Freeplay Devo Wind-up Radio Review
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Wind-up radios may conjure images of caftan-wrapped figures in the Afghan desert, straining to hear a broadcast against the onslaught of a sand storm, but these radios actually have universal appeal. The wind-up has transcended its humanitarian roots and emerged as a useful energy-saving device, and the Freeplay Devo is no exception.
What surprised us most about this ingenious little gadget is that 60 seconds of winding the radio gives a full hour of FM listening. It's the kind of return on investment only a fool could ignore: rotate this handle for a minute and in exchange you might hear the world news, a play, or whatever music you can find on the airwaves.
The Devo is utilitarian in looks, its one attempt at beauty being a faux-carbon-fibre fascia that adorns the front of the unit. This is slapped on the otherwise silver chassis like Chanel No.5 on a drag queen -- it might hint at a classy exterior, but there's no getting away from the military-industrial feel to this radio. The chassis feels rugged, though it's not got anything on the PURE Oasis reviewed by our our sister site, CNET.co.uk. Where the Oasis is reinforced with aluminium, the Devo relies on a thick plastic case.
The FM and DAB tuners take the form of two concentric rotary controls. The outer part of the control dial changes FM frequency, while the inner control switches between DAB presets. This is particularly useful for those who flick between FM and DAB broadcasts, because there's no need to keep retuning the radio when changing between technologies. The radio will remember its DAB and FM tuning positions as long as you don't jog the dial you're not currently using.
The crank tucks neatly round the back, nestling next to the RCA jacks for plugging it into a bigger sound system
FM frequency is illustrated by a conventional tuning needle and printed scale. This goes some way to explaining why the FM radio will reward 60 seconds of winding with an hour of radio, while the DAB tuner, with its power-guzzling LCD and digital-analogue conversion circuitry, will only give a paltry three to five minutes of play for the same wind.
Charging for extended DAB radio use is an experience we wouldn't wish on anyone, but for FM radio, the handle is perfectly adequate and won't strain your hand. And besides, the Devo comes with an AC/DC adaptor so if you've got a wall socket free, you can charge from the mains -- though it'll take you 20 hours to power up fully.
Setting up the Freeplay Devo is straightforward -- all the more so because it doesn't rely on removable batteries or, necessarily, an external power source. As soon as the Devo is charged and switched on, the DAB part of the radio auto-tunes itself to all available digital radio stations and displays their names on the built-in LCD. The FM part of the radio is equally simple to operate, with the added benefit that it uses far less power.
Sound quality on the Devo is average for a DAB, although the tone is slightly brighter than others out there. Although far from grating, there is an unmistakable transistor-radio tone to the Devo that means it never rises above its rank. Demanding listeners may ask a little more from this radio despite its tiny size, but for general listening we were very pleased with the fidelity. If you're looking for a more luxurious-sounding radio, you're probably not in the wind-up market anyway.
But the Devo's most impressive feature is its wind-up mechanism. It's surprisingly effective at transforming a small amount of winding into several hours of radio listening. Not only is this method of charging a welcome alternative to the fossil-fuel-gobbling radios that occupy our homes and offices, but it feels good to be working for your music.
One big drawback for us was the lack of available information about the production of the radio itself. We tried and tried to get specific information about working conditions, factories and packaging from Freeplay Energy, but didn't get very far. We do know, however, that Freeplay makes self-sufficient radios, flashlights and other gadgets that are innately greener than most other electronics because they don't require grid power.
Of course, DAB radios aren't as energy-efficient as FM ones, but losing the DAB tuner negates the Devo's unique selling point. Since the DAB radio requires so much hand-cranking, the reality is it'll often be powered up from the mains, so one obvious green improvement for the Devo would be to use a more energy-efficient tuner such as the one used in the PURE Siesta.
Still, Freeplay Energy has a lot to recommend it on the ethical front. The company's raison d'etre is to bring information and communication to the developing world, with British inventor Trevor Baylis pitching the first wind-up radio as a means to fighting AIDS in Africa through education. The company formed the Freeplay Foundation in 1998 to bring "sustainable access to information, education and energy -- to the people who need it most." It supports radio communications and education programmes, mostly in Africa, which is a charitable effort indeed.
But we're at a loss when it comes to information about the working conditions for the people who made this radio, and so we've had to mark the Devo down there. Too bad, because this radio -- and Freeplay Energy -- has a lot going for it otherwise.
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
