Gadgetory

hi this is Brian Bennett for cnet.com and right now we're taking a first look at the BlackBerry mini stereo speaker this tiny bluetooth smartphone accessory cost $99.99 basically $100 and is made to operate as both a wireless speaker and a hands-free speakerphone the gadget also has a pretty unconventional design unlike typical Bluetooth speakers which tend to be boring rectangular boxes or cylinders the BlackBerry mini stereo speaker is shaped like a clip the idea is to use the speaker's u-shaped body to slide it onto back straps shirts or other items of clothing once attached you can listen to music and other audio and stereo while on the move or conduct hands-free calls since the device also doubles as a speakerphone hello hey you charge of speakers rechargeable battery via a micro USB port and the gadget has a line in 3.5 millimeter audio jack to connect non bluetooth devices a power switch volume buttons and play/pause call key are the only physical controls now I do have some doubts about the appeal of the BlackBerry mini stereo speaker first I'm not sure who would want to blast tunes or make calls from their back strap or even where and when they would do this for example trying something like this on the New York City subways and buses will land you in hot water pretty quickly also the speaker is on the pricey side especially considering its small drivers which don't get very loud and while it should work with any handset that supports stereo Bluetooth BlackBerry markets the device as an accessory for its new z10 smartphone unfortunately however the speaker doesn't take advantage of the Z tens NFC chip for fast pairing if you want to find out more be sure to check back soon for a full review on Brian Bennett for cnet.com and this has been a first look at the BlackBerry mini stereo speaker