iTrip Autopilot with Smartscan

Ever since February or March when Griffin first announced this version of the iTrip, I have waited with baited breath because it sounded like the ideal solution to iPhone and iPod touch users wishing to use such devices in their cars.

It performs several functions, all very well. It's a charger which is ideal for the iPhone 3G especially if you're running a bluetooth headset alongside it. It's an FM transmitter which is the only way forward if your car's stereo is hard to change to one with a line-out connection. Last but not least, it's also a remote control which allows iPhone and iPod touch users to control their music without having to use a touch interface, which could prove hazardous whilst driving.

The charger is fantastic and provides several coloured rings of light indicating charge status so the device really doesn't need to have it's screen on at all.

The FM transmitter features the company's Smartscan solution which scans the local airwaves for 3 frequencies which are clean and free and will automatically assign it to 3 presets. You can also manually tune on the go and then assign these to any of the three presets. This works well in practice and the first preset it scanned for me is the one I now use permanently. There is one niggle with the hardware in that it does not remember the last frequency you tuned to, automatically or manually. It will be saved in presets and you will have to enable the preset every time the iTrip loses power or is unplugged. If it remembered the last station, it would be absolutely perfect! It also features stereo and mono modes, both of which produce different quality of transmission.

The Autopilot feature is a godsend for me. With traditional iPods, you could simply switch tracks using the familiar click wheel but with touch screen interfaces, this is less than ideal. The buttons themselves are tactile and produce a nice click, though the plastic does feel a little flimsy. It is ideal for playlists and albums where you have a favourite track or simply to replay a track that you'd like to hear again. Pausing is also possible and ideal for those moments where passengers are yelling at you to slow down or when a call comes through.

As a fellow reviewer mentioned, it is surprising to find a product that does exactly what it promises and does it well. Also, as a fellow reviewer commented on, the charging stalk is a little bulkier than normal so approach with caution. It isn't much wider than your normal charger for say, a TomTom but it's still significant enough that it may not fit into some more compact lighter sockets. Definitely worth the price and also 50% cheaper on Amazon than what the Apple store or Apple online charge!

Fantastic!

This armband is better than any other I have ever owned. The material is soft and breathable, which is fantastic for jogging or at the gym, which is what I use mine for. All the stitching is of a very high quality. The velcro strap fits a variety of arm sizes, from wide to thin, all of them comfortably. The band is washable by hand, so it can be kept fresh. The plastic covering over the ipod protects the screen from scratches but is thin enough so that the click-wheel still works. Two holes at the bottom of the band allow the headphones to be plugged in easily and the hold switch to be operated. The only, very minor, problem is that the key pocket is too small to completly contain a realisicly sized key. However, it holds it more than safely enough, as i know through using it. A great buy for its price and far higher quality than anything else you will find.

A real bargain

This is the second time I've reviewed this product, the first was removed for reasons unknown so hopefully this draft will be acceptable - just bear in mind that the two scores are both mine and not from separate buyers.

The Linx has all the bells and whistles you'd expect from an HDMI cable these days - gold-plated connects, heavy shielding and silver soldered joints, although it does perhaps look slightly less refined than some others you can buy (a minor point, admittedly.) The cable is surrounded in a slightly less thick and less rigid braided PVC jacket than some others you can buy - whether that's got something to do with the thickness of the jacket itself or the internal components is hard to say. Whilst some people might think that this could pose a problem for the cable's long-term durability, it does make it much more flexible and easier to bend, a particularly good point if space behind your TV is limited. And in reality I don't think that the reduction in thickness would make much of a difference to the cable's strength or affect its shielding as it still feels very able to put up with abuse, whilst I haven't seen any obvious cross-talk from external sources.

Signal-wise, the Linx outputs a very good picture, if perhaps not quite as good as some other (admittedly quite expensive) HDMI cables I've seen. In the end the quality is down to the system it's used in as much as anything and for this price the reduction in quality really isn't anywhere near significant enough to make it an issue. I can't really comment on the sound as my TV's speakers aren't the best, however it seems at least as good as any SCART I've used.

I use the Linx for the occasions when I need to view a feed from my laptop on my LCD TV as the length and flexibility allow me to keep the laptop a safe distance from the screen. It's more than adequate for this use and I imagine that it'd be equally at home with a signal from a set-top box or DVD player. I would add that I'm not sure if it's HDMI 1.3 compliant but very few sources presently use the 1.3 standard so it looks to be a moot point for the moment at least. To sum up, this really is a steal and I seriously doubt that you'd find a better cable if you spent double or even triple the asking price.

Excellent quality at a excellent price

i had previously had in ear sennheisers which were constantly dropping out, so instead of getting different in ear ones, i thought i would try some of these. I did a bit of researching and these came out the best in most reviews. Now that I have got them, i am impressed. The sound quality is deep and rich and they are so light you barely notice them on your head! They feel quality when you open them up, not cheap and tacky and they fit snuggly in the case with the cord wind thingy. All in all excellent buy, recommended to anyone fed up with the in ear type headphones.

Doesn't work with iPhone 3G

Just incase anyone considers purchasing this, be warned it doesn't work with the iPhone 3G. The iPhone gives you a warning that its unable to accept charging from this and to turn on airplane mode.

It does play music through it, al be it without charging, but without airplane mode turned on you get constant mobile phone interference.

I had the iPod Touch then upgraded to the iPhone, 4 stars for the using it with any non-phone iPod. Excellent sound, I would want to be able to adjust the bass as it can have too much base.

Does what it says on the tin - but is it leather????

Nice compact case for the Zen. Has a nice feel to it although smells very plasticky!

I thought the belt loop would be a pain but actually (I don't know whether it's supposed to do this) it acts as a perfect stand for watching videos on the train. A big, unexpected plus.

Some kind of screen protector would help and slightly annoying is the inside edge of the case slightly covers the 'next track' button.

The holders for SD cards would be useful but I've got a 4gb SDHC card in which is plenty for the videos I need to have on it.

Good looking case that would get 5 start were it not for a couple of minor irritations.

Does it what it says on the tin

Bought one of these before Christmas for my new 3rd gen iPod Nano - I went with all_mobile_stuff who answered my questions before purchasing, and even changed my order to a white charger on request, after the order had been placed!
I had a different brand with another iPod Nano, from a high street store as part of a bundle deal - and it didn't work! Get this instead.

Don't believe the Amazon search

I'm sure this is a fine headset, but... if you searched for"PS3 headset" and you were presented with this headset, DON'T BUY IT! There's nothing here saying what connector it has so I relied on the fact that it matched"PS3 headset". Bad idea. It's got 3.5mm jacks. No good for your console. PC Arena still haven't compensated me either.

better than expected

after researching a few dvd players i found this one, read the reviews and decided to buy it. i was not dissapointed, the screen size and picture quality are excellent and the sound is great too.
Also the 5hr battery life is perfect as you can get a couple of films out of it, especially as i will be using it to keep the kids occupied on a 4 hour flight. I didnt realise that the outer casing was a shiny gloss white but i thought it looked really stylish and i liked the look of the whiite.

Really good quality

Like many others I had a few initial reservations about paying this much for a cover when you can pick up a plastic one for £3, but having just received this cover I don't regret my decision at all. Unlike many other covers this one really has been tailor-made to fit the 80gb iPod Classic. My iPod is held safely and securely in the case, which is of great reassurance given the price of iPods!

Another huge plus is the material used. The genuine leather feels really soft, whilst offering protection and looking really stylish. You pay more for this cover but the quality you receive is well worth the cost. Highly recommended.

Does exactly what it says on the tin.

No real review needed here - its a USB 2.0 to iPod dock connector. Allows you to connect your iPod to your PC directly, without the need for a docking station. Once connected you can charge your iPod and upload tracks. The cable is great for carrying around in your bag and using as a charger - it is certainly smaller and lighter than the bulky mains AC adapter.

A must for gym-users

They are very comfortable, fitting snugly into the ear, and have great sound quality.
I've had problems in the past with headphones falling out during exercise such as running, cycling, rowing etc (I've tried quite a few different types, including ones with a neckband) - these are by far and away the best I have found, there have been no problems whatsoever.
Definitely worth the few quid extra, highly recommended.

Soo much better than the iPod headphones... Until Now

My iPod headphones broke so I got some of these... they're considerably better than the ones that you get with ur iPod.

I'd definitely recommend it.

[/edit 06-05-08] Disappointingly my right earbud fails to produce any sound anymore, and I've only had it over a month!

Great little case

This is a great little case for all Sony Camera owners out there. It's soft enough to protect your delicate camera and yet tough enough to protect it from the elements. It does exactly as it says really. I'm curruntly using it for my Sony Cybershot DSC-W55 and have to say it protects it really well, doesn't leave any scratches or marks on the camera at all. It fastens with a velcro tab and has a small zipped compartment on the front for a spare battery or memory card. Overall, a great product and well worth the money. Much better value than other unofficial camera cases available. Plain, simple and good value for money.

One minor niggle........

After having replaced normal batteries a number of times, I bought this item. I am pleased with it, however there is one draw-back that others may come across.........

Once the product starts to loose its charge, it can run flat in a short space of time. I recon from three bars on the radio charge indicator to the radio ceasing to work was about 25mins. This can be a pain, so I now make sure that it is connected to the mains every couple of days...not a great problem, but buyers should be aware that the battery pack can loose its charge quickley, like its smaller re-chargeable battery brothers.

A Bargain Buy

Whenever i buy something i always make sure that i read the product reviews first.

So i'm really glad i read the review for this little speaker set. I've been hunting around for ages, and finally decided this was the one to buy for the price. It's obviously no BOSE speaker sound quality, but it's pretty good for the price.

It's quite a handy little gadget for moving around the house or even taking it on holiday. Currently, it's sitting in the kitchen and I can hear it in which ever room I'm in, in my flat. I even think it's got possibly better speakers than the midi system i've got in my lounge!

Overall, it's a good purchase for the price and i would definately recommend it.

I may even get a second set for my bedroom.

Great!

Great for when you can't get to a computer and need to charge your ipod! :D
Took it with me on holiday, so that I could listen to my ipod on the plane there and back, and it charged no problem.

Good product

Great value for money. Can't find anything else which is as good as this one.

Good value

The only issue I have with this product is how the volume is automatically set to maximum when switched on. Reading other reviews, I still haven't been able to determine whether or not this is confined to certain or all models, but it's not a massive problem.

The dock fits my iPod touch perfectly and the remote that comes included also works with it. For the asking price it's a sleek and stylish unit. There's an adjustment to cater for all iPod models and a lead to allow use with other MP3 players. I tested this with my old Sony MP3 player and my Pure Pocket DAB radio and both offered similar quality to the iPod, with the latter matching my proper desktop DAB radio.

Good stuff.