Customer Reviews

Freeplay R3Q1R1 Blue Self Powered Translucent Radio

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not a 'friction' type wind up, it's a clockwork motor driven radio with great sound and reception. Perfect for when the lights go out, camping, or if you've got kids that always want you to buy batteries!

I bought the freeplay self powered radio a couple of months ago and I'm very happy with it. The hand crank when wound (about 60 revolutions) will give you a charge that lasts about 35 to a little over 40 minutes. The instructions included inside the box stated that it would play for "an hour" on a full crank charge. Well maybe if the volume was really low it would. The only drawback to this model that i could find was that the tuning dial tends to drift a little, or it just could be that my own model is a little faulty? What i enjoy the most about this radio is all the money i have saved on having to buy batteries and how i am not dependant on having to be near an outlet. Its more than worth its price.

I received this radio as a gift four years ago and it still works beautifully! It actually sits on my window sill in the kitchen and plays the news when I'm making breakfast. I also take it outside to work on my car or garden. I even took it in my old car that didn't have a radio.

Unlike some other reviewers, I haven't noticed any diminished charge or power. I've heard the "drifting" only when the radio has gone into the shade and isn't gaining solar power. If I crank it up, it tunes clearly. Usually I just move it into the sun again and it perks right up. Overall, its a fabulous sleek device that saves a ton of hassle.

The Freeplay S360 was at first a wonderful gift. It worked great and sounded really good for such a small speaker. BUT- when I crank it up now I get no power whatsoever- a little static and then nothing. Maybe the battery does wear out after all?

Works like a charm and great to have while camping or in an emergency. Clear sound and easy to use. Highly recommend!

No batteries, no worries. Works by solar or crank. Sure it's heavy for the size, but NO BATTERIES. I'll use it on camping trips and during the too-frequent blackouts we have. A must-have item!

I bought this radio and it seems to not work. The one detracting point is that the instructions are sparse and don't help you troubleshoot when something seems to be wrong. I have tried winding it 60 cranks with and without the radio turned on after that was comleted in hopes that it would play, and I tried the "successive" charges that the instructions vaguely specifies, in hope that the first time the battery is charged might require multipe or "successive" sets of cranks, but no luck. I guess I have no choice but to write for an RMA #. You see, they seem to have no web support so I could talk to someone prior to giving up. It appears that you are to write right away for an RMA. I guess they could write back with suggestions, but it doesn't lket me talk with someone. Truthfully, I believe this is a great radio, but in all fairness I think that my experience does point out several shortcomings that most would not experience until in my shoes... the instructions are sparse and don't help when something is going wrong, the web support dumps you straight to requesting an RMA # (I think they should offer some help somewhere along the way in case the problem could be overcome). Additionally, when you return your radio through no fault of your own, yet you loose your color selection. Seems they should be able to keep a selection of new replacements on hand, afterall, we aren't getting a discount for our trouble and we have no assurance that the replacement radios won't be someone else's item which was refurbrished , in which case we don't know what they did to it once they realised theirs didn't work, and who knows what they might have done to cause it not to work. ( Third point there). Afterall, (...) for a small portable AM/FM radio whose reception appears to be nothing above ordinary is a fairly high end purchase and worthy of some some consideration of the customer beyond what has been shown in my experience, so far.