The Beats Pill is a pretty awesome little speaker.
It has a lot of the same functions as other speakers in it's category (Jambox, Solemate, etc), but it has a number of things that set it apart from the others.
First is NFC - I you aren't familiar, NFC allows you to simply tap your phone on the speaker and it will automatically pair it via bluetooth. No messing with bluetooth menu settings... It's great! However, you need an NFC capable phone to make this happen. Most newer android phones have it, but if you're an iPhone user, this feature won't help you.
Pass-through Audio - This has both in AND OUT jacks. So, even if you don't pair via NFC/Bluetooth, you can still hook up your computer or other audio sources via cable. MOREOVER, you can use the audio out to make ANY device a bluetooth and/or NFC capable sound device. You could leave it plugged in to your home stereo system and stream music from your phone, if you wanted. HUGE feature (actually why I got this over others).
Speaker phone capability - Some competitors have this, some don't. But, what they all don't have is the easy functionality of the pill. If you're listening to music and get a call, it gives you the option to answer it with your pill. You just tap the 'b' button on the front the answer. If you get another call while already in a call, you can tap and hold to ignore, or tap quickly to switch to the new call. You can switch back and forth between the calls with another button tap, and you can hang up with a sustained press (versus a tap). If you want to switch back to your phone at any time, you just double tap the button. Everything is handled with the same button. It's super simple and feels very natural. The calls themselves are very clear, and I didn't have any trouble with audio on either end.
Style - If beats is known for anything, it's style. The pill, in comparison to its competition, is miles ahead. It fits comfortably in your hand, looks seamless, and feels very solid. There's nothing about this speaker that gives the feel of low quality.
Sound - This little sucker is actually pretty good! I honestly wasn't expecting much from it. A lot of other Bluetooth speakers are using passive radiators to help boost the range of the speakers, but this one isn't... but it still holds it's own! It provides more than enough volume to sit in a moderately busy area and fill it with sound.
Battery life - You can probably expect to see 5 or 6 hours out of it. Most tech blog reviews are saying 7... so I guess I play my music louder than most. Either way, this is a pretty decent time, considering how compact this speaker is. There are other speakers that have better battery life, but they are much larger.
Overall, this is a great little portable speaker. The size is awesome, the sound is good, and the style is classy. The only thing I feel like compares to it currently is the Nokia Play 360, which is much bigger/bulkier, and is still missing some feature that the Pill has.
If I had to complain about anything, it'd be that the sounds it makes when you turn it on and off a little obnoxious. That's it though.
At a $200+tax price tag (picked mine up at BestBuy), I think this is a good value, considering what you're getting. When it comes to bluetooth portable speakers, this one's a winner.
It has a lot of the same functions as other speakers in it's category (Jambox, Solemate, etc), but it has a number of things that set it apart from the others.
First is NFC - I you aren't familiar, NFC allows you to simply tap your phone on the speaker and it will automatically pair it via bluetooth. No messing with bluetooth menu settings... It's great! However, you need an NFC capable phone to make this happen. Most newer android phones have it, but if you're an iPhone user, this feature won't help you.
Pass-through Audio - This has both in AND OUT jacks. So, even if you don't pair via NFC/Bluetooth, you can still hook up your computer or other audio sources via cable. MOREOVER, you can use the audio out to make ANY device a bluetooth and/or NFC capable sound device. You could leave it plugged in to your home stereo system and stream music from your phone, if you wanted. HUGE feature (actually why I got this over others).
Speaker phone capability - Some competitors have this, some don't. But, what they all don't have is the easy functionality of the pill. If you're listening to music and get a call, it gives you the option to answer it with your pill. You just tap the 'b' button on the front the answer. If you get another call while already in a call, you can tap and hold to ignore, or tap quickly to switch to the new call. You can switch back and forth between the calls with another button tap, and you can hang up with a sustained press (versus a tap). If you want to switch back to your phone at any time, you just double tap the button. Everything is handled with the same button. It's super simple and feels very natural. The calls themselves are very clear, and I didn't have any trouble with audio on either end.
Style - If beats is known for anything, it's style. The pill, in comparison to its competition, is miles ahead. It fits comfortably in your hand, looks seamless, and feels very solid. There's nothing about this speaker that gives the feel of low quality.
Sound - This little sucker is actually pretty good! I honestly wasn't expecting much from it. A lot of other Bluetooth speakers are using passive radiators to help boost the range of the speakers, but this one isn't... but it still holds it's own! It provides more than enough volume to sit in a moderately busy area and fill it with sound.
Battery life - You can probably expect to see 5 or 6 hours out of it. Most tech blog reviews are saying 7... so I guess I play my music louder than most. Either way, this is a pretty decent time, considering how compact this speaker is. There are other speakers that have better battery life, but they are much larger.
Overall, this is a great little portable speaker. The size is awesome, the sound is good, and the style is classy. The only thing I feel like compares to it currently is the Nokia Play 360, which is much bigger/bulkier, and is still missing some feature that the Pill has.
If I had to complain about anything, it'd be that the sounds it makes when you turn it on and off a little obnoxious. That's it though.
At a $200+tax price tag (picked mine up at BestBuy), I think this is a good value, considering what you're getting. When it comes to bluetooth portable speakers, this one's a winner.
Product Description
Built not only to act as a powerful, compact speaker but also as a portable system that lets you take calls and listen to music with the freedom of wireless.
Features
- Tap-to-pair with NFC technology for easy and instant Bluetooth 2.1 audio and supports SBC, aptX, AAC Codecs for high quality streaming
- Provides clear, full-range sound delivered in a portable, lightweight package
- Internal microphone for Bluetooth call functionality
- Use the Aux input for other MP3 players, phones, PCs, or anything with an analog output for optimal sound from all devices
- Use the line out feature for easy connection to an external speaker system
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