First impression is that you get a lot for your money. For just over $30, this is an impressive box and weight. It actually feel like you have bought something quality like and not just another Chinese mass produced product (even though it is).
Unpacking
The box really is all speaker. There is a small box of wires and a manual, but other than that the Intempo speaker takes up all the space. You also get a double jack lead, which I will get back to. And then most puzzling of the lot, you get a power cord with a UK main plug. No adaptor. I didn’t have a UK adaptor for an Australian plug. To me, that is just poor consumer maintenance. If I can’t use your new toy straight out of the box, I get frustrated and annoyed. I want to try it out right now.
I got in contact with Mobile Zap, and they assured me it was a warehouse mistake and sent out a converter plug quick smart. All good.
Setup
Once I got the speaker powered up and the Bluetooth was turned on, I hooked up my Nokia Lumia 1020 in about 5 seconds. One thing to be aware of though is that there are some confirmation noises made by the Intempo Speaker. Once when you turn it on, once when you connect the Bluetooth to your device, and once when you disconnect. The noises are loud, obnoxious and you can’t adjust the volume, because there is no volume on the speaker. It sounds like an angry goose, and I am not sure why they can’t just be a quiet beep.
Sound Quality
Hmmmm, how do I put it gently? The sound reminds me of background music at a mechanic’s workshop. It is non-offending, tinny and somewhat resembling of noise. It is not a bad sound, it is just not very good. The unit does have two speakers built in to it, but I can’t really tell. It sounds very much like a mono unit.
Value
In the end, it is all about value. And to be honest, it is not bad value. For just over $30 you do get a decent speaker. I also use the JBL PlayUp, and the sound of that is just so much fuller and richer. However, that does cost over $150, so you would expect a better sound.
If you are looking for a convenient cheap unit that is easy to set up and use, then the Intempo is a good choice. I would probably spend a little more and get better sound to be honest. To get the Intempo TableTop iTower Bluetooth Speaker and other Nokia Lumia 1020 accessories, our friends at Mobile Zap have a lot more: http://www.mobilezap.com.au/33905/nokia/lumia-1020.htm
Disclaimer: The Intempo TableTop iTower Bluetooth Speaker was provided by Mobile Zap for this review, however, they have had no influence on the content apart from the link to their site.