iLuv Syren Review

By George Harding

This is a clever name for a very stylish Bluetooth portable speaker. It is shaped like a truncated, forward-leaning cylinder on a round base, with a segment sliced from the bottom of the cylinder. The result is excellent sound reproduction and 360 degree sound.

The unit comes with a charging cord to be attached to any USB port and a Quick Start Guide in 11 languages and a Warranty pamphlet. It supports NFC (Near Field Communication) pairing.

There is a vertical black strip along the back which contains the few controls: Volume Up, Volume Down and Play/Pause/Phone and On/Off. The Bluetooth feature allows Syren to be used as a hands-free speaker phone (there is a built-in microphone).

At the base of the black strip is a cover for the micro USB connector for the charging cable, as well as a 3.5 mm port for connection to audio devices.

The unit is smaller than you might expect for such high quality sound, only 4 ½ inches.

The battery is rechargeable and is lithium-ion type. When fully charged, it can provide power for up to 5 hours, according to the manufacturer.

Syren by iLuv                                     
 www.iluv.com                   
Price about $40