Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Hey all. Today I received the newly released Anker SoundCore Bluetooth speaker. I couldn't have been more pumped! I love Anker products and their customer service! Anyway, you're here to read my review and I'll try to keep it short and sweet. Anker packaged this SoundCore very well. The black cardboard box is actually quite attractive, if a little misleading on the actual size of the SoundCore as its quite a bit bigger. On the inside you'll see the speaker is tucked away behind some more cardboard for protection and to the right, a small cardboard sleeve with your micro USB charger. Immediately I was kind of bummed this speaker wasn't yet using USB-C as it will become the new standard. The speaker is very light, as my similar in size jam box mini seems heavier. It's nicely built and has a good feel in your hand. Powering on the speaker was a breeze by simply holding the power button. It was ready for immediate pairing so I paired it to my iPhone 6S Plus. I started to play PSY's new song "Daddy" (don't hate on me just yet, OK?) The speaker was quite loud and completely clear at max volume. "Bass" isn't quite there, but it is clear and not hollow sounding. However, it gave me a beep and disconnected. My iPhone said it was still connected but the music had paused. I didn't think much of it at first but I wanted to compare sound to my other MUCH used Anker Bluetooth speaker. I've supplied some pictures quickly comparing the two. My square Anker speaker sounded just as clear at full volume, albeit not quite as loud. We're talking maybe a few clicks higher on the volume scale. But, that's OK. The SoundCore is an attractive speaker and it sounds very nice compared to its price point. I hooked back up to the SoundCore, and I had connectivity issues again, and again. Finally I was able to get half way through the song while keeping my phone, which was a foot away, paired with the SoundCore. Overall, it's another Anker product which means it is attractive, and built well. Competition in its price range may exist, but Anker carries the brand name I trust. My three star rating is due to my issues that seem to be pausing my music. If I hit play, the music typically resumes. UPDATE: 12/6 Anker has reached out to me to let me know that the speaker stops playing at loud volumes to protect from hearing / device damage. I exclaimed my dissatisfaction with this as the SoundCore speakers higher volume was one of my biggest reasons for liking this speaker. They told me that a new version would be coming out within a week or two to remedy this fault. I will update my review when i'm able to get my hands on it. Final update 12/28/2015 I received my new SoundCore speaker and I am happy to announce that this new speaker does not have the audio issues my first speaker did. The speaker is able to go to full volume while continuing consistent playback with great sound for a speaker at this price. There are no notable differences between the two speakers other than my original issue being resolved. If all of this really was just a "bug" or planned execution to save the speakers and/or prevent hearing damage to just be updated and fixed at a later date, I'm a bit disappointed but I do like the speaker. Ankers customer service has been exceptional and they've been keeping in contact with me all along the way. I've updated my original rating.