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Freeplay Portable Radio Reviews
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Freeplay S 360
by janharper Freeplay Ranger is the latest in the Freeplay range of wind up radios. The whole concept puzzles me! We live in an age when we are always utilising the latest labour saving devices. We use dish washers, washing machines and vacuum cleaners to save our energy, yet this radio is powered by 'human energy'. You turn the ... handle to generate the power which makes the radio play. It takes work! This in itself doesn't sound so strange to me, because it does mean that you never need to buy batteries, so it doesn't matter where in the world you are, you can still tune in. Human energy will always be available and you just wind the handle for thirty seconds to get 35 minutes of play time. (I actually got 27 minutes from mine when I tested it out, but that depends on how loud you play the radio, etc.) You can wind it up to play for about 25 hours but by my calculations you would have to turn the handle for almost 50 minutes to do this. This idea means that you just need to wind up each time the radio starts to get low on power. Once a day will be enough. It sounds like a reliable power supply. So, I wonder, why does the Ranger have solar power facilities and rechargeable power? If the winding mechanism works, why do we need these too. Strange! It's almost as though the designers are wary of moving totally away from conventional power supplies incase the public don't accept the product. At least that's my view of it. My Ranger has a deep blue and black case and the winding handle at the back is easier to use than some of the older models of this radio. Some have a winding dial at the front but I thought this was more efficient. Reception is excellent and the whole design is compact and strong. The built in solar panel facility lets you charge your radio in sunlight, or you can plug it into the mains to charge it. I can't see the need for these additional power mechanis ms on a wind-up radio. After all, it is supposed to be wound up and that's the reason I bought it. If I had wanted to by a conventionally powered radio my forty pounds (that's what it cost) could have been better spent. There again, if I was using my 'winding arm' for something more important, like drinking my red wine, I suppose I would be grateful for the alternative power supplies. 'Solar power' for red wine drinkers, now there's an advertising slogan they could use (or not!) If you want to learn more about this radio, or other products in the Freeplay range, including a self powered cell phone take a look at their website: http://www.freeplay.net Read the complete review |
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Freeplay FPR 2 SC
by ahenry A clockwork radio was a gadget that I had fancied for a while, but which had always cost more than I'd wanted to spend. When I saw the www.halfpriceorless.com offer (£22) I went for it. I've had it for a couple of weeks now. Its big and chunky. The winding mechanism feels a bit agricultural. There is a quiet humming sound from ... it most of the time. Every once in a while there is a louder squeak from it. Sometimes it also gets stuck and switches itself off. If you touch the cranking handle on the back, it carries on playing. The quality of the reception is fine, although it is pretty basic - just with FM and AM (ie no LW for radio 4 cricket commentary). The design is an unusual mixture of the iMac-like clear blue plastic case, which lets you see the spring and gears spin around, together with a cheapo AM/FM slider switch. Read the complete review |
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Freeplay S 360
by Tristram Imagine those summer days when you want to listen to the radio in the garden, or take the radio into the bathroom, or camping etc.etc. Those batteries never seem to last long do they? And what a waste of money if you happen to fall asleep! Originally designed for use in Africa, where lack of batteries and electric sockets is ... prevalent in some rural areas, this self powered radio sounds a brilliant idea. It's very small(comes in two sizes, the smallest of which is about a foot), see-through and very funky-looking,and has am. and fm. frequencies. You can wind it up clockwork style, and run it from that, or, if it's daytime and sunny, there's no need, becuse it has a solar pannel. BUT... Some development on the reception is needed. This is almost its only fault, but a pretty crucial one at that! It sounds extremely crackly and tinny, so much so that I never listen to music on it, as there's just no point, and it can be difficult to hear what people are saying sometimes. I have a friend with one, and theirs is the same. This is a shame, because other than that, it's a fine looking radio. A bit pricy at around £60-£70, but one has to bear in mind that if you were in a desert it would be a great thing to have a radio that didn't need a conventional power source, and hopefully the technology will soon improve. Read the complete review |
Freeplay Portable Radio |
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2 reviews Portable Radio / A wind up radio with a solar panel. |
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4 reviews Portable Radio / Three power sources: wind up, solar, plug-in |
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| Freeplay Portable Radio Recommendations 1 | ||
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