We test out Motorola’s Moto Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa support, which turns your Moto Z smartphone into a voice-activated Echo-style device. Is it any good, and how does it compare with the JBL SoundBoost 2 speaker?
Motorola’s Moto Mods bolt-on accessories are still going strong over a year since launch. That’s certainly great news for owners of one of the Moto Z mobiles, as it’s one of the biggest reasons for owning these handsets.
We’ve seen quite a few Mods hit the UK in that year, with the latest being this snazzy Smart Speaker. Of course, Motorola already launched the JBL SoundBoost 2 Mod back with the original Moto Z phone, which boosted the blower’s audio for more powerful sound. The new Smart Speaker Mod is an upgraded effort, with a bigger battery and support for Amazon Alexa.
Moto Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa unboxing and review
Check out our full unboxing, setup and hands-on review of the Moto Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa below.
Moto Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa vs JBL SoundBoost 2: What’s the difference?
The Smart Speaker appears on the surface to be very similar to the JBL SoundBoost 2, which came out over a year ago. Both of these Mods offer improved audio quality as well as power, compared with your Moto Z’s internal speaker. You can expect 6W output, with 82db from the Smart Speaker and 80db from the SoundBoost.
Motorola has also packed a secondary battery inside both of these Mods. That means they don’t leech power from your Moto Z mobile, so you can blast music all day long without killing your phone.
However, the Smart Speaker offers a larger battery than JBL’s Moto Mod. This new Alexa-driven Mod packs a 1530mAh cell, while the SoundBoost 2 has a much smaller capacity 1000mAh battery. The result is up to 15 hours of playback from the new Smart Speaker and up to 10 hours from the SoundBoost.
Both speaker mods are splash proof, although not fully water resistant. The Smart Speaker is a little bulkier and heavier than JBL’s Mod, mostly to accommodate that larger battery.
The new Smart Speaker also comes built for Amazon’s Alexa AI assistant. Four far-field mics can detect your voice calling ‘Alexa’ from across the room and then listen for your command.
Moto Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa UK price and release date
You can buy the new Smart Speaker with Alexa support right now from Amazon and Motorola. The Mod costs £99 here in the UK.
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