Sony ICF-C318 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio with Dual Alarm (Black)
by Sony
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony ICF-C318 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio with Dual Alarm (Black)
Customer Review: Disappointing for a Sony
Summary: 2 Stars
This alarm clock radio was a bit disappointing for a Sony.
Pros: Dual alarm clock
Cons: Alarm settings a bit confusing to set up and I had to read the directions, but for an alarm clock? Really?
Low light level on clock face. We didn't want a night light, but even at the highest setting, we can barely see the time during the night because it is so dim.
Beeping alarm starts out slowly when it first goes off but builds with speed if you don't react quickly to turn it off. That can be irritating to say the least. At 5:00 AM does anyone jump quickly?
The radio is the biggest disappointment, since I prefer to wake that way vs my hubby with the beeping. The quality is horrid and the tuner is just as bad. I can't tune in clearly even to the local radio stations that I can with any other radio in the house, even the one that used to sit in the same place. There is no antenna or antenna wire to fiddle with that might have helped. It suggests turning the clock. Well even turning the silly thing backwards did not help. All I can get is music with static on any station I try to pull in. This really has shocked me with Sony. I did not buy this for a stereo, so I am not looking for that type of quality at all. Tuning into local stations w/o static would have been nice.
Time was not correct out of the box either, in fact it wasn't even there when I plugged it in. I had to set the whole thing up, which is fine if the product hadn't said it would be all set up for me. I'm wondering if I have received someone else's return/rejected alarm clock radio. That might explain a lot.
I would not recommend this alarm clock.
Customer Review: It does what it says
Summary: 5 Stars
The auto time set feature does work as advertised. I plugged mine in and it said the right time and date. Maybe the reviews that say the auto time set doesn't work are from people who don't live in the eastern time zone. That is the default setting for this clock. The display is nice and big and the brightness levels are just right in my opinion. The bright setting is easy to see in a sunlit room and the dim setting is very dim for those who don't want it too bright while sleeping. The only thing I don't love about this clock is that the display is sort of a pea green color instead of a bright led green. The alarms are very easy to set and change. I used to have to hold down two buttons and watch 24 hrs go by to change the time on my old GE clock. Now all I have to do is twist the dial to go forward or back while setting the alarm. Very nice. This is a great little clock for the money and it does everything it says.Customer Review: Great Idea/Buy
Summary: 5 Stars
Got this last night. I love the automatic time set and the dual alarms (and it is small for all it can do). Customer Review: Practical and cheap, but don't pull the trigger yet.
Summary: 4 Stars
My problem is that I have too many clocks, alarms, radios--most of them far more costly and complicated to operate than this one, so much so that I frequently forego fooling with them at night, often to my regret the next morning. This Sony is basic and simple yet has features that the pricy audiophile products with all of their iPod docks and full-frequency speakers don't: dual alarms, big snooze bar with three alarm choices, regular and daylight savings time auto set, calendar, no-brainer operation and big read-out numbers. The relative softness of the alarms that some reviewers have complained about is a plus for those who like to be "eased" into their day, a minus for those who require a real kick in the head. But since the alarm does not stop beeping until the user turns it off, you'd practically have to be anesthetized not to become aware of its wake-up call (or you can set the radio at an extra loud volume the night before).
But here's what may be the clincher. Usually Amazon lists different colored items with the identical model number in the same spot. Not so the ICFC318 (not to be confused with the previous model, the ICFC218, which is still showing on Amazon). If you can tolerate white (or even prefer it), look for this product (ICFC318) on a different page but in white--identical model, lower price. But don't order before clicking on the link to "Used" models. Notice that most are returns (items sold by Amazon Warehouse and with the same benefits and assurances as any of the new products Amazon offers). And despite some of Amazon's disqualifiers (cosmetic wear, blemishes, etc.), so far I've noticed nothing exceptional about any Amazon Warehouse item that I've ordered other than a box that has previously been opened. So now you're looking at a price that could be half of the already discounted one for an unopened box. Sort of a bonus wake-up call.
[Caveat after some use: I've noticed the "automatic" time was set 4 minutes fast on my model. Also, if you've been spoiled by a radio of good audio quality (not necessarily surround sound or even stereo but a Tivoli, Boston Acoustics, Sangean table radio), you may find it difficult to tolerate the sound of this Sony--even for non-musical broadcasts. In any case, don't buy this Sony for the radio.]
Customer Review: Sony rocks!
Summary: 5 Stars
We have had Sony alarm clocks for the last 15 years because they are so reliable. Each time Sony brings out a new version of their alarm clock it's upgraded. This version trumps all of our older Sony clocks. I love all the new features so, I am happy that my old one kicked the bucket. My experience with Sony alarm clocks is that they last for a very long time. Every time I have had to buy a new Sony alarm clock, I noticed they kept getting smaller but this version has the smallest footprint so far. There is a lot of features packed into this one little alarm clock and it works like a charm. Thanks Sony, for making something that doesn't fall apart within a few months like most of the garbage that is manufactured and sold today.
Amazon's price was the lowest that I could find a well. Amazon continues to excell when it comes to pricing, shipping, dependability,helpful reviews, etc. and in this recession, that is so appreciated!