With its circular speaker surrounding an iPod dock, neon blue display and shiny surfaces, JBL's On Time (also known as "The Time Machine") certainly has a distinctive look. This is a positive thing if you're looking to purchase a striking iPod audio system, but the unit would look decidedly odd on the nightstand of a colonial-styled bedroom.
The first thing we noticed about the On Time upon removing it from the box was the huge round snooze button that sits atop the circular speaker. This is a welcome design feature for sleepyheads, as the sturdy speaker can cope with being bashed on those mornings when you need just a few more minutes before you can face the world.
The On Time comes with attachments to accommodate every flavour of iPod from third-generation (think four circular buttons below a monochrome display) to current models. It's good to see this support being offered for the old schoolers. The iPod Shuffle does get shunted on account of its lack of dock connection, but it is possible to connect one (or a laptop, or anything else with a standard 3.5mm stereo output) via the aux-in port and included cable. Though why you'd want to do this when the product is clearly designed to reverently display an iPod is anyone's guess. (There's even an LED spotlight that casts a soft glow over the dock connection, as if the player is an exhibit in a museum.)
As with JBL's similarly circular On Stage II, the AC adaptor is big and bulky.
Features
In addition to providing speakers and power for the iPod, the On Time also offers an AM/FM radio with five presets and, of course, the alarm clock.
One particularly nifty feature is the ability to set what song to use as an alarm. This means that, depending on what you have in store for the day, you can arise to the motivational beats of "Eye of the Tiger", or perhaps break your gentle slumber with the sweet strains of Pachelbel's "Canon". If you don't fancy being roused from a deep sleep with a song from your iPod library, there is also the option to wake up to the radio or a more conventional alarm tone.
We couldn't shake the feeling that the On Time suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. While the clock and radio functions would suggest that the unit belongs on a bedside table, AU$400 is a bit much to be shelling out for a device that will be used primarily as an alarm clock and charger. That price level is more suited to lounge room iPod add-ons such as the Bose SoundDock, Altec Lansing's InMotion iM7 and Apple's own iPod Hi-Fi. Unless you're having regular dance parties in your bedroom, or your house is small enough that you can hear an alarm clock ringing in the lounge room, you might have trouble justifying the cash outlay.
Performance
Sound quality of the On Time was quite good, but tended to become tinny towards the top end. Bass clarity couldn't compete with that of the Bose SoundDock, although, to be fair, that model is pricier with fewer features.
The On Time also suffered from a curious case of the wobbles. While full-sized iPods sat securely in the dock, nano models tended to move around a little, meaning we needed to hold onto the back of the player while using the scroll wheel. The cable connections at the rear of the On Time are also a little loose, but as long as you're not transporting the device around regularly, you shouldn't have any problems.
Navigating through songs using the iPod nano's scroll wheel became a little annoying, given we had to reach into the centre of the speaker's "donut hole" and hold the back of the player to prevent it from wobbling. We would have liked to see either a remote or additional buttons on the On Time dedicated to controlling music playback on the iPod.
The glossy black surface of our review model was a fingerprint magnet, but the white version of the On Time looks less prone to smudges.
We liked the On Time a lot, but two things held us back from giving a higher score: the price, which seems a little high given the good-but-not-great sound quality, and the "What room does it belong in?" conundrum.
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