The best podcast apps for Android

Get the very best podcast experience with these great apps

While we usually think of our mobile devices as great for listening to music of all kinds, increasingly our Android phones and tablets are being used for listening to podcasts as well. We produce a bunch of them here at Mobile Nations, and the popularity and scale of the podcast continues to grow. But just as is the case with music player apps, not all podcast players are created equally.

Thankfully Android is blessed with a strong selection of podcast apps to choose from, but there are some more worth your time – and money – than others. So, head on past the break to see the top podcast apps for Android. And once you’ve chosen, why not subscribe to the Android Central podcast and join us each week for a listen!

Originally published June 2014, updated for April 2016.

Pocket Casts

Pocket Casts has long been a favorite among avid podcast listeners, but in its current incarnation it has arguably risen to the top of the mountain. If you want style and function, cloud sync, a huge library, video support, variable speed playback oh and not forgetting Chromecast support, then look no further. The folks at developer Shifty Jelly have you covered with all of those.

Add to all that a widget, full controls in the notification tray, auto download and delete, filters and playlists, a sleep timer and OPML import and export support and you’re looking at one of the most full-featured podcast apps available in Google Play. And it goes beyond Google Play, too; Pocket Casts is also available on iOS, Windows Phone and the web, keeping your podcasts in sync no matter what device you’re on. That extends even to the car with support for Android Auto, and you can keep control from your wrist, too, with Android Wear.

Pocket Casts also takes on the task of podcast discovery and pretty much succeeds. The featured, trending and top podcast sections are brimming with a bevy of shows covering all kinds of different subject areas. If you really are looking for one of the very best, then give Pocket Casts at least a look. The developers also post probably the best changelogs anywhere in the Play Store!

Download: Pocket Casts ($3.99)

BeyondPod

BeyondPod used to lack the visual flare of something like Pocket Casts, but it always brought it where it matters most. And now, it’s also a damn fine-looking app with its recent redesign. A favorite of many for a long time now, BeyondPod has power, features and access to a huge library of podcasts that should please even the most obscure show hunter.

It too has Chromecast support, something fast becoming a “must have” when it comes to media delivery applications, as well as cross-device sync and automatic background downloading. BeyondPod is available to trial in full free for 7 days before you need to pay up the $6.99 for the full version. That’s a nice touch and not something seen every day.

With that free trial, BeyondPod should certainly be given a look.

Download: BeyondPod ($6.99, 7 day free trial)

Podcast Addict

Podcast Addict is a free, ad-supported or paid-for premium podcatcher that may lack a little on the visuals but more than makes up in the features. It’ll let you import your feeds from a number of sources but it’ll also help you easily find some great new content to listen to. Search by channel, interests and more, and Podcast Addict will come up with the goods.

Besides podcasts, though, it’ll also let you organize RSS feeds and YouTube channels, which is something competing apps don’t offer. It’s also got Chromecast support built in, which is fast becoming a must have feature. After all, why wouldn’t you want to listen to your podcasts on the best speakers you own?

The option of a truly free and ad-supported version is appealing, but if you’re going to be spending the $2.99 to remove the ads you may want to consider one of the prettier options out there. But if you’re all about function over form, Podcast Addict will suit you just fine.

Download: Podcast Addict (Free, $2.99 to remove ads)

Doggcatcher

Doggcatcher is another long time favorite, indeed it once claimed the title of Android Central’s Editors Choice for podcast app of the year – back in 2011 if you were wondering. The alternative choices weren’t quite as strong as they are today, but Doggcatcher is still a fine choice.

The interface has improved with the past few updates, but still feels a step behind the leading competition. What it lacks in the user interface department it makes up for everywhere else, though — the way it handles podcasts with its auto download and delete features, variable speed playback and feed categorization makes it worth checking out. And it has Chromecast support which we love to see.

At $2.99 all-in it’s an inexpensive choice in the grand scheme of apps as well, so it’s really worth giving a shot.

Download: Doggcatcher ($2.99)

Player FM

If you’re looking for one of the most modern-looking podcast players on Android, Player FM is where it’s at. Embracing Google’s new Material Design principles, Player FM just looks amazing. There’s no other way to describe it. Beneath the good looks though, Player FM is packed with useful features like cross-device subscription sync and support for both Chromecast and Android Wear.

One of the other strong points to Player FM is its excellent discoverability features. Be it individual shows or subscribing to channels, you’re going to be well looked after in finding some quality content. Tell it what you’re interested in and watch it work its magic.

Oh, and it’s completely free — forever, not just a trial — for up to 20 subscriptions, with a new Gold service coming to unlock unlimited subscriptions and a few other neat features.

Download: Player FM (Free)

Stitcher for Podcasts

Stitcher may be mostly known as an internet radio service, but it’s also a great podcast service as well. You can browse and add all of your favorite podcasts, and “stitch” them together into stations for listening in the order you want. You can also keep up with breaking and daily news through a variety of top news programs to mix it up from your normal weekly podcasts. There’s single sign-on support from Google and Facebook, which is convenient as well.

It’s still sticking to its older-style of design that doesn’t quite look as modern as Pocket Casts and Player FM do, but it’s functional and familiar to folks who have been using Stitcher for years. And the fact that you’re getting this many features in a free app definitely makes it worth considering.

Download: Stitcher for Podcasts (Free)

Antennapod

Antennapod is a podcast app that’s been around for some time now but equally one you may have skipped over in favor of one of the bigger names. But it’s a decent little player, it’s free and open source.

It’s not as if it’s sparse on features compared to some on this list, either. It’s got an up-to-date look inspired by Material Design, access to the iTunes database and an easy import for your OPML podcast subscription lists. Oh, and a dark theme, which is always great news.

Atennapod lets you skip ahead or back by half a minute, set a sleep timer or view show notes in the app, as well as a whole bundle of features to customize the experience when using headphones and more. It’s a podcast app well worth your attention.

Download: Antennapod (Free)

Podcast Republic

Podcast Republic is another free-to-download podcast app that can boast ticking off major feature boxes. Chromecast and Android Wear support are here, and while Android Auto isn’t yet there is at least a dedicated car mode that makes it simple to operate while in a cradle. It’ll manage downloads for you without you having to worry about and you can use it on a tablet and feel good about the experience thanks to the dedicated interface.

Cross-device sync is ever more important and thankfully Podcast Republic also has this taken care of. Multiple languages, multiple playlists and a sleep timer are all just icing on the cake. For $1.99 you can also make the ads go away should you so wish.

Download: Podcast Republic (Free, $1.99 to remove ads)

We’re answering your Huawei P9 questions in the forums!

Questions big and small, we’re answering them all.

We had a solid look at the Huawei P9 at its launch event in London, but now that the dust has settled we’re here to answer all of your specific questions about the phone. Of course some of the biggest questions, like how the camera performs in a variety of situations, what battery life is like and how we’re seeing performance will take more time to evaluate, but there’s a lot to look at that can be answered right away.

So, do you have questions for us about the Huawei P9? Hop into the forums at the link below and ask us!

Ask your Huawei P9 questions in the Android Central forums!

Here’s how Facebook just made ‘Live’ video exactly like Periscope, Snapchat

Facebook last year launched a Live feature, called Live, that lets you broadcast in real time, and now it’s majorly updating that same feature to make it more like rival apps Periscope and Snapchat.

Periscope is owned by Twitter and essentially lets you broadcast as well as interact with broadcasters in real-time via comments and emoji-style hearts. Snapchat on the other hand started out as a photo- and video-sharing app that you could use to send in-the-moment snaps to friends. These snaps self-destruct after 10 or so seconds. The app has change a lot in recent years, however, with one example being its Story feature.

Story lets you string together your snaps to – as you might’ve guessed – create a “story” of your day, which you can then broadcast to friends and followers. Similar to snaps, stories disappear after a set amount of time (thus maintaining the app’s whole ephemeral vibe)). Snapchat is also unique in that it lets you doodle on snaps and apply filters and lenses. Well Facebook’s Live now offers something similar to Snapchat.

Not only can now you doodle and apply filters on your Facebook broadcasts but you can interact with your friend’s broadcasts using Facebook reactions, which are a new set of smileys the social network recently launched for posts. With these new capabilities, which we detail in full below, Facebook has taken the best bits from its competition and included them in Live to make the feature more robust and engaging.

Facebook Live: How does it work?

Here’s how to start and use Live:

Open the Facebook app on iPhone
To start a Live, tap on Update Status
Select the Live icon (figure surrounded by radio waves)
Write a quick description
Choose the audience that you want to share with before going live
Tap the Go Live button

For more information about how to use Facebook Live, check out Pocket-lint’s step-by-step guide:

• Here’s how Facebook Live works

Facebook Live: How do Periscope and Snapchat work?

Rather than going into more detail Periscope and Snapchat so you can see how they compare Facebook Live, allow us to direct your attention toward these helpful pieces that explain everything you need to know about both:

• What is Periscope?
• What’s the point of Snapchat?

Facebook Live: What’s new with Live?

Groups and Events

Facebook is introducing the ability to go live in Facebook Groups (you can broadcast to people in the Facebook Group) and Facebook Events (you can go live to those who’ve RSVP-ed). You can also use Events to schedule Q&A sessions.

Live Reactions

Facebook said Live Reactions makes it “easy for your viewers to express their feelings in real time during a live broadcast.”

Live Reactions uses the same reactions that Facebook launched for posts in the News Feed. So, you can select Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, or Angry, and then you can see those reactions animate on top of the broadcast. Live Reactions appear and disappear in real time, and when your friend reacts to your video or to a video you are both watching, you will see their profile pic and a starburst before their reaction appears.

This feature really reminds of us Periscope, as that broadcasting app lets you double tap your phone screen in order to send love/hearts (a heart will appear next to your avatar) to a broadcaster in real-time.

Replay Comments

Similar to Periscope, Facebook Live lets you engage with broadcasters using real-time comments. Facebook said it noticed people comment 10 times more on Facebook Live videos than on regular videos. Now it wants people watching the broadcast after the fact to still feel as though they’re watching in the moment, so it’ll begin replaying comments as they happened during the broadcast for people watching later.

Periscope as of April 2016 doesn’t replay comments.

Live Filters and Doodles

Facebook Live is going after Snapchat with Live Filters and doodles. The company said it wants to give broadcasters more creative ways to personalise their live broadcasts, so it’s initially rolling out a set of five Live Filters as well as the ability to draw or doodle on videos while live. Snapchat also lets you take a photo or a video, then add a caption or doodle or lens graphic over top, and send it to a friend.

Live Destination and Live Map

Facebook is launching a dedicated tab on Facebook’s mobile app that you can visit to discover live videos from across the world. You can search live and non-live videos, and choose to go live yourself from there. Just tap on the new video icon in the app to navigate to this new tab. To go along with this, Facebook is releasing a Facebook Live Map on desktop. With it, you get a visual of what’s happening in more than 60 countries.

Periscope similarly lets you explore broadcasts from across the world.

Facebook Live: Anything else you need to know?

Facebook is also adding the option to send an invitation to a friend to watch with right from live videos. Simply tap on the invite icon, then select the friend you want to invite, and they will receive a push notification with your invitation.

Check out Facebook’s blog post for more details about these new Live tools.

Huawei P9 preview: Monochrome is the new black

Huawei has announced its latest flagship handsets as it keeps up its assault on the smartphone world, unveiling the Huawei P9 and Huawei P9 Plus at a lengthy launch event in London.

There are three models of this new handset. There’s the conventional P9 (under the microscope here), there’s an enhanced model that comes with exclusive colourways, and there’s the larger P9 Plus, which is the powerhouse of the P9 family offering a plus experience in a number of areas. 

But this conventional model isn’t lacking in its own appeal. We’ve been kicking back with the Huawei P9 to see what it has on offer.

Huawei P9 design

The design of the Huawei P9 may now be familiar, sticking to an aluminium unibody that’s rapidly becoming the norm for flagship smartphones. The P9 doesn’t deviate too greatly from previous Huawei devices, retaining the strip across the cameras at the top, the rear fingerprint scanner and neat antenna breaks.

Pocket-lint

Finished here in the titanium grey, it’s a well-built handset that feels good quality. The design perhaps isn’t the most exciting, lacking the flourish that you’ll get from Samsung’s latest phones, but then this is markedly cheaper. 

There’s a pretty close resemblance to the HTC One A9, a handset which was seen as a close resemblance to the iPhone 6, but this seem to be the circle of smartphone life in the world of metal unibodies. The Huawei P9 measures 145 x 70.9 x 6.95mm, weighs 144g and it feels solid enough, free from flex or creaks. 

One of Huawei’s boasts is the nearly invisible bezel, so at the sides of the display you don’t have a frame that’s not doing anything. That’s all well and good, and yes, it’s impressive how the screen to body ratio has panned out on the P9, but we have to question whether the pursuit of having the thinnest handset or the narrowest bezel is enhancing the device, or to gain bragging points on the spec sheet.

Pocket-lint

Huawei P9 display and hardware

This regular P9 has a 5.2-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, for a pixel density of 423ppi. That’s a pretty typical display for a sub-premium handset, as many have now stepped beyond that resolution offering Quad HD instead. 

Whether that difference in resolution matters to you very much comes down to what you want to use the phone for. In many ways, at 5.2-inches, full HD is perfectly adequate for your daily needs. Your emails, Netflix movies and favourite apps won’t look much different from a higher resolution display. However, if you’re planning on using it for VR with Google Cardboard, then it’s not so well suited.

For us, that’s a minor point and our first impression of this display is that it is bright and vibrant, looking good from a wide range of angles. It’s not as punchy as the display on the Samsung Galaxy S7, but it’s pretty good.

Sitting at the heart of the Huawei P9 is a Kirin 955 octa-core chipset with 3GB of RAM. Huawei claims that this is faster than the predecessor in the P8, which offered reasonable performance. Our first impressions are that the P9 is a slick operator. We’ve not had enough time to fully assess its performance, but in regular tasks it seems fast enough. 

In the past we’ve seen that some of Huawei’s devices aren’t quite as adept at handling complex graphics and we suspect that’s the case with the P9 too. We need more time to fully assess this device, however, before we can draw any definitive conclusions.

Pocket-lint

There’s a fingerprint scanner on the rear of the P9 and this is very fast to unlock the phone. It’s in the same place as previous Huawei devices, as well as the Nexus 5X and 6P and we don’t might the location, as it’s easy to press as you’re pulling the phone out of your pocket, for example. 

This is enhanced with additional fingerprint powers, for example being able to use it as a selfie trigger, or to pull down the notifications shade or scroll through pictures, just by swiping on the scanner. 

There’s 32GB of internal storage on this regular P9, with microSD card support. Unfortunately there’s no support for adoptable storage, the Marshmallow feature that lets you use an external storage card like internal storage, fully integrated.

There’s a 3000mAh battery, offering fast charging via the USB Type-C connection on the bottom. We’re yet to have long enough with the P9 to gauge its performance over an extended time period, but previous Huawei devices have performed pretty well.

Pocket-lint

Huawei P9 camera: Leica time

With those formalities out of the way, let’s turn our attention to the camera. This is Huawei’s big sell, pulling in optics experts from Leica in a partnership designed to give you a smartphone camera that’s even better. Huawei is coming from a pretty strong starting point, as previous cameras have been pretty good. 

The big unique factor on the P9 is the arrangement of two cameras. This isn’t the first handset to offer two cameras, but in terms of hardware this is different to other dual-camera devices. Firstly, there are two 12-megapixel Sony IMX286 sensors, with 1.25µm pixels. (Quoting pixel sizes seems to be the new trend in smartphones.)

These sensors sit behind Leica Summarit lenses, but the two sensors are set up to capture different information. One is a conventional RGB sensor, capturing colour, the other is for monochrome. The idea is that together the information gives you all the colour information and lots of detail for an enhanced overall result.

Pocket-lint

But there’s another aspect that’s being pushed, and that’s that you now have a dedicated monochrome camera. You probably didn’t know you needed a monochrome camera, but the message from Huawei is that monochrome is the new black. Considering the pairing with Leica that perhaps makes some sense, as Leica has dedicated monochrome cameras in its product line-up. 

The two cameras can also be used to enhance the focusing, on top of the laser autofocusing on offer, and capture depth information. There’s a full pro mode that gives you raw capture as well as control over ISO, shutter speed (up to 30 seconds), metering and focusing. That will allow for more deliberate compsitions, although we suspect most people will just point and shoot in the auto modes.

Huawei talked and demonstrated aperture control, but this ins’t part of the “pro” suite. It’s also an aperture effect that you have to use in its own mode, so it feels a lot like the feature offered by the HTC One M8 a few years back. It lets you take a photo and then change the focal point, but also change the “aperture effect”. This will either increase or decrease the depth of field, essentially blurring parts of the photo.

Some of the same images we’ve seen from the Hauwei P9 have been impressive, but we’re yet to really set this new camera to the test. We will, of course, update with a full breakdown on how it performs once we complete a full review.

Pocket-lint

Huawei P9 software

The Huawei P9 lands with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with EMUI 4.1 slapped over the top. Software is Huawei’s weakest point, with a general over-working of Android’s charms. Although Marshmallow’s new features are integrated into this Huawei’s handset, such as better notification control and the do not disturb function, everything has been redesigned to Huawei’s looks.

Our least favourite element is icon theming. Take, for example, the lovely roundel that is the Chrome icon, the WhatsApp speech bubble, or Instagram’s retro camera. Some poor graphic designer put hours into these logos, creating an identity that’s immediately identifiable. Huawei then stuffs them into a generic white box, a blandification that can only be pursuant to making third-party icons look as dreary as the rest of EMUI’s native apps. This isn’t something that can be removed either. 

Huawei’s launcher removes the apps tray – seemingly a growing trend – but you do get access to Now on Tap via a long press on the home button. If you don’t like the Huawei launcher it’s easy to replace, as is the fussy messages app and cluttered calendar.

Pocket-lint

That’s a shame, because the software experience across a number of Huawei’s devices clashes with the generally very good build, ample power and good camera experience. It feels as though Huawei is attempting to assert its identity in its phones as HTC did with Sense or Samsung with TouchWiz, but EMUI lacks the charm and maturity of either of those rivals, and doesn’t seem to want to evolve.

We’ve only spent a short amount of time with the Huawei P9 so far and we haven’t fully explored the software, or set it to task on really busy tasks to see how it performs under pressure, but we’re doing so right now.

First Impressions

There’s much about the Huawei P9 that’s safe and incremental. The increases in power and the design step forward without doing anything too dramatic. The Huawei P9 is a well-built phone that feels great in the hand and seems fast enough. 

We’re still not sold on the software arrangement, although we still have a lot to explore in this areas. We also have a lot to do to assess the real performance, including the battery life over an extended period. Previous Huawei handsets have been pretty solid, so we’d expect the same. 

It’s really the camera where Huawei is looking to shake things up. Undoubtedly Leica is a huge partner for this project. They are perhaps unlikely bedfellows, but with Huawei pushing camera performance as it’s sole concern, it’s found a partner synonymous with quality.

The result is a dual-lens quirk, but we have to question whether the appeal of monochrome is as attractive as that of the LG G5’s wide-angle lens. You can create black and white with a filter, you can’t easily create 135-degree photos, so we’re leaning slightly toward LG’s implementation.

Ultimately, the P9’s success will in many ways be decided by how well it pulls of this dual camera novelty. Having Leica written on your phone is something of a coup, but whether Huawei can live up to that branding remains to be seen.

The Huawei P9 will be available for around £449 from 16 April.

(We’ve included a full run of colour images in the gallery, if you’re not taken with our monochrome homage in this article.)

The FBI is briefing senators on how it cracked the iPhone’s passcode

Last month, the FBI dropped its court case compelling Apple to unlock an iPhone 5c that was part of an investigation into a terrorist attack in San Bernardino after figuring out how to hack into it without Apple’s help. But the agency has thus far kept its mouth shut about how exactly it managed to bypass the phone’s passcode and auto-erase features. According to the National Journal, however, a few high-ranking government officials are being briefed on the FBI’s techniques. (A subscription is required for the National Journal, but you can see the related text from the story here.) Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) reportedly had a meeting with the agency in which it detailed how it got into the locked iPhone; Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) was offered a similar meeting but hasn’t taken it just yet.

The FBI has started telling Congress how it hacked the iPhone https://t.co/KUwpDfHIsL pic.twitter.com/t6FgdnN8SQ

— Ben Pershing (@benpershing) April 6, 2016

The briefings of Feinstein and Burr are likely no coincidence — both senators are working on an anti-encryption bill that would limit the technology’s usage in consumer products like the iPhone. How the FBI’s unlocking of the iPhone 5c and its meetings with the two senators will play into the bill remains to be seen, but Feinstein at the very least supports the FBI on its position of secrecy. Last week, she said that the agency shouldn’t have to tell Apple about the methods it used to hack into the iPhone 5c.

Apple, for its part, is rightfully curious as to how the FBI managed to bypass the passcode screen lock that the company encourages all users to enable. The company likely wants to know if the exploit the FBI uses is unique to the iPhone 5c or if it can be used on other devices, including the newer iPhone 6 and 6s devices that have stronger encryption standards. It doesn’t seem like those details will be forthcoming any time soon, however.

Via: The Verge

Source: National Journal (subscription required)

Windows 10 preview adds Cortana’s cross-device features

Been aching to try some of the bigger improvements from Windows 10’s Anniversary Update? It’s time to give them a shot. Microsoft has released a Windows 10 Insider Preview (only available on the Fast ring) that includes a few of the choicer improvements. The highlight is likely to be the Cortana-based cross-device features: if you have an Android or Windows phone, Cortana will tell you when your handset’s battery is running low, help you find a lost phone and share navigation directions across devices.

The rest is still pretty notable. You can access the much-vaunted Bash shell, if you’re the tinkering sort. You’ll also get to try the universal Skype app, dark and light modes, a prioritized Action Center and Continuum support without requiring a dock or a Miracast adapter. This preview isn’t for the faint of heart, as is the case with most Fast releases, but you’ll certainly have plenty to try if you’re willing to live with some rough edges.

Source: Windows Experience Blog

Volvo will conduct China’s largest test of self-driving cars

Volvo is about to embark on one of the greatest adventures in the history of self-driving cars… at leat, if everything goes according to plan. It’s planning an experiment in China (reportedly the country’s biggest to date) that will have as many as 100 autonomous vehicles driving on public streets in regular traffic conditions. Real-life tests aren’t completely novel — just ask Google. However, this would both offer a rare chance at a large-scale test and give Volvo a toehold in China’s increasingly hot self-driving car space.

The problem? Right now, there’s no firm course of action in place. Volvo says it’ll spend the “coming months” negotiating with Chinese cities to see which ones will offer the clearances and infrastructure to make these robotic rides feasible. You may not see this experiment begin for a long time, and its results won’t be ready for a while after that. Should everything come together, though, it could take humanity one step closer to hands-free private transportation.

Source: Volvo

Newegg to offer customer support via Facebook Messenger

Ever since Facebook Messenger started allowing businesses to chat with their customers (and vice versa), it’s been used as a means of customer support. A number of different companies have already started doing so — Hyatt, Sprint, Zulily and Everlane among others. Now online e-commerce site Newegg is in on it too. The retailer said in a statement today that you can simply strike up a conversation with a representative via its Facebook Page. You can also just search for “Newegg” within Messenger.

“Offering support via Messenger is the next important step to provide our customers the best possible mobile experience,” said Merle McIntosh, Newegg’s SVP of Sales and Marketing. Messages sent during business hours will be dealt with immediately, while those sent outside those hours will get a response the following day. So if you’ve been wondering why that shipment of yours has yet to arrive, go ahead and send them a message through Messenger — and maybe throw in a few angry emojis too if you feel like it.

Via: The Verge

Source: Businesswire

Google Testing Support for Native OS X Notifications in Chrome

Google’s Chrome browser has long supported push notifications, but it’s always used its own notification center instead of relying on the OS X Notification Center that was built into Apple’s operating system in 2012.

That may change in the near future, as Google is experimenting with the built-in OS X Notification Center. Available to all Chrome users as an experimental feature, OS X notifications can be turned on in the current version of the Chrome browser by inserting “chrome://flags/#enable-native-notifications” in the address bar and choosing the “enable” option.

It should be noted that a more current version of the feature is available through Chrome Canary, as the implementation on the release browser is 6-12 weeks behind the current state of development.

Native OS X notifications are more visually attractive than standard Chrome notifications and they’re also listed in the Notification Center window, something that wasn’t possible with Chrome notifications. OS X notifications coming from Chrome will also obey Do Not Disturb settings.

As The Next Web points out, the Notification Center feature is still in active development so users who choose to turn it on could run into some bugs. Google developers say work on OS X Notification Center integration is being actively pursued, but it is not “100% clear either way” whether support will become official as “certain roadblocks” could potentially prevent that from happening.

Tags: Google, Chrome
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BlitzWolf F1 Bluetooth 4.0 metal portable speaker is well worth its $34 price tag: review

If you’ve recently shopped for a portable Bluetooth speaker in the under $50 range, you probably saw a wide range of designs and features, from the fun (party disco ball) to the too cute (panda bear head) to the functional (water resistant alarm clock). There is A LOT to choose from. If you need a speaker for both work and play, the Blitzwolf’s F1 Bluetooth 4.0 wireless pocket speaker is a good choice. It meets the core requirements of connectivity, portability, durability, and, the all-important battery life with the looks and performance suited for both outdoors and indoors.

With a lightweight, sandblasted minimalist-designed aluminum body, and laser cut speaker holes, the F1, comes in grey, black or black/orange. It’s water resistant, dust-proof and shockproof which means it can handle some pool splashes and a little beating as it’s transported indoors and outdoors. At 8” in length, weighing 9.5 oz., the speaker doesn’t take up too much space in your bag but does add a little bit of heft, a small tradeoff for the sturdy metal casing.

Connectivity with decent sound quality and battery life

Like most Bluetooth speakers, it easily paired with my phone without any issues, allowing me to immediately start listening to my test playlist. Operating it was straightforward. The F1 has five rubberized raised buttons, some which perform double duty: power, play/pause, Bluetooth status indicator/reject or answer call, volume up/next track, volume down/previous track.

To see what range it could handle, I listened to classical, rock, pop, country, hip-hop, and podcasts. I even used it when streaming “House of Cards” on my tablet (sometimes Doug mumbles). Considering the size, the speaker sound was very good, transmitting the highs and mids with no problem. No surprise: hip-hop—Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” to be specific–sounded distorted when the low bass hit.

The 18 core dual 45 mm speakers aren’t designed to handle the deep bass intended for traditional speakers, but, frankly I don’t know any other Bluetooth speakers in this price range that could.

I want to note that the only time I had a problem with connectivity was when I was trying to pair with my sister’s two year-old laptop, but it was a Windows problem, unrelated to Blitzwolf. Fortunately, we had the cable that came with the speaker so we were able to connect and still amplify the sound of the video we were watching.

Since the F1 is also touted as a hands-free speaker phone, I used it for a few conference calls. It was great for listening in on the meetings, but not so great when I was speaking. The people on the other end couldn’t hear me very well even after I moved my mouth closer to the pinhole mic next to the power button. My voice was hard to hear—it wasn’t muffled, just too quiet. In a pinch, I’d use this for conference calls, knowing that I might have to switch to the mic on my phone when it’s my turn to talk.

I was surprised by the battery life as I don’t always expect speakers in this price range to perform very well in this area. (Maybe because I actually followed the instructions to fully charge it before using?) I did all of the above activities in one week and only needed to recharge once. The 1800 mAh lithium ion battery lasted about 10 hours each session before I needed to charge it again.

Summary

The F1 is a good portable Bluetooth speaker designed more for play rather than work. The sound quality is solid. At a $33.99 price, you can’t go wrong. And if you’re not happy, Blitzwolf stands behind its product with a 30-day money-back guarantee in addition to an 18-month warranty. If you are disappointed with the quality or have problems with the product, contact the customer-friendly Blitzwolf folks who wants to “turn that frown up-side down”.

Get the Blitzwolf F1 Bluetooth speaker for just $33.99 from Banggood.com.

Key Specs & Information

• Dimensions: 1.97” x 7.87” x 3.54”
• Weight: 9.5 oz
• Speakers: 18 core dual 45 mm with digital amplifier
• Battery & Power: 1800mAh lithium ion battery, 10-12 hours of playback; DC power, 4-5 hours to fully charge
• Warranty: 30-day money-back guarantee; 18-month limited warranty
• Other features: mic, 3.5 mm aux-in and micro USB ports
• Speaker comes with a micro USB charging cable, 3.5 mm audio cable, and wrist strap
• Tip: Manufacturer recommends fully charging the speaker before using it for the first time