I’ve used a number of portable Bluetooth speakers over the years, but I have to say few of them covered the range of use like the Divoom Airbeat-10. The Airbeat-10 is the perfect portable speaker for anyone who wants to listen to music or take phone calls, no matter where they are.
Overview
The Divoom Airbeat-10 is a portable, waterproof, speakerphone-capable speaker that can be attached to your bicycle, or stuck to the wall in your shower. This utilitarian-looking speaker measures at just around 3.4-in high by 3.1-in wide and around 1.8-inches deep. It weighs in at just 5.5 ounces, so it’s easy to take along. Throw it in your backpack, and you won’t even notice it.
A great feature of the Airbeat-10 is the included suction cup, and bicycle mount. The suction cup allows you to stick the Airbeat-10 on any smooth surface, including glass, or even on smooth shower tiles. (It’s waterproof.) The bike mount allows you to mount the Airbeat on most bicycle handlebars, letting you take your music along with you as you ride.
Pairing the Airbeat-10 with my iPhone 6 Plus was quick and easy, a long push of the “multifunction” button on top of the speaker, select the speaker from my iPhone’s Bluetooth list, and we were ready to go.
Another bonus of the Airbeat is the included speakerphone function. I found the Airbeat to perform admirably as a speakerphone. I was able to hear the party on the other end, and they heard me just fine too. (And as I’ve mentioned before, I’m a “low talker.”)
I mentioned the Airbeat-10’s suction cup can stick to shower tiles and doors. I tried it out in my shower, which has the apartment-standard fiberglass shell for the bath, and while the Airbeat-10 stuck securely to the shower wall, it was easy to remove, and eventually did fall off if left stuck on the enclosure. I had much better results when sticking it to my bathroom mirror. The Airbeat remained on the glass until I removed it.
As far as sound in the shower goes, I listened to both music and podcasts while in the shower, and in both cases the Airbeat-10 delivered very good sound, coming through loud and clear.
The Airbeat also attached firmly to smooth bathroom counters, much to the frustration of my cat, Dino, who enjoys knocking things off of the counter. Score: Airbeat: 1 – Dino: 0.
As shown in the above promotional video, I also stuck the Airbeat-10 up on my sliding glass patio doors. While Divoom says any surface can act as a subwoofer, and while surfaces did add to the bass, I found the bass response a bit lacking in the Airbeat. However, this is to be expected from a small speaker of this type, and should not be counted as much of a drawback.
While I don’t do much bicycling, I can see the advantages of having the Airbeat-10 attached to your bike handlebars, especially if you make or receive a lot of phone calls.
Divoom calls the Airbeat-10 “splashproof,” which seems fair. It performed well in the shower, where it certainly got wet, but was usually not in a direct stream of water. The speaker would likely hold up well if you were caught in the rain while riding your bicycle. If you drop it into a swimming pool… Well… Let me know how that works out for you.
The Airbeat-10 is rated at 6 hours of battery life on a full charge, and while I didn’t time the exact battery life, I did get over a week of shower and other use from the Airbeat-10.
Also included in the box is a short 3.5mm audio cable, for using the Airbeat-10 with non-Bluetooth devices, as well as a USB charging cable. (You supply your own charging source.)
Verdict
Active users who are looking for a small, easy to carry, and rather rugged Bluetooth speakerphone would do well to consider the Divoom Airbeat-10. The speaker has good sound, if lacking a bit in bass. The Airbeat-10 did prove to be waterproof and sounded fine while in the shower. (Sadly, no one called me while I was in the shower, so I can’t testify to the speakerphone function in a shower.)
While there may be speakers on the market that are cheaper, or have more features, the Airbeat-10 offers a great feature set for its price.
Rating:[rating:4.0]
Price: Available at the Divoom website, and at Amazon.com ($29.00 and up)
Pros:
- Good sound from a small speaker.
- Waterproof, always a plus.
- Can attach to any smooth surface with included suction cup.
- Also includes bike clamp for those who enjoy music while riding.
- Speakerphone function worked well.
Cons:
- The bass response is weak, but it’s a small speaker.
For more information about the Divoom Airbeat-10, visit the Divoom website.
