Griffin Navigate In-Line Controller and FM Radio for iPod & iPhone (Black)

• Compact inline remote control and radio for iPhone and iPod
• Built-in LCD mirrors screen info from your iPod
• Play, Stop, Pause, Forward, Backward, and Scan controls give tactile feedback when pressed
• FM stereo radio for use at the gym or with sound systems
• Swiveling clip attaches to belt or strap

I just received this product an hour ago and I'm already in love with it. I have an iPod touch 1st generation and I was concerned that it wouldn't work since I purchased another controller that did not work with it.

I'm happy to report that this product has exceeded my expectations. It lets me have full access to the songs on my iPod without having to open and unlock it, and it also lets me select playlists, artists, songs and albums with simple buttons that are self-explanatory. It also lets you control volume without having to chance the iPod volume at all.

Then you just push the mode button and you get the FM transmitter. It gets most of the main stations, though there were a few I couldn't get, but the strong ones come in clear with only a little static when the signal cuts out like when I go into a closet for something. It has four presets that you can change and easily switch between your favorite stations. My favorite feature is that it displays what song you're listening to on the radio, with the title and the artist, along with the radio station you're listening to (by name, KIIS-FM, not just 102.7, though it lists that, too).

Another thing I was concerned about was it draining the battery on my iPod, but it doesn't drain it any quicker than it would to play regular music straight from my iPod touch. I've been playing the radio for an hour now and using all the buttons and the battery is still 100% full.

This is a quality product which exceeds my expectations and is reasonably priced. I would recommend this product to anyone with an iPod touch or an iPhone. Already I don't know what I did without it.

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Navigate operated exactly as expected without the need for instructions. I mainly wanted it to use as an external control for the iPhone, as I have lost interest in removing my phone from my pocket every single time I want to change tracks or pause it. After using it for a few days, I felt as though it didn't satisfy my needs exactly as I was hoping. The reasons are explained below:

Construction:

Feels sturdy even though it is just plastic. doesn't feel too flimsy. button feedback is a bit "soft" compared to the defintie click on the iPhone. I'll update the post if it starts to show signs of poor manufacture.

Display:

The OLED screen looks very nice. It does not, however, show the correct info if I am listening to music through Dropbox which I use occasionally when I am away from my "home" computer and I want to "add" music to my iPhone sans iTunes. This is not, however, a big deal to me as I am more interested in the remote operations versus visual display feedback.

Control:

The volume control only works when the headphone is plugged in through the control headphone jack. The iPhone headphone jack will let you listen to music, just will not let you adjust the volume with the control. It will still, however, allow you to FF/Pause/Rev songs etc. I did notice that when Airplay is enabled on an iPhone, the connection to the iPhone acts strange and the screen says Dock Connector. This may be completely harmless.

Sound:

I did notice a slight hiss when using this unit. I do not consider this acceptable for an audio product. BUT, when the music is playing, it's not a big deal. The only way to avoid this is to use the iPhone headphone jack, but then you lose volume controlling on the Navigate.

Phone Calling:

I have not tried yet, but I have seen that it does not work with phone calls. I will confirm my findings. In any case, there is no mic and was not advertised as such. But is would still be nice to hear calls through the headphones while you talk into the phone, nothing groundbreaking about that.

Convenience Factor:

I was hoping the fact that the controller is external to the iPhone that it may be an improvement to the task of taking my phone out of my pocket to FF/Pause/Rev a song constantly. I already use the trick of unplugging the headphones to pause a song, but that is not a great solution either. Hence my purchase of the Navigate in-line.

The fact that the cord is most likely the FM antenna is a great thing, but the cord is the limiting factor for a truly mobile audiophile who prefers minimalism and convenience. My headphones already had a perfect length and now I have to wrap the extra up and shove it in pockets or tie them. My headphone cable has an elbow style L bend phone plug. This becomes a bit cumbersome when plugged into the controller. When the controller is clipped somewhere on your chest or bag strap, it subsequently makes the headphone cord suddenly longer and requiring it to be wrapped up which makes you look like urban Indiana Jones. All the required activity to optimize the wearablity makes the inconvenience of the original problem (again, FF/Play/Pause/Rev) more worth it than using this controller for MY personal tastes; minimalist.

Conclusion:

Navigate works well in a few situations, but the fact that I have multiple cords being tangled in my pocket or chest actually does not really offer the freedom I was hoping for (especially when using the iPhone jack to avoid hiss and take calls). It will however allow my hand to engage in some rather un-arousing pocket Shibari.

So, the conclusion is this: If you want a controller and FM radio and don't mind extra cable, this product is great. If you prefer FF/Play/Pause/Rev and volume (iPod) functionality only, then a Bluetooth wireless remote would be MUCH more desirable. It could clip, hang or be worn as a watch, or even just live in your pocket where you could operate it from tactile feel of the buttons alone. The problem is that no one to my knowledge has yet to make one.

That said, I'll still carry this with me for the few situations that I may find it useful.

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I've seen this question raised, and Griffin doesn't answer it, so I will. This product works flawlessly on my iPhone 4. (16GB, US model, OS 4.1 Jailbroken.) I can't guarantee that it'll work on yours, but I can't see why it wouldn't.

So, that said, it's really freakin' cool! I know a lot of people are buying this for the radio, so I'll start with that. Sound quality is actually pretty good, relatively clear but with a background hiss. I'd say it's the best portable FM without an external antenna I've ever used, but honestly I'm not a big radio listener, so I'm not comparing it to that much. RDS works, but can take 30 seconds or a minute before it shows up. Griffin's iFM app works with mine, however I had to switch "Hardware Support" from "Auto" to "On", in the iFM tab within the iPhone's main settings menu. As far as I can tell, the Navigate can be controlled by the app, but it can't control the app, if that makes sense. The headphones act as an antenna for the radio, and they're kinda touchy, if you find just the right angle for the cable, it gets great reception, but letting the cable coil up the wrong way or touch the wrong object can make it horrible. It's a lot easier to get a signal with my Sony earbuds than with my Audio-Technica headphones, which have a very long cable.

Otherwise, everything works exactly as stated. The OLED display is awesome, and the unit controls MP3s without any trouble. Navigating through playlists, etc, is easy, too.

With what this unit sells for here on Amazon, I see no reason NOT to buy it if you're looking for a remote control for an iPhone or iPod. I'm not as sure about the radio, due to the headphone issues, but the same problem will exist with any similar unit.

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I finally was able to turn my iTouch (2 gen) into a radio, and I am very happy with it. It instantly controls my iTouch mp3 songs, and FM radio. It will even list the artist's name and song while listening to the radio. Phenomenal. And, the wire/cable is long enough to put the iTouch in a backpack and have the player (Controller) clipped to your shirt or bag strap.

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Bought this twice in one year already! (not because I wanted to but because I needed to)

Pros:

* Cheaper than buying a new ipod touch just because my earphone jack no longer makes contact with my earphones well (can't hear anything anymore).

* Remote function is awesome

* Can listen to FM radio without WiFi connection

Cons:

* Importantly: wiring is absolutely shoddy! First one I had to wiggle the wire so I can hear out of both earphones. Current one does not even turn on any more

* It's not compatible with itouch 2nd gen so you have to turn on ipod and set it to "music" before plugging it in. Or else you will have to restard ipod and connect again

* Volume is lower and quality of sound is reduced

* Volume resets to factory set default every time you plug it back into the ipod (does not save previous volume setting-but not a big deal)

** The only other alternative is to buy a new ipod (warranty expired) which is obviously more expensive than this. But overall the greatest setback is the terrible wiring. It breaks too easily!