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Freshly Squeezed Reviews: Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Mar 3, 2013 | Reviews | 0 comments

Product: AudioGlove

Manufacturer: AudioGlove.Net <audioglove.net>

Requirements: iPhone (various)

Price: 3G, 3GS $10.00; 4, 4S $35.00; 5 $40.00

Test Rig: iPhone 4S

AudioGlove

Hello. My name is Frank. And I am a podcast hoarder.
I probably collect about 40 hours of podcasts a week, both video and audio. I capture my video podcasts on my iPad with iCatcher. And I use Apple’s podcast app to corral all of my audio podcasts on my iPhone.
Now, if I’m in a coffee shop or somewhere else in public I tend to use my EarPods to listen to a podcast. But when I’m at home, I like to just hear them in the open air. Problem: the speakers face away from you. So, you loose volume and lots of it.

So I found someone who created a little shell to attach to your iPad, that cups the speaker and redirects the sound towards you. Needless to say, the sound is about twice as loud.
But what about my iPhone? There’s no such device. Until now.
“The AudioGlove is a polycarbonate protective case that also features an acoustically engineered retractable waveguide chamber that “naturally” amplifies the sound coming to and from the iPhone. This patented Natural Sound Amplification™ technology requires no batteries, headphones, cords or docks.”

Okay. Let’s give a listen.

THE JUICE

AudioGlove is extremely simple. It’s a two piece case. You insert your iPhone into the top half of the case, making sure that the camera lens/power button/sound/mute buttons are correctly lined up. Once done with that, you slide on the bottom half of the case until it snaps into place.

Once on and opened, you will notice a decidedly louder iPhone. Not only does it purportedly increase the phone’s volume by a reported 12db (it sounds like more, actually), but it also helps reduce your microphone’s background noise when making phone calls (or converse with Siri, if thats your thing).

 

THE PULP

I found the AudioGlove quite snug when trying to place it on my iPhone 4S. I’m not the most nimble person, but this was difficult to the point that I thought that I was going to break the case.
I did find that the more that I opened and closed the case, the easier it moved, however. Perhaps, it’ll grow easier with time. Placing some Vaseline on the case would undoubtedly make it glide smoothly but I’m not putting Vaseline near my iPhone! 
It is easy to recharge your iPhone with the case in the open position. There’s more than enough room to put in your 30-pin charger. The designer wisely put an opening in the bottom of the case for the chargers cord to go through, as well.
And when you close the shell to carry your iPhone about, there are openings in the case directly above the speakers, so you can still hear alerts and ringtones when your AudioGlove is closed.

THE RIND

It doesn’t come with a stand. If I’m lying in bed and listening to a podcast before I go to sleep, that’s no problem. But if I’m sitting at my desk typing and I want to listen to a podcast, the problem is that if I have to lay my iPhone on it’s back, redirecting the sound up towards the ceiling. It’s definitely still louder, but it defeats the very problem that the device is designed to solve.
Yes, I could go out and find a stand for my iPhone. But now I’m looking at a second purchase to make the initial purchase work as designed. And I’ve already paid $35.00USD. And at that price, I feel that a stand should be included, without a doubt.

SUMMARY

AudioGlove does exactly what it promises to do and does it impressively well. It’s a very simple design and it is very well though out. Pragmatic design always makes me smile; it means that someone is actually thinking.
But at this price, not having a stand is to me a possible deal breaker.
So, if the lack of a stand is not a deal breaker for you, go for it. But if it is, it’s back to the EarPods.

RATING: 3 out of 5
©2013 Frank Petrie

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