- Motorola Pad 70 Groove just launched in india, with wider release in August
- The bezels and back tote 4 tweeters, 3 woofers and 2 passive radiators
- Will likely be great for movies and music — annoying for other commuters
We've seen loudspeakers come in all shapes and sizes, but JBL's latest has some odd additions. There's the 12.1-inch screen, the cameras, the pretty in-depth user interface... oh, it's a tablet, isn't it?
Meet the Moto Pad 70 Groove, a new touchscreen handheld which has just launched in India, ahead of a general sale in early August. There's no word on global availability, mind — and given that the other Moto Pad products are India-only, I'm not holding my breath.
Anyway, this is a new mid-range Android slate which has an array of JBL-tuned speakers as the central feature. There are nine speakers in all: four tweeters, three woofers, and two passive radiators, and they're all arranged together behind the grille on the back of the tablet. Audiophiles might wince at that sardine-like placement, but it is what it is.
The tablet has a kickstand so you can aim the speaker in different directions (or, more accurately, lift the tablet so the speakers aren't facing directly down into a table). The brand seems to be pitching the set-up for movie streaming (the display is 2.5K, with Dolby Vision), and playing music out loud — the max output is 48W.
Buy it or skip it?
I've tested smartphones and tablets designed for audio before, and I've yet to hear anything that comes remotely close to the best Bluetooth speakers, even cheaper ones.
Portable devices just don't offer the stereo spacing you'd want for a great audio sound — and the Groove's rear speaker stack might make the tablet rather unwieldy for use as an everyday slate.
If you're still curious to test it, I covered leaked renders of the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 several months ago, and the device is now on sale for $399 / £369 (about AU$700). It has the same speaker system, kickstand, attached tablet... in fact, it seems to be basically the same thing (Lenovo owns Motorola, so there are no accusations of plagiarism here).
Still, I think I'd rather buy an actual Bluetooth speaker and just pair that to my current tablet, rather than buy a brand-new one just for its novelty. Thankfully, I happen to know of a website where they test gadgets just like that...
➡️ Read our full guide to the best Bluetooth speakers
1. Best overall:
JBL Flip 7
2. Best cheap:
JBL Clip 5
3. Best high-end option:
Bang & Olufsen A1 3rd Gen
4. Best party speaker:
Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
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