HTC has acquired a majority stake in Beats Audio recently. This resulted in the HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio. HTC went one step ahead and released the Bluetooth Conference Speaker BS P100. The speakers are 82.5mm in diameter. They can last for 10 hours on call and 8 hours on music. Standby time is quoted at 200-300 hours. The bluetooth speaker supports two different bluetooth devices. The height is 28-35 mm, depending on the on/off switch.
What it is
Design wise, the bluetooth speaker BS P100 has got a lot going on for itself. It has got a UFO-like futuristic appearance on both the hardware and software fronts. Apart from its design, its technical specifications are also good. The speaker is easy to operate and can connect up to two devices simultaneously. The device can be paired with a simple tap on its top. And with an amazing battery life, the HTC Bluetooth Conference Speaker promises to be a great speaker.
Key features
Ever since HTC acquired Beats Audio, they’ve been churning out music-centric devices one after another. This is probably also incorporated with some sort of musical enhancement. The music playback time is quoted at 8 hours. It’s got a music technology enhancement called TrueWireless stereo. It quotes a stereo playback time of 6 hours and conference and voice calls of 10 and 12 hours respectively. It can play music over bluetooth for over 8 hours, which is quite awesome as bluetooth devices do not last for such a long time normally. It features one-touch pair which means a single tap on the device would do the trick. This is sent for all those people who have issues in pairing their bluetooth devices to their handsets.
What’s innovative
If looks could kill, this device would be a serial killer. It looks simply stunning. Itâs one of the best looking bluetooth accessories available. Its simplicity helps it score higher. With a single tap, the devices are connected. And, with support for up to two bluetooth devices, this only gets better.
Price & availability
Expansys is retailing the HTC Bluetooth Conference Speaker BS P100 for 109$. This is a good price point for a device like this. Itâs also available on all major retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City.
Accessories
The speakers come with a push button on top to pair the devices. The volume can be controlled by turning the outer knob of the solid metal. Using two speakers activated the stereo preset required to listen to the specific genre of music.
The up side
The battery life is simply superb. It quotes a time of 12 hours on voice calls, so expect at least 10 hours, which is very good in itself. Conference talk time is quoted at 10 hours, so it should work for at least 8 hours which is simply brilliant. Music time is quoted at 6 to 8 hours depending on whether its used in stereo or not. This is amazing for a bluetooth device as no other bluetooth device can even come close to it. The battery life and the simplicity with which it can be connected is the main USP of this device.
The down side
The main purpose of this device is unclear. Is it a music-centric device? Or, is it just another bluetooth speaker? Does it have any patented technology from Beats Audio? All these questions seem to put a question mark on the validity of some of the aspects of the device.
The bottomline
The industrial design that this has is really going for HTC’s favor. The HTC Bluetooth Conference Speaker is one of the best looking accessories available. With its UFO-like design, it looks like some sort of technology-embedded showpiece for your drawing room. Itâs easy to turn it on with just one tap and it pairs with two bluetooth devices, which is not less than being a boon. And, with the exceptional battery life, this device is a winner. The only drawback is the price point. For a 110$ on Expansys, this is one expensive device.
