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Review of EcoXGear EcoRox wireless rugged portable speaker with lots of pics!!!

This is a review of EcoXGear EcoROX wireless rugged speaker. http://ecoxgear.com/ecorox/
With so many products I have reviewed in the past, I can tell you this was the MOST FUN review I've done to date. Wireless speakers I looked at before came in different sizes, shapes, and sound quality. But none of them offered a true waterproof design with a durable shock protection that would dare me to drop the speaker in the water or get it soaked by my kids. EcoRox got all of that with a very impressive array of additional features, although at a premium price.
I was hooked on this speaker after watching EcoXGear hilarious commercial at http://ecoxgear.com/ecoxgear-videos/ . When I received my review sample and picked up the box, I thought someone forgot to put the speaker inside. It was that light! The next surprise was actually taking it out of the box to discover how small it was. With a dimensions of about 5.3" x 2.5" x 3" and weight of under 11 oz (that's including detachable carabiner clip) - it is super portable and also really "cute" looking. My kids wanted to turn it into wall-e by putting eye stickers when I had it mounted on gorillapod. Like I said, the whole family had fun reviewing it
Although lightweight, the construction is very solid and highly durable. Beside the front and the top metal speaker grills, the edges and the sides are encapsulated in a quality rubberized material. The back is hard plastic with a tightly fitting rubber flip/gasket to seal micro-usb charging port and 3.5mm aux input. Also on the back you find a rotating loop to clip the included carabiner. The bottom has a universal mounting tripod thread that comes very handy to mount EcoRox either on tripod or any other accessory such as suction cup or bicycle handlebar. Underneath of the front grill you have 2 front firing speakers, each rated at 3W RMS for a total of 6W. The top grill covers a passive bass speaker/port. On the front top edge you also get 3 led indicators for power on, bluetooth connection, and battery status (charging status as well as an alarm when you are down to about 30min of battery charge). Speaking of charging, this little guy houses a whooping 1400 mAh battery that will enable playtime of over 10hr from full charge!!!
What I totally didn't expect was a full set of dedicated controls without any double functionality. You have a dedicated power button with led indicator, bluetooth pairing button also with led indicator when it's paired up, a separate volume up/down control, a separate skip next/prev control, and play/pause button which also picks up a call. There is also a microphone at the front bottom of the speaker. EcoRox did a decent job as a speakerphone and seamlessly switched between playing music and picking up calls. The caller on the other end didn't have any complains about sound quality or background noise. Next was the music playback test. I do realize these are small light drivers so there is no high expectations. 6W of power is pretty good for a high volume, but unfortunately at higher volume sound was somewhat distorted especially in low frequency range, and high frequency content wasn't as clear as I expected. I wasn't surprised with a results since these are no audiophile speakers. Another thing I noticed was a slightly limited bluetooth range in comparison to other speakers that can play easily at 30+ ft away from the phone, while EcoRox started to get choppy reception at half of that range when I was holding it by it's sides. In clear sight or on a tripod it was fine, only while holding it. Not sure if that was just an issue with my review unit, but in general that was also expected because of a rugged shell probably interfering with the signal sensitivity and my hands blocking it even further.
Now, here comes the best part of the review - water dunking!!! This speaker is rated at full IPX7 & IPX8. You can submerge it under the water without causing a permanent damage!!! As you can see from the pictures, I had the power on, dunk the speaker under the water, took it out and it was playing wet'or'dry without any problem. One thing to note, when you drop the speaker into the water it floats with bass port up and speaker port submerged into a water where you can't really hear the sound well. It's great to know if you are around the pool and drop EcoRox or outside in the rain or someone hoses it with a water - your speaker will be safe. But if you are planning to have this speaker floating in the pool and playing music at the same time you better off trying EcoXBT which is designed to float with a speaker facing up. It's another great speaker from EcoXGear collection which I hope to review in a near future, although its a bit larger and less portable than EcoRox.
Overall I think its a great rugged portable speaker, perfect for outdoors, by the pool or on the beach, mounted on a bike or with a suction cup in the shower, on a tripod mount or by itself or clipped to your backpack. It's not for audiophiles, but the sound quality is not that bad considering the size of the speaker/driver, and its a huge bonus to have full dedicated playback/volume controls and speakerphone functionality. It comes at a premium price which I hope after initial introduction might drop under $100 which is more reasonable for this speaker (and sound quality).
Here are the pictures.
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in a water

Review of Meelectronics Venture AF52 stereo wireless headphones w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of Meelectronics Venture AirFi AF52 Stereo wireless headphones: http://www.meelec.com/product_p/hp-af52-bk-mee.htm
All of my previous wired and wireless headphone reviews were focused only on in-ear headphones (IEH). I decided to switch my gears with this review by looking at over-ear headphones with a very unique design that offers the best of both worlds - wireless and wired with an amazing array of features. So let's take a closer look.
The reason why I used to focus mostly on IEH because I don't like anything bulky and heavy over my head, but I also learned from reading a number of comments that some people prefer over-ear design because they don't like sticking buds inside of their ears. The perfect solution - 210g lightweight and super comfortable Venture AF52. With a soft earpad over-ear design and soft padding around the headband these feel very comfortable to wear and to keep on your head for an extended period of time. Headband is not too tight, yet balanced enough with a bend radius to keep these on while you are moving around, although I wouldn't recommend it for sports activities with a lot of jumping or moving. This design also makes a great passive noise isolation. The earcups can be folded flat for easy storage into the included velor drawstring pouch, and also can swivel to a degree into opposite direction for a better adjustment to your head shape around your ears. Made out of quality ABS plastic material with a metal spring inside of headband, the design feels very solid.
For convenience of operation, the audio playback, phone controls, and volume controls buttons are located on each side of earcups with 3 buttons in each side marked for easy identification. Right earcup has playback controls and also mini-usb charging port; not your typical common micro-usb although the cable is included. No need to worry about batteries, a full charge will last you up to 18 hours of talk and audio playback and 250 hours of standby time as noted by manufacturer. This is some impressive spec which also suggest about a decent battery size. Left earcup has volume up/down and multifunction power/pair up/phone button, a very generous mic, and 3.5mm audio input port. I was a little bit surprised that play/pause button wasn't utilized for handling calls since it's common with other headphones, but its a very minor thing which you get use to in no time. Pair up with a phone was seamless and afterwards took seconds from the time you power up headphones. I also was able to test Bluetooth range to operate up to 40ft before loosing connection. Once you loose the connection, I had to go back closer to my phone within 15-20ft to get paired up again. While playing music and loosing connection, I noticed music was paused until I got back within range to get re-connected again, and then hit play to resume. Also while making phone calls, I found connection and clarity from both sides to be excellent.
This brings me to the most important factor of any headphone - the sound quality. For anybody who enjoys a deep bass, you will be in heaven because these 40mm drivers surrounded by marshmallow-soft earpads can really pump some enhanced low frequency content! The bass was deep without being too overwhelming but definitely noticeable and dominating over the full frequency range. The mids and highs do sound clean, but not as crisp and detailed though easily fixable with EQ adjustment if you need to. I didn't notice any distortion at high volume levels and sound didn't get lost at low volume level either. As an option to wireless connection, you can use a wired connection with headphones off or even in parallel when they are on. I found this feature to be priceless. Although we are talking about headphones with 18hr battery life, I have been in situations before where I ran out of battery and had too look for my wired pair of earbuds. Or maybe you are on a plane where they don't allow wireless connection, or perhaps you want to listen to a device you are not paired up with or which doesn't have wireless connection (like a laptop). You can even be paired up with your phone and have wired connection to another tablet watching a movie and once you receive a phone call the audio coming through wired connection will be paused for you to connect to the call and then switch back once you are done. This is truly amazing, and I honestly haven't seen it with any other wireless headphones before. Another thing that made me scratch my head - the sound quality through wireless connection and with power off through wired connection was almost identical!!!!! How is this possible?!? I have no idea considering wireless connection typically compresses the sound thus reducing it's quality. Here, it was almost the same.
Overall, I think these headphones are very unique in its design and hybrid wireless/wired functionality. With an incredible battery life and selection of easy to use controls, comfort of use due to soft earpads and headband, and current Amazon price of under $80 - these have an incredible value. But you do need to keep in mind their bass-heavy sound signature.
Here are the pictures.
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Hi
Thx for the review but...
How about they fit the sides of the head? Tight or loose
Enviado desde mi Z1 mediante Tapatalk

trouxx said:
Hi
Thx for the review but...
How about they fit the sides of the head? Tight or loose
Enviado desde mi Z1 mediante Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The clamping force is not bad, not too tight or too loose. But hey, it all has to do with a size of your head If you have a big head, it could be too tight, and if your head is too small - it will be loose

Head... Average size.
I bought those headphones and they arrive to me Friday to see that they are in that aspect because as far as sound I have good references and that for the price that they have they are not bad...
I'll see. Thanks for your answer

Review of JBL FLIP and MICRO wireless speakers w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of JBL FLIP and JBL MICRO Wireless Bluetooth speakers. http://www.jbl.com/estore/jbl/us/pr..._JBL_US?skuId=JBLFLIPBLKAM_JBL_US&searchMode= and http://www.jbl.com/estore/jbl/us/pr..._US?skuId=JBLMICROWIRELESS_JBL_US&searchMode=
"Hear the truth" - is the slogan of JBL products. I don't know if everybody will truly understand this message unless you had a chance to test and to compare dozens of other speakers and headphones. Fortunately I had such opportunity, as you have seen from my previous reviews, and I can tell you with certainty - JBL delivers this message loud and clear, crystal clear! Of course you wouldn't expect anything less from a company that specializes in some of the top audio products under umbrella of Harman. But I was still very surprised how they were able to deliver such high quality from such compact package. Let's take a closer look at what I found.
I'm going to start my review with FLIP. This summer after my review of UE Boom, I got a number of comments and requests to compare these two portable wireless speakers together. Finally I got my chance, but more about comparison a little bit later. I always like to start with a package of the product since it sets a review tone. Once you pick up the box, there is no mistake you are dealing with a premium product, and as a matter of fact the packaging proudly carries an acknowledgment of 2013 International CES Innovations Award. Both FLIP and MICRO have it. Taken out of the box, FLIP looks a little bigger than a can of soda, about 6 1/4" in length and 2 1/2" in diameter. Weighting at 12.5 oz (354g) is not exactly feather light, which is actually a good sign of decent drivers used inside. But overall its very compact, easy to handle with one hand, and also comes with a very neat neoprene zip top traveling pouch. In addition, you also get AC adapter. OK, let me get this out of the way - yes, unfortunately FLIP has to be charged from AC adapter rather than typical micro-usb cable. This is probably the only negative comment you are going to hear from me about this speaker. Once charged up, you get up to 5 hours of playback time, as long as you don't blast it at full max volume.
FLIP is designed to stand upright or to be placed horizontally. For upright position, the end of the speaker without control buttons has a rubber non-slip ring. Due to the design with angled ends, upright position is feasible but will require a flat surface and in general easier to knock the speaker down. Horizontal position makes more sense, and to prevent it from rolling JBL designed two little rubber feet and a small rubber kickstand-stopper. I also found horizontal position better for sound with speakers firing up at an angle. The other side of the speaker has a power button which also used for Bluetooth pairing, Volume up/down control, and Call button. In addition to pairing up as an external speaker, FLIP also works as a speakerphone and I found it to handle calls very good with a crystal clear audio. In the back you have AC adapter plug and AUX Input for the occasions if you want to connect FLIP with 3.5mm audio cable to your source.
Now, here comes the fun part - audio quality. FLIP packs two 40mm drivers with a built in bass port, and let me tell you - it delivers one of the cleanest sound I heard from a portable wireless speaker! Doesn't matter if you have your volume all the way down or cranked up to the max, you will hear undistorted detailed performance with an amazing clarity. Its a relatively balanced sound with emphasis on midrange and treble, while bass adds a nice quality punch. Of course, you have to be realistic that such a small speaker can't deliver significant "quantity" of bass, but the quality is definitely there, balanced very nicely with mids and treble. The sound gets very loud and fills up the room, and can work great outdoors as well. I was honestly amazed by the clarity of the sound. Most of the speakers I reviewed in the past just focus on wireless aspect of delivering the sound and maybe tuning their speakers for extra bass which distorts at higher volumes and overpowers mids and highs. Here you can see that JBL engineers really paid attention to the sound quality, and still were able to deliver it up to 50ft away from your source. Nowhere does it say which BT ver they used, but it really doesn't matter because sound is delivered uncompressed and uncompromised.
Now, back to my original mentioning of FLIP vs BOOM. You have two great companies that have deep roots in audio engineering and technology, so both deliver an outstanding sounding product. But in terms of the final sound quality, I have to give FLIP an edge over BOOM because I felt the sound was more consistent over the whole volume range and was more clear and detailed. The bass sounded very similar in both speakers. Where BOOM has an advantage is longer battery life and micro-usb charging port. BUT, it also cost $100 more. So you really have to think about if if that worth extra $100 for you. Or perhaps, you might want to look into JBL CHARGE which is $150, has enhanced bass response, micro-usb charging, long battery life, and ability to be used as external battery to charge other devices, although it's a little bigger than FLIP.
Here are the pictures of FLIP.
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Next, I'm going to look at MICRO. This little guy is simply outstanding! With a hockey pock dimensions of 3.5" in diameter and 1.5" in thickness and weighting only 4.8 oz (134g) - it doesn't get any more portable than that. It's small enough to go into your pocket or being clipped to your backpack. With a same 40mm driver and a bass port - the sound is as clear and detailed as I found it with FLIP, except in this case you have a single driver instead of two which also results in MICRO being not as loud at the max. Also, this is audio only speaker, not speakerphone connection. It has a very impressive Bluetooth range, tested up to 50ft in open space. But to distinguish it further from FLIP, it comes with a few tricks of its own.
First of all, you get your wish with micro-usb charging port that will provide you up to 5 hours of wireless performance (based on moderate volume level). Next, you get analog wheel volume control. Some people might think, what is a big deal? Most of the wireless speakers have digital volume control and as soon as you turn them on volume goes to default high level with a few loud beeps to indicate pairing. In this case, volume will be as high as you set it to be, so there is no loud pair up beeps. Those who have little kids in the house and want to enjoy listening to your wireless speakers after kids go to bed - you will know what I'm talking about and will really appreciate that feature. But we are not done yet. If you want to use your MICRO wired, it has a built in cable with 3.5mm plug neatly wrapped and stored inside of the module. That is fantastic if you are listening to a device which doesn't have bluetooth or if you don't want to go through a hassle of pairing it up. Last but not least, there is a mystery 3.5mm port on the MICRO. Since you already have built-in cable, this is definitely not AUX in port. I actually had to read instructions to figure out what it's for - to daisy chain more MICRO or other speakers to MICRO. Now, this is simply brilliant because it turns MICRO into wireless transmitter!!! This way you can turn ANY speaker into wireless speaker just by plugging it into MICRO daisy chain port.
Overall, I was VERY impressed with sound quality and design of both FLIP and MICRO. In my opinion, MICRO is perfect in every aspect, while FLIP has only one negative of AC adapter. Also, one might argue about 5hr battery life where some of the other speakers might deliver more. But the Sound Quality and wireless performance of both makes up for any shortcomings. Just think about it, would you rather take 10-12hr of mediocre distorted sound or 5hr of eye candy design with crystal clear sound with a nice bass punch? Also, both of the products are priced very reasonably. Definitely gets my high recommendation!
Here are the pictures of MICRO.

this post is good
I also have a jbl speaker and found this post was so good. love jbl

Review of Monster SuperStar audiophile wireless speaker w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of Monster SuperStar wireless speaker. http://www.monsterproducts.com/speakers/superstar/
It takes a lot of confidence to label your product "The world's smallest audiophile speaker". That's exactly how Monster refers to their latest wireless speaker. I do have to agree, it's among the smallest speakers I have tested, considering a unique flat rectangular footprint with rounded corners resembling a smartphone shape. I also have to agree that it has a very detailed clear sound, not typical for wireless speakers. Here is more about this little SuperStar!
Following their flashy tradition, you don't expect anything less from Monster product packaging where SuperStar doesn't disappoint with a high quality box, detailed graphics, plenty of description, and traditional magnetic flap cover revealing a gift box setting of the product inside of it. In addition to a speaker, a usb to micro usb cable and storage drawstring mesh pouch was included. There is no exaggeration, but the speaker is small!!! Weighting only 230g and 140mm x 75mm x 22mm it had a footprint smaller than my Note 2, and about double in thickness. It was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and soft rubbery texture felt very good to the touch which also should help to absorb a shock if dropped. Furthermore, the speaker has IPX-4 rating for water splash protection, so you will be safe around the pool or at the beach as long as you don't submerge it into the water. Also, the speaker itself was designed to work placed flat on the surface or in a sturdy upright position.
A closer examination of the speaker revealed some very unique design details. First of all, it has 2 top firing drivers placed in the corners under the perforated grill. In the center on the top and the bottom of the speaker you have a pair of cleverly designed passive bass radiators to enhance low frequency performance of SuperStar. One of the main problems with small speaker enclosures is not being able to fit enough of regular active drivers to cover a low frequency sound. Some speakers use bass ports to direct the sound outside through some clever filtering, while in here you get a pair of passive radiator cones pumping the air out. Don't expect an earth shattering bass you can feel, but you will be surprised to hear a decent bass punch with injection of sub-bass to make sound feel solid. With a lot of the smaller speakers, you typically get a thin high frequency sound or muddy bass distortion, but with SuperStar you get a well rounded detailed clear sound. As a matter of fact, I pumped it up to a max volume and experienced minimal distortion, only noticeable in low frequency range due to exaggerated pumping of radiator ports.
For sure, this speaker sounds VERY good for its size and has clarity surpassing a lot of other speakers I have tested before. Beside sound quality itself, you also get an impressive volume level where I compared it to another 12 Watt wireless speaker I recently tested and found SuperStar to be louder. Another big advantage is the use of Apt-X codec which helps transmit audio wirelessly without too much of bandwidth compression. It really felt like listening to a wired speaker. Speaking of that, there is 3.5mm Input port if you want to connect this speaker to your mp3 player or devices that don't support bluetooth. The port is located on the side and has a rubber flap to keep it's IPX-4 certification. On the other side of the speaker, there is micro USB port with a flap cover for battery charging and also for audio-over-usb connection. The battery should last about 5-6hr at moderate volume use, and micro-usb port also doubles in functionality to be connected to compatible devices where you can send audio through usb port.
Now, let's talk about the actual wireless performance. It wasn't very clear to me if it supports BT3.0 or 4.0, but regardless of that pair up with my smartphone was flawless, and it easily covered 30ft of operating distance. You have 4 dedicated sealed buttons on the top for power, volume up/down, and bluetooth, two led lights for power and bluetooth indication, and mic opening. Pushing Power turns the speaker on and pushing Bluetooth either puts it in a pair up mode for the first time or starts pair up if there was some issue with disconnect. Once paired up, it shows up connected to your phone and media audio, so it can be used to play audio from the phone as well as functioning as a speakerphone with a build-in mic. Volume adjustment is self explanatory. There is also one hidden control which is not obvious and you can only learn about it from manual. Bluetooth button actually functions as Play/Pause button where during a playback a short press will pause and resume playing the song.
Overall, I was a little skeptical when I approached this review thinking it's going to be another "small" speaker claiming to have "big" sound. But as soon as I paired it up and start playing music, I realized it wasn't just an empty promise. This speaker truly does sound great, it looks very cool, has unique design elements with passive bass radiators, hidden playback control (only play/pause, though I would have liked to see track skip next/prev as well), and audio over usb playback. The negative comment I have, which could be a matter of a personal preference, I don't like voice guidance announcing "power on", "paired up", "power off/goodbye". It provides a clear feedback of functionality, but I wish it could be disabled. Price tag is a bit steep, currently on sale for $129.95 where $99.99 would have been a more reasonable price in my opinion. At the same time, you are paying a premium for its unique features packed into a very small footprint. Personally, I was very impressed with this wireless speaker and would definitely recommend it if you want a loud detailed sound and a design to make you stand out from a crowd!
Here are the pictures.
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Review of Anker BT Wireless (A7909) 5W speaker w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of Anker BT wireless (A7909) speaker. http://www.ianker.com/product/A7909011 , also available on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RMYQU06/
It has been awhile since I reviewed a new product from Anker, and I was getting a bit worried thinking they slowed down with their new releases. Just as soon as this thought crossed my mind, I had a new BT speaker from Anker waiting for my review! I don’t have to tell you how saturated smartphone accessories market is with wireless speakers, so I was curious was Anker came up with to stand out from competition "crowd". Let’s take a closer look.
It’s no longer a surprise all Anker products arrive in environmentally safe carton packaging. As a matter of fact, they were the originators of that trend, quickly followed by most other accessory manufacturers. The cover sleeve has a nice clean image of the speaker, and after you slide it out and open the box, you will find A7909 model with included accessories.
Unboxing.
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Accessories include a sturdy USB to micro-usb charging cable, 3.5mm to 3.5mm connector (for direct wired connection of the speaker), and a soft storage bag/pouch. Charging and audio cable is typically something you will find with many other wireless speakers, but not too many others offer a storage bag. Obviously, a pouch not going to protect your speaker from a high drop, but it could cushion it and provide some level of protection. Plus, if you leave fingerprints on the plastic surface of the speaker – a soft material of the pouch could be used to wipe them down.
Accessories.
Out of the box, you will find a relatively compact brick shaped speaker with a dimensions of about 6.4” x 2.6” x 2.6” and weighting aproximately280g. The speaker has a sturdy plastic enclosure with a metal grill on the front covering the drivers and on one side covering the bass port. On the top you have 2 recessed large volume -/+ buttons to decrease/increase the volume level, and the area for NFC pairing. Opposite of the bass port on the other side you will find a multi-function Power/Pair-up/Play-Pause button which also has a blue led backlight to indicate when power is on. The back has charging led indicator, micro-usb charging port, and AUX 3.5mm audio input port. It’s a very simple design with a clear layout of large easy to use controls. The bottom has a non-slip rubbery pad for secure placement on any surface.
Design.
Considering its slightly higher than expected pricing, yeah – Anker spoiled us with premium products at discounted prices, I was curious to explorer its spec and performance to figure out the value of this BT wireless speaker. First of all, it comes with a large 6200 mAh battery (that explains the weight) which can support almost 24 hours of playback at 60% volume setting or 18hr playback at a more realistic 70% volume setting. It sure is impressive for a small compact speaker that isn’t longer than my Note 4.
Inside, it has a dual 5W drivers and a dedicated bass port. Obviously, it could function both wired and wireless. Wireless pair up with a phone was seamless and I tested it to work 60’ away (!!!) from my phone in open space. That’s very impressive for a supported wireless distance. One important thing to keep in mind – it ONLY pairs up with a phone Media, not with a phone to work as a speakerphone. In my own personal experience with at a least a dozen of BT wireless speakers I have tested, I never ever used any of them as a speakerphone. Thus, I found a lack of speakerphone support is not a big deal. The only comment I have here, during pair up speaker produces a loud and a bit annoying beep, which I wish would have been a little quieter.
Pair up and performance with a phone.
Of course, the most important aspect of this review is to find out how it sounds.
Thanks to its 5W speakers, Anker A7909 BT wireless speaker can get very loud and at the max speaker and phone volume level – I sensed NO distortion what so ever. Obviously you have to be realistic that small drivers can produce a loud sound but it’s not a powerful room filling type of sound. The sound is very clean and accurate, not too boomy or too thin, but the further you step away the less bass you hear. Basically, this is not a type of speaker to entertain a big outdoor party or to fill in a big hall with a loud sound, it's intended for a smaller room listening where louder sound will fill in the room and where you will be able to enjoy better low end (bass) response.
Conclusion.
Anker usually doesn't disappoint with their new releases, and this new BT wireless speaker is no exception. It is not necessary the top performer or the best value in "small portable" speaker category, but it definitely offers some unique features to be very competitive. Battery life which can go up to 24hr is a big bonus. 5W dual speaker is loud and clean, and most important you can raise the volume all the way to the max without clipping or distortion. And unlike so many other portable speakers with only Volume control, I like the integrated Play/Pause which is SO important. The whole purpose of wireless speaker is to be away from the phone, and some manufacturers forget about it, making you go back to the phone to pause the song. I'm glad Anker implemented this feature. Backed up by their 18-month warranty, this is definitely a good product. Priced at $69.99, I think it's a bit steep and it would be more realistic to have it priced closer to $50, but if you are looking for all the features offered by this wireless speaker - it worth the price.