Towards the upper end of the digital radio spectrum, PURE has just launched in with the Elan II DAB/FM radio.

The best thing about this radio is that you can pause and rewind it. Well, not everything - but it is capable of storing and then playing back certain broadcasts such as traffic reports or sports results. If you press pause, the Elan will stop playing out loud and record up to 30 minutes of any live digital radio broadcast. Pop back after answering the door or taking a phone call, and listen to the end of the radio show. Intellitext and textSCAN enable users to pause and control the scrolling text.

Digital radios have been around for a while now but don't seem to have taken off as much as manufacturers would have hoped.

Therefore it is no surprise that many are creating newer and better versions, such as Ikon's Revo radio, to obtain our interest and encourage us to buy.

We have a look at the latest ones on the market.

Click on the picture below to begin the gallery.

A DAB/FM radio's not very exciting no matter what fun features you pack it out with. Does the injection of bright and bold colours make this breed of radio any more exciting - well, no not really, but it definitely helps. More importantly, does the inclusion of a few chillies in the product image make it any more appealing? Is it wrong that my answer is 'hell yeah'? That's presumably the motive behind Pure's Evoke Mio with its chilli, chocolate, moss, candy and midnight hues (moss sounds really attractive), with a two-tone leather and cream suede effect finish.

Ah November! The month of drizzle, dog poo in leaf piles, and barely a scrap of sunlight. Yes, it's the month where we do loads of link backs to old posts we've done on SAD lights! Just what you need to perk you up!

This Naf Naf LYS Sunrise Effect alarm clock is one to add to the collection. It does all the things a SAD light alarm clock should, producing a light that gradually gets brighter as you near your wake up call. Then it's time for the "progressive alarm" to go off, which gets louder and louder for 6 minutes and offers a choice of sounds, including "nature", or you can use the FM radio.

£39 from Amazon

Loads more lightboxes here:
The Aurora SAD lightbox
Bodyclock Alarm Clock
Lumie Elite Alarm Clock
And don't forget our *hilarious* review of the Philips alarm clock (complete with winning fart gag).

This cute and curvy audio device is better known as the Cubo from Sonoro. Apparently it's a combination of "acoustic excellence and sleek design" delivering an "unrivalled clarity of sound" with its CD player, DAB and FM radio offerings. When you've had enough of the radio or you're sick of listening to the same albums, there's also audio input for your iPod or MP3 player.

There are ten tints to choose from. I won't name them, instead you can check out the rainbow coloured offerings after the jump.

According to Pure, the high performance Avanti Flow is the "ultimate next generation digital audio system". Following on from the rather retro Evoke Flow, the Avanti Flow more-or-less offers the same audio options - internet radio stations, DAB digital radio, FM, media streaming from your PC, podcasts - except the Avanti comes with added iPod dock. The Avanti has also been designed with being the main home audio system in mind rather than being a portable device like the Evoke.

Intempo will be launching a rugged and practical little DAB/FM radio to accompany you when DIY-ing or doing some kind of manual labour that requires tuneage to prevent boredom and madness/suicidal thoughts (can you tell 'm not into DIY?). So if the thought of vandalising your pretty state of the art audio equipment sends you into a hyperventilating state, Intempo's WorkMate hits the nail on the head. It's reliable, splash proof, has a rubberised finish and sounds like the perfect DIY buddy to accompany you while slaving away.

The latest radio from Pure to get in on the DAB radio action is the Pure One Classic. So, what's the second generation version of what Pure modestly calls "the world's most successful DAB radio" got to offer? For a start it comes in DAB+ format and you'll also be able to pause and rewind live DAB radio with the ReVu tool. The One Classic now includes an input for an iPod or MP3 player, has 30 station presets, adjustable bass and treble settings and improved battery life. Extended battery life only applies if you opt for the additional rechargeable fit-and-forget ChargePAK (£29.99) - up to 40 hours of portable listening per charge.

Those radio manufacturers over at Pure have been providing us with nicely designed, quality sounding radios for a while now (give or take a few ugly ducklings). The latest radio to join the group is the retro looking Evoke Flow DAB digital radio. Not only is it a rather dashing piece of radio equipment, it also comes packed with WiFi technology (a first for Pure), and works in conjunction with a new web portal - Pure Lounge - following closely in the footsteps of the Radiopaq Rp5.

Radiopaq announced their internet radio hardware last week, and I've had a bit of a nosy round the kit itself. The radio will duplicate your favourites you arrange on the Radiopaq online portal, allowing you to start listening at your desk and resume at home with your radio. Genius.

Radiopaq

Radiopaq reckon they've harnessed the Power of Radio today, with the launch of the Rp5. It's an all singing, all dancing internet, DAB and FM radio. In particular, they're pushing the search feature, since previous internet radios have been a navigational nightmare.

There's predictive search, allowing the radio to guess what it is you're going for, or you can search by name, genre, country or language. There's a massive podcast directory as well, for those of you with a Russell Brand fetish. And by those of you, I mean me, obviously.

The best bit though, is the fact that you can pause your radio and resume listening on the Radiopaq portal at your computer. It's a bit like time travel, but without Dr Who.

If you happen to be passing through Trafalgar Square on Sunday, don't be alarmed at what might appear to be a bunch of crazy escaped psychiatric patients dancing to absolute nothingness. What you'll be witnessing - or participating in if this sounds like your thing - is a dance party without audible music, held by Jazzie B of BBC London's 94.9 Soul II Soul.

To join in on all the muted fun, silent ravers will have to tune in to BBC London 94.9FM via their mobiles or MP3 players with built-in radio, put in their headphones and make sure they're in Trafalgar Square from 6pm.

Roberts is definitely going to score some major green points with their latest eco-friendly effort - the solarDAB. Not only is it the world's first solar-powered digital radio, but unlike a lot of solar-powered gadgetry, it doesn't need to be in the sun to provide your radio with juice - Marconi would be so proud.

When not directly exposed to sunlight, it is the solar panels and built-in rechargeable batteries that give the solarDAB its energy for up to 27 hours of music listening. It can also run off the mains if you want to reserve its power for when you really need it.

If you haven't embraced the DAB radio revolution, you're not the only one. It seems that take up of the service has been so slow that The Powers That Be have suggested that setting a date for turning off FM radio might hurry people up.

There's arguments over whether DAB radios should be subsidised (they're still more expensive than cheapo FM radios) and who should be responsible for promoting DAB (the BBC has borne the brunt so far). What's certain is that in order to justify the cost, the figure of just 17% of radio listening being digital needs to increase dramatically.

If you are in the market, you can check out a whole load here.

[via The Register]

Wimbledon officially kicked-off yesterday now more than ever, it doesn't matter if you don't have tickets - there are a variety of ways to enjoy the tennis without actually being there. Marks and Spencers has been kind enough to come up with some suggestions, just in case you just couldn't get your hands on the much coveted tickets.

Pure PocketDAB 1500 - £79
The Pure PocketDAB 1500 is a compact and rechargeable handheld radio with FM and protective casing. Its simple interface has been designed for easy use, such as selecting stations and making changes to the radio's setup. Use the rocker switch to navigate through the radios features, such as scrolling through DAB text information. This pocket radio also promises around 24 hours from a single charge - that should give you enough time to hear all the Wimbledon coverage.

Hmmm, the natural radio. Radio's aren't the most popular source of music player at the mo and very often, when they do feature on the latest MP3 player or stereo, this feature goes untouched. So *why* would someone create this - the Natural Radio? It's not like it's monumentally attractive, but then again it is hugely eco-conscious so scores a few green points.

It was created by a Korean designer who thinks the structure of the radio should be significantly changed. Obviously he meant radios should resemble toys from yesteryear. You know, the kind of toys that existed in war times or the 1800s.

Find out how it works over the jump.