January 27, 2005

By Charles Brewer

With its smooth, white lozenge of a body, backlit mono display and circular
navigation control you'd be forgiven for thinking that the latest digital
radio to hit the market was created by Apple.

However, the iTech brand has nothing to do with the iPod - it's a small
company that has teamed up with the Xfm radio station to bring this stylish
co-branded DAB radio to the market.

Operations are so simple that out-of-the-box to completed configuration
takes less time than it does to retrieve the manual from the packaging. In
digital radio mode, the Xfm DAB scans the airwaves and then alphabetically
arranges all the stations it finds. If you find a station you particularly
like, you hold one of the five buttons on top of the radio and the station
is stored in the pre-set selection.

Naturally you get all the advantages associated with digital radio, such as
station and program information scrolling across the screen, as well as near
perfect signal quality. Other key features include a facility that will
replay the last ten minutes of a programme at any time. If you want to
return to the familiar, there is a standard FM tuner included and if you're
fed up with what's on the airwaves you can listen to MP3's of your choice
via the SD/MMC slot. Oh and the whole thing doubles up as a radio alarm
clock.

I suggest you use the adapter provided but if the urge to wander around
grabs you, you can insert 5 D-cell batteries into the radio's underbelly and
be break free of the mains, at least until you get tired of carrying 1.7 kg
around.

Verdict: great design, greater features

Price: £130

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