Advice from the experts... best iPhone dock radio alarm bedside table solution?

[admin_exported]

Hi

I am looking for an iPhone dock / radio / alarm to go on my bedside table and would appreciate some advice from the experts / the community.

FM radio is a must have, and DAB would be nice as well. Good sound quality and good looks / style would be a bonus!

I also like the sound of streaming music from my PC / the internet over WiFi (e.g. Philips' Fidelio range), but I can't seem to find anything with radio alarm clock functionality.

I've had a look at a few:

Gear4 CRG-70W

Roberts Sound66

Sandstrom SRUN11

iWantIt IPHDBTP10

Philips DC315

Sony XDR-DS12iP

But I've narrowed it down to two:

1) The Gear4 HouseParty Rise - which is great value (at £40 from Sainsburys) and has a funky iPhone app with "added functionality" but is a little on the large size, doesn't have DAB and I'm not sure you'd get great sound from its 2x3W speakers.

2) The Philips DCB291/05 - which covers all the bases and looks like the better system but is over twice the price.

So - two questions:

- Are there any other alternatives I should consider?

- Out of the Gear4 and the Philips, which would you go for, all things considered? (Personal taste I know, but opinions welcome!)

Many thanks for your advice!

CHeers

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

As an alternative, I spent some time looking at apps to serve this purpose and ended up with one called TimeTuner. It works very well with the caveat that the screen is quite bright if left on as a clock. There are several other similar apps out there, but be warned, they don't all support the BBC (if that is your desire).

 

[BenLaw]

I use the Pure Chronos iDock II and, while I actually use it in the kitchen, I would recommend it.

 

[tino]

Surely there's an app for the thing you plug into your dock to work as a clock/alarm/fm radio/internet radio/streamer/solution for world peace

FWIW I use a Roberts 83i stream - excellent radio - that does what you want except for the dock, but you can plug in a separate dock into the aux socket.

(A recent software update has added UPnP funcionality to allow music to be streamed ... and yes there'an an iThingy app called Connect R as well)

 

[Anonymous]

I use the Pure Chronos iDock II and, while I actually use it in the kitchen, I would recommend it.

I bought the same one for my wife. She uses it in the kitchen and it's brilliant.

Matt