Review: Beats Pill+

Remember the Beats Pill? Of course you do—the speaker was a hit a few years ago, and it was everywhere. An extension of the headphone brand, it came with that brash sound, that brash red “b” logo, and of course it fit inside this thing, which is certainly the silliest accessory in the history of mobile audio. Oh yeah and also, that Pill didn’t sound very good. Now that Apple has bought the company, we’re starting to see some of Cupertino’s product design savvy rub off on the Beats hardware. This new speaker, the Pill+, features not only a revamped design, but also a revamped audio engine and feature set. It’s too pricey at $230, but if you’re all-in on Apple hardware, the Pill+ is a nice companion to your iOS devices.

WIRED

Sound is very good, and on par with the best of the Bluetooth speakers of this size. New design is sharp—it comes in white or black, and the “b” logo is now much more subtle (and no longer red). Mobile app to control it works on iOS and Android. It has that now seemingly ubiquitous feature where you can pair multiple devices so you and your friends can take turns playing songs. Works as a speakerphone. Wirelessly join two speakers into a stereo pair. Charges over Lightning, so the 12-hour battery rejuices quickly, and the speaker’s battery can be used to charge your iPhone—just flip the cable around.

TIRED

It’s too expensive. There are a few speakers with better battery and comparable sound (some fully waterproof) for $30 less. The inclusion of the Lightning cable and 12.5-watt Apple charger is probably the reason for this, but if you don’t own any iOS devices, those things don’t matter as much. The sound can get kinda crunchy if you turn it up to levels sufficient to be heard in a small gathering of chatty friends. It’s the same with many small speakers, but here it’s more noticeable.

RATING

7/10 – Very good, but not quite great

Source:ITBlogs