Indeed, it's the same shape as the PSP and Vita, but beyond the portable-game-console similarities, its relatively flat design harkens to a sportier, hipper version of the office speakerphone. The idea behind that design is that since it's so slim, the Deck slips easily into a bag, making it easy to take with you wherever you go.
I liked how it looked and it's pretty lightweight, weighing only 11.5 ounces. If yellow isn't your color, it does come in a few other color options, including simple black.
It does have volume controls on the top of the speaker, as well a multifunction button with the Motorola label on it that pauses and plays your music, answers calls in speakerphone mode -- yes, there's an integrated microphone -- and also skips tracks forward and back. (That speakerphone performed well: callers said I sounded loud and clear on their end.)
Feature-packed
The Deck does have a few notable extra features. Like the Jawbone Jambox, it has voice prompts to let you know your device is paired and how full the battery is. And for those who have NFC-enabled devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Moto X that this speaker is launching with (Sol Republic and Motorola have announced a new accessories partnership that also includes headphones), you can tap the speaker with your device to pair them.
More interesting is the Heist mode. After you flip a little switch on the side of the speaker, shifting from single-user mode to multiuser mode, you and your friends can pair up to five devices with the Deck, each of which is assigned a different color LED. You can only stream music from one device at a time, but if you hit play on a second device that's connected, the Sol logo on the top of the speaker changes color, and that device takes over the music playback. Thus, the name Heist.
You flip a switch on the back to go into Heist mode. Also: the bottom of
the speaker is rubberized to keep it from moving around while playing
music (click on image to enlarge).
The other feature worth mentioning is that the speaker has both an audio input and audio output, so you can connect an audio device that isn't Bluetooth-enabled or daisy-chain multiple Decks together to get bigger sound. You could also connect the speaker to a home stereo system using the audio output jack (separate cable required) and use it as a Bluetooth receiver. However, you can't combine two Decks wirelessly and have one be the left speaker and one be the right for true stereo sound.
One of the impressive things about the speaker is that it boasts much better range than your typical Bluetooth speaker. Sol Republic says it has a range of 300 feet, which is 10 times the 30-foot range that most Bluetooth speakers offer (I still have to test that range but I had no problems streaming a good 50 to 60 feet away from it). Battery life is rated at 10 hours.
The speaker's bass port (click on image to enlarge).
Decent sound
So how's it sound? Pretty good, though not $200 good. Since the speaker is designed first and foremost to sit on a flat surface and fire upward, it's not surprising that it's being billed as delivering 360-degree sound. But the so-called surround effect does have its limitations and you do have to experiment a little with placement to optimize the sound quality. For a small speaker, it does does play fairly loud, and can fill a small room with sound. It also has an outdoor mode that boosts the sound and changes the sound stage a bit to make the speaker better for outdoor listening. But other $200 competitors such as the UE Boom and Bose SoundLink Mini deliver bigger, fuller sound, with more bass. Both of those speakers do weigh more, however.
Don't get me wrong. After using a near-final review sample of the speaker for a few days, I came away liking it. It has a very appealing design, it's easy to carry around, it has some cool extra features, and its wireless-streaming range is excellent. The only issue I had was with it is its price. Performance-wise, it just doesn't measure up to the $200 competition. But other than that, it's a decent little Bluetooth speaker.
Editors' note: We'll post an updated review (with ratings) once we get a final shipping unit in the next week or two. Also, RadioShack has announced that it will be the only retailer offering preorders on the Deck starting August 2.
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