It’s surprising just how much sound emanates from this tiny zinc-alloy box. Given that you can easily fit the 64.5×64.5×70.1mm, 261g iClever in a single hand, the 5W speaker hidden inside does a much better job than we should reasonably might expect from such a portable Bluetooth speaker, both good on bass and free from distortion at high volume. The 5W speaker inside the iClever offers bedroom-filling sound that is much louder than what’s available from your phone, tablet or laptop, although its meshed-top design forces it to throw audio upward rather than around the room. With Bluetooth 4.0 technology it also boasts good range (up to 33ft), and we experienced no dropouts walking room to room with paired phone in hand. If your mobile device doesn’t support Bluetooth you can instead use the Bluetooth Wireless Speaker’s AUX connection, and a cable is included in the box. Pairing a device over Bluetooth is as simple as flicking a power switch and then finding and tapping on the iClever in your phone or tablet’s Bluetooth Available devices menu. This little device can remember up to eight Bluetooth connections, which is useful if several family members will be using it, and it will automatically connect to the last paired device when available. The iClever also has a noise-cancelling mic that can capture dialogue from up to 2m; a button on the front of the device lets you accept phone calls and chat via the speaker itself. This makes the IC-BTS02 ideal for conducting group conversations. Battery life is good, and with low-power Bluetooth 4.0 tech inside you can expect eight- to 12 hours of playback – more over the AUX connection. The iClever will automatically switch off after 15 minutes of inactivity, preserving its power reserves. Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter. Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
