The Basics:

Out of the box, we have the GroovyR, as pictured in the below left image. It has a somewhat subdued appearance that looks like a traditional speaker. The outer ring is brushed Aluminum, the black grille is actually covered in fabric, and the logo at the center doubles as a button and LED status indicator. The whole thing is just 120mm in diameter and 32mm deep, but there are two 3W speakers inside.



The above right image, and the promotional image below, show the connections and controls found on the GroovyR. There is an on/off switch, a Micro USB connector for power, an 1/8" stereo jack for wired audio, and a volume dial. Everything is well labeled and easy to operate, so there should be no problems with using the GroovyR.



The next two images show the side of the device at 180 degrees from where we found the connections. This is where LUXA2 has incorporated their combination device holder and wall hanger. The below left image shows the holder hidden away inside the housing, revealing just the outline of where to find it and the rubber strip provided to cushion your device against the speaker when in use. Pressing the small dimple shown in the below left image allows the holder to swivel out as seen in the below right image. A slight click lets you know it is fully opened and latched to stay that way. I found that the stand would work well for something like an iPod, if it didn't have a case installed, but with my mobile phone or tablet that have cases, using the holder was not very practical. It wound up being a tight fit, and the devices would stand up perfectly straight, making it difficult to interact with the screen.



The two images above also give you a good look at the side of the GroovyR housing where you can see the transition from the grey plastic housing to the upper band of brushed Aluminum.

The next two images show the bottom of the portable speaker to reveal a few features. First, in the below right image we can see the brass rimmed hole through the bottom of the holder. This is the wall hanger, that can be used to attached the GroovyR to a vertical surface. Next, in both images we can see three arcs of lighter grey rubber attached to the bottom of the housing. These serve the purpose of holding the device in place (in vertical or horizontal installations), as well as reducing vibrations that might detract from the sound produced by the speaker.



The hanger works well when you find something small enough to fit through the hole, which wasn't always possible for me. It worked well on a pegboard hook in the garage, but out by the pool most of the nails or screws that I use for hanging other things had heads that were bigger than the hole. If the GroovyR had something like a "J" shaped notch, like many retail packages use for hanging in store, the compatibility would be increased. Needless to say, I used the device more in a horizontal installation.

Given its physical size, and with a total weight of 230 grams, the GroovyR is definitely portable. Next we will see if you would really want to carry it around with you.