Customer Reviews

iHome iH41 Pivoting Alarm Clock for iPod (Black)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I've been looking around for a very long time for an iHome that would allow me to listen to music and watch my movies.

Since the Touch has you watch your movies horizontally, this dock is probably the best dock out there. Having it pivot to lay on it's side is most innovative idea I've seen so far. Who would have thought something that simple could make your Touch worth so much more! Having said that, the clock will also change when you pivot it on it's side as well, which is a very nice touch. Also, this WILL charge your Ipod.

There are 3 light settings for the clock. Bright, medium, and low. I usually set mine to low at night so that it doesn't keep my room dimly lit while I'm sleeping. One thing to realize is that the clock display isn't very big, so if you have a night stand right next to your bed, it probably won't bother you too much. I'm about 5 feet away from the clock, and I need to wear contacts or my glasses to see it. It's not an issue for me, however.

Of course, there's no radio on this dock, which wasn't a feature I was wanting anyway. For some it might be a big deal, but I just wanted this thing to play my songs and watch my movies, so I'm still satisfied with it.

Next up is the alarm. I've heard/read about the alarms on these going from very soft to annoyingly loud, but for this one, it doesn't get so loud to the point where you want to throw something at it. If your Ipod isn't plugged into it correctly, the dock will ring it's default alarm ringing. Unfortunately, the dock only has one alarm setting, whereas some of the others have two. Again, no big deal to me. The sleep and snooze button are separate, but are in a good spot where you don't have to look for it.

As for the sound, I was actually quite surprised at how good it was, even when blasted up. Even though it has the bass boost, you're not going to get a very big boom out of it. It's good enough to have it being played in a small room. Hearing your movies being played on this thing is very good as well. It still maintains everything in your movie the way you first heard it on your dvd player.

One aspect to take note of: I do have my Touch in the DLO jamjact, which requires some careful maneuvering to get it to dock correctly. Plus, it won't stand straight when it's in the jamjacket either. Of course, I just take it out when I need to, if I want it to fit exactly on the dock. Either way, it doesn't bother me.

The remote works very well, although I've found that I have to point it at directly in order for me to switch songs. I'm still not sure what the menu button does, however. I thought it would take you back to the main screen, but nothing happens.

In all, I'm very satisfied with this product. It charges your ipod (my Touch anyways--Haven't tested what else fits on it), plays your music/movies, it pivots so you can watch your movies, it's got 3 light settings for your clock, and it doesn't getting obnoxiously loud when it wakes you up in the morning. Look no further if you're wanting to have the best of both worlds for your Ipod Touch!

**UPDATE** 9/26/09
After having this guy for several months now, the alarm no longer works. Technically, it still does, but to elaborate, when I set the alarm to a certain time, it doesn't go off anymore. Instead, it goes off at random times now, which is really disappointing. Thankfully, it still charges and plays from my iPod touch, but seeing it lose it's alarm system forces me to give it a 3 star rating instead of a 5.

I bought this to replace an iHome IH5 so even an old alarm with the big bells on top would have been better. Seriously, it was unbelievably bad.

One of my concerns was that it not be too bright. You could literally read by the light of the IH5. This seems to be a problem with a lot of these ipod alarm clocks. This one is just right for me on the low setting. The sound is fine for a clock but it wouldn't be a replacement for a real dock system. The tilt feature is actually pretty cool. I do occasionally watch video on my ipod before bed and I have both a standard ipod and an iphone. When you use the iphone you just grab the clock and roll it to the left. The display rotates as well. I haven't used the remote much but it seems fine. I also like the design style

A few cons. There is no radio which may or not matter to you. Also, the buttons on the top are all the same size and aren't very raised so it is difficult to find them by feel. Fortunately the snooze button is in a different location and easily identifiable.

Overall I am very happy with the pivoting alarm. As long as you don't require a radio it is a great choice.

This is a great product. Looks great, sound is good, and charges my 32GB Itouch. It's even small enough to pack for an extended business trip or time away from home.

One thing I noticed DOESN'T work. Snooze. My alarm goes off and the Touch plays. However, when I hit snooze, the alarm stops blinking and the Touch goes off and does not come back on in 9 minutes. If I don't use the touch, the beeper comes on and it DOES snooze.

I tried two units - same thing. I contact IHome and they said to reboot Touch and reset backup battery. No go. I emailed them back and no response - over a week now.

If you have Touch and snooze does work with music, please let me know.

This dock works exactly as advertised. It lets you dock and charge the iPod Touch, and can rotate onto it's side so that you can watch videos properly on it. The dock's screen rotates, too, which is pretty slick. The sound quality is good, but it is not really meant for belting out the sound. It is perfect for background music in a home office. I haven't really used the alarm clock on it, but it looks straightforward enough.

We ordered this for my 14yo son who has an Itouch. It works great in both vertical and horizontal modes. Great clock and sound. Perfect size for bedside table.

I love my ihome! This is my first one and I just love it. I can set my own music for my alarm instead of those boring built in tunes that come with the itouch 2g. It also has great sound quality for a small dock. Everything works just fine. And the music I set doesn't scare me awake. It goes From low to medium/high, depending on what you set the volume to. Get one, you won't regret it! I also didn't need one with a built in radio because I have the iheart radio app on my itouch 2g, so I can listen to the radio anyway on this model.

I ordered this IHOME about a month ago and it has been great. It works perfectly with my Ipod touch and it flips on its side flawlessly like it shows. The speaker sound quality it really good for such a small speaker. All-in-all this is a great product for anyone looking for an Ipod docking station.

I originally bought the ILive dock with alarm...but the alarm was TOO loud and repeatedly got louder and was not convenient because of this. Also, the IPOD function experienced difficulties in different ways on both I had purchased through ILive. SO, I tried this one and am VERY HAPPY! It is simple to understand, easy to set, and charges great. :)

If you want a personal home theatre system for the office, look no further. Rotating this thing, and then playing a movie on it is an experience like no other. The sound quality, the video playback and the LED rotating clock make for one cool digital theatre experience. Using your iPhone/iPod touch will beat any portable DVD player hands down. Plus, your iPhone stays charged when your ready to go.

SOUND QUALITY:
The volume goes from 0 - 40. If you like listening to dance music or music that has heavy bass, or classical music, around 35, the speaker quality starts to break down, and you hear all the crackly sounds you do not want to hear. However, if you just need a relatively inexpensive iHome that plays relatively well at moderate volumes (20-25), then this is a great buy.

ALARM:
Easy to use. However, if your iPod is not put on the port correctly, the iHome fails activate the iPod, and though the iHome's alarm is going on, the backup iHome alarm (if your iPod music doesn't play) does not kick in until 15 minutes, which is disastrous if you have to catch a bus or have to wake up precisely on the dot. So you have to make sure you put your iPod on the dock correctly. I have had this iHome for a year, and moved it around several times, and nothing bad has happened; it hasn't broken. I advise keeping the original box, so when you move around, then you can just put it in there, all snug and secure.

DOCK:
I have an iPod Nano 4th Generation, and the iPod tends to fall out when I place it sideways. However, I'm not sure about those who have iPhones or iTouches. Charges within a reasonable amount of time. However, the annoying thing is that when you put it in the dock, you have to make sure that the battery of the iPod is "charging" or else the iHome will play the iPod and everything, but the iPod won't be charging.

LIGHT:
There are three settings, which I find extremely helpful when trying to sleep. However, you soon get used to the bright setting, unless you are absolutely averse to it. It kind of doubles as a nightlight!

MISC:
The iHome comes with a backup battery, so when the power goes out, your clock still reads the time, and you don't have to reset. This feature is extremely useful when I have had to move it from upstairs to downstairs. The remote control is slim and small, so if you're not careful, you might lose it! Which I have sort of done, on several occasions.

AESTETHICS:
What to say? It's very pretty, and nondescript, will fit into any room decor.