Monster ClarityHD Micro Wireless Speaker

The Monster Micro is a high definition wireless speaker and speakerphone that allows people to enjoy music, movies and deliver calls by using Bluetooth connectivity. Although the front and back grilles have different color options sold separably depending on customers' preference, the default came in all-black. It is nicely appreciated because according to the color effect, black is usually associated with dominance, which speaks to Monster's overall style, ethos and its dominance over the industry (also the main color for most of its products). Black products are also perceived to be classy with a sense of status and authority.

Different from many conventional audio controls that has a number of buttons (play, pause, stop, fast forward/ backward...), Monster Micro only has 3 visible control buttons at the top. The "O" button in particular, holds multiple functionalities (play/pause, answer/reject calls, mute, etc.) which should be applied with short press, long press, or double press accordingly. This simple and concise design addresses the 80/20 rule as it integrates most functionalities into just a few visible features, but at the same time it also impedes the products learnability and memorability. I have been using this speaker for quite a while but still got confused by them and make mistakes from time to time.

One of the major functionalities of this speaker is voice command. This increases the product's accessibility since it does not require hands to operate. Before voicing commands, users need to say the trigger word "Hello Monster Micro" first. This speech interface incorporates constraint as it prevent users from accidentally triggering the speaker to perform something. In other words, not responding unless trigger command is given reduces chances of slips, user errors caused by unintentional actions as such.

However, the range of functionalities provided by voice command is quite limited and it was not designed with the capability to understand long or complex sentences. To reduce possible user frustration, the device also provides guided prompts that let users know their options and get them back on track ("Always remember the 'What can I say' command"). Directed dialog that require specific responses, such as the question "Should I call back last incoming?"(where the answer is simply "Yes" or "No") are also structured to minimize errors, .

Although Monster Micro conveys information mostly through voice, it still makes users' current status "visible" by saying, for example, "Searching......" when looking for devices to pair up with. It also delivers feedback through the speech interface to indicate what has been accomplished. For instance, as Monster Micro is connected to cell phones (or other devices) via Bluetooth, it will say "No phone found" when connection fails and "Your device is connected" when they connect. Therefore, although we cannot visually see what's happening, it is relatively easy to learn and navigate because it speaks at every action.

Nevertheless, the voice command should improve in terms of tolerance. As a non-native English speaker, I often speak with accent when I'm not being super mindful of that and the pitch could be different from that of native speakers. Sometimes when I issued a command to Micro, it will either remain silent or direct me back to the guide, which was frustrating.

Overall, the Monster Micro is a decent product. The controls could be a little confusing, but the voice command offers some advantages, although not very sophisticated. I would recommend it to people who enjoy outdoor activities such as camping, road trips, picnic at parks, and people who would like some music while working in environments where they need to keep their hands free. So for example, it'll be a decent choice when you are cooking in kitchen and your hands are all greasy and do not want to touch ANYTHING.....