MercuryBox: Stylish and affordable (Review)

I’ve used quite a few of Inateck’s products, and I am impressed with the level of classy looks it brings to its products. The company has worked diligently make sure it hits three aspects: style, functionality, and price. That’s not an official mission statement, but from my perspective, it seems Inateck strives for that. Take the trendy MercuryBox Bluetooth speaker, for $38 it just proves my point.

In the box

• MercuryBox speaker
• Audio cable
• microUSB charging cable
• Hand strap
• Customized cable ties x2
• Manual

Design

The MercuryBox is a six-and-a-half inch speaker that’s just oozing with style. Its aluminum casing and rubber top and sides make you feel like you have a quality product that’s durable and beautiful at the same time.

On top is where your buttons are located. Laid out as one seamless piece of rubber, it features six buttons that are slightly raised and feel like bumps more than buttons. While this does make for a cool look, the buttons can be hard to press.

The Auxilary and charging ports are both tucked away on the side under a rubber flap. Over on the opposite side sits the hand strap, which is a handy little feature to have…see what I did there.

Each of the two cords is made out of a braided material that not only looks elegant but also gives it a stronger feel. Again, Inateck makes things that last.

Sound

What good are the looks if it sounds like a blown out speaker in a Chevette with a hole in the muffler? Does it stand the test? It’s packing dual five-watt precision-tuned drivers that emphasize more bass and treble while leaving the mids out. 

Every week my family and I walk a path to the local dam. The MercuryBox is perfect for this situation. We all get to enjoy the music without it being overbearingly loud. So it might not be right for a party, but you can find plenty of use for this portable speaker.

Everything else

The MercuryBox has excellent battery life getting around nine to ten hours of playback so you can easily go all day with moderate volume levels.  Its Bluetooth capability gives you plenty of moving room as it is good up to around 30 feet.

Lastly, let’s not forget that the MecuryBox is water resistant. That’s right; it has an IPx5 certification that gives you some splash protection. That means it can be in the shower with you, but I wouldn’t dunk it in a bath.

Summary

The MercuryBox is a safe speaker to buy. At a price of $38, you can’t go wrong. So take that birthday money you got from Grandma (it doesn’t matter how old you are, Grandma still gives you checks and you know it), and head on over and pick up one.

Buy Inateck’s MercuryBox Bluetooth speaker

WallaMe: Hide photos in the real world (Review)

Overview

Have you ever wanted to write on a wall, but a) didn’t want to get arrested for vandalism or b) only wanted your friends to be able to see it? If so, WallaMe is the app for you. If not, you and I are on the same boat.

Developer: Wallame Ltd

Cost: Free

Impressions

User Interface

WallaMe takes many cues from Instagram. There are three tabs at the top, five at the bottom, and the center of which is adding a new wall. I like it, but everything seems a little blurry.

The image capture screen is very basic, with no option to zoom in or out. Additionally, turning the flash on keeps the flashlight lit the whole duration of lining up the picture, instead of “flashing” upon capture.

Features

Once you get a picture of a wall, the editing options are quite plentiful. You can add stickers or pictures from your own gallery, text, and drawings in various colors. Once your wall is posted, people can like and comment on it, again very much like Instagram. There is no option to add your own photos instead of taking one, which is quite inconvenient.

General Impressions

WallaMe is touted as an AR app, with the ability to see walls that other people have posted when you are nearby. However, there is an astonishingly low amount of users in my area and in the US as a whole. To me, that largely makes the app an Instagram for walls, which really has no point. When WallaMe develops a larger user base, I think it is a great way for residents and tourists alike to connect with each other.

Conclusion

WallaMe is largely just a copy of Instagram with a fraction of the user base. The user interface is squared off, and for that reason not visually appealing. The photo editor is pretty nice, but they need to improve the image capture screen. Check it out from the link below if you’d like.

Download and install WallaMe from the Google Play Store.