Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The device came today in the mail. I am very pleased and I have not even explored everything that it is capable of. A couple of notes to consider early on: 1. Annoying Blinking: There is one existing review from another customer that has a concern about how bright the flashing colon is between the hours and the minutes, as viewed on the blue screen. I can only surmise, but for the typical prospective purchaser: don't worry about such a thing. The person who provided the review, and complaint, they must be hyper-sensitive to light when sleeping (it isn't even a bright screen when all of the lights are off in your room). So don't worry about it, and should not give you pause in the least. (Later edit of review...On the top of the unit is the 'Snooze/Brightness' button that provides four degrees of brightness to engage simply by depressing the button. Very functional feature. Again, this provides a response to a previous customer review mention the excessive brightness of the colon signal between the hours and minutes) 2. App required: Anticipate needing to download one simple app for your iPod or iPhone, when you get the product set up on your desk or dresser. Not a big deal. You'll be prompted to go to the Apple App Store and download the app. This is not a hassle. 3. Radio Reception: I can review at this early stage the radio reception. Living on the fringes of Columbia, Missouri, I typically don't have an issue with radio reception. With this device the antenna is at once sufficient and effective. The reception is noteworthy and excellent. 4. Volume: I haven't even put the device past level 10 and I am so pleased with how it fills out my relatively small bedroom. I don't need much in the way of volume, but I wanted something more that would lift the sound beyond the small speaker on the iPod. This Sony dock totally meets my needs. 5. Remote Control: To be honest, when I reviewed the product on Amazon's page before deciding on purchasing it, I couldn't care less about the remote control. But, I have to say that I have already used the remote and actually find it convenient only because I don't have to be physically near the dock itself. Silly, I realize this, but it truly isn't a bad feature to have. It isn't a deal-breaker, but it is surprisingly nice to have as an option. 6. Sound Quality: When I first encountered the Bose dock that came out back in (was it 2006 or 2005?), that device absolutely shocked me with its ability to convey a full sonic experience. I have a hunch that this one will be a favorite of mine for quite some time (I think the Bose price is absolutely unnecessary, so I chose Sony). I haven't taken it through its paces as yet, but even up to level 10, the sound is quite inviting. I am enjoying the 'Mega-Bass' feature, I think it is noticeable, but not overcompensating. 7. Antenna Set-Up: Easy. Antenna is made of cheap, cheap plastic. I was a bit surprised by how cheap it looked and felt. (Quality of the signal is still excellent for where I live). I can't pretend to know how and if the device would grab signal in a remote location. 8. Physical Appearance/Feel: It feels a little plastic(ky), but nearly everything in our world is made of plastics. We can get away from the stuff. What would we expect, a product made with a metal housing? If dropped, this might be a delicate piece of merchandise and makes me wonder how well it would hold up falling from a 4 1/2 foot tall bedroom dresser, if an accident occurred. Solve the problem by putting it near the middle of the dresser, hide the cord so as to prevent tripping, and be more careful with your stuff. I am still pleased with my purchase even though it does feel a dainty, delicate, plastic(ky), very breakable in the event of the wrong unintended fall. Should you buy it?: I thought I would just bite the bullet by paying the price. I thought the price would be backed up by quality because I trust Sony products. I just needed something a little louder for my alarm (taking on a new overnight job in a week). But I also wanted a device that would produce a little more volume for my room. I have been able to meet both needs with this Sony device. Recommendation: I would recommend this to prospective customers.