Revo iBlik RadioStation review

Revo's iBlik RadioStation is an iPod dock, an alarm clock and an internet, FM and DAB radio.

It even has a built-in speaker, yet it's still compact. Switching between the RadioStation's various modes is easy via the buttons on the device itself or using the remote's Mode button.

The RadioStation connected to our Draft-N wireless network instantly. It was straightforward to configure, although entering our network password was fiddly due to the laborious text-entry system. The small two-line LCD screen is difficult to see from far away and, combined with the credit card-style remote's spongy keys, makes scrolling through long menus a chore.

Radio listeners can choose from thousands of internet radio stations organised by genre and country. Menu options list stations you've recently listened to and whether a station has any playable podcasts or Listen Again RealPlayer streams. Searching for radio stations by keyword is fiddly, though, since it uses the same awkward text entry system used to enter wireless network passwords. The RadioStation also worked well as a DAB and FM radio, with a large telescopic aerial that gave good reception. DAB radio stations can be browsed easily by scrolling through a list.

The RadioStation's Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) network music player flawlessly played back MP3, WMA and AAC music files stored on a networked laptop, whether they were organised using Windows Explorer or Windows Media Player 11. Music stored on iPods can be played through the RadioStation by connecting them to the dock connector, while other MP3 players can be hooked up to the line-in port. A list of compatible iPod models can be found at www.revo.co.uk/digital-radio/revo-iblik-radiostation.php.

Alarm clocks can be set to repeat daily, weekly or at weekends, and you can save up to four presets. The music source and the volume of the alarm can be set, although the alarm doesn't fade in gently but activates at the preset volume, which can be jarring. The snooze duration can be adjusted and the screen will display a timer counting down to the end of the snooze period. Times aren't set using the remote's numeric keypad but with fiddly up and down arrow keys.

Music is clear on the integrated speaker, which is more than loud enough for use as an alarm. It lacks bass and distorts at high volume, but you can connect a separate amplifier and speakers to the stereo phono or headphone sockets.

If you don't need DAB radio, there's an alternative version that costs £50 less. We wish the iBlik's screen was bigger and its remote was more responsive. For these reasons, it just misses out on an award.