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- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 19 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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17 out of 17 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"Great product ... don't hesitate if considering getting one"
Pros: Good, effective built-in FM transmitter; XM programming; flexibility
Cons: 5 hour battery life is acceptable but could be improved
Summary: I don't normally submit "product opinions" (I know, shame on me) but this portable XM radio from Pioneer is so good that I felt that I had to. I had been considering getting some kind of a satellite radio for my car for more than 6 months and when I found out that a friend of mine had a Delphi XM unit in his car I knew that the time had come to finally make a move
I was thinking of getting a Delphi MyFi but then discovered that the Pioneer AirWare had recently hit the store shelves. I like the Pioneer brand and also liked the looks (and controls) of the Pioneer unit more than those of the MyFi .. so I picked up an AirWare at the local Circuit City (can get it cheaper elsewhere for sure). I have had it for 3 weeks now and during this time have used it EXTENSIVELY in the car, in my home office and also on business trips. It works great ! I am especially impressed by the effectiveness of the built-in FM transmitter ... I have used a few built-in and external FM transmitters in my time over the past few years but haven't had much luck with them (too much interference from other radio stations). I was pleasantly surprised (and relieved) to discover that the AirWare's transmitter is VERY effective ... I have been driving around the Connecticut/ Westchester County/NYC/Long Island region quite a bit since I got it, without having to switch FM frequencies at all ! The features and sound quality of the unit are great. It is very useful that you can record up to 5 hours of audio (via a "scheduled record" function) that you can then listen to offline when the satellite reception is not up to snuff. Another neat feature is that if you hear a song or artist that you like, you can press a button and from then on whenever that same song or artist is playing on any of the 150+ channels the unit beeps and displays a message so that, if you want, you can press the same button and the unit automatically switches to the relevant channel. The AirWare comes with everything that you neeed to set it up at home or in a car. When using the AirWare in my car I use the "vent mount" to secure it (in its cradle) to an air vent. I have the antenna magnetically-mounted outside on the front part of the car roof. On the more minor tree-lined roads of Connecticut, satellite reception can sometimes be spotty ... you need to have line-of-sight to the XM satellites which are positioned in the southern sky .. but generally reception is very good. All-in-all I am very happy that I got it ... it is a very, very well designed and executed product ... plus the breadth and quality of the XM programming is great. In summary I can heartily recommend both the Pioneer AirWare and the XM service !
- 2 replies to this review
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It's nice to see that when CNET hasn't had time to fully review a product, a fellow consumer steps up to the plate and gives a detailed, honest review. I will certainly consider the Pioneer AirWare. Thanks!
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Appreciate the review of the Pioneer product. Was thinking about the Delphi, but will now give serious thought to a Pioneer purchase.
Where to buy
Pioneer AirWare (XM):
$199.00
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$199.00 | Yes |
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