Yaesu FT-60R DualBand Handheld 5W VHF/UHF Amateur Radio Transceiver - Dual Band

This is a great radio. It is dual VHF/UHF (2M and 70cm bands) receive and transmit but it will scan many more including the NOAA radio weather channels. Plenty of memories and the ability to break memories into banks such as local repeaters or local fire/rescue.

It's true that the microphone connection is a phono plug however, the Yaesu external microphone/speaker plug goes in at a right angle so I don't know how anyone has pulled it out accidentally. I never have.

The one negative I have found is that the "0" (zero) key on the keypad activates a function to prefix transmissions with DTMF tones for Yaesu's "WIRES" repeater function. This is of course,very easy to activate accidentally and will send a DTMF prefix whether you meant to or not, reducing your audio to next to nothing so other stations don't hear your call sign or the call sign of the station you are calling. There's a way to disable this but why this feature was not assigned to a function key I don't know.

I purchased this radio just over a year ago from a major ham radio retailer. At that time, the price was about what it is on Amazon now, and has since decreased a decent amount. The radio itself, however is outstanding. As a new ham, all of the acronyms and features had me pretty confused, but within a week or two of use, the radio was much simpler to program and operate.

The build quality of the unit is notable, and definitely a step above other cheap knockoff radios that exist. My radio has held up very well to moderate use, and even survived a couple of spills with no real notable damage. As another review noted, the design of the accessory port leaves something to be desired, although I have found that routing your speaker mic cable under the belt clip aids in keeping the plug seated properly.

Programming the radio by hand is not something I would want to attempt with 50+ channels, but is doable. Get yourself a cable and search around for the software, and it goes much smoother.

Most of my club members have purchased the FT-60R, and the club owns an additional 10. Altogether we have had no real issues with any of them.

I would definitely recommended this HT as a solid performer for any ham looking to pickup an HT.

73's!

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This is a great radio. Easy to use and lots of features. The only thing I don't like about it is the external microphone port doesn't have threads to secure the cable.

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I am new to amatuer radio. I bought this radio to start working on my amateur license. Radio has a lot of useful features. Although I am not totally familiar with all of the feautres I am learning as I go along. I have already tested its transmission/receiving at 430.000mhz Hi setting power using basic communication, no repeater or extended antenna. Got a little over 1.5 miles in the city. Great radio bought it when my friend showed me a similar model which works fine.

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This may not come to anyone's surprise in the amateur radio community, but the radio itself it great base unit with good battery life and sturdy belt clip. The only downside I expereinced was the quality of the included antenna with the radio. It's not of the same quality as the radio. It will last a good long time, but the performance characteristics warrant buying an aftermarket antenna to replace it, especially with its dual band capabilities. I chose to marry it to a Diamond SRH77CA which uses the SMA connector and screws directly onto the radio The weather skirt is an unfortunate casualty as the Diamond antenna doesn't have one. I have used it extensively with RACES operations in Fort Worth, TX as well as Weather Spotter ops as well. A well recommended starter HT for new licensees.

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2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the Samsung Galaxy Tab - Uses Gomad

I am always skeptical about FM transmitters for music playback through the radio of one's car. Having tried many of these devices I was never really pleased with the sound quality because of the amount of static that could be heard over the soundwaves.

I am happy to say that this device works GREAT! As long as there is nothing electrical between this transmitter and the antenna of your car, the clarity of the signal is amazing! I turned down the sound of my Galaxy Tab 10.1 to see how much static I could here and pumped up the car stereo volume and I could barely hear any static!

I use it with a cup holder cigarette lighter power unit (it also has TWO USB power connectors) so I can power other music devices while using the 3.5 mm jack to port the sound through the car speakers.

Two thumbs up on this gadget!

Dagoof

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AmazonBasics Wall Charger with USB Outlet (2.1 Amp Output)

• Note: Please consult your product's user guide to determine compatibility with your device.
• Easy to use universal design
• USB port accepts a variety of charging cables
• Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging

Update 11-18-2011

This compact and foldable 2.1 A (2100 mA) charger can QUICKLY charge Kindle Fire or Apple iPad/iPad2 (you need a different cable for each one). It is NOT one of those "ordinary" USB chargers that outputs only 0.5 A of current.

The Kindle Fire requires just 1.8A of charging current, so this charger is fine (1.8 < 2.1). It is functionally the same as Apple's 10 Watt USB charger which outputs 2.1 A, so it is also suitable for charging the iPad.

You also need to buy a $6 AmazonBasics USB Cable 2.0 A Male to Micro B (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters). Do not use one intended for your cellphone; it may not work.

The total cost is $16, still much cheaper than the dedicated Kindle charger which sells for $25. Apple's 10W charger costs $35.

You enjoy better utility with this charger/cable combo because they are separate, and the charger prong is foldable.

Additionally, the micro USB cable can be used for copying files from your computer to the Fire, and vice versa. This is the kind of cable (USB 2.0 on one end and micro USB on the other) that some reviewers were saying that Amazon should have included in the Fire box.

You can check what both look like in Customer Images on this web page.

The main draw of this AmazonBasics USB wall charger is the 2100 mA current output, which is required for most modern smartphones and iPad/iPad2. You get these gadgets charged the fastest with this charger.

But the shape of this charger will BLOCK adjacent power outlets if it is plugged into the wall or even an extension power strip. In this respect, it is really not an improvement over Apple's 10W USB Power Adapter.

This is why I also bring along a Ziotek ZT1212518 Power Strip Liberator Plus with Pass Through, 5-Pack when I travel. It will allow all outlets to be used by extending the plug a few inches. With its pass through feature, a normal plug can be piggybacked on top of the extender plug, thereby doubling plug density (from 6 plugs to 12 plugs, for example), although the total power consumption still cannot exceed 1680 watts. It comes in a pack of 5, and the average cost is $2.65. I consider this a small price to pay for more convenience and flexibility.

In summary, I do recommend this AmazonBasics charger because it works, is well-made, and costs only 1/3 the price of Apple's part.

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UPDATE 26 NOV 2012: I received one of these for review purposes and have liked it so much I've since bought 4 more as my all purpose charger. I use them primarily with a few of my Raspberry Pi Model B Revision 2.0 (512MB) units, a couple of tablets, and my Blackberry. Great all purpose unit (but still check the specifications).

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Pros:

LED light lets you know it's working

Good for both small devices (e.g., cell phones) and larger devices (e.g., tablets)

With 30 pin USB Charging/Sync Cable can be used with iPads and iPhones

Nice fold down plug in prongs (they don't poke out so easier to store)

Cons(iderations):

You'll need to buy extra cables to use this.

_____________________________________________

USB wall chargers will have two "Output" values clearly printed on them, albeit in really tiny letters. This charger is listed as:

Output: 5.0 VDC / 2100 MA (5.0 volts Direct Current / 2100 milliamps or 2.1 amps)

Before getting an extra, or a replacement, charger for your device, check the output values listed on your existing charger, or check the documentation for the device you will be charging. You can't go wrong if you purchase a charger with the exact volts and amps as indicated (though higher amps is OK see below). An output of 1.0 to 2.0 amps is fairly common for many tablets. The 5.0 volts DC is also pretty common for a lot of devices.

If your device requires a charger with lower amperage, such as a cell phone, this could still charge it. You can ALWAYS use a wall charger with higher amperage than your device requires. Devices PULL the amperage they need, so if your phone requires 500 MA (1/2 of an ampere) and you have this 2.1 amp charger, the extra amperage won't hurt it it will just be there for extra capacity. Too much amperage is not a problem.

Since this product doesn't come with an attached cable, so long as you get a cable with a standard USB plug to attach to the charger, and the other end the correct size, you should be able to charge a lot of different products. For example, my Android tablet uses a non-standard 30 pin USB connector (the kind Apple iPads and iPhones use). I use this quite nicely for my Le Pan TC 970 Android Tablet which has a factory USB wall charger rated at 1.0 amps. With a micro USB cable, I've also used this product to power, and charge, my 500 MA (0.5 amp) Blackberry Curve cellphone. This does require keeping multiple cables around, and swapping them out as needed.

If the devices you want to charge require 500 milliamps or less, and they have a micro or mini USB port, you may want to consider the similar AmazonBasics Micro USB Wall Charger with Micro to Mini USB Adapter. Since that product comes with the cable attached you don't have to acquire anything extra (but you can't use it on iPads and iPhones).

This is a a solid device, 5 stars because it does what it's supposed to do. I will update and annotate over time if it turns out durability is an issue (if it breaks or falls apart I will post an update).

Read Best Reviews of AmazonBasics Wall Charger with USB Outlet (2.1 Amp Output) Here

USB charger does work; unfortunately won't charge Nexus 7 tablet, which is what I bought it for. I just wanted to convey that information for anyone else who may be searching (I had to type extra words to meet Amazon's minimum word limit).

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Some months ago I slightly mangled the USB micro connector on my Kindle Fire charger. It finally became so finicky I had to replace it. I know just any old wallwart will not work because it needs at least 1.8 watts. I searched through Amazon (my fav store for everything). I found the Amazon Basic Wall Charger with Amazon Basic USB cable. The charger specs say 5v@2.1A, the pins fold up and it can use a replaceable USB to micro cable. I ordered the pair for less than $17. I received the pair today. I am testing the charging performance. Reading reviews of the product, whether or not it is compatible with the FIRE is controversial. We shall see. I never liked the design of the charger shipped with the FIRE but I used it constantly while traveling to charge everything I have. Maybe I just wore it out.

OK, I have had it for a few hours. I recharged my KINDLE FIRE from 93% to Fully Charged while operating in about 30 minutes. I will let it fully discharge and see how long it takes to charge 100% both while operating and shut down.

August 16, 2012. I have been using the CHARGER with my Kindle Fire and LG OPTIMUS V and it is the best wall charger I have had for those devices. To charge my Kindle Fire from dead to full: I have not absolutely timed it but I know it takes less than 6 hours. I will try to time it more accurately. Kindle Fire has a weird habit of powering itself up when the charger cable is inserted, then you have to power it back off or it will not charge as fast.

November 8, 2012. My Basic Charger is no longer usable. It has become intermittent. My theory is that the folding plug is the cause. I will not buy another one and I have reduced the rating from 5 to 2. It is time to try something else.

Works with Kindle Fire, but only if you use the right "charging cable" or mod the adapter.

For those who are trying to use this with Kindle Fire, here's what you have to know: Kindle Fire tries to detect if it's O.K. to pull the full 1.8 A from whatever is plugged into its USB port, and it detects the "dumb" AC adapter by checking if the data wires (two inner conductors in USB A connector) are shorted together (because they wouldn't be on a computer, so it's a quick and dirty way to rule out being connected to a computer. This is not part of standard USB spec, but many tablet manufacturers are doing it, I guess following Apple's iPad). If the data wires are not shorted together, Fire assumes you plugged it into a computer and draws no more than 500 mA, so that it doesn't trigger protection circuits for (or burn out) the USB port.

Anyways. This adapter doesn't short the data wires itself, so if you want your Fire to charge at full speed and draw 1.8 A, you need to use a special charging cable that shorts the wires in the cable. Any USB cable you can use to transfer data is NOT a charging cable; a charging cable will be specifically marketted as one, as it cannot be used as regular USB cable and transfer data.

As for me, I don't have a charging cable, so I modded the adapter to short the data pins in the adapter, it's easy enough to open it up and do the quick soldering job (as usual, screws are under the sticker), but you need to have some experience soldering to make sure you don't break something while you are doing that.

Schumacher PSW-2550 DSR ProSeries 250/125/50/10 Amp 6/12 Volt Manual Wheel Battery Charger/Starter

need to charge and start old farm equipment both 6 and 12 volt. Works great to have a little more cold cranking amps for things that have been sitting all winter that need a little more turnover umpf to start.

would recommend this product for any one looking for a great deal on 6 and 12volt charger.

Mine arrived yesterday inside a box that was inside a box that was inside another box. Although the boxes were undamaged during shipping, the cabinet of the charger was dented on four sides. Why? A transformer capable of delivering 50 amps of current continually is a very heavy component of a good battery charger. It is much too heavy for the cheap, flimsy cabinet that Schumacher calls "Heavy Duty". It's a little like having an anvil bouncing around inside a tin barrel. The thing is just too heavy for its container.

Because the Amazon website says that it is "non-returnable" I took it apart and pushed most of the dents out of it. Only one dent required a hammer and a block of wood to fix, the rest I could push out with my fingers! Yes, that's how cheap the cabinet is on a Professional Series Battery Charger from Schumacher! I pushed out the dents with my fingers! No amount of packaging could ever protect the eggshell that was built around this thing.

While I had it apart to fix the dents, I checked the connections (good) and the mountings of all the components. The mounting base of the transformer was bent (due to its weight) but the rivets holding it down were still tight.

Electrically it is a well-designed piece of equipment. Structurally, it is crap.

Schumacher! Wake up! We'd gladly pay twenty bucks extra for some heavier gauge sheet metal! You put quality into the rest of this "Professional" charger -why not the cabinet? I own four of your (smaller) chargers in all. They are all decent and reliable chargers. I was expecting more from your "Professional Series" Chargers than what I got. I really feel like you guys let us all down on this one.

Buy Schumacher PSW-2550 DSR ProSeries 250/125/50/10 Amp 6/12 Volt Manual Wheel Battery Charger/Starter Now

Unique Gomadic Car and Wall AC/DC Charger for the Rand McNally Intelliroute TND 510 710 720 - Two C

• Intelligent circuit tailors precise output voltage (including resistor configuration) specific to the Rand McNally Intelliroute TND 510 710 720 . This ensures battery is safely and efficiently charged.
• State of the art, advanced circuitry prevents the Rand McNally Intelliroute TND 510 710 720 from being damaged by power surges, overcharging and/or short-circuiting.
• Broad input voltage range of 12-24VDC and 100-240VAC respectively. Permits charging via vehicle and home outlets worldwide!
• Non-coiled, straight cable design allows for easy routing around your vehicle trim for a more professionally installed look. Durable construction is built to last.
• "Power Sleep" feature will cut power draw of charger by over 99% when not in use. Charger will draw less than 0.1W of power when in "ready state" (e.g. not connected).

Worked fine. Brought for my husband and I haven't heard any complaints from him. He needed it for his truck and we received this item quickly, no long wait,

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GTMax Sync & Charging USB Cradle Desktop Charger with 2nd Battery Slot for AT&T Samsung Galaxy S Ca

I love this charger! I can charge my phone and spare battery at the same time. The only thing I would change is the length of the cord that charges the phone. It works great, but could be a bit longer.

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VCAN Blinc 210 Full Modular Helmet with Aviator Graphics (Flat Black, Medium)

This is a great helmet! Fit is on the money. Great graphics,looks very cool! The BT is amazing,paired quickly and can listen to music up to about 65 mph,road noise hinders after that. Good quality speakers,very clear and functional. I highly recomend this helmet for its looks and saftey features.

This helmet may look like a bargain, and it could be except for one problem: it doesn't work.

I'd experimented with different headphone/helmet speaker systems and this VCAN looked a perfect solution. The graphics are cool and it's very reasonably priced, in particular for a helmet that comes with bluetooth already installed. However, as is often the case, you get what you pay for.

When I received the helmet, I started out by reading the directions which actually made it harder to figure out how to setup and use the bluetooth. Despite what the advertising says, the bluetooth battery does not come installed and you have to figure out first where the battery is located and second how to install it. The directions are no help: there's a picture that roughly looks like the bottom of the helmet with a arrow pointing vaguely to the back of the helmet and labeled "bluetooth discreteness." I am not making this up. Eventually I found that by peeling back the soft foam padding that lines the helmet, at the bottom back of the helmet, under the padding, was a small panel. Merely touching this panel causes it to fall off, as it's apparently held in place by the padding. The panel will be followed by the bluetooth unit, sans battery. The bluetooth unit is "keyed" (i.e., the exterior is constructed in such a way that there is only one way to install it) but not the battery. Like all lithium batteries, if you look at the bottom, there is spot on the bottom with several copper contacts that need to match up with whatever device you're trying to power. No where in the instructions or marked on the helmet is there any indication of which way to place the battery. Eventually I got a flashlight and propped the helmet up so that I could peel back the foam padding with one hand and clutch the flashlight with the other and peering into the minute slot, see where the interior contacts are. How hard would it have been to include a line that says "this way?" Apparently too hard for manufacturers of the VCAN helmet.

The directions say that you should plug the helmet into the charger and fully charge the battery before first use. After it's fully charged, the red charging light will turn green. Fair enough. I plugged the helmet in and let it charge overnight, some 14 hours. The red light never did change to green. In fact, while playing around with the bluetooth the next morning, I couldn't find a green light anywhere, just a red and a blue.

Despite that, I was able to sync up the bluetooth with my Blackberry and, at least standing in my living room, it sounded great. I say "standing in my living room" because I never was able to road test it. More about that later. If I'd wanted to, I could pump up the volume enough to make my head hurt and it was true stereo. This would be a great system in a helmet you could wear while actually riding a motorcycle.

I thought I was ready to road test it. The helmet is extremely cheaply constructed. The edges of all of the parts are rough from where they're vacuum molded and no one took the time to buff them out. Despite the plastic covering over the visor, once I removed it, I saw that it was scratched in several places, *on the inside*. That's just poor workmanship. Raising the face piece up and down requires some muscle and it's very rough in movement, jerking from one position to the other, as if there are internal pieces that have yet to have the rough edges worn off of them.

When I got the helmet, the chin bar was not latched in place, leaving the front of the helmet unsecured. To test the fit, I pressed the front piece into place, which locked securely. The helmet fit well, which was something of surprise, generally I end up playing with helmet sizes. For example, my Scorpion EXO-1000 full face runs a bit small and I wear an XXL, despite having a very average 7 3/8 hat size.

The final straw came when I had to raise the front of the helmet. I pressed in the latching button, which obediently clicked down and I was able to raise the chin bar. Then I tried to re-secure it while it was still on my head. I pressed the chin bar down and nothing happened. I tried again, a little stronger. Then a lot stronger. Finally I pulled the helmet off and tried to close from the outside nothing. The latching button, once depressed, would not pop back up and nothing I did could get the helmet to latch again. So, slightly more than 24 hours after receiving this helmet, it's already in a box on it's way back to Amazon.

The VCAN was a disappointment in nearly every way. So, if you absolutely have to have a modular helmet with a built-in intercom system, consider the Nolan Trilogy Outlaw Modular. I've seen these helmets at a few dealerships and they seem okay. At any rate, I was able to close and latch the chin bar and reopen it again without the use of power tools.

Personally, I'm giving up on helmets with speakers and going with the Kuryakyn Sound of Chrome handlebar speakers. Why not share the music with everyone on your block?!

Buy VCAN Blinc 210 Full Modular Helmet with Aviator Graphics (Flat Black, Medium) Now

This is an excellent helmet. Volume is not excessively loud. I can see where high speeds would impede on the sound (epecially for a phone call). I've used it paired with my phone for Spotify. I simply love it. If it had a little more volume or noise insulation, it would be a perfect 5 stars. It's still probably one of the best things since sliced bread ;)

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I bought this helmet just over 30 days ago so now it is out of the return window. The vent plastic that holds the modular button in broke and fell out while riding. The Bluetooth speakers cut out while riding.

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The Helmet is really good for normal speeds usage, when in high speed sometimes the Bluetooth calls drop and the music is not that loud to be heard. Other than that the helmet is perfect and comfy and easy to use it's Bluetooth controller.

Rayovac PS70 USB Car Charger

Just used this product while on vacation, it has two USB ports that allow both my husband and I to charge our phones at the same time. Since the port is a USB it allows you to charge an IPhone and an Android phone on the same charger which is great for us. It powered the phones so quickly. Great product, get this!

Very pleased with this product. Its small so it doesn't take up a lot of room in my glove box and I also like that it has two USB ports or we can charge two things at once.

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This USB Car Charger is great. I love having a dual charger so my husband and I can plug in at the same time with only one unit! Great buy.

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RediPulse Pro-12 Charge/Maintenance System (110 Volt) - Keep Up To 12 New Batteries Factory Fresh A

Excellent product. It should be mandatory for all entities that have batteries on the shelf to have one of these. I am not sure that the pulsing mechanism works as stated. But what I am sure is that the batteries are kept 'topped up' all the time.

Car Charger Power Adapter for Philips DVD Player PET723 PET726 PET729 PD700/37 PD7012/37 PD7019/37

• for Philips DVD Player PET723 PET726 PET729 PD700/37 PD7012/37 PD7019/37 PET741/37 PET941/37 PD9000/37 PET1000/37B PET941A/37 LY-01 AY4133 AY4198
• about 5.5', 170cm in length, 90° connector
• 12V input
• quality generic replacement for Philips DVD player car adapter
• high quality car power cord

This cord works great and is better quality that the one from the manufacture. You can not find them at any store anymore , so I ordered two and couldnt be happier. Great for money

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Just what I ordered and needed for my player to be charged up and work again...glad the price wasn't too bad at all

Read Best Reviews of Car Charger Power Adapter for Philips DVD Player PET723 PET726 PET729 PD700/37 PD7012/37 PD7019/37 Here

Not sure what to really say except that this does what it is supposed to do. It powers on my kids DVD player and provides enjoyment for long car rides.

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good service, good quality thanks. I would recommend this to another buyer. they say I have to write eight more words, so there, I did.

Product is well work the money! Works great and shipped to me really fast...very impressed. Worth purchasing versus high priced items from the manufacturer.

Uniden GMR1235-2 12-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair)

• Pair of FRS/GMRS family radios with 22 channels (15 GMRS, 7 FRS) and up to 12 mile range
• Auto-squelch for reducing interference; channel scan/monitor for easily finding available channels
• Power with three AAA batteries--automatic power saving feature extends battery life
• Call tone and selectable roger beep; keypad lock feature to avoid changing settings
• Bundle includes two radios, batteries, reference guide, and pair of belt clips

Those Uniden GMR1235-2 2-way Radios are so compact, you can easily hold both in one hand (see my Customer Image). They are also very inexpensive (around $20 for a pair), so one may think of them as just toys for kids, But in fact they can be used by kids and adults alike provided that you start with the correct expectation.

First of all, forget about the manufacturer's claim of '12-mile' range. That is only possible under the most optimistic test condition (transmitting from one hill top to another with clear line-of-sight). In an urban environment, you are lucky if you can get one or two miles. With this limited range in mind, this walkie talkie set can still be very useful in many places (such as in a National Park, or a large shopping mall). The sound quality is quite decent similar to an AM radio.

Next, this thing is a battery-eater if you use disposable alkaline cells (three AAA per radio). The manufacturer claims an average battery life of '20 hours'. But again, this is under a special test condition of '5/5/90', which means 5% transmit, 5% receive, and 90% idle time. The device consumes different amount of current during different operation modes, as shown below:

While transmitting: 400mA

While receiving: 50-100mA (depending on volume level)

While idling: around 15mA.

If you do a lot of transmission, a set of alkaline cells is likely to run flat in less than two hours (because alkaline cells are very inefficient at high current). My advice is to buy some good quality AAA rechargeable cells, such as the Sanyo Eneloop or Rayovac Hybrid, to power those radios. That way, not only will you save money on batteries, you can even get longer run time per charge.

[Update on June 8, 2011]

I should add that this pair of walkie-talkie is still working well after 2.5 years, and I'm still using the same set of rechargeable batteries (Kodak Pre-Charged AAA) in them.

Buy Uniden GMR1235-2 12-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair) Now

I bought a pair to see how they would work for a local communications net and they were great! Sure, they lack a lot of the fancy bells and whistles but they have range and clarity that some of the other hand-held radios in the net lacked. Some of the other members were so impressed, they wanted to know where they could get some. I'm buying some more now before these babies sell out, again!

Good, basic communication option. Fairly long range, easy to use, batteries included, and good price. What's not to love?

Read Best Reviews of Uniden GMR1235-2 12-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair) Here

Bought these as knock around radios for the kids so they didn't need to play with my nicer Motorola talkabouts. For the price these are excellent radios. They have been tested out to just under 1 mile over water (opposite sides of the local lake). The included batteries are kind of like the inkjet cartridges you get with your printer... just enough juice for you to test the product, but not enough for real work. Don't head into the field on the included batteries! A buddy and I hiked into a high mountain lake to fly fish with these radios and they were great for us to brag "fish on" when we were too far apart to see each other. At $10 each they were a guilt free purchase, even knowing they won't see daily use. Very happy with the quality and performance at this price point.

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The battery life is terrible. If you read nothing else in this review, know that. But first:

Upon opening, the first thing you'll realize is that no matter how small you think they are, they are even smaller. They measure about 3 inches tall. Maybe 4.5 with the antenna. They are quite easy to grip though, and look and feel rugged enough to live through a few drops without an issue.

The sound quality in close proximity is great. Anything under 100 yards is very clear, even if you are going through brick walls and steel doors. I can hear my roommate just fine through 3 highrise apartment complexes. At distance, however, the quality breaks down quickly. No one expects 12 miles from a 2-way labeled as 12 mile capable, but 3 miles? 2 miles? Not likely unfortunately. If you get 1.5 residential area you should be thrilled.

The design seems rather straighforward, (volume up and down, channel up and down, power, scan, lock, squelch)The onlything I find odd is the placement of the belt clip. You need to remove it before you remove the battery cover. Makes replacing the battery a little more of a chore since the clip doesn't come off very easily.

Finally the battery life. This comes with 3 batteries for each radio. In the first use, our batteries lasted 4 hours. Now keep in mind, this was not constant communication. This was 90% standbye time. The manual says that after 2 minutes of non-use, the radios will switch to a power-save mode. That seems a little long to wait. They're fine for very casual use, but in any type of emergency situation I wouldn't be able to trust them. It's unfortunate, but I'm going to have to purchase my third set of walkie talkies simply because of the batteries.

Overall, it does fine for the cheap price. I didn't expect to much, but I'd look elswhere for a rechargeable unit if you need to rely on communication for anything critical.

Those Uniden GMR1235-2 2-Way 12 Mile Radios are so compact, you can easily hold both in one hand (see my Customer Image). They are also very inexpensive (around $20 for a pair), so one may think of them as just toys for kids, But in fact they can be used by kids and adults alike provided that you start with the correct expectation.

First of all, forget about the manufacturer's claim of '12-mile' range. That is only possible under the most optimistic test condition (transmitting from one hill top to another with clear line-of-sight). In an urban environment, you are lucky if you can get one or two miles. With this limited range in mind, this walkie talkie set can still be very useful in many places (such as in a National Park, or a large shopping mall). The sound quality is quite decent similar to an AM radio.

Next, this thing is a battery-eater if you use disposable alkaline cells (three AAA per radio). The manufacturer claims an average battery life of '20 hours'. But again, this is under a special test condition of '5/5/90', which means 5% transmit, 5% receive, and 90% idle time. The device consumes different amount of current during different operation modes, as shown below:

While transmitting: 400mA

While receiving: 50-100mA (depending on volume level)

While idling: around 15mA.

If you do a lot of transmission, a set of alkaline cells is likely to run flat in less than two hours (because alkaline cells are very inefficient at high current). My advice is to buy some good quality AAA rechargeable cells, such as the Sanyo Eneloop or Rayovac Hybrid, to power those radios. That way, not only will you save money on batteries, you can even get longer run time per charge.

[Update on June 8, 2011]

I should add that this pair of walkie-talkie is still working well after 2.5 years, and I'm still using the same set of Pre-Charged rechargeable AAA cells (Kodak) in them.

GTMax Black Rapid Retractable Car Charger for Sprint HTC Hero (CDMA) Cell Phone

To counter a prior review this works fine with the Sprint HTC Hero. Standard mini-USB looks a little different than HTC's "ExtUSB" jack, but it still plugs in. But this charger just doesn't supply enough juice for the job.

Most USB chargers will tell you how many milliamps (mA) they will supply to your phone. The standard HTC car and home chargers give out 1000mA; many generic chargers give out 500mA. Despite not knowing how strong this one was, I bought it anyway. Then, whenever I used my phone as a GPS with this charger, my battery still drained. A lot slower than if it wasn't plugged in but I still got to my destination with less juice in my phone than I started with. Occasionally, HTC Battery App would even pop-up to tell me the phone was losing its charge despite being plugged in, and suggested switching to a different charger.

Because this hasn't happened with either 1000mA or 500mA chargers, this angel-hair-wire device probably gives out significantly less, perhaps in the 200-300mA range. So, yes, it works -but consider this a "trickle charger" rather than a fast charger.

EDIT: To further clarify: the HTC battery app only pops up to tell me I'm losing battery charge despite being plugged in when I use this charger along with Google Maps Navigation. In my experience, this WILL charge a phone just fine, albeit slower than some other chargers -so long as you're not running something juice-munching like GPS navigation. Because I haven't had this problem with other no-name chargers, I still think this charger is too weak.

So I imagine the person who said it does not fit a Sprint Hero looked at the shape of the charger, maybe briefly tried to plug it in, and then gave up. It is the generic mini USB shape, which is slightly different than the hero's normal asymmetrical plug, but you can still use a generic mini USB adapter on the hero. The thing that's weird about this charger, and is the reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5, is that it just barely can be shoved into the socket. You have to push it pretty hard to plug it in, but after I did that, it worked fine, and my phone's socket doesn't seem to be getting stretched out or anything...other plugs work just fine, and aren't loose or anything.

On the positive side, the retraction is really nice for a car charger...you just press a button and the cord snaps back into the unit, which is great if you don't like sloppy-looking wires in your car.

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This item does in fact plug into the HTC hHro. HTC phones have an odd shaped plug, but a normal mini USB plug such as this works perfectly in it. Ignore the 1 star review. This product WILL work for your Hero.

Read Best Reviews of GTMax Black Rapid Retractable Car Charger for Sprint HTC Hero (CDMA) Cell Phone Here

The recoil has not tangled up once and the reach is long so i can still use the phone if i needed to.

Solid product for the price

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I recieved my package everything was fine however after 3 days out on the road because I travel as a part of my job the charger automatically stopped working UNLESS, UNLESS,....YOU SIT there and hold it up in there and after 3 hours of riding with my coworker and holding this,, my phone still hadn't completely charged..It really sucks this is my last resort after sitting beside the road for three hours after a deer was struck by the vehicle we were in and no phone to call police. I suggest you do not purchase this unless it's only 2 days temporary charge until you get to a better and dependable car charger for your HTC hero!!!! thanks

MISS PISSED!!!!!

oan if use gps this is def not the charger to have because the gps sucks the battery faster than the chargeer will restore It....

Rapid Car Charger (CLA) for LG Cosmos VN250

LG uses a special line in voltage (5.1V) on the USB port.

This is a "universal" charger, which puts out 5 volts, so the phone says that it is the incorrect cable. it also will only charge it to 80-90 percent of a full charge

This vehicle charger DOES charge my phone, BUT:

1. I have to play with the connection to get it to start charging and ...

2. When it IS charging, the phone displays a message asking me whether I'm sure it's plugged in correctly and also whether I'm sure this is the correct cable for the phone.

So, it works, but it's just a wee bit scary. (On the other hand, the price was certainly right!)

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This product is certainly worth the money. I was a little worried because it was almost TOO cheap, but it does work.

The only issue that I've had with this charger is that it takes a little wiggling to get it into the lighter properly. The red light on the charger comes on when it is in all the way, though. Occasionally I have to wiggle the phone if I've pulled on the wire, but nothing ridiculous. The phone does take a charge and seems to do so quicker than on my regular home charger.

Good product, would recommend.

Read Best Reviews of Rapid Car Charger (CLA) for LG Cosmos VN250 Here

This charger is perfect for those on the go, especially for the price, but is still high in quality. No problems and fits my phone (and other LGs in the house!). Highly recommended.

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Good charger for LG Cosmos cell phone. I originally tried to use an older charger with a connector adapter (mini to micro USB), however, the phone would not charge. It knew the difference and actually displays a message to this effect. This charger works fine and is much lower in price than the one sold by Verizon wireless.

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CHICHITEC T-mobile AT&T HTC Sensation 4G Cellphone 1900 mAh Battery Slim Design Longer life than OE

• CHICHITEC premium batteries are authorized to be sold by CHICHITEC only. It is illegal to use our trademarked product logo without our permission. Unauthorized sellers will be reported.
• This is a High Quality HTC Sensation Battery also for the HTC Z710E, G14, (T-Mobile, AT&T, GSM). Keep one as a spare and you're good to go that extra mile at work, checking emails, chatting with your friends or surfing the web on the road.
• 1 x 1900mAh Battery, 1 x 2.1A Mini Rapid Car Charger, Charge your phone or any device in car super fast
• Capacity: 1900 mAh;(longer battery life compare to 1500/1300mAh)
• Do NOT required to use bulky back cover; Increase Battery Life; NEW TIPS! Always prepare spare batteries for (Japan)Earthquake Tsunami disasters.

it said it so that's a so that's a plus fas fast shipping also came wi rapid charge is small and compact which is is small and compact which is handy overal life of is yet to be determined will review aga will review again later on

Car Charger For Samsung SGH-p107, p207, x426, x427/m, x475

Ordered for grand mothers phone, it works fine, i still have it, it still works, never had any problems with it it.

Necessary information was provided to ensure that this was the desired charger needed. Delivery was timely and package was wrapped appropriately. I recommend this company to others. Price was good, too.

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Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver for iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone and

• Wirelessly adds GPS to iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone and other Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, tablets and laptops
• Allows your device to be used with most apps that require GPS, including apps for car and marine navigation, golfing, geocaching, hiking, GPS tracking, cycling, running, social networking and more.
• Rechargeable battery lasts up to 8.5 hours of continuous use and charges via the included USB cable
• Small portable design. 2.25" x 2.25" x .75". Works anywhere in the world.
• Includes 12V car charger, a non-slip pad for use in a car or boat, and an adjustable strap to attach to a backpack or to use as an armband

The XGPS150 is a small (2"x2"x0.5") self powered device. It is small enough to fit easily into a pocket. It works with all iOS devices that have Bluetooth. To use it, you just turn on Bluetooth in the General Settings. It takes just a few seconds to discover the XGPS150. Click on its name in the list to pair with the device.

When the GPS is paired with your iOS device, you will get a message asking if you wish to download the app required to use the accessory. Click yes to launch the App Store and download the Dual GPS Status Tool. The Status Tool is worth getting. You can use it to display the signal strength of each GPS satellite just like you can with a stand alone GPS receiver. This screen is extremely helpful if you want to use the GPS indoors or in some other location where reception can be challenging. I know I will use this feature when I am on an aircraft.

One accessory that comes with the XGPS150 is a rubber dash mount. The mount uses simple friction to keep the GPS on your dash board. It is soft rubber so it will mold to any shape. It stayed on my dash for several drives without moving at all.

The XGPS150 has numerous advantages over the built-in GPS on an iPhone or iPad 3G. First it seems to get much better GPS reception. I can easily track my location on an aircraft, in a car or even in my house with the XGPS150. In fact I typically get 10 satellites showing almost full bars indoors. Of course there is no way to know what reception my iPad is getting but being able to see the signal strength of each satellite is another advantage of the XGPS150. The really remarkable thing about using a Bluetooth GPS is how little power is required for an iPod Touch to track your location. If Scenic Map is tracking your location in standby mode (GPS centering turned on with the screen turned off) it can run all day long and still have a full power bar. The XGPS150 has about ten hours of battery life. You charge the XGPS150 with a standard mini USB cable and it comes with a cigarette lighter adapter for your car.

I only have one small complaint about the XGPS150. To turn the unit on or off, you have to press and hold the center of the circular red pad for several seconds. Unfortunately the power icon is near the edge. It is very difficult to turn on the device if you press directly on the power icon. The device makes a plastic crunching noise if you try and it may even be possible to damage the device if you push too hard or too near the edge. If you press the center of the pad (where there is no icon) it is quite easy to turn on or off. Dual should move the power icon to the center or have some other indication of where you should press to turn on the power since there is no visible switch.

Combined with the XGPS150, the iPod Touch becomes an extremely capable GPS receiver. With a high quality mapping app such as Scenic Map, the utility of the Status Tool plus all the other great iOS GPS apps, it is easy to say that the iPod Touch is the best GPS money can buy. It costs a lot less than a high end mapping GPS receiver and you won't have to pay hundreds of dollars more for additional maps.

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It's simple and it works for everything, Laptop, IPad, IPhone. I like the non slip dash mount it comes with, seems to get good signal from weak areas. I bought it for use with Foreflight and I just used it for a 3 hour flight. It worked great even during steep turns of 60 degrees. I like that it has a simple push on/off button and an app to see how many satellites it is picking up. Great little device. Included car charger works with 24 volt systems and the device turns on automatically when it gets power.

I've used the GNS5870 and found it to turn off when I didn't even press any buttons then when I finally got it on I couldn't turn it off... The GNS5870 is sleeker and smaller, but this Dual Bluetooth GPS just works right!

The bad elf GPS looks pretty good, but I think i'd break it with it attached to the bottom of my ipad all the time.

This is the #1 way to go for Foreflight.

Read Best Reviews of Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver for iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone and Here

I just purchased this last week and have been very happy with it. I use it with a WiFi only iPad. It picks up the satellites quickly and hasn't dropped the signal yet. I am a pilot and use it with ForeFlight for in-flight tracking and have been very pleased with its performance. It's a nice compact size too. I like the non-slip pad that it comes with. I recommend it!

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I got this handy little device because I'd had reliability problems with the built-in GPS on my iPad-3G. It works well, allowing me to locate the GPS sensor up on the dashboard where it can see the satellites and position the iPad or iPhone wherever I'd like. With Navigon app it has proven a complete substitute for my Garmin GPS as well.

Only dislike I have is that it automatically syncs to the last bluetooth device that used it, so sometimes I need to go get my other device to turn off bluetooth in order to use it with the one I'm holding. It would be nice if there was a simple button on it to ask it to be receptive to an active bluetooth request. It also can take a minute or so to get position lock and in the meantime you'll get false data in some apps. Not really a fault of the device, all GPS requires a bit to lock on. Just something to watch out for.

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I had wanted this GPS device ever since its debut. Fortunately for me I found an awesome deal for $50 so it was a no brainer. When I first opened the box, for some reason the unit appeared much larger then I had expected, but it is still small and manageable. The description stated 2" X .5" and that would be accurate.

When you turn the unit on the acquisition time is blazely fast. In fact it is faster than any other GPS unit that I had ever used, and I own a lot of units which mostly are Garmin's with the SIRF chip. The chip in this unit is scary fast and is even faster than the DUAL XGPS251 which I wrote a separate review on in 03/11. When I first turned the unit on which was in-doors from a cold boot it had acquired 7 or 8 satellites in less than one minute, and DUAL claims 30 seconds for a lock regardless of a cold or warm startup. I tend to believe there claim as the unit uses a -65-channel SkyTraq GPS chipset-. That is phenomenal. The unit appears to work with every GPS application that I have thrown at it so far. I am using the device with a 2nd GEN iTouch. Setup was a breeze which is primarily the Bluetooth pairing. If you plan to use the unit with an apple device be sure to download the DUAL utility from the app store. The utility only has 2 stars, but I have no found a problem with the utility and it does exactly what it was designed to do, which is to provide status on the device and signal strength. I think most people have give the device two stars because they expect a full blown navigation utility, but that is not what it was designed to do.

Some of the review that I wrote for XGPS251 can be applied here which include several free GPS applications that can be used with this device. Unfortunately the device does not include a microphone, speaker or the ability to charge your device like the XGPS251, but they are two entirely different devices. I had also looked at the Bad Elf unit, but I decided against it for reasons that I won't state as I don't want to impact sales one way or another for something that I do not own. Another plus is that the unit is firmware upgradeable by the end user, unlike the firmware issues that plague some user of the XGPS251. If your XGPS251 does not have the 10/10 firmware and you are using an iTouch 4 then your investment just got a whole lot more expensive since a upgrade to the firmware will be required, which is another $60 +/-. I got extremely lucky when I purchased my XGPS251 from Amazon in 03/11 and I don't even have an iTouch 4 model. In my opinion it is not worth rolling the dice on the XGPS251, and that is exactly what you would be doing until someone announces that their units are the new 10/10 firmware. I would suggest this unit or the Bad-Elf as a better option for future compatibility with your Apple or in the case of the XGPS150 model your non-Apple products as well.

Now for the quirks:

Quirk #1:

For some reason the outsourcing that DUAL does with this type of hardware provide several quirks. The quirks are mostly with the I/O of the power source and on and off switch. There are quirks with the XGPS251, and there are to a lesser extent quirks with the XGPS150. As others had mentioned the on and off button is buried under the RED top of the unit, and it can be difficult to accurately press the button to turn it on or off. Although when the unit is plugged into a power source it comes on automatically. The unit should have been designed so that the power button actually comes through the red top where the on/off symbol is. It would not have been difficult to do with the existing switch and no hardware modifications would have been need as all that would have been needed is an extended button preferably made of dense material (plastic, silicon or rubber)r to require less energy to push.

Quirk #2:

OK the dash mat that is included with the unit is nice, in fact very nice. But for the love of humanity why wouldn't the manufacture design the dash mat with a hole in it so that you can plug a car charger into it. DUAL include a car charger, but the only way to charge the unit is out of the Silicon dash mat. So you have to insure that the unit is charged prior to your trip or keep the mat out of the unit while charging. Go figure, this is a huge oversight in my opinion. There are issues with the XGPS251 ability to charge in the car as well which again is in a separate review. Even worse is that even if I cut a hole in the mat I still wouldn't be able to charge the unit while it is in the mat, because there is a plastic door that covers the USB port and the operating mode switch. The door swings out of the way to access the USB port, but once the door is swung out of the way the GPS won't fit in the mat until the door is closed. The door is necessary I suppose for boating and or outdoor sports, and it is not easily removed.

In order to resolve the USB port accessibility I am going to attempt to punch a whole into the silicon mat using a paper punch. This may not work because I would expect that the silicon would just stretch instead of punch out. If it does not punch out I will be using an exacto knife most likely. To remove the door I will have to take the unit apart and collapse the door keeper from the inside. I suspect that just like the XGPS251 there will be a screw under each rubber plug on the bottom of the unit. Four screws total.

All in all a fantastic unit, but DUAL come on please pay more attention to the user's I/O needs of your devices.

Update: 07/16/11:

I was correct that there is a screw on each of the four corners under the plugs. I removed the plugs and the four screws and the top came right off. Once I was able to remove the top I removed the USB cover and cut a small piece of tape to cover the pass trough hole for the cover. the tape was not required, but I figured why not since I had it apart. I then put the top back on, the four screws and the rubber plugs. All in all took less than 5 minutes. If attempted just insure that you don't rip the rubber plugs when removing, as there is mild adhesive on the bottom of each plug. I recommend a small screwdriver, and be sure that the plugs go back in adhesive side down. You may ask why the rubber plugs are even used and should you put them back in. I would answer by suggesting that they are used for three reasons:

Reduce the amount of moisture exposure that could make it's way past the screws (remember that this unit is not water proof and is even less moisture resistant if the plugs are left out and the USB door is removed. This is not a problem for me since my unit won't be subjected to moisture. Give careful consideration if you plan to use the unit in harsh environments. I'll stick to my Garmin for those type of environments. My unit will be primarily used for vehicle navigation.

Conceal the location of the screws to keep someone like me from taking the unit apart

To keep the fours screws from falling out if they should happen to become loose for any reason

The paper hole punch worked flawlessly. Actually I was surprised at how easy the unit punched through the silicon. Just make sure to take your time and get that hole position correctly for the USB port. The hole should be on the same side as the embossed word "DUAL" What I did was just put the GPS into the dash pad, and feel with your finger where the USB port of the unit is, and mark the spot with a Sharpie marker. Once you have done that just take your time and align the Sharpie mark with the punch of the paper puncher. You only get one shot so do it right the first time. Once done you will be able to charge the GPS unit via the USB port while the unit is located in it's dash mat.

Save the USB door and the silicon that was punched out. I would put them in the unit's retail box if you still have it. The modification made to the GPS unit is totally reversible if needed by repeating the steps outlined above to reinstall the USB door cover. As for the reversal of the dash pad the only thing that you can really do is re-glue or tape the punched out piece, which I would do from the inside of the dash mat, not the outside.

I can't think of a reason to reverse the procedure but the option does exist.

Delphi SA10000 XM SKYFi Radio Receiver

• Satellite radio receiver for your car or home; includes wireless remote control
• Access to XM's 100-plus channels of satellite radio, featuring music, news, sports, and more
• Direct channel entry plus 20 presets; preview a channel before switching
• Requires separately available car or home connection kit and subscription to XM satellite service
• Measures 4.7 x 2.9 x 1.5 inches (W x H x D)

I can't say enough about this system. For years, I have been disenchanted with commercial radio and the junk they play. If I wanted good music, I'd have to shell out a king's ransom for CDs. I had gotten to the point where I didn't even bother listening to music anymore; I'd just tune in NPR in the car and watch TV at home for entertainment.

I was skeptical about paying for satellite radio until I checked out the sample programming at It took me about a day to realize I couldn't go another day without it. Now I listen to the radio all the time at home, and I've even hooked up the Home Adapter kit at work and listened through my computer's headphones. (It took a bit of doing to position the antenna for good reception in my office 'cube farm' inside a steel-and-concrete building, but I got it to work!) Now I can't wait to get the car adapter so I can take my stations with me on the road.

One of my favorite features on the Delphi SKYFi is that you can save Artist/Song Title information while listening if you hear something you really like. This has allowed me to discover several great new bands since I started listening to XM. I can confidently pick up new CDs of bands I'd never hear on commercial radio. It's like having a great college radio station!

Another great feature about the Delphi unit is that you take your one subscription with you wherever you go; there's no need to pay for an extra receiver, even though XM offers additional subs at a discount.

XM radio has a great fan following. Check out for a great online community of fans and fanatics. I learned a lot about antenna placement in poor-reception areas (XM at work!) from reading the message boards.

Quit stalling. Buy it. I promise you'll love it.

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Forget the naysayers. This product was worth every penny, as well as the subscription fee.

I do not own a car, as I am legally blind. However, one does not need to own a car to enjoy XM radio. I live in the Coachella Valley in southern Central California, and quite frankly, the radio reception here bites, even on shortwave.

I also live in an stucco reinforced apartment, with NO WINDOWS at all in my bedroom.My Sky FI radio rests in the boombox docking station, and sits on top of my televison set. The antenna is simply clipped to the back of the boombox, and I do not use a single inch 0f it's 20 foot cable.

The radio works flawlessly.

All 121 channels.

No fading or digital artifacts.

The sign up process was quick and painless. I was up and running in under an hour.

Belive me, XM blows regular radio out of the water. My two favorite channels are 163 (Sonic Theater) and 164(Old Time Radio)

These 2 channels are well worth the subscription cost alone.

XM radio should side market this product to the visually impaired or blind as well. I could think of no greater a gift for someone blind, such as myself. An A PLUS!!!

Read Best Reviews of Delphi SA10000 XM SKYFi Radio Receiver Here

I purchased my XM Radio Skyfi system from Best Buy just before a cross country trip. My wife and I love it. However, after losing the signal a few times in the rain and then losing the signal for a few days after a heavy rain. I discovered that the magnetic antenna supplied with the system is "known" to be a problem. Best Buy techs know it. And Delphi, the suppliers of the system know it. When I called tech support at Delphi, I got a curt recommendation to seal the area of the antenna where the wire enters the antenna then I wouldn't have any more problems. In other words, their problem was my problem. The Best Buy techs graciously told me if I got any kind of replacement antenna, they would replace my antenna at no charge. I couldn't find a replacement. The Delphi people need some customer service training. So, if you buy this system, save yourself some trouble and seal the area where the wire enters the antenna. If it weren't for the antenna problem, I'd give the system five stars.

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I recently rented a Cadillac from Avis and was able to listen to XM at no charge. My wife and I really enjoyed it and decided the home kit option was something we were very interested in as we don't spend long periods of time in our cars.

I was reluctant at first because of worries regarding the antenna not being in a south-facing window. My stereo system is in a built-in entertainment wall and does not allow for the antenna to be pointed at a south facing window. After reading that many others have had success with the antenna in less than ideal areas, I decided I would give it a try.

My house is 2 years old, one story brick with a normal pitched roof consisting of plywood decking and dimensional fiberglass shingles. It has 10 foot flat and tray ceilings.

After hooking up the cables to my surround sound receiver and placing the antenna on the top of the stack of stereo components, I pointed the antenna generally to the south and toward the ceiling at about 45 degrees. I plugged the SkyFi in and immediately was getting two bars on the signal strength indicator. I do not have terrestrial repeaters in my area, so I am relying solely on the satellite. After a few quick adjustments I was getting 3 bars or it bounced between 3 and 2 bars.

I was very happy to have it work, and it is not even close to sitting in a south-facing window. After getting a strong signal and hearing the sample channels loud and clear, I activated the subscription online. I timed it and it took 12 minutes before the tuner updated and began receiving all channels. I was pretty impressed it activated that quickly.

I generally listen to talk radio in the car along with a few CD's and I absolutely despise FM radio with all of the repetitive commercials and DJ's having meaningless "conversations" with people that call in requests. I love the concept of satellite radio. I like to hear different types of music depending on the occasion or mood I'm in. XM is like a jukebox in the house with something new and different on each channel. I am terrible with song names and groups so I especially like to be able to look up and see the info on the Delphi display.

I picked XM over Sirius because I had a chance to hear it in the Avis rental car and I trust Delphi equipment. Satellite radio IS rocket science, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy all it has to offer. Overall, I am very happy with the SkyFi, the home kit, and the XM service.

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As a caveat here, I've been a subscriber of both XM and Sirius at different times. I'm not here to pump or dump either service or comment on programming -simply the merits and drawbacks of the SkyFi, so here goes. (1) I managed to break the SkyFi within 10 minutes of setting it up at home, simply by trying to turn the round tuning dial, and this didn't instill confidence in quality or build. I was able to get it replaced at my retailer, fortunately. Otherwise, the size of the unit is quite nice and the remote is slick. The display is nice, although the config options are a bit limited (and it's very, very red, which can be annoying to view). (2) The satellite reception was not bad but it was very, very touchy as to location. To that end, I moved to an apartment with a north/west exposure, so using it there was out of the question (no signal at all); ergo, I'm no longer a subscriber. (3) I also considered purchasing the Boom-Box rather than simply plugging into my home stereo -a friend still has his boom-box, but the volume on it is weak (it's only 4W output), and it has no adapters for external devices. Stylish, yes. Functional, not so much. It worked better through my home stereo's Aux input -even the latest boom-box model is still ONLY a 4 watt output, which is less than most cheap PC speakers. -Again, I won't discuss programming (I personally enjoyed XM, but that's a personal preference). The unit is nice, but there are some limitations, especially if you consider the satellite orbit for XM is very low and south-only; if you don't have that orientation available, try Sirius.

New OEM Verizon LG Octane VN530 Car Charger

This charger is excellent for charging all out phones.

Keep it in the car and everyone that rides and need a charge, plugs it in

and it gets the job done.

The charger does work well, but picture shows it is a "Verizon Charger" in reality it is a universal charger.

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I bought this as a Christmas gift for my husband, he has the Octane model VN530 as stated in the description for this item. However, when it arrived, the packaging states it is a "Universal" charger, and not specifically for the Octane as I was lead to believe (in fact, no phone models are listed anywhere on the packaging whatsoever). I'm hoping when my husband tries to use it that it works. The description for this item is 100% misleading.

Read Best Reviews of New OEM Verizon LG Octane VN530 Car Charger Here

The Charger does work, but I cannot use the plug-in on the car charger itself ........ I had to take my wall charger apart and plug that cord into the USB on the car charger and plug the other end into my phone. The end of the car charger does not fit into my phone -it it too thick. The cord from the car charger is extra and just hangs there -If I knew the phone charger would still work, I would cut that cord off. I should have looked further into this when searching -I assumed since I did a search of car chargers for the LG Octane, this charger would work with the phone perfectly.

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Recieved phone charger in the mail in a timely manner. Friendly service; had no problems. Good pricing and works well. Would do business again.

PowerFilm 10 Watt Foldable Solar Panel Charger

I have been trying out Solar Chargers for the past 6 plus months. Interest in solar charges grew from wanting to be prepared for emergencies. The electronic devices that I have are powered through AA, AAA, and USB sources. Therefore, my focus was on finding a solar charger that can power one or any combination of the three. This is the review of the PowerFilm 10-Watt Foldable Solar Charger.

Starting with some basic information for this charger, the product comes with the PowerFilm 10-Watt Foldable Solar Charger, one PowerFilm's RA-2 12 Volt Female Cigarette Lighter Adapter, a very basic instruction foldout, and everything is contained in a cardboard box. I appreciate the cardboard box as it does not waste space and is perfect size for efficient storage. It fits snugly around the charger which when folded, is approximately 10 1/2 inches long and 4 inches wide. The solar charger itself appears very durable and its build quality is excellent. It has a thin and flexible solar film encased in a UV protection layer, and it is stitched into durable nylon material. The manual instructs that if the solar charger becomes wet or submerged, it should continue to work after given some time to dry.

The solar charger was able to successfully charge my iPhone 3GS with different car adapters. With the iGo car charger and different levels of sunlight (direct-indirect, peak-off peak, etc.), I was able to charge the iPhone at a rate of 10% charge for every 14 minutes. This is fast when compared to different chargers that have been tested, especially among other solar and portable chargers. I never drain my iPhone completely, so actual trial times for a complete charge is not available.

Another great positive to this charger is that I am able to utilize my Sanyo Eneloop USB AA/AAA Charger attached to a Scosche USB car adapter. This provides the ability to charge AA and AAA rechargeable batteries. The Sanyo Eneloop USB Charger instructions states that it would require two hours to charge AAA batteries and four hours to charge AA batteries. The charge time was consistent whether it was connected to my MacBook or the Solar Charger.

Being rated at producing 15.4 volts with 0.6 amps, the PowerFilm 10-Watt Foldable Solar Charger is not likely to charge a power hungry item, such as a laptop computer, on its own. However, these panels can be connected in parallel with combined output of up to 20 amps. PowerFilm also makes similar foldable solar panels that are rated at 20, 30, and 60-Watts.

Overall, I rate this PowerFilm 10-Watt Foldable Solar Charger a 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. This solar charger meets all of my needs with great success. I am now able to power my AA and AAA rechargeable batteries, USB devices, and other devices using car adapters. Plus the build quality is excellent, the necessary female adapter is included, and the packaging is great. I finally found the dependable, durable, compact, and lightweight source of solar power that I have been searching for in case of emergencies.

I took this item into the woods for 2 weeks, and was able to charge my smartphone enough to keep up with facebook and sms for a few minutes in the evenings. Never got a full charge. What's up with the 5 star rating for something that only charged enough for 20 minutes of data usage? How is that possible?

Easy. No direct sunlight. The best sunlight I could find was dappled. Constant haze in the sky (humid east coast forest), with lots of clouds some days. In other words, horrible conditions for solar panels.

It still worked.

Fantastic product, puts up with a lot of abuse. You can drape it over a bush, or hang it from a tree, or off the side of your tent. It's light, folds up small, and doesn't care about getting damp.

I would recommend getting a charge controller, though. I didn't, and I think my results would have been much better with a decent charge controller. I don't think the blocking diode blocks 100% of the current flow, because the panel would (slowly!) drain the phone's battery if it was in the evening shade for too long.

A 10W panel is WAY OVER CAPACITY for a smart phone (I have the HTC G1, Google's first Android phone). I would NEVER hook this panel directly up to my phone in full, direct, clear sunlight without a charge controller! However, considering the conditions, I just used the car charger for my phone and plugged it directly into the panel and it worked great.

Buy PowerFilm 10 Watt Foldable Solar Panel Charger Now

I bought this panel as a convenient way to keep gadgets charged while away from civilization. The unit is smaller than I imagined, and seems very rugged. The solar panels themselves are a heavy duty flexible plastic film and are glued and stitched to the nylon fabric. The whole assembly has four grommets in the corners which I'm sure will come in very handy. In the package is a cable with the panel connector on one end and a female 12v cigarette lighter socket on the other; if you have gadget chargers that plug into your vehicle's 12v power socket you're good to go. I only wish PowerFilm offered a dual 5V USB port charger cable with integrated charge controller, for the increasing number of gadgets that charge via USB. Instead, I picked up a Griffin PowerJolt Dual at the local Wally-world, which works great.

So far I've only been able to test it in the back yard, but I'm very happy with it. In full sun (2:00pm, September 24, Northern California, 86 degrees F) my meter initially read 19+ volts. Voltage seemed to drop slowly as the panel heated up. In complete shade, under the porch, the panel still put out 12.2 volts.

I had a very good experience with PowerFilm support via email. I would definitely recommend this product, and will probably buy another in the future.

Read Best Reviews of PowerFilm 10 Watt Foldable Solar Panel Charger Here

Surprise #1: I bought my F16-600 10W solar panel charger from Amazon for a steal at 109 dollars on sale (Powerfilm was the seller).

Surprise #2: The item pictured in the description was the black one but I ended up getting a military grade version (camouflage canvas). NICE!

Surprise #3: It came with a female cigarette lighter adapter! Despite the description failing to mention this bonus I'm lucky I didn't almost spring for Amazon's "buy together with RA-2 cigarette lighter adapter for..."

Now for a quick review of the product itself. IT ROCKS! The end.

Seriously, I used this last weekend over a camping trip for 4 days. The first day was mostly cloudy and the solar panel barely produced enough current to charge my Samsung Focus Windows Phone. The second day was partly cloudy and with Seattle area sunbreaks it managed to charge my smartphone in 5 hours. The next day full sun and it charged it in 2 hours. Remember, the charging time depends on the charger itself.

Let's talk numbers now. I measured the voltage and it was as advertised coming in higher than 15.4 volts. On an overcast day it measured 50 milliamps. That's not enough to charge a smartphone. When the sun comes out it produces a strong 600+ milliamps.

Just for kicks I connected a 12 volt fan and you can tell that it runs full speed in the sun. When a cloud passes or a shadow blocks the solar charger then the fan dies.

One challenge with cloudy days is that depending on the device and the charger you might have an issue with these frequent disruptions of electricity. For example, on a smartphone when it gets power the screen turns on. This frequent disruption actually causes the device screen to turn on often and drains more from the battery each time causing the opposite effect.

I'd really like to charge some AA or AAA batteries but I can't seem to find a good battery charger that also provides USB power to devices.

The durability seems good so far. I'm a little concerned on the hottest day when the sun beat down hard on those cells and it looks like one of them might be coming off the stitching. I'll report back for sure if there is a quality issue. I have to admit, it's too soon for me to review this product.

Want PowerFilm 10 Watt Foldable Solar Panel Charger Discount?

Used this during the electrical grid failure we had after the April tornados in Huntsville Alabama. Used it to charge cell phones, kindle, portable tv, and a bunch of enloop AA bateries over a period of 5 days. Folds up to a small and very lightweight package, small enough to fit inside a mens shaving kit I use to store it and 12-batteries, 2-headlamps, 1-AA flashlight, a 4-cell battery charger and assorted 12v and USB adapters cables. Great product well worth the money.

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