This review is not for the -c unit. The merchant I purchased it from shipped me the older (950017) version, which does not have the room temperature display. As I find this to be of limited use anyway, it didn't really matter. Just be aware, if you order anything from the marketplace, you need to be sure you are getting the version you want. The room temperature display is the only difference between the C and non-C units.
These are marketed under several names - Ambient, Bushnell, Brookstone - they are all the same engine with a different face.
This is a simple, dedicated device that received a weather forecast broadcast from Ambient Devices, as provided by Accuweather. It's as accurate as any forecast you get on the web is going to be, so this is more of a luxury or gee-whiz type item more than anything else. I find it useful more just because I don't have to turn a computer on to get a current forecast. It provides 7 days (6 future + Today) worth of information, a current high/low temp, UV, Air quality, windspeed and time. The main display changes color depending on the temperature reported. As stated earlier, it's right from one of the major (private) forecast agencies, so the information is about as accurate as you can get, meaning, it's nothing more that a possible forecast...
You have to set the city beforehand and wait until it receives data, which may take some time. It gets portions of the forecast at a time, so you'll see the temperature, then parts of the forecast, and finally all information. It only took about 30-45 minutes to fill out completely.
The unit does have some flaws. The main flaw, and this could be a killer for some, is that the viewing angle of the display is terrible. Looking dead on the display, it's weak. Get off center about 15 degrees, and you can't see it. It appears designed to sit on a table (using the built in stand) so a 6' person can view it while standing up. Yes, it's that limited. Hang it on the wall at adult eye level, and a child won't be able to read the display. Use the stand, put it on a 3' table and sit in a chair beside it - you can't see it. There isn't any contrast or other adjustments, so you're stuck.
A minor flaw is that the information update is slow. For the forecast, it's fine, but wind speed and current temps are informative at best. That is, they change so slowly that the windspeed is never going to be current. It's good for letting you know that there are high winds, but as for getting an actual number, never mind. It would have been better to have some sort of high/percentage display instead of MPH number.
You can't shut off the temperature light when it's plugged in, as far as I can tell. This is really the only major con to the unit, as it's overly bright to be placed in an area where you're going to be sleeping.
To wrap it up, this is a neat gadget, but that's what it is. A gadget. If you're a weather buff, like goofy electronic whatsits, or don't have access to online stuff, this is for you (although a bit pricey.) Otherwise, move along...
Edit: From what I can tell, these devices operate on a very slow data stream broadcast over the Motorola FLEX 900MHz pager network, which is still in use in a lot of professional fields - you shouldn't have to worry about the radio service going down any time soon. These do not use the Microsoft SPOT service, as suggested by some. BEFORE PURCHASING one of these, I highly suggest that you check Ambient's website for their coverage maps.
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950017c Weatherfx(r) 7-day Weather ForecasterProduct Description: 7-day weather forecast & weather alerts for up to 150 cities from AccuWeather(R)No installation requiredColor-changing backgroundDisplays wind speed & direction, air quality & indoor temperature Features clock with alarmAC or battery powered
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The clock in the picture is not the clock I received.The clock I received was cheap looking and the alarm was much more difficult to set than it should have been.
