.
Refresh Your Slacker G2 Refresh your Slacker stations while the Slacker G2 is in the dock. You also can listen to music while you are refreshing the stations, whether you are refreshing via Wi-Fi or USB.
Play Your Slacker G2 Through Your Stereo Enjoy music from your Slacker G2 through your home stereo by connecting the dock to the stereo. Using the included cable, just connect the 1/8-inch mini jack to your G2 and the RCA cable to your stereo input and free yourself from the headphones for awhile. A 1/8-inch mini jack to 1/8-inch mini jack is also included for use with computer speakers, etc.
Transfer Music from Your PC to the Slacker G2 You can transfer your personal music files (MP3 and WMA) from your computer to your Slacker G2 when your player is in the dock. Use your Slacker's USB cable to connect the dock to your PC, and you're all set.
What's in the Box Slacker G2 dock, 1/8-inch mini jack to RCA cable, 1/8-inch mini jack to mini jack cable, quick start guide

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Slacker G2 4 GB 25-Station Personal Radio Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought one of the first generation Slacker Radios, and while it is very cool, the form factor (similar in size to an iphone) was a little too big for the gym or even walking around. The G2 is a perfect size, while still maintaining a readable screen.
In case you are new to the Slacker concept, you create your own custom radio stations by selecting artists, and Slacker provides music from those and other similar performers. You can also select from the many Slacker stations. While listening to a station, you can push a "favorite" or "ban" button so that Slacker learns your preferences.
The best part of the Slacker player is the Wi-Fi feature. Before going to bed, I plug in my Slacker Radio to charge along with my other stuff. I hit the connect button, and I'm done. The Slacker radio makes a Wi-Fi connection, and refreshes all the radio stations with new music. Everyday I start out with a newly loaded mp3 player, incrementally better suited to my musical tastes due to the use of the favorite and ban buttons. If you subscribe to the premium service, hitting the favorite button also saves a copy of the song to the player.
Obviously you can "refresh" any mp3 player through the use of playlists, but I never have that kind of time. All my other players are basically static, loaded with the music I first downloaded to them. And unlike downloading music you have selected to an mp3 player, with the Slacker you are exposed to music that you may not know or did not think to download.
For me, with no time or desire to plug my player into a computer and juggle songs in and out, the Slacker is the perfect player.

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The Slacker G2 plays all of your personalized Slacker Radio stations on one sleek, ultra-portable player. Whether you listen to one of more than 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations or custom stations that you create, the music evolves as you listen. New songs are personally selected for you and automatically loaded on the Slacker G2 so your radio stations are always ready to play wherever you go.


Personalized Radio The Slacker G2 plays all of your Slacker Radio stations on one sleek, ultra-portable player. Whether you listen to one of more than 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations or custom stations that you create, the music evolves to match your tastes as you listen.
Effortless Create your own unique radio experience with Slacker Personal Radio. You know what you like--Slacker knows how to deliver it. Slacker's Internet radio offering is built on the expertise of DJs from all over the country, and just by listening, you make Slacker even better at delivering the music that you love.

Music Discovery Perfect your listening experience using Slacker's exclusive personalization tools. With different buttons, you can tell Slacker which songs are your favorites and which you never want to hear again. Fine-tune any station to get more hits or more fringe; request older artists over new. Album reviews and artist bios come with every song and are delivered right to your Slacker G2.

Advanced Radio Clocks Slacker DJs operate using a proven method of picking and mixing songs to deliver excellent musical variety that complements your tastes. This patent-pending DJ technology is embedded in the Slacker Portable to create the very best radio stations. The more you listen, the better it performs to deliver new music you'll love.

Slacker Basic Radio: Free Take the world's first-ever personal radio player with you for nonstop, customized music wherever you go. On the Slacker Portable, store thousands of songs for repeated listening, or connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot to get new music instantly. With hours of battery life, the Slacker Portable is built to go where you go.
To offer your favorite music for free, the Slacker Basic Radio service might play one to two ads an hour. That's significantly fewer ads than traditional radio, so you can relax and easily enjoy your favorite music.

Plus, it's all completely legal. Slacker has unique licensing agreements with thousands of record labels to give you free access to a variety of music. By working directly with the record labels, Slacker gets the latest content to ensure your radio stations always stay current.



Upgrade to Slacker Premium Radio If you want even more out of the service, pay just $7.50 per month for Slacker Premium, which puts you in control. What's the difference between Slacker Basic and Slacker Premium? First, Premium subscribers can avoid the ads that played in the Basic service. So, it's an ad-free listening experience.
Next, Premium subscribers have access to Slacker Request Song, which lets you add your favorite artists' songs to your station. Then, use Slacker's fine-tuning controls to indicate how often those requested songs should play.

Third, Premium subscribers have no limits on the number of songs they skip, letting listeners create the exact music experience they want. (Basic listeners are limited to six skips per hour, per station.)

And fourth, as a Premium subscriber, you can save your favorite songs with the touch of a button. Saved songs are added to your library so that you can listen to them any time. You also can save your favorites to your PC using the Slacker Software Player. It's the ultimate personal radio experience.

Slacker Premium Radio at a glance:

Just $7.50 per month
No advertisements
Request songs
Unlimited skipping of songs
Save favorites



Slacker Radio: It's Everywhere With the Slacker G2, get easy access to millions of songs from thousands of artists wherever you are. All of the music you love is automatically delivered to your Slacker G2 at Wi-Fi hotspots or through your PC via USB. You can listen to your music anytime, even when not connected.
Pocket DJ The same personalized listening experience you love on Slacker.com is available wherever you go on the ultra-portable Slacker G2. Slacker DJs hand pick songs for your player and you can use the ♥ and ∅ buttons on the Slacker G2 to further customize your stations. The more you listen, the better the music gets.
Refresh On the Go The Slacker G2 gives you uninterrupted access to your music wherever you are. Thousands of songs are stored on the Slacker G2 to fill up all of your personalized radio stations. That means you can listen to your stations absolutely anywhere.
The Slacker G2 can automatically add new music at hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots across the country. Each time you connect, songs that were hand-picked by Slacker DJs are added to your device. Plus, you can select new stations for your Slacker G2 on any PC or Mac with an Internet connection.

Built-in MP3 Player Already have your own personal music library? The Slacker G2 features a built-in MP3 player. You can store up to 1 GB of MP3s on the 4 GB/25-station Slacker Portable, or 3 GB of MP3s on the 8 GB/40-station Slacker Portable. Then, listen whenever and wherever you want. Check out all Slacker Portables.
On-The-Go Playlists Create personalized playlists with your MP3s using the intuitive controls on the Slacker G2. Enjoy the favorites you own in any order you want. As a Slacker Premium Radio subscriber, you also can save your favorite radio songs and play them whenever you like.

Manage your MP3s Use your Slacker G2 with popular applications, such as Windows Media Player, to manage your music collection and transfer your favorite MP3 files from your PC to your portable player.

What's in the Box Slacker G2 4 GB 25-Station Personal Radio Player, Slacker adjustable earphones, carrying case with sport clip, power adapter, USB cable, quick start guide, preloaded Slacker stations.

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Slacker 8 GB Portable Radio with 40 Stations (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Slacker portables bring a new dimension to music listening.
Without the hassle of ripping your own MP3s, the service allows you to create your own customized radio stations and then, by WiFi or USB, load them onto the player for your enjoyment at any time.
Many reviews have discussed the player in depth, so let me address a couple of issues in regards to the older player, the G1, versus the new player, the G2.
The G1 player is obviously bigger, and while one advantage is an easier to read screen, it is a bigger package to carry around.
The G1 player also has not had any further firmware updates since March '08, while the G2 player has had frequent updates. Therefore, some important features such as improved battery life, and better USB connectivity have not (yet) been updated for the G1. Please check the slacker forums if you're thinking about buying a G1 to see if any updates have occurred since this was posted.
The G1 player lacks an equalizer control setting, while this was incorporated into the G2 player. I can't say that the G2's equalizer is worth much, as they don't have any user adjustable settings.
The G2 player has a setting to manage the WiFi settings, whereas this has not (yet) been implemented in the G1 player. This again reflects the lack of any further apparent support for this first generation player.
As the price of the 8Gb G1 player has not dropped substantially (although for a time it was selling for less than [...] from Amazon), the G2 unit appears to be the primary hardware that is receiving support from the company.
The G1 player has had an annoying habit of occasionally having a break in audio at the beginning of a song. This has not been a problem with the G2 units. It is unknown what creates the problem, but there has not been a fix issued for the G1 unit to address this issue.
Remember, if you use the web based player at [...] ..... not all the songs that can be heard on the web player are licensed to be downloaded onto the portable players. The company says that there are they are continually gaining more licensing rights, but it is unclear what percentage of music that you hear on the webplayer can be transferred to the portable player. Even with this limitation, you can create a wide variety of stations and enjoy them on the units.
However, for your money, you will probably find the G2 unit less buggy, and better supported by the company with updates.

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Myine Electronics IR001 WiFi Internet Radio Adaptor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The press release from Myine Electronics states "Myine's Ira Wireless Internet Radio is designed to harness the universe of radio broadcasts available on the Internet and to allow user enjoyment anywhere a wireless internet connection, a speaker system and power sources are available." And that pretty well sums it up - and it does a great job at it too!
The general point of the unit is to not only give you access to the world of internet streaming radio and podcasts, but to do it easily, quickly, and without having to know a whole lot about what's going on with your network or connections. "There is a lack of good products available for people who are not tech savvy or just busy," said Jake Sigal, Principal and Founder of Myine Electronics. "Ira doesn't have any unnecessary bells and whistles, and sets up automatically right out of the box without a computer. We believe that with potentially confusing electronics, less is more."
When you first break the Ira out of the box, you'll see that it comes with the unit itself, a power cable, and a remote. It relies on WiFi being available to access the internet, and this is the first caution I would give potential buyers - make sure you have WiFi in your home, and that it is strong in the area you intend to put the Ira. The Ira seems very sensitive to interference and distance, so don't expect it to work as consistently and quickly as your laptop card does.
After plugging it in to the power and a set of speakers or a receiver, the next thing you'll need to do is configure it to access that WiFi broadcast. Although the Ira is geared towards `low-tech' users, it will definitely take some knowledge of networking and network configuration (plus a fair amount of patience) if you have any security enabled. Although it picks up the SSID if you are broadcasting that, and will tell you what type of security or encryption protocol, you'll need to be able to enter the passcode. If this is a WEP secure connection, this means you'll need to use the arrows on the remote and a pseudo keyboard on the screen to plunk out the 16 digits/characters/symbols - and unfortunately the Ira will not save incorrect configurations meaning you'll have to do it all again if you get one of the numbers wrong! It saves it if you get it right, so this may not be a big deal, particularly once you're past it.
Once you've got it all set up, you really start seeing the value and power of this unit. Users can filter by location or genre, and there are literally thousands of stations available. There are you're your typical shoutcast internet only stations, but also streaming live stations from around the globe. You've also got access to podcasts (including yours truly) and audio presentations, though you may find some of the more obscure ones missing. Myine selects the podcasts and stations that it will display through some mechanism that wasn't revealed to me. They did add podcasts that I requested (e.g., TechTalk on WRLR) without any questions or hesitation however, so I don't see this as a big hit.
If you're familiar at all with listening to radio or streaming audio on your laptop or desktop, you'll "get" this product immediately. What's really neat about it for me is how portable it is - I can listen to tunes up in my bedroom, then take the little unit downstairs to our porch outside, plug it into some speakers there and keep listening - without having to drag my laptop with it's rather junky soundcard all over the place! It's even small enough to throw in a jacket pocket and take to someone else's house to show off.
One area for future development and a feature that I really missed on the Ira is the lack of song information. Most stations broadcast the track and artist info with the song, but oddly the Ira unit does not display it. You can get a lot of other streaming and audio info, just nothing about the current track playing. The Ira software does have the capability to get updated over the wifi connection you use, so I would expect to see this fixed in a later release.
Overall Rating - 3 out of 5 Chips. It's a fantastic little product and idea, with portability and ease-of-use in the forefront of internet connected audio players (plus the benefit of not paying for XM or other similar options!). The lack of song tagging and weak reception strength make it just a little tougher to use than it should be however, and drops it down a notch. The price point is a touch high but still definitely within reach at around $130.
For more great topics and reviews like this, check out the weekly TechTalk show on WRLR 98.3 FM in Chicago, or listen anytime via iTunes or at our website:
techtalk.wrlr.fm

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Do you have wireless Internet? Do you want to get FREE music, sports, and news from around the world? Tired of confusing terminology and confusing features? Meet Ira – Our Internet Radio Adaptor that connects automatically to any wireless internet network. Extra features were intentionally removed so you can quickly listen to free music, sports, and news, without the extra hassles. Just take it out of the box, plug it in, connect it to your home stereo or boombox and use it. Automatically sets up in about three minutes and doesn't need a computer. All cables included. Ira has over 11,000 stations from just about every country in the world. Filter by location or genre to find new stations in under 30 seconds. Listen to NPR or your favorite local channels in CD like quality. Includes On Demand Podcast programming for many stations so you can listen to your favorite shows when you want. Includes a one-touch "STAR” button to store up to 40 of your favorite stations.

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Philips NP1100/37 Streamium Network Music Player with 3.0" B&W Display Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Philips Streamium NP1100 player connects your stereo to your PC and its Internet connection, letting you easily access your digital content where you want it. No more sitting in front of your PC to listen to your music!
SETUP
The NP1100 is basically a wireless access point bundled with a simple on-screen user interface and a remote control. Setup was unbelievably easy - I plugged the NP1100 into my A/V receiver, powered it up, and off it went. It automatically detected my wireless home network and once I supplied my WPA security key, it connected itself with no problem. The unit also includes an ethernet port if you prefer a wired connection.
Once connected, it automatically updated its own software, which is good but it was a minor nuisance that I then had to re-enter all of initial settings after the update.
You'll also want to register the unit by supplying the NP1100 with your email address. This sends you a link to set up a Club Philips online account. From this online account, you can manage the various sources of media that the NP1100 accesses, which is much faster when using a full-size keyboard vs. the player's remote. Registering this way also saves you from the hassle of reading the teeny-tiny serial numbers on the bottom of the unit.
PERFORMANCE
I planned on trying three distinct media sources with the Streamium, with pretty varied results: Internet radio, my own PCs media library, and my separate Sirius online subscription.
First, Internet radio. After connecting to your network, a pre-loaded catalog of Internet radio stations becomes available. You can organize this catalog by content (talk vs. music), music genre, country of origin, language, etc. Five minutes out of the box, I was catching up with the latest ambient music from France, local artists from Argentina, news headlines from Japan (just because I could - it's not like I speak Japanese!), and even the online home of the greatest radio station ever (The Future of Rock n Roll WOXY - 97X, Oxford, OH). The amazing variety of offerings makes for a pretty big 'wow' factor.
But the variety can also be overwhelming. Fortunately, the NP1100 has a "Favorites" functionality for bookmarking your preferred sources. This favorites list makes finding your top choices very easy.
Next, I decided to tackle my own digital media library. Unfortunately, the NP1100 requires Windows Media Player 11 (WMP) as its interface to your PC. I much prefer the iTunes interface to catalog my digital music, but there's no option to use it with the NP1100. So, I had to reinstall WMP on my PC (it's included on the CD that comes with this player) and then configure it to manage a parallel library of my music. WMP is simply awful to use - rigid installation that overwrites most of your existing media preferences (e.g. it's always resetting itself as my default player for all formats), clunky visual interface, and also a stubborn determination to not accept anything that's not Microsoft-endorsed. For example, almost my entire library is in AAC file format; however, Microsoft backs MP3. So when I first tried to access my library from the Streamium, only the tiny fraction of MP3s appeared - no AAC files at all. I eventually found a WMP plug-in that makes AACs appear in its library, but I still have trouble getting them to completely function. This isn't a flaw with the Streamium per se, but their exclusive choice of partner makes the user perform a lot of runaround to meet their specifications.
Once you do get your library set up, the content functions very well. Just as with Internet radio sources, you can access your PC's media by artist, album, genre, etc. You can also send playlists to the Streamium, which is very useful for party mixes.
Lastly, I wanted to see if the Streamium could access my online Sirius subscription. I tried several different variations on the Sirius player's online address, but nothing worked. Again, the player seems handcuffed by Philips' exclusive business arrangements - out of the box, the Streamium player comes ready to work with a Rhapsody online music subscription. However, that didn't interest me and it seems that other competing services aren't allowed.
Playback quality is good - of course digital music files transmitted wirelessly aren't going satisfy any serious audiophile, but that's not the point of this device.
ERGONOMICS
The NP1100 is roughly the size of a paperback novel on its side. It has a retro-Scandanvian look with its silver housing and a clear window that encases it black-and white display. The display itself is bit disappointing. First, it's only a small portion of the unit's face - most of what you see in the picture is a black frame that surrounds the screen. Second, it's difficult to read at any appreciable angle. Since the Streamium's base doesn't allow you to tilt, you basically have to place it wherever it'll be eye-level most frequently. Third, its font sizes are all wrong and can't be changed. You can guess that they tried to accommodate people who keep the player close at hand and those who'll put it across the room, but unfortunately, the characters are difficult to read in either case.
The remote is a total throwaway. Small buttons with microscopic labels, no backlighting, etc. However, I was able to program my Logitech Harmony pretty easily to mimic it.
CONCLUSION
The NP1100 excels at delivering your digital media with convenience and flexibility. Its out-of-the-box simplicity make it a great idea for even the technologically-challenged. And its affordable price mean that finally you can enjoy your music where you really want to without being tied down to your PC.
PROS
Simple setup, even with wireless networking
Comes packaged with an amazing set of streaming content offerings
Good sound quality
CONS
Being forced to use WMP for your media library
Screen display should be bigger and easier to read
Throwaway remote control


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By connecting to both your PC and audio system, Philips Streamium network music player gives you wireless access to your PC music library, Internet radio and Rhapsody online music service. A whole world of exciting music possibilities!

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ibiza Rhapsody H1B004BK 4 GB Wi-Fi/MP3 Player by Haier (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received the Flash player yesterday.
And I must say... meez likes.
Very light, big screen, nice graphics, no antennae piece on the back or bluetooth like the harddrive version.
The sound quality is very good. I hooked it to my 'real' Vibes and was most impressed. I have had a few players and this definitely has to be the best of the bunch as far as ease of use. It's definitely a must for any one with Rhapsody. I just can't believe it took this long for something like this to come around!

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The ibiza Rhapsody keeps you connected no matter where you go. Boasting PC-free, wireless operation, this compact MP3 player offers 4GB of storage and a "hot button" that instantly connects you to millions of songs, podcasts, and videos. Easy to operate, with simple navigation and selection you can manage with one hand, the Rhapsody is slim, light, and ultra-portable, with a long battery life. And its intuitive, user-friendly design helps you fit more fun into your busy life.Stay Connected On the Go Whether you're traveling to work or school, or hanging out at the local coffee shop, take advantage of the Rhapsody's Wi-Fi capability to access the Internet. Browsing is a snap with the easy-to-read 2.5-inch color LCD, and the 320 x 240 resolution lets you enjoy vivid videos and photos. Need to find something right away? The content menus are streamlined and straightforward, so you never have to hunt for what you want to see or hear.Personalize and Share Let your Rhapsody showcase your individual style. Airskins let you automatically personalize your player with styles, graphics, pictures, and colors of your own choosing. Have you found a cool picture or song you can't wait to show off? No problem. The included Rhapsody software quickly loads on your computer so you can transfer your favorite images and songs, making everything easy to share with friends and family. Or you can save data from your PC to the Rhapsody, organize pictures into portable digital photo albums, and enjoy click-and-drag access while you're out and about.Entertainment Anywhere and Everywhere With the Rhapsody, you'll never run out of entertainment options. Instantly tune to a host of your favorite, preset FM radio stations; enjoy free AOL videos on demand; and bring with you nearly 1,000 categorized podcasts, including free up-to-the-minute news and sports. Over-the-air updates mean you'll never miss the newest available information or services.Free Trial to Rhapsody To Go Never run out of new music again. The Rhapsody comes with a free 30-day trial (credit card not required) for Rhapsody To Go, a four-million song library. Play or save your favorites in seconds. You also can listen to free, nonstop Rhapsody channels in any genre, completely free of advertisements. At the end of the trial period, your membership will be automatically canceled, with no cost to you. Or, you can choose to extend your membership and listen to up to 25 new songs a month, or play 25 Rhapsody channels without any monthly fee.What's in the Box Device, headphones, wall charger, CD, and gel skin covering.

Get 7% OFF

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