X-Mini Capsule Speaker

This little package came in early this week and I was curious where it came from. After unwrapping, the red spherical-shaped gadget around the size of an egg is actually a portable speaker.

It’s called an X-Mini. I’ve heard about this from some tech journalist before but didn’t realize it was this small. At 50 grams, this capsule speaker weighs as light as the new iPod Nano (i.e. 49.2g, though it feels lighter on the hands). It is powered via a mini USB by a lithium ion battery and has a rated capacity of 300mAh. In comparison, most cellphone batteries are rated around 600 to 900mAh (and my old Rebel XT’s battery was rated at 720mAh).

There’s a switch at the bottom-side to turn it on. To expand the speaker, just hold it with both hands sideways, twist and release. The accordion-style capsule can be connected to any media player via a 2-in-1 retractable 3.5mm audio cable (with the USB) — it can be hooked up to your PC, a PSP, an iPod or basically any gadget that has the 35mm plug. It has a nice and smooth rubberized finish too.

T’was time to put it to the test. They say big things come in small packages and the X-Mini can really bring in the volume. Power output rating is 2.2 watts (rms) and you’d be surprised that the X-Mini has a good range and a nice bass, with respect to its size. I think the accordion design gave it the extra *omph* because you can clearly notice the sound difference when it’s closed and expanded.

It’s more than loud enough to replace my Compaq Presario’s Altec Lansing speakers to watch movies though it looks cool to lug around with my iPod Touch or iPod Nano. There’s no graded volume control but the Off/On switch can be toggled halfway or full to give you a normal and loud volume adjustment.

It claims the battery could last up to 8 hours but I have yet to get it playing that long. Still, I’d say about 5 hours is still a good number to me. The price of Php1,200USD 20INR 1,734EUR 19CNY 149 may also be a bit steep to some but for the portability and cool factor, it’s very well worth it.

Update: It’s available in red, black and white colors. The price is inclusive of shipping anywhere in the Philippines. You can buy them from Attila here.