Philips Digital Clock Radio with iPod Dock - White (DC310) Products and Promotions

5 stars

Reviewer:  Music Lover "Laura B"  (Washington, DC)  See all my reviews

I bought this item from [an electronics store] for almost twice the price and now it's on sale at Target and even at regular price is cheaper. I'll definitely be buying another and after witnessing and seeing mine, my sister wants one too.

The interchangeable design is genius. It works with any size Ipod which is a plus eventhough I only have the Nano, but if I ever get another I can switch it up.

Yes the alarms increasing volume is a pain in the neck, but it does the job and you can't be mad at that. There is no way to change that setting, but it's not a terrible thing. And I learned a trick, you can grab the remote, turn the radio off so you don't have to witness the increasing volume and blaring music. Then if you do want to listen to the radio while you lie in bed and catch a few more z's you can turn it right back on and it will be a decent volume.

The actual sound on the system is also a plus, I've brought it downstairs to use for parties and it worked perfectly.

All in all you can't beat the price and it's a great clock radio!

4 stars

Reviewer:  M. A. Smith "M A Smith"  (Minneapolis, Minnesota United States)  See all my reviews

I went into the store to purchase another ipod clorck radio and ended up purchasing this one mainly because it has a dual alarm. After my initial use I am satisfied with the alarm quality. I have not found the volume level on waking up as bad as other reviewers. Like the other reviewer the backlight issue bugged me a little bit but found that it is not that big of a worry.

4 stars

Reviewer:  Northwest Bug  (Seattle, WA)  See all my reviews

When I initially got this item I was ready to send it back. The gradual volume increase and the back light I thought were going to be big issues for me. BUT...! But then I test drove it for a week just to see how it would go. The result - the ultimate in effectiveness: it wakes me up. It works. It does what an alarm clock is supposed to do. I'm afraid I must keep it.

What I initially thought were cons but decided otherwise:
1) The back light. I really wanted to be able to look up from bed and see the time. Why now I'm not sure - in the middle of the night is it really important to watch the clock? In the evening, I don't need to worry about the time - I need to go back to sleep. So the back light and ability to turn it off are consequently a PLUS for focusing on sleep.

2) The gradual volume increase. Contrary to what has been posted, it is not 3 seconds to max volume. It's 3 seconds before it goes up to the next level. So actually you have about 45 seconds or so before it gets uncomfortably loud. It wakes up the person who has a hard time waking up.

So all in all
* the sound quality = awesome,
* waking up to my favorites songs is a TREAT and a great way to start they day,
* display, clear and includes the date,
* backlight can be turned completely off so you're not obsessing about the time,
* effective gradual increase in volume,
* doesn't take up a lot of space,
* the height of the time display is a plus for me.

I hate to admit it but this clock works. It's not the sound of the ocean or waterfalls playing for 30 minutes, it's an alarm clock designed to wake you up.

4 stars

Reviewer:  cattgirl813  See all my reviews

I find this item to be quite nice for the price. The sound quality is quite good, the display is bright and easy to read, and I don't have much interference or reception problems when I use the radio. The only drawbacks I can find are the wire antenna and the fact that it does not have AM reception. I use it as a docking station, player, radio, and speaker for my laptop at work, and I'm thinking of getting a second one to replace my alarm clock at home. This is worth checking out.

1 stars

Reviewer:  TargetFan1  (Cleveland, OH)  See all my reviews

I completely agree with the other reviewer regarding the gradual volume increase- it goes from silent to blaring in under 3 seconds. This feature is factory-set and can't be adjusted, it applies when you choose to wake up to the radio or your iPod.

You can also wake up to a buzzer, but that volume can't be adjusted either! Who ever heard of an alarm clock with a buzzer volume you can't change? I called customer service and they confirmed that the volume settings can't be changed. I'll be returning mine.

2 stars

Reviewer:  Earle Neil Wester "H3LLBR!NG3R"  (Atlanta)  See all my reviews

I bought this item, when it went on sale, to replace the clock radio in our master bedroom. After using it for just a single night we have decided to return it.

Let's start with it's first major flaw:
-The "gradual" volume increase goes from "is the radio on?" to "OH MY GOD SHUT IT OFF!" loud in three seconds. The volume also exceeds the setting the unit was previously on when the alarm triggers, making it quite jarring.

-Second, there is no AM radio. This fact sounds innocuous enough but for many people that means no traffic, weather or morning news. It was also not well indicated or stressed.


-Third, is the weak battery back-up. Internal battery back-up is limited to a paltry 10 minutes of alarm and preset storage/protection. Meaning anything more than a blip in your power supply and you're late for work. It also prevents it from being usable in any form of power outage to serve as a radio (or alarm since the internal battery wont run any functions, just protect the presets).

This is bizarre considering the nearly 5 pound weighted base of the clock could have easily held a HUGE Li-ion battery (easily serving as a weight for the base).

-Last- this unit's design is very appealing to the eye but detracts incredibly from it function. The large weighted foot print makes for a stable base and the giant snooze button on the top protects your iPod from frantic attempts to silence its siren-like volume. However, the unit is so unnecessarily tall (7.5- 8 inches in height) that it obscures your view and blocks access to anything behind it on a bedside table, like your phone.

Minor complaints: No remote (most docks in this MSRP range have one), a long unsightly white FM radio antenna wire for you to string on the wall for good reception (indicates possible inadequate internal magnetic shielding).

Audio quality is good for the price range and the unit features a large rectangular rear firing sub-woofer, so you can rattle your pictures and your nerves in the morning. Another plus, an AUX in port.

Also, the white back-lit LCD display is appealing and compliments the iPod aesthetic.

These issues prevent this clock-radio dock from being anything other than a glorified budget iPod dock. Don't buy it for your bedroom- or as an alarm clock . . . or as a radio for that matter.

Note: There is NO AM TUNER despite what the Target product listing above says. Also, the item appearance and color is actually silver or blue (version dependant) with a little white trim, it's not white as in product description.