Griffin RadioSHARK Exceeds Expectations 191
reifman writes "Picked up a Griffin RadioSHARK (think TiVo for radio) at the Apple store this evening: It exceeds all expectations. The user experience is simple. The iPod synchronization is seamless. The RadioSHARK is a counter-attack on the recording industry and its draconian file sharing lawsuits. I'm glad to see Griffin had the balls to release this product. ."
Nice but... (Score:5, Interesting)
Nice gadget anyway!
DAB Version! Digital, Baby! (Score:4, Interesting)
Huh? (Score:5, Interesting)
When was AIFF ever more compact than AAC? Isn't it, in fact, the least compact format possible?
Re:Nice but... (Score:5, Interesting)
SightLight (Score:5, Interesting)
The SightLight is one of the most poorly-conceived products on the market. It's a light for the iSight webcam; it's a ring of white LEDs which mounts around the iSight lens to illuminate you so that people can see you when you're using the webcam in an otherwise dark room. Sounds clever, right?
Except that using the SightLight is like trying to talk to an automobile headlight two feet in front of your face. And you'd think that in return for being blinded, you could at least be seen better by the person on the other end of the conversation - but no, that's not true; for as retina-piercingly bright as the SightLight is, it does a terrible job of actually lighting you up. A face lit by the SightLight will look ghostly pale and near-dark to the person on the other end, and the user has to be very close to the light to be seen at all.
And all this for $39.95!
I returned mine the very next day, and I now approach Griffin products with skepticism.
Nice but... (Score:5, Interesting)
The only problem I see with this though, is that your average geek will simply not need one of these. I have a CD changer in my car. I have my iPod hooked up to my car stereo. I'm literally surrounded by computers at work. I have a stereo at home, that my iPod and one of my computers is hooked up to.
With regard to my "music needs", I guess I'm pretty much covered. I guess this is really useful if you're into talk radio. But to me, the radio is something I use when I'm on the road and want to listen to a ballgame or when I'm working on something outside and don't really feel like listening to my iPod but want some background music. The radio just isn't something I pay a lot of attention to.
The reason TiVo is such a huge hit is that it fundamentally changes the way we watch TV. When I'm watching TV I usually do pay attention to what's on - it's not just some random background noise. I find it hard to see how this could work for radio. Except, of course, skipping commercials. That would indeed be nice (but not all that useful, since most commercial stations already do 30-minutes-without-commercial stuff).
The problem is this: I, and I can only speak for myself here, don't really care what's on the radio. To me, it's random stuff. Turn it on, listen to some music while doing something else, turn it off when you're done. TV's different: I care what's on. That's why I'm watching in the first place.
Re:Crackdown, T-Minus ? days (Score:3, Interesting)
The main thrust was that McDonalds held their coffee about 20F above most other restaraunts and numerous complaints had already been filed. It wasn't the frivolous lawsuit that many believe it to be. It actually had merit.
Re:DAB Version! Digital, Baby! (Score:5, Interesting)
Note: In other countries they do use proper bitrates per channel but in the UK we've got 50 of exactly the same sort of garbage pop radio station vying to get into each multiplex. Quality in programming seems to have taken a back seat.
My kingdom for BBC 6 Music in 256kbps...
Re:Nice but... (Score:3, Interesting)
This works well for AM (Score:3, Interesting)
In the alternative, you could hook the radio output of your cable outlet directly into the audio input of your computer and write scripting software to capture it. For tuning, you'd have to hack something like a cable mouse (an IR emitter that you'd have to write software to drive with the appropriate signals to command the cable to change radio channels). A lot of work, but it could be done.
Re:Nice but... (Score:4, Interesting)
Mossberg disagrees (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm curious (assuming the original writer is reading this) about how that writer would respond to Mossberg's criticism.
Here's Why (Score:5, Interesting)
First, not everything on the radio is music. There are a number of NPR shows that are on while I'm at work that would enjoy listening to.
And as is usually menitoned whenever someone reviews this thing, some people enjoy listening to Howard Stern, but can't for various reasons. Now they can, at least for a year or so.
And there is plenty more talk of varying quality radio out there.
And where I live there is a space music show called Echoes. Runs between 10 pm and midnight. More often then not I'm doing something else. Now I can record it, load my iPod, and listen at work.
SteveM
Re:Nice but... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Nice but... (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm sure I'm not the only one (Score:4, Interesting)
What the hell would you want to record off of radio today?
On a two hour long trip yesterday I heard one song that I might want to hear again. If I had been in my own car with a CD player available, I wouldn't have even thought about listening to radio.
AM talk radio is the only remotely listenable radio left and you really don't miss anything by skipping a day.
Re:Crackdown, T-Minus ? days (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm not saying McDonalds was in the right, any coffee hot enough to cause 2nd or 3rd degree burns is just too hot to begin with. But people, please, use some common sense once in awhile. I don't want to live in a world where every damn product I buy comes with a book full of disclaimers and warnings. I mean, I already do, but let's not encourage the average fool and their succubus lawyers to sue more companies for things they could've prevented by using their singular brain cell before they took an action.
Re:Nice but...College Radio (Score:2, Interesting)
Radioshark doesn't operate as advertised (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:I'm sure I'm not the only one (Score:3, Interesting)
NPR Web Site [npr.org]
As far as music, hell no. I'd never use this for music. But I'd *definitely* use it to TiVo programs like "Car Talk" and "Prairie Home Companion."
p
Pretty limited expectations (Score:4, Interesting)
1) Does it support an external antenna?
2) How free is it from spurious responses in the presence of strong signals?
3) How sensitive is it?
4) How is the adjacent and alternate channel selectivity?
5) What's the signal to noise ratio for strong and weak signals?
6) How's the A.M. rejection?
7) How's the stereo separation?
8) How's the distortion at various modulation levels? (including a bit above 100%, some stations overmodulate)
9) Can it receive S.C.A. subcarriers?
10) Is there software support to decode E.A.S. (Emergency Alert System) messages?
11) How's the frequency response?
12) Can it tune signals at other than the usual
Granted I don't expect a low-priced receiver to use a balanced mixer, but I'd at least like to see some clue that designers put some thought into performance.
Re:Too bad radio sux (Score:3, Interesting)
incredible (Score:2, Interesting)
This is very funny:
The principle that the work that one has created belongs to the creator and should be controlled by you is as timeless as it is global.
The copyright in the sound recording, i.e. the recording of the performer singing or playing a given song. This is usually owned by the record company.
Re:Overrated (Score:3, Interesting)
Have you ever owned and used a Hauppauge product? I've had a couple and to compare that crap with almost anything on the Mac (or the PC for that matter) shows ignorance or chutzpah of the first order. Then there is the odd comparison with a Linux product that can involve installing a few binaries and setting up some cron tasks. Right, that is a real valid comparison.
What I suspect you are missing is that people are willing to pay to get something that just works rather than turn the whole thing into a project or a continuing hobby. I like the CreativeLabs TiVo-like product I have for the PC but it still has some rough edges and only works for TV. When I selected it there wasn't anything at a comparable price that included a radio tuner. That was less than 5 years ago so I suspect your numbers might be a little off.