Sony ICF-C218 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio (Black)
by Sony
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.51 You Save: $5.48 (37%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $8.98 (click here) Category: Speakers See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony ICF-C218 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio (Black)
Customer Review: Great clock!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this clock about three weeks ago and have been very satisfied with it. I guess I haven't bought a clock in a while because this one definitely impressed me with all its features. For example, I opened it and plugged it in expecting to see the blinking 12:00 that I would have to reset, but instead, it was already showing the right time! Of course, Eastern time rather than Pacific time, but that was easy to adjust with a few buttons (there are about 5 to 6 time zones to choose from). Also, as I was setting the alarm, I went too far past my desired time, so I was expecting to loop around the 60 minutes again to get back to the right time, but instead this alarm clock has both back and forward buttons for adjusting the time! You can hold the buttons down to get it to zip through the times faster, or click through the minutes and hours one by one. There is also a sleep radio timer if you want to fall asleep to the radio and have it automatically shut off after a certain time.
One feature that was slightly odd that I wasn't used to was that the snooze goes from 10 minutes to 20 to 30 and so forth, each time you push it. I haven't experienced this myself because I keep waking up before my alarm, but that's what the manual said.
I did read reviews complaining about the brightness of the display. It's really not a problem at all and not something that stands out to me.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic clock and was so impressed by the technology. Then again, I haven't purchased a clock in probably 10 years so maybe all these impressive features are pretty standard in other clocks.
Customer Review: Great Buy!
Summary: 5 Stars
Not the niftiest, nor the most elegant clock radio available but the price and features make it about as good a buy as you'll find.
All the important features - battery backup, automatic time synch, intuitive alarm setting, good (but gentle on the eyes) time visibility.
There's a dual alarm version available for a few bucks more too.
We liked this one enough to buy another for our guest bedroom - guests won't be befuddled by this model...
BTW, radio isn't high fidelity but its not bad, a good Sony quality product.
UPDATE 10/28/09: Two years down the road and the two of these radios we bought are still going strong. One of the things I failed to mention in the original review was that this unit does NOT, repeat, does NOT have a power brick - just a nice old fashioned wall plug on a wire - sweet. I take note of the comment by others about the intensity (or lack thereof) of the clock LED. Myself, and upon further inquiry, my wife find the intensity to be 'just right'. Perhaps there is some variation in the units or maybe its just a matter of your sleeping environment. We're former Sierra Nevada 'country' folks who now live on the edge of a small Ohio town. Between the street light, the neighbor's lights, the wifi router and a couple of those green 'limelite' nightlights we DO have sufficient ambient light at night to move around without stubbing the old toes. BTW, I've dropped both of our units more than once, and accidentally kicked one across our guest suite - no discernable damage. Oh yes, the wife says that they'd show the dust less if they were white.
Customer Review: So Far So Good
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this clock to replace an old GE clock radio that still worked fine, except the buttons for setting the alarm finally wore out after a good 15 years.
While I've only had the new clock a few months, I love it so far.
The clock sets itself, which is fantastic. No more resetting it if the power goes out or I change outlets or whatever.
My favorite feature, though, is the "controllable snooze". The old clock would go 9 minutes... snooze... 9 minutes... snooze... 9 minutes... snooze... you get the point. This one has a variable snooze. If I am more tired or know I have more time, I can snooze longer. When the alarm goes off, you just press the snooze button once for every 10 minutes you wanna snooze. So if I want to snooze for 20 minutes instead of 10, I just press snooze twice. I've never snoozed past 30 minutes, but I think you can go up to 2 hours!
Also, when the alarm goes off, it progressively beeps faster the longer you wait to snooze or turn it off. So if you plan on just ignoring the alarm instead of snoozing it, it knows how to annoy the heck out of you.
Finally, I like the display. The numbers are big and easy to read, but the green light is less distracting to my attempts to get to sleep than even smaller red ones.
I have not used the radio nor the the battery, and I have never dropped it, so I can't speak for the quality of construction.
Customer Review: Excellent Snooze, Alarm, Controls, Numbers
Summary: 5 Stars
I've gone through a ton of cheap travel-style alarm clocks over the years. It seems like I can't step out my door without tripping over some crappy clock that's only going to last me for 6 months before the buttons stop working or the alarm starts going off at random times. So I am ECSTATIC to have found this clock radio! This is excellent. It has a unique toggle switch for setting the time and alarm, which seems sturdier than the usual push button style. (It's a lever you flip one way to go forward in time and the reverse way to go backward.)
The alarm itself (I never use the radio) is very pleasant. It starts off beeping slowly and then gradually speeds up some, to a point. It never gets too frantic. The snooze is wonderful too. It's a 10-minute snooze, but if you keep hitting the snooze bar (in rapid succession) then it will add 10 minutes to the snooze, so if your alarm goes off at 5:30 and you think "what on earth was I THINKING?" you can roll over and click the snooze button 3 times in a row to have it snooze for 30 minutes (at which point you'll wonder "why would I EVER want to be awake at 6 a.m.?")
The numbers on the face glow a pleasant green and they are a medium brightness. They aren't irritating at night (unless maybe if they're pointed right at you, but that would be true of any clock I think), and you can see them during the day. The perfect brightness I would say.
Customer Review: Great little alarm clock.....and cheap!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this to replace my 20 year old Panasonic that I LOVED...... but, sadly, it finally died. I loved it because it was small, easy to set, the controls were intuitive, and it had been cheap. It had a control for the clock display..... to make it brighter or dimmer, and a 7 minute snooze alarm, a built in antennae for the radio and a not too loud buzzer ( if you chose NOT to use the radio).
This little dear has no control for the light level ( but for the price, I popped for a piece of amber cellophane cut from a gift plant and taped over the display.. perfect!), a snooze alarm that adjustes from 10 minutes ( 1 touch) to a full hour (6 touches) with no effort, a good little radio, a pleasant ( but not loud) buzzer, that if ignored becomes more and more insistant in it's frequency ( " Oh, ALRIGHT>>I'm getting up!")when ignored. It's a snap to set and has automatic adjustments fot Daylight Savings Time and Standard Time, as well as a battery back up. Radio is clear ( and no.... it isn't concert quality in it's sound....... but it's a CLOCK!) It came with a little booklet, but I never needed it......very easy to understand and set......... and it takes up very little space.
Really like it! Have had it for a while and I'm very satisfied with it......it was a good buy.