Motorola MOTOROKR EQ5

A compact and stylish portable speaker system featuring Bluetooth, the MOTOROKR EQ5 does a reasonable job of both music playback and call handling. This versatile unit can stream music wirelessly from any phone that features A2DP Bluetooth, but also offers support for devices that have a standard 3.5mm audio jack.

Motorola has done a reasonable job in the construction of this unit, which is designed with portability in mind. A convenient kickstand on the rear allows the EQ5 to stand upright on a desk or table; when it's closed, the compact system is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket. The design is sleek and attractive: a gloss black finish on the front contrasts nicely with the rubberised sides and rear, while chrome edging and the etched Motorola logo on the front provide finishing touches.

The EQ5 is certainly easy to set up and use. Pairing is a simple process — simply turn on the unit and it automatically enters pairing mode. Once paired, a small LED indicates the status of the unit. A combination of green, red, blue and yellow flashes convey information such as standby mode, incoming calls and music streaming.

For music playback, the EQ5 does a reasonable job considering its size. On a device this small the lack of bass is no surprise. It distorts at higher volumes and produces a muddy sound overall, but for a system that can travel with you it does a reasonably solid job on the whole. At near full volume, the EQ5 manages to provide enough sound to fill a small room, but being so small its acoustics aren't great.

In addition to A2DP Bluetooth streaming, the EQ5 also handles phone calls, much in the same way as a dedicated speakerphone. We were pleased to find that it does an excellent job; we managed to hold a conversation at least five metres away from the unit. The small microphone located on the right side seems to do a good job at picking up your voice even when you aren't close by. Although we wouldn't rely on it for day-to-day use in an office, the EQ5 seems to be a handy option for taking business calls while travelling. It's a functional alternative to using hotel phones for conference calls, for example.

Our main complaint is the stubborn power key. This slider button at the bottom of the unit requires a ridiculous amount of force, so it's a major annoyance when powering the unit on or off. The same applies to the USB and audio jack covers — those without long fingernails will quickly become frustrated trying to open them. Thankfully, the rest of the controls don't suffer the same issues. A call handling button, volume control and music playback controls are neatly located on the top and sides of the EQ5 and provide reasonable tactility.