Innovage Outdoor AM/FM Emergency Battery Free Crank Radio

Customer Reviews:

does what it is supposed to do.......2007-05-04

i picked up one of these at a local bed, bath & beyond because it seems mother nature is out to get us here in northeast texas. it works exactly as the package states and had included a small led dynamo powered flashlight. for an emergency i don't really care if the radio does fifty different things, it holds a charge and has been playing for fifteen minutes after just a couple of minutes of cranking. does exactly what i purchased it for and the price was right. $14.99 flashlight included.

Well designed unit.......2007-04-05

I bought the AM/FM Hand-Powered Emergency weather radio for two main reasons - the first being the battery free operation by way of the hand-powered crank handle, and second, for the relatively good sound for a transistor-sized portable radio.

As some other posts have said, there are some drawbacks to the unit. Of the several radios I tested (all under the "LifeLong" brand name, a different name than the Innovage name, but essentially the exact same model), some never powered on even after 30 seconds of turning the power handle. All radios that did work, including mine, require the volume switch to be moved a ways before the volume comes on. I have yet to hear the emergency weather band station. All I get are FM and AM stations. At the lower end of the FM band, selectivity between the 90.1 FM and 94FM bandwidth is poor in one regard - a strong station that broadcasts near 94 FM is heard again near 90.1 FM, overpowering the signal of the weaker station that should be heard at that frequency. Other than that problem, most other FM stations are heard fine. The telescoping antenna does not extend up as far as I would like. I associate length with greater receptivity. So far, even with the shorter length of the antenna, the set does pick up FM stations adequately - even inside a store with heavy floresent lighting. Selectivity on AM stations at night is average - some stations that I can pick up on other radios only can be heard when I turn this radio in one specific direction and hold the unit there.

Now the strong points - the handle fits snug into the unit and is easy to pull out for cranking. The radio station numbers appearing in the small horizontal window near the top of the front side of the unit can be seen rather easily, albeit closeup (due to the small-sized lettering), but at least the station indicator dial is in red and is easily visible. Switches are intelligently separated so as to not be confused with each other as far as functions go - volume and tuning dials are on the top, on/off on the side, as are the band switches. The product description indicates that this unit is water resistant. I still wouldn't want to have water coming down on the top of the radio where the tuning and volume switches are!

This unit is deeper than most small portable transistors, and for the extra width, the listener gets a bonus of deeper bass which is normally sacrificed in transistor sized radios. In fact, for a set this small, this offers one of the deepest basses I have heard. The treble sound is average at best. Sometimes the "s" and "t" sounds, audible on sensitive radios can barely be heard on this set.

The feel of the set (the portion that is in black) is excellent - the material feels like soft rubber, not hard plastic. The set comes with a carrying strap attached to the back of the unit, as well as ear buds.

After cranking the set for about 15 to 30 seconds, I received at least 30 minutes worth of power. I installed two AA batteries just to makes sure the set worked with those. It did. Next, I plugged in an adaptor (DC 6V), and while it was plugged in for about 30 seconds, the "charging" light stayed lit. I did not touch the set for another few days. I was shocked to learn that one week later, with no hand-cranking of the power handle, when I turned on the volume switch, the sound boomed out.

A friend suggested that there may be built in Ni-Cad batteries in the unit to hold the power. I thought that the unit would only run for a short time, and then with lack of use, it would be totally out of power. My set seems to have held the charge all this time.

This is a fine backup radio for when you don't want to bother with batteries and also want a slightly better than average sound for a transistor radio.

I bought this unit on sale, but even at the normal price, it offers good value - decent sound, and three ways to generate power - by hand, battery, and by adaptor. Make sure that the unit you buy works! Not all of these models do. It may be that my set will never be able to pick up the one emergency weather band, but given all the other features it has, I am happy with those.

DID NOT WORK; NOBODY CONTACTED ME.......2007-01-09

BAD PRODUCT. DID NOT WORK. ALTHOUGH I EXPECTED SOMEONE TO CONTACT ME OR TO SEND ME THE PRODUCT THAT WORKED, I HAVE HEARD NOTHING. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT I WILL PURCHASE AGAIN. YOUR COMPUTER SKILLS ARE OKAY, YOUR PEOPLE SKILLS ARE NOT.

DR. GREENSTONE

Works fine for me.......2006-09-23

I picked up my version of this radio (Lifelong brand) at Walgreens for about $20. The advantage of buying it in the store is you can actually crank on it and make sure that the radio you are buying works (AM/FM/weather ... and charge). It comes in a plastic package where you can access the knobs, switches, and crank - a big selling point for me.

I've never put batteries in mine - using it only with the hand crank.

Maybe I have a little too much time on my hands, but I can get about 6 minutes for every ten cranks of the little handle (i.e. 100 cranks = 1 hour, 50 cranks = 30 minutes, ...).

I've never seen the 'full' light ever come on except the one time I tried to over voltage the radio with a power adapter set to 9 volts.

It's not a very good weather band receiver - very picky and not that great of reception ( compared with my ham radio 2 meter handheld and weather alert radio at home - it is rather poor).

Otherwise, it has a basic AM/FM receiver that are somewhat difficult to tune in and the dial is almost useless for frequency accuracy.

But - it works fine for how I intend to use it.

Great product.......2006-08-15

I bought this to take to the Dodger games with me. I love it.

Average customer rating:

Polk PSW450 = Thumbs up!

Polk Audio PSW450 Powered SubWoofer

Manufacturer: Polk Audio
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Subwoofers | Speakers | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
All Polk Audio | Polk Audio | Custom Brands | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
Product Features:

12 Direct Radiating Woofer

Overall bass frequency range - 25 Hz - 160Hz

Adjustable crossover control helps adjust for smooth operation with your other speakers - Range - 80Hz - 160Hz

Built-in amplifier delivers 150 watts Continuous Average Output into 4 ohm load over a bandwidth of 30 - 200 Hz with <1% THD

Dual flared ports for low distortion

ASIN: B00005T3K9

Product Description

The PSW450 is designed for mid-sized to large rooms and makes a great addition to large home theater or stereo systems. It shakes out all the thrills and chills in your favorite movie soundtracks, and its accurate musicality will make you sit up and take notice whether you listen to Lenny Kravitz, or the London Symphony Orchestra. PRODUCT FEATURES: Big 12-inch direct radiating subwoofer driver for deep bass; Magnetically shielded for safe placement near TVs; High current power amplifier; Auto on/off circuit that automatically turns your subwoofer on when it senses a program signal, when no signal is present, the amplifier turns off within 15 minutes; Unfiltered LFE input for use with low pass filtered subwoofer output jacks; 5-way binding post speaker-level inputs and outputs; Switchable 80 Hz hi-pass filter.

Customer Reviews:

Polk PSW450 = Thumbs up!.......2003-05-05

First, the bottom line: It's well worth the money. The ratio of value to its price point is high. I'm more than happy with this sub.

This is my first sub and I've mated it to Klipsch Forte II's with the SC-1 center channel. I'm a "born-again" audiophile who ventured onto the stereo scene back in the mid-'60s when monoaural systems were the norm. After having "dropped out" of the audio world during the '90s, the recent purchase of a DVD player has renewed my audio interest.

I purchased this sub after reading numerous reviews and write-ups. Normally, I would personally audition any speaker purchase but having done that so many times in the past, I didn't relish the idea of going from store to store listening to various subs under various listening environments. Speaker auditioning is a task that's daunting, frustrating, and very time-consuming.

Before anyone starts on a subwoofer journey, however, you must ask yourself about your expectations. Do you want a sub that overpowers a movie scene (or piece of music) that in the end becomes its own entity? Or do you want something that "seamlessly" fits in the background? I was looking for a sub that would blend in and sound "natural" without becoming a distraction.

The Polk sub provides that missing link in my stereo/surround system. The bass is clean and well defined. I can definitely FEEL the bass but more importantly I can distinguish the individual bass notes and differentiate the bass from the drummer's kick drum. In HT scenarios, it's awesome and forceful without becoming an overpowering distraction. Its output is distinct without a lot of "boom." And the sub's volume setting is turned up only halfway. The sub handles itself well during the famous Star War's Pod Race as well as Jurassic Park's T-Rex intro scene. I experimented by turning up the sub volume to maximum and found it was too much (for my tastes) for my 20'x 30' living room (actually, a "great room").

Overall, I'm completely satisfied with its presence when listening to music or when watching movies. I'm not naive, though, and I'm sure if the sub were placed side-by-side to a more expensive sub, the differences would be noticeable. But for a delivered price of $ I've found a sub that fits my needs and my budget.

Strengths:
Price
Strong, floor shaking bass
Low "boom" factor
Well-built

Weaknesses:
Size (basically, its depth)

Product Description

The Polaroid MiniPortrait 403 is designed to meet a variety of photo-identification needs. The camera model 403 produces 4 identical portraits, 2 pairs of identical portraits or 4 different portraits. The MiniPortrait 403 features film processing timer on the back of the film holder; a built-in electronic flash unit; the camera also can be used with other types of lighting. The sonar rangefinder ensures that the camera is at the correct distance for sharp focus and correct image size.

Product Description

The Planar 17" PL170M is the ideal monitor for home, small business, and specialized applications, such as financial, education and medical. The PL170M features integrated stereo speakers and a professional, narrow design that is 30% smaller and lighter than typical 17" LCD monitors. The ultra wide viewing angle and superior display quality make it the clear choice for demanding business applications. The PL170M combines these innovative features with great service and support to create an outstanding monitor for an outstanding price.

Customer Reviews:

no rebate.......2003-03-23

...I bought an LCD flat-panel display from them. The display is okay, but I never got the...rebate. After diligently submitting all materials and waiting months, I checked the status of my rebate online. The website said that they had no record of me, and I submitted a web form (the only way one can communicate with the company administering the rebate) complaining. They sent an email telling me to resubmit all of my rebate materials, and I would then get the rebate. I quickly did this, and waited months (again). The website still shows no record of me. I filled in the web form again, they said to resubmit everything again. I have also sent emails directly to Planar, which have received no response. The moral of the story: don't count on getting a rebate from these guys.

Planar 17'' PL170M Flat Panel ( 997-2290-00 )

Average customer rating:

Planar 17'' PL170M Flat Panel ( 997-2290-00 )

Manufacturer: PLANAR
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

170 horizontal viewing angle
1280x1024 res., 400
1 contrast
0.264mm pixel pitch, speakers

ASIN: B00006HYE2

Product Description

Planar 17'' PL170M Flat Panel (Black) Refurbished ( 997-2484-00blk )

Average customer rating:

Planar 17'' PL170M Flat Panel (Black) Refurbished ( 997-2484-00blk )

Manufacturer: PLANAR
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

170 horizontal viewing angle
1280x1024 res., 400-1 contrast
0.264mm pixel pitch, speakers

ASIN: B0000C4M2R

Product Description

Winner of the DisplayMate Best Display Award, the Planar PL170M is a sleek, 17" monitor with a wide viewing angle and integrated speakers. Its slim design is excellent for home, small business and specialized applications such as financial, education and medical.

Amazon.com Product Description

This portable CD/MP3 player provides some unusual benefits along with the ability to play CDs, CDRs, CDRWs, and CDs with MP3 files. The first is "advanced D-sound technology, which is essentially a combination of a digital amplifier, which helps reduce distortion for crystal-clear sound at higher volume levels; S-XBS and digital audio gain control, which helps improve bass response at higher volume levels; and MP3 re-master technology, which maximizes sound quality from compressed music files, such as MP3 and WMA.

When you're on the go, the No-Skip anti-skip system virtually eliminates track skipping, and the player's heat-resistant, polycarbonate body design makes it great for outdoor use. There's a handy, 6-key inline remote with the Active Style headphones, and average playback time on the required two AA batteries is up to 90 Hours for MP3s and up to 50 hours for CDs.

Average customer rating:
Planar 19'' CPE191M-BK Flat Panel ( 997-2819-00 )

Manufacturer: PLANAR
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Monitors | Monitors & Projectors | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
19-Inch | LCD | Monitors & Projectors | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
Accessories:

IBM Versatile Scroll Mouse (Stealth)

Cables To Go 10' HDdb15M/HDdb15M VGA Monitor-to-Switchbox Cable

Logitech Z340 2.1 Computer Speakers (3-Speaker, Black)

Cyber Acoustics 4 Watt 2 Piece Computer Speakersystem Black

Logitech Cordless MX Duo 967300-0403

Product Features:

Super crisp images

1280x1024 SXGA; 600-1 contrast

Analog/digital inputs, black

ASIN: B0001970IU

Product Description

The Planar PE191M has all the most popular features in a single 19" monitor. Analog and digital inputs combine with a 600: 1 contrast ratio to deliver crisp, bright images. The monitor can support computing applications with ease and is powerful enough for video playback or graphics applications. Integrated speakers and a thin-bezel design save desktop space.

Product Description

4:3 Ratio / 640x480 Pixel Resolution / Progressive Scan Display Capable / 450CDM2 Brightness / 23 Millisecond Screen Response / Remote Horizontal Viewing Angle 170 Degrees Moving Picture Response Speed 23ms Digital Comb Filter Motion-Adaptive 3D-Y/C Built-In Closed Caption Decoder 2 Built-in speakers for stereo sound (6 Watts per channel) VSS mode Composite Video Input Jacks 2 S-Video Inputs 2 Component Video Inputs 1 Headphone Jack (headphone is optional) Sleep Timer mode Menu Language English/Spanish/French V-Chip Program Lockout for parental control over children's TV viewing Video Input Labeling Audio Inputs (for Composite/S-Video) 2 / Audio Inputs (for Component Video) 1 Power Supply AC 120 V, 60 Hz Pedestal Stand Included Dimensions (WxHxD)(without stand) 19.6 x 17.7 x 3.6 inches / (with stand) 19.6 x 19.9 x 10.2 inches / Weight - 15.4 lbs

Customer Reviews:

I am not a tech person, I just buy what I like.......2005-10-28

Our 1992 RCA 26 inch screen TV died. And not being one of those families that eschews the TV, we knew we had to replace it soon. It had not been hooked up for High Definition (being an old TV), just regular DirecTV. I figured on getting the same size, foolishly thinking that TV's had gotten more compact over time. Wrong. Todays CRT TV's are huge. The footprint they leave is really big, and the weight can easily top 200 lbs. A similar size TV now would have been just too massive for our room. That left the flat panels. From what I understood, the flat panels, (LCD's and plasmas) do not have a better picture than the Cathode Ray (CRT's) of today, unless they are hooked up to High Definition, which I didn't want. I went to a brick and mortar store to look and was disappointed with the size of the CRT's, and the prices of the flat panel TV's. I explained to the clerk what I wanted, a set that wasn't oversized and heavy, but not a fancy HDTV style one either. He led me to the smaller LCD screens and pointed out this Panasonic (TC-20LA5). It was not HDTV ready, but it had the EDTV feature for enhanced definition. This was especially nice with the DVD in progressive scan mode. This LCD player was lined up with other sets by Samsung, Sony, Polaroid, and Sanyo, and it had the clearest, best picture of them all. It is not computer compatible, but looked like a regular LCD computer screen to me. I would have preferred a few more inches on the screen size, but it wasn't worth the increase in price. This TV weighs about 20 lbs and takes up minimal space. I bought it and did the hook up of it to TiVO and a DVD player and it looks very nice. If you do stand too close, you can see the lines in it, but from watching distance of 7-15 feet, it is nice and sharp, brilliant colors. Don't expect hi-def clarity with this, you aren't paying for that, but you will still get a very fine picture to look at the richness of the colors still amaze me.
Don't buy a turntable for it to sit on so you can change the viewing angles, the stand has its own built in one. I learned that the hard way.
I would highly recommend this TV for those people who aren't into having a total HDTV system, and who want to graduate from the big bulky sets into these more compact sets. I can only hope the reliability is good, as with the higher cost of these, they can't be replaced too often.

Average customer rating:
PNY 128 MB SD Secure Digital Flash Memory Card

Manufacturer: PNY
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

CPU Upgrades | Components & Memory | Apple | Custom Brands | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
Electronics Available for International Shipping | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
PNY | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics
Memory Cards | Memory | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics | CompactFlash Cards | Memory Sticks | MiniSD Cards | MultiMediaCards | Secure Digital Cards | SmartMedia Cards | TransFlash Cards | xD Cards
SmartMedia | Memory Card Readers | Memory | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
Memory Cards & Readers | Accessories | Used Photo & Camera | Specialty Stores | Camera & Photo Features | Electronics
Memory Cards | Digital Camera Accessories | Cameras & Scanners | Technology | Categories | Office Depot
Similar Items:

Kingston 128 MB Secure Digital Memory Card (SD/128) (Retail Package)

Lexar Media 128 MB Secure Digital Card

Accessories:

Targus DMC111 Digital Memory Card Case - Black (Koskin)

Digital Spectrum USB Digital Photo Frame (5x7)

Lexar Media USB 2.0 6-in-1 High Speed Reader

PNY 256 MB SD Secure Digital Flash Memory Card

Body Glove Multi-purpose Camera Case Black

Product Features:

Compatible with all devices designed to use Secure Digital cards as standard or extended data storage

For PDA's, MP3's, Digital cameras and other portable devices

Each card contains a write protect slide switch that provides protection against accidental overwriting or deletion of stored data

PNY Secure Digital Cards have been designed to comply with current and future SDMI portable device requirements

Lifetime Warranty protects the Secure Digital Card throughout the life of the product

ASIN: B00006HW3J

Product Description

The PNY PSD128RF SD Secure Digital Memory Card holds up to 128 MB of memory and is designed for use with an SD compatible portable device such as a digital-camera or MP3 player. This memory is considered non-volatile and may only be erased with the aid of a hardware or software utility that might come with your digital camera or other portable device. As such, it is completely re-useable.

Average customer rating:
RECOTON SM-SG6 6 Outlet Surge Suppressor

Manufacturer: RECOTON
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Accessories & Supplies | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Power Strips & PDUs | Batteries, Chargers & Power Supplies | Accessories & Supplies | Categories | Electronics
Accessories:

Monster Cable SV2AV25-1M MonsterVideo 2/Interlink 250 A/V Connection Kit (S-Video) 1 m. set (3.28 ft.)

Tripp Lite 1200J 6-Outlet 7' Cord Super 7 Strip with Coaxial Cable

Tripplite Super7Tel 7-Outlet Surge Protectorýwith Phone Protection

Monster Cable MP AV 200 Audio Video PowerCenter AV 200 with Clean Power Stage 1 v2.0

Super7tel15 Protect It 7outblock RJ11 15-ft Cord 1672j 50k-ins

Product Features:

Up to 90 joules of energy absorption

30" power cord

ASIN: B00006JQ3O

Product Description

As consumer electronic equipment - especially computers - and appliances containing sensitive computerized components are prevalent in today's households, multiple surge protectors are a necessity to protect against damage from power line spikes and surges. Unlike a lightning strike, the damage caused by spikes and surges occurs over time, shortening the life of equipment. Feature by feature, SpikeMaster surge protectors can outperform the competition where it counts, protecting against higher voltages at substantially less cost. With SpikeMaster line safeguarding your electronic equipment and small appliances has never been easier or more economical. The high quality and outstanding value across the entire SpikeMaster line provide consumers with affordable protection they can feel confident about.

Electronics:

Electronics

Electronics