IDC Ecco Personal
Review Points the way, literally
Forgotten where you parked your car? Lost your hotel, tent or even family and friends? For the terminally disorientated, the Ecco Personal Pocket GPS Locator is designed to put you back on track. Indeed, this hi-tech key fob proves to be more than just the novelty item that it first appears.
IDC Ecco Personal Pocket GPS locator …
Universal Remote Control R50
Review A little screen for your big screen
The R50, from US brand Universal Remote Control (URC), is a chunky A/V entertainment integrator that delivers a decent amount of functionality whilst being fairly easy to set up. While aimed more at the family market – real tech-heads might want a little more programmability and customisation – the product makes a decent fist of …
Soundcast Outcast Junior
Review 60W outdoor sound system – the ultimate in ASBO tech?
Aimed at outdoor music lovers, the Outcast Junior comes from American manufacturer Soundcast Systems and, compared to the larger Outcast model, is the more compact and affordable version. It features four 3in drivers at the top of the unit and a 6.5in sub-woofer in the base, all powered by a 60W digital amplifier. Despite …
Yamaha TSX-130 iPod dock
Review Quality player?
Back in 2006, Yamaha established a special R&D department to look at desktop products. The thinking behind this was to utilise some of the company’s high-end AV know-how and apply it to a new range of products further down the food chain.
Yamaha TSX-130 iPod dock Yamaha's TSX-130 iPod dock includes CD player, DAB radio and …
IntelliTouch Eos wireless iPod speaker system
Review Compact, punchy, multi-zone music setup
Fancy an affordable wireless iPod system that can grow to suit your needs or just looking for a way to avoid hardwiring speakers in the your home? Certainly, wireless sound systems take some beating in terms of convenience but, typically, at a cost. Addressing both portability and price, the new IntelliTouch Eos offers multizone …
Toshiba Regza DV556DB
Review The perfect second set?
The market for TVs with integrated DVD players has never quite reached its potential. Dogged by some indifferent products, a very large installed base of standalone DVD players already out there and manufacturers’ desire to sell us two products instead of one, TV/DVD combos have struggled to make a real impact.
Toshiba Regza …
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000
Review World's first 60f/s HD camcorder
‘It’s a Dual camera,’ says the little sticker on the side of the vaguely retro, pistol grip, Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000 camcorder. Sure it can function as a 12Mp still camera too, but when it comes to video, Sanyo claims the Xacti is the first consumer camcorder to shoot 60 frames per second in 1080p full HD. To achieve this, and …
Pure Digital Evoke-2S DAB and FM radio
Review Quality sound
With its ‘chip company that also makes radios’ label firmly in the past, Pure Digital can now move on to produce products at the top end of the market. But to justify its premium price of £170, the "luxury" Evoke-2S needs to deliver a something special. Fortunately for Pure, it does just that.
Pure Evoke-2S Pure's Evoke-2S: …
Pioneer BDP-51FD Blu-ray Disc player
Review Top-end performance at an affordable price
It's not been easy for Pioneer of late, what with the painful withdrawal from the high-end plasma TV market that it had dominated with the Kuro, the best plasma family on the planet. However, life goes on and this spritely little Blu-ray Disc player should go some way to putting the spring back into Pioneer’s step.
Pioneer BDP- …
Epson EH-DM2 projector with built-in DVD player
Review Only needs a mains connection?
Will users get carried away by Epson's EH-DM2 portable projector that features an integrated DVD player and audio output?
Epson EH-DM2 Epson's EH-DM2: more Volvo than Ferrari
First impressions are not good: this is not a curvy, sexy colour supplement-friendly machine. Think Volvo, rather than Ferrari. Yet if you're a movie …
Intempo InSession iPod/MP3 speaker
Review Above average
Intempo was one of the first iPod accessory makers to exploit the low end market, and it's has had plenty of practice in producing these products now. Without setting the world alight, it's latest offering, the InSession, benefits from some no-nonsense engineering and delivers a decent performance.
Intempo InSession Intempo's …
Logitech Harmony 1100 universal remote control
Review One to rule them all?
The latest in Logitech's line of universal remotes is essentially a revamp of a product the company introduced more than two years ago. The 1100 is all about refining the old Harmony 1000 for the design demands of 2009's consumer rather than 2006's.
First impressions are good. This time round the brushed metal upper surface has …
Pure Digital Avanti Flow internet radio and iPod speaker
Review Pure's DAB/Wi-Fi line-up gets iPod friendly
Rather than seeing this product as a beefed up DAB/Internet radio, it's far more accurate to view Pure Digital's Avanti Flow as a micro hi-fi system for the internet age. Its iPod dock and media streaming capabilities - there's no CD player - means the player is firmly aimed at an audience that has fully embraced the online …
Noise-cancelling headphones head-to-head test
Review Sennheiser's established PXC-350 vs Denon's brand-new AH-NC732
Now we're in the season of the long winter break, with its long train, car and plane journeys, we thought a comparison of some noise-cancelling headphones from Denon and Sennheiser would be timely.
Sennheiser PXC-350 Sennheiser's PXC-350: NoiseGuard technology well established
Noise-cancelling technology has come a long way …
LG DVS450H 'floating' DVD player
Review Cool looks, cool playback
At first glance, you might be forgiven for thinking that the heavily polished DVS450H is a victory of style over substance. But not a bit of it. This player has looks and brains, and has enough surprises up its sleeve to genuinely impress.
LG DVS450H LG's DVS450H: 'It's a floater alright...'
OK, let's get one thing straight …
Roberts RDK-2 kitchen radio
Review A 'kitchen radio' actually designed for the kitchen
Many radios are dubbed ‘kitchen radios’ solely for the reason that this is the room they end up getting most of their use in. Roberts has gone the whole hog and designed a radio specifically for kitchen use.
The first thing to note about the RDK-2 is that not only is it designed for the kitchen from a functionality perspective, …
LG FA163DAB 160W iDock micro hi-fi system
Review Surprisingly above-average sound quality
Once a real power-player in the world of hi-fi micro systems, LG's standing has suffered as portable players have grown in popularity. In a spirit of 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em', LG is now looking to unite the world of portable MP3 and the micro.
Perhaps not a company immediately associated with high-quality sound, LG has …
Yamaha DVX-1000 2.1 home cinema system
Review Only three speakers but an eight-channel experience
The DVX-1000 promises to be the last word in 2.1-channel home cinema, delivering a level of surround sound not heard before from a three-speaker system. Or so Yamaha would have us believe.
It claims the DVX will deliver a 7.1-channel experience from just three speakers, a technique Yamaha's marketing droids have dubbed Air …
Roberts Ecologic 1 portable DAB radio
Review A darn good little tuner
The downfall of portable DAB radios have always been their lack of battery life. Few models have really been able to sustain themselves long enough to deliver a truly out-and-about experience.
Enter the Ecologic 1, part of a six-strong line-up each of which offers extended battery life and, in the case of the Ecologic 1 and its …
Revo Pico RadioStation DAB+ radio
Review Ready for the revamped-DAB revolution
Revo has managed to squeeze many of the current must-have features of a portable radio into an updated version of its Pico RadioStation DAB offering.
Revo has been ruffling feathers in the radio world for a few years now. It first came to prominence when the company released its in-Car DAB Digital Radio Adaptor, way back in 2005 …
Voix MPX 2.1 tower loudspeakers
Review In-spire-ing sound quality?
Designed to act as a complete audio package for home cinema set-ups, the Viox MPX rig packs a good performance some nice features, but one still can't help but be left with the feeling that it could be better.
The MPX 2.1 speaker system consists of two slimline tower speakers that are each just over 1m tall. The company quotes …
Pure Digital Evoke Flow internet radio
Review Pure entertainment pleasure
After two years in development, Pure Digital has created what it hopes will become internet radio’s first genuinely iconic product.
Our first reaction was that this is a really attractive little radio. The company has kept the familiar Evoke casing, but coated the device in a gloss piano-black finish with stylish and solid- …
Roberts Stream 202 DAB/FM/net radio
Review Full stream ahead or does this digital radio run out of puff?
In what Roberts claims to be a world first, this unit delivers DAB, FM as well as Wi-Fi connected internet radio and music streaming all in a traditional kitchen-style portable.
A more modern look than perhaps Roberts is known for greeted us when we opened the box. The exterior is attractive enough, with a metallic grille and an …
Orbitsound T12 soundbar
Review Stereo sound from one speaker? That's just crazy talk
The T12 stereo ‘soundbar’ represents a totally unique take on the category; it goes back to the dawn of stereo technology itself to deliver a genuine revolution in sound reproduction.
Using technology developed by its sister technology Airsound, the Orbitsound T12 is designed to give a boost to TV audio as well as act as a music …
Roberts solarDAB radio
Review Here comes the sun, little darlin'
Undeterred by the unpredictable nature of the great British summer, Roberts has released a radio that it can power itself purely by the light of the sun.
Firstly, let's look at the other functions on the radio, which are pretty good. There's the detachable aerial, for instance. This can be clipped into a recess on the back of …
Dualit DAB Lite radio
Review Howdy doodley dooo...
This latest offering from Dualit is based on the iconic toaster products the company is better known for. Bored of knocking out breakfast, Dualit is now knocking out music to accompany your muesli.
Now before we go any further, a few words on DAB itself. There has been a lot of knife chucking of late, so let's just take stock …
Logitech Z Cinema advanced surround sound system
Review Put your PC’s audio on a course of steroids
Is Logitech’s answer to the demands of a media-centric PC world the next logical step in home entertainment - or just more boxes to knock over or spill stuff on while working at the computer?
The basic premise is simple. We are all storing and viewing loads more stuff on the PC: music, film, TV and, of course, games. The problem …
Brennan JB7 Micro Jukebox
Review Sounds great, looks great
Ever wanted to combine the convenience of digital music with decent sound and build quality? Then say hello to your new best friend, the JB7 Micro Jukebox. This tactile and user-friendly bit of kit delivers both with aplomb.
Right from the start, we could feel this was a class piece of kit: well built, reassuringly heavy and …
Intempo Rebel DJ and ad-zapping FM radio
Review Most definitely with a cause
Ever wanted to tell Chris Moyles to shut his piehole? Or longed for Christian O'Connell to get permanent laryngitis? Intempo’s Rebel radio records all your favourite FM stations and cuts out all the DJ drivel and adverts.
In a compact glossy package - it measures 195 x 80 x 70mm and weighs in at 1kg - the Rebel is a standard FM …
Roberts WM-201 Wi-Fi internet radio
Review Internet radio goes mainstream
For a manufacturer of radios like Roberts to produce a Wi-Fi-enabled device shows just how far internet radio has come. About 6000 stations are now available, and radios are becoming increasingly adept at presenting this vast selection in an easy-to-access way.
As soon as the product comes out of the box you get the feeling that …
Pure Highway in-car DAB radio
Review DAB in your motor, without breaking the bank
If rumours are to be believed, Ford will soon be fitting DAB as standard on some vehicles. But the retro-fit market still has massive potential and to fill that gap digital radio specialist Pure has come up with a really neat little gadget: the Highway.
It's like all those iPod-oriented FM devices. Highway picks up digital radio …
Baylis Eco EP-MX71 hand-cranked media player
Review It's green and groovy - and that's no wind-up
Trevor Baylis, he of wind-up radio fame, now has a range of hand-cranked products, including this, the world's first wind-up multimedia player. It comes down to whether you're concerned by green issues - and you should be, unless you plan to move to another planet any time soon.
First seen in August last year, the Baylis Eco …
Pure Digital Evoke 1S DAB digital radio
Review A DAB hand?
Going back a few years, Pure Digital's parent company, Imagination Technologies, only made chips and wasn't involved in the manufacture of radios in any way. So to come as far as the company has in such a short period of time is surely testament to its ability to deliver desirable and reliable products.
To our mind, a good …
Sony Walkman NWD-B105 2GB MP3 player
Review Simple 'n' sweet?
With increasing hard drive sizes, the arrival of touchscreen technology and ever more features and falling prices, it's easy to forget the more humble end of the personal digital music player market. However, Sony's NWD-B105 proves there are still some good value and strongly featured products at the lower price points.
At this …
TerraTec Noxon 2 net radio and iPod dock
Review Tune into a wealth of internet radio content
No sooner does DAB establish itself as the radio format of the future, than internet radio begins tapping it on the shoulder and trying to muscle its way past.
Once upon a time, DAB was a genuine mainstream proposition as long as internet radio remained tied to PCs and Macs. Those days are over - products like the Noxon look, …
LG J10HD home cinema system
Review Does this Chocolate-inspired set taste sweet or sour?
The one-box home cinema system business reached saturation point some time ago, particularly at the cheaper end of the market. So companies who, like LG, target the mainstream have to work pretty hard to make their products stand out. LG has certainly put in some effort into the J10HD.
LG J10HD home cinema system LG's J10HD: …
Revo Pico+ DAB radio
Review Pick up a perfect portable radio partner
Digital radio has come along way in a short time and thankfully the DAB market in now maturing with a wider range of choice that offers not only the variety of DAB stations, but also more features to more effectively exploit the digital nature of the medium.
Revo Pico+ portable DAB radio Revo Pico+ portable DAB radio
The …
LG Touch Me FM37 MP3 player
Review ...sounds like a one-hit wonder from the 80s
The personal multi-media category is a crowded one and has risen to a very high point in terms of consumer awareness. However, it is still relatively young and product feature development is coming thick and fast. A bit of fresh thinking can go along way. And LG are as fresh as they come.
LG Touch Me FM37 MP3 player At 5.15 x …
Sony NAS-50HDE Gigajuke audio system
Review If stereos were Stetsons, this would be a ten gallon hat
Of late, the compact Hi-Fi system has struggled to find a place in the affections of consumers keener on more sophisticated home cinema audio rigs. However, the technology that looked like it was about to drive the last nail into the compact Hi-Fi coffin is set to breath new life into the format as products like the Gigajuke …
Vita Audio R2 DAB/FM stereo radio
Review Who said radio was dead..?
The concept of DAB in the UK has been dogged a little by new entrants into the radio sector introducing some indifferent products looking to cash in on an expanding market. The Vita R2 is a genuinely good product with a sensible and simple approach to design, but with a few surprises up its sleeve as well.
Vita Audio R2 DAB/FM …
Sharp Aquos LC32RD2E 32in LCD TV
Review Exemplary?
Sharp is perhaps the keenest supporter of LCD TV technology. It was the first really big name to switch to producing only LCD TVs and thus has had more practice than most. This longevity of experience has allowed Sharp to filter down some of its top-line technologies to its smaller sets and this unit is a good example of that …
Xoro HSD 7510 DVD player-equipped LCD TV
Review Practical and portable?
Portable TVs are hardly a new idea. Neither for that matter are portable DVD players. However, put the two together, add a host of other features and then you do have something that feels like it's breaking new ground.
Xoro HSD 7510 LCD TV
Right out of the box the Xoro feels like a robust and reliable machine, with its …
