Coby AM/FM Dual Alarm Clock/Radio for iPod Docking CSMP162 (Black)

This item looks cool and sounds good, but I'm sending it back for three reasons:

1) All of the item's controls are touch-sensitive pads on top, but they are completely flush so it's impossible to find them by feel. If you try to reach over and press the snooze button, you're likely to change the volume or the radio station instead. If you're sitting up, looking at the item with the lights on, the touch-sensitive controls are cool, but in a bedroom setting they're very frustrating.

2) The item includes a blue lamp, but it cannot be controlled separately from the red time display. There are three settings: lamp very bright and time normal; lamp dim and time almost too dim to read; and lamp and time both completely off. Since this is a -clock- I'd like to be able to read the -time- without having a blue lamp light up my room, but that's not possible. Ridiculous.

3) The item is larger than it seemed; my iPod Touch looks like a Nano when it's perched...Read more

It's okay for a clock/radio that you can dock and play your iPod. I bought it to use as an alarm clock to wake to my iPod Nano 2nd gen. I tried two other brands before getting the Coby. My decision was based on lights, style and features. I also went to Coby's website to peruse the online manual to learn a bit about this model before buying.

The clock has the classic red LED face instead of the backlit LCD found on many other clocks out there. There is a blue base light that can be turned down/off like Diana writes, but they only have the three settings mentioned in Arlo's review. I find the dim setting is good enough to read the clock in a dark bedroom.

The clean and simplistic design really attracted me to this model. I like the big, read across the room clock display and the shape mimics my Nano. To keep the clean all black look I bought a black insert from iHome. They sell them at their website as accessories to their docking systems. It doesn't...Read more

Not intuitive to use at all. The "buttons" at the top are not practical and really frustrating. There are better options out there. Do not waste your time.