How to tell if you’ll love the Nokia Play 360°

January 12, 2012

(15 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)

It wasn’t that long ago when mobile music meant carrying a device the size of a small suitcase. The first real boom box, called the Superscope was launched by Marantz in 1976, but the heyday of the ghetto blaster was the eighties, when they just kept getting louder and bigger.

Mad for music?

Faster forward to 2012 and you get as much music power in something a quarter of the size. The Nokia Play 360°, for example, has been called a “little barrel of omnidirectional audio” and a “clever little blob”, but how do you know if this wireless speaker is right for you? Simple, see if you fulfill these criteria.

Photo by Marantz

You want your music to sound fantastic

Ever since Bell Labs engineers, Chester W. Rice and Edward W. Kellogg invented the first electrostatic loudspeaker in 1921, speakers have delivered sound in one direction only. Not anymore, the Nokia Play 360° plays your tunes in a clear 360-degree radius. This omnidirectional soundstage completely and evenly fills your surroundings in every direction. Besides high treble, the bass reflex chamber ensures rich, deep tones. What’s more, if you invest in two Nokia Play 360°’s you can connect them to enjoy

high-quality stereo surround sound. Trust us, your eardrums will say thank you.

You want to play your music anywhere, with anyone

Robert Browning, the English poet once said. “He who hears music, feels his solitude peopled at once.” Living in Victorian England his idea of chillin’ to tunes was probably more string quartet than Basement Jaxx. That said the sentiment still rings true. If you’re feeling lonely there’s no better cure than cranking up your music. With the Nokia Play 360°, you can do that anywhere, anytime. Wireless and with an optimal battery life of up to 21 hours, your music goes where you go. Added to that, it plays not just your music but if they have a Bluetooth or NFC enabled device, your friends’ music, too. If you want a party in your pocket, look no further.

21 hours

You want your music easy

Research has shown that smartphone users are some of the heaviest consumers of music, with 42% claiming to have a collection of between 2-5,000 songs and 27% listening for 4-6 hours per day. But what’s the point of all that if you can’t find a simple way to enjoy it? The Nokia Play 360° is compatible with all phones, music players and other devices, which support Bluetooth v. 2.1 + EDR.

What’s more, besides connecting with Bluetooth it can be plugged into any 3.5 mm audio connector. And let’s not forget the design. The premium aluminum case doesn’t just look great, it’s sturdy as well as stylish. There’s also a Nokia Battery BL-5C, which is long lasting, rechargeable and easy to replace. These features combined make all music easy listening.

Has the Play 360° ticked all your boxes? If the answer is a passionate yes, we’re willing to bet our entire record collection that you’ll get as loved up with it as we are. And if you’ve already fallen head over heels, why not share details of your musical romance below.

« View all stories

Showing all 14 comments

Eddie February 02 , 2012 @ 11:24

Looks the business, thats for sure. Does it sound any good though? And how much does it cost??

Loud and Gear February 05 , 2012 @ 09:46

I’ve got one Eddie and I think it really does rock. And looking at the other comments here, looks like I’m not alone. Retail price is 149 euros, but you can probably shop around online for a deal.

Tiny Tim February 03 , 2012 @ 04:07

I’ve got two of these for stereo. I love them. They replaced my Nakamichi because they sound so good. It really fills the room up with music in a different and fuller way then the regular stereo system. I love the fact you can just pick them up and move them from room to room and they are very easy to use. Best price I found was Amazon. I hope we can start seeing Nokia products available at carriers or at Nokia online or Microsoft store online. Why hide them under a hay stack.

Loud and Gear February 13 , 2012 @ 20:22

Great to hear that you’re enjoying them, Tim. I’ve heard them in stereo, too and I agree the sound is different. Totally understand what you’re saying regarding availability. Trust us, we’re working hard to fix that and make sure everyone who wants our gear can get hold of it.

Micheál February 06 , 2012 @ 18:30

It sounds great. I have one and I use it with my N8, my laptop and an Android tablet. In every case, the sound is great, either using Bluetooth or wired. I bought mine on Amazon for £88 just before Christmas. Only the black one was available at that price and the other colours were more expensive.

Loud and Gear February 13 , 2012 @ 20:40

Sounds like you got a bargain, Micheál! Cool to hear that it works so well with such a wide variety of devices. I use mine a lot with my laptop too and it works a treat.

Noel February 07 , 2012 @ 08:22

This would be perfect for my office. Currently have computer speakers and they are ruuuuubish!!!! They work with laptop too, right?

Mikko March 15 , 2012 @ 14:22

Yes, You can use them with Your laptop either over Bluetooth or with the cord.

Just got one of these myself and they work great ! I can connect to my Nokia phone, my iPad, my laptop. Give very nice sound and volume, and the portability is great. Now I need to get another one to test the stereo…

Liz March 12 , 2012 @ 23:39

It’s hard to tell how big these are! It would be nice to know the dimensions.

tru2psu March 13 , 2012 @ 01:00

Interesting technology – similar to the Jawbone Jam Box. Interested in the cost.

Emma Geraln (@EmmaGeraln) March 13 , 2012 @ 01:24

Looks pretty good, the concept isn’t new so I suppose it’s all about the quality and price.

Ed March 13 , 2012 @ 01:25

With Bluetooth and the life on a charge – brilliant

Leon De Silva March 13 , 2012 @ 02:34

X-mini rival … nice =) !

Vicki March 13 , 2012 @ 03:27

Very interesting

Loud and Gear

Nokia