Vodafone radio ad banned, it zips through T&Cs too fast

vodafone_speeding_logo.gif

The Advertising Standards Agency has been busy vetting technology ads recently. No sooner has it finished rapping Apple for misleading iPhone ads, or Virgin Media for sending bullet-hole mail through people’s letterboxes, then it’s on Vodafone’s case for blurting out the terms and conditions too quickly on a recent radio ad.

A whale-eared listener complained to the watchdog because the words were so fast that it was hard to hear the message. To be honest, I’m of the opinion that there are always several reams worth of finely printed contractual legalese attached to any product, and am happy for the cursory nod any radio advertiser gives to them to be over with as possible…

Roberts portable energy-saving DAB radios

This’ll be good for my Green Challenge scores. Roberts have launched a cluster of new portable radios – all similar but slightly different. They have mostly sensible names too – the “ecologic 1”, the “ecologic 2”, the “ecologic 3”, and then the “Gemini 21”! What the hell happened there? It’s as if the product naming committee took all morning naming three of the models, and then retired to the pub for a hefty liquid lunch before attempting the fourth…

Tangent launches colourful range of DAB radios

tangent-trio-limegreen.jpg

Tangent has announced the UK availability of its stylish and colourful range of digital radios, offering no-nonsense DAB in a small, solid wooden cabinet that I’d be very happy to have sitting in my house.

It’s not one for those who want lots of bells and whistles, so you won’t get timeshifted radio, memory card inputs, or the dreaded iPod connectivity. For listening to high quality digital radio, though, it does the job…

Marantz serves up new amplifiers, tuner, CD player

marantz_amplifier_tuner_cd_player.jpg

Feel like stocking up on Marantz goodness? Well, the latest slew of separates could be for you.

The company has announced three new amplifiers, a new CD player, and an AM/FM tuner.

Central to a decent hi-fi system is the amplifier, and Marantz has three to choose from. Power wise, the PM5003 kicks out 40W x 2 at 8Ω or 55W x 2 at 4Ω, while the PM7003 and PM8003 offer 70W or 100W x 2. Available for around £150, £300, and £450 respectively…

Wake up to music – lots of music – with the Sound 40 alarm clock by Roberts

When the people at alarm clock manufacturer Roberts wake up in the morning, they like to do so to a choice of music. Not just some random bleepy-bleeping bleep alarm, or some scratchy FM radio static.. No. They want music. And they want to be able to specifically choose the track to wake up to. Something like ‘Beautiful Day’ by U2, perhaps.. or ‘Wake me up before you Go-Go‘ by Wham, maybe. Anyway, they appear to want us to have the same level of choice too, because they have invented a machine which allows us to do that very thing.

Step forward the ‘Sound 40’, an all new ‘bells and whistles’ alarm clock designed for the 21st Century individual who likes bells and whistles. Check out it’s impressive audio array: DAB radio. In-built CD player. SD media card player. MP3 and WMA playback. An input source for your iPod (or other such music player). And oh yeah, it still has a buzzer, presumably for those poor lost souls who can never decide on anything.

Fancy a bright red Bush?

bush_red_DAB.jpg

Bush, fine purveyor of DAB radio wares, has announced that its popular, enticingly named TR04DAB DAB radio is getting a sensual makeover. It is now available in “luscious” Lip Gloss Red and also sports a “sexy” touchscreen control panel, specifically designed for over (under?) sexed people who need their audio appliances to ooze carnal vibes into the room as well as Radio 4.

Roberts launches first solar-powered DAB radio

roberts_solardab_dab_digital_radio.jpg

Roberts has announced its solarDAB radio, which it claims is the world’s first solar-powered DAB radio. Seems like an idea that should’ve been done already, but apparently not.

The radio contains a solar panel which either powers the radio directly, if the sun is strong enough, or recharges the internal battery. When out of daylight, a fully charged battery can run the radio for up to 27 hours, and the radio can also be used and charged via the mains…