K1 is a real KO for punching out tunes
Nifty little Bluetooth speaker an ideal gadget for the holidays
Packing for the holidays these days is different to how it used to be. There’s likely to be an armful of chargers and an array of cables required so no one runs out of power, wifi or music on holiday. One of the extras that I’m packing more often now is a portable Bluetooth speaker.
Kew Labs have launched a new model aimed firmly at those going on holiday or keen on the outdoors. The K1 is available in four different colours and is a stylish-looking pill shape. It weighs just 0.4kg and is a neat size at 17.8cm across.
In the box there’s a USB charging cable and a quick-start guide. The controls are all on the rubberised top of the speaker. There’s volume up and down and play buttons, as well as inlaid controls for power and Bluetooth pairing.
Once charged, and powered up, I pressed the Bluetooth button and went to the settings on my smartphone.
The K1 instantly showed up and pairing was complete in a few seconds, and there’s a useful LED that lights up when it’s connected to your phone or tablet.
I opened my Amazon music app and set about playing some different types of music. For a small device, it’s remarkably good. Bass was punchy and vocals sound great. The K1 has a front and back grille design, which allows for 360° sound. The total power output is 10 watts, and it provides a crisp, punchy sound.
As well as music though, the K1 doubles as a conference speaker. With my phone connected, I was able to use it as a really effective speaker-phone.
The controls on the top of the device even allow you to accept or reject calls and even switch
THE K1 DOUBLES UP AS A CONFERENCE SPEAKER
between incoming or held calls. While the K1 isn’t Amazon Alexa compatible, the Play button does activates Siri and other voice assistants. Charging the K1 does take some time – a few hours – but play time is generous and will run between eight and 12 hours, so ample for a day at the beach or a BBQ. It’s not fully waterproof, but is IPX4 rated, which means it’s splash-proof and water resistant. Overall, it’s an excellent little gadget. Great sound, useful conference features, easy to carry and keenly priced, making it an ideal travel companion.