Pill 2.0
A small Bluetooth speaker with NFC pairing, audio input and output, and USB phone charging.
Model history · 2 models, 2012–2013
- 2012Pill (2012)Compare
- 2013Pill 2.0
- Type
- Portable speaker
- Atmos
- No
- Connects by
- Bluetooth
- Battery
- 7 h
- Weight
- 0.31 kg
What reviewers say
Both publications like the compact design and useful phone-charging and pairing features, but find weak bass and stronger-sounding rivals at the price. Their other judgements differ; iLounge reports clean treble and respectable calls, while SoundGuys hears harsh highs and poor call quality, and finds the Bose SoundLink Mini more solidly built.
From ilounge.com and soundguys.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specSound
- Type
- Portable speaker
- Dolby Atmos
- No
- Drivers
- Four small full-range drivers (iLounge)
Connections
- Wi-Fi
- No
- Bluetooth
- Yes
- AirPlay
- No
- Voice assistants
- None
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth audio and NFC pairing; tap an NFC device against the pairing point
- Ports
- Micro-USB charging, USB charge-out under a rotating base cover, and separate 3.5 mm audio input and output sockets
- Multi-room
- Tap two units together once for Amplify mode or twice for left and right stereo playback
Design
- Battery life (maker's claim)
- Up to 7 hours
- Weight
- 0.31 kg
- Battery life detail
- Seven-hour maker claim reported by SoundGuys; charging another device reduces playback time
- Controls
- Rear power button, volume controls and multifunction b button for playback, tracks and calls
- Microphones
- Internal speakerphone microphone
- Size
- Weight of 310 g reported by EFTM
- In the box
- Speaker, carrying case, audio cable, Micro-USB cable and power adaptor (iLounge)
Pros and cons
Pros
- NFC phone and speaker pairing
- USB output can charge a connected phone
- Audio input and output sockets
Cons
- No water-resistance rating published
- No Wi-Fi or AirPlay
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Atmos | Connects by | Battery | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portable speaker | No | Bluetooth | 7 h | 0.325 kg | Oct 2012 | |
| Portable speaker | No | Bluetooth | 12 h | 0.75 kg | Oct 2015 | |
| Portable speaker | No | Bluetooth | 20 h | 0.8 kg | 2016 |
Previous model: Pill (2012). Newer model: Pill+.
Sources
- bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/96701.pdf
- prnewswire.com/news-releases/feel-the-music-not-the-wires-beats-electronics-gro…
- ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/beats-electronics-beats-pill-2-0-bluetooth-…
- soundguys.com/bose-soundlink-mini-vs-beats-pill-2-0-4357
- eftm.com/2014/10/a-new-pill-our-review-of-the-beats-by-dr-dre-pill-2-0-17634
- argos-support.co.uk/2599485-beats-pill-20-white