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With remote work more common than ever, a speakerphone like the AnkerWork S600 is a surefire way to improve the quality of your voice calls, no matter the environment. But the S600 goes a step further by adding AI to the mix, picking up individual voices and blocking out unwanted noise.
The S600 is currently available as part of Kickstarter, where you can back the device for a limited early bird price of $113. Based on the discount AnkerWork listed on Kickstarter, the final retail price will be around $180 when sold through retail stores and Anker's website. It's a great deal if you want a speakerphone with these features, but is AI really worth it? We think so.
AI is not just a gimmick
While there are certainly other Bluetooth speakers and speakerphones out there, some of which can block out ambient noise like barking dogs, the S600 stands out as one of the first speakerphones with AI-powered voiceprint recognition. I am. This technology uses built-in algorithms and neural networks to focus on a specific person's voice and block out all other noise.
It's an ambitious proposal, but it works surprisingly well in practice. I tested a number of calls in a variety of environments, including outdoors, in the kitchen, in a small room with lots of echoes, and in an office with near-constant background noise.
Voiceprint technology could instantly recognize my voice and the voices of those around me. He had two methods to reduce background noise. One is to mute the microphone when I'm not speaking. Second, I applied noise canceling to sound sources other than mine. The end result was that I couldn't hide everything, but everything sounded clean.
Noise cancellation is not new, but the ability to quickly identify the source of sound is. AnkerWork claims that the S600's VoiceRadar 3.5 technology can identify over 300 types of background noise, and while it was impossible to test every possible scenario, it was definitely solid in the environment I tested it with. It looked like he was doing a great job. It also has echo cancellation, which is useful when testing in a small room, and would be perfect for a small home office.
Design and portability
Credit: Joshua Hawkins
The S600's minimalist design makes it extremely portable. My unit was a pre-release model, but I was told it was supposed to be the same as the real thing. Essentially, the S600 looks like a coffee shop cup flipped on its head and added a speaker and some buttons. It has a simple design that does not compromise functionality. There are only two physical buttons. One is the power button, and the other is a button to pair with your device via Bluetooth. It also features several touch controls, allowing you to pause and play music, accept and decline calls, change volume levels, and even mute the sound or sample someone's voiceprint. .
The S600 also features two USB-C ports, one for charging the built-in battery, which Ankerwork says provides up to 16 hours of lifespan, and one for charging directly to devices like computers and smartphones. This is a port that can be connected. The top of the device features a hinged MagSafe Qi2 wireless charger that can charge your phone at up to 15W during calls. The charger can be rotated up to 70 degrees, allowing you to position your phone in a comfortable position for video calls or whatever else you need.
The S600's speakers surround the device, and there are four microphones at the bottom that capture noise and audio from 360 degrees around you. It's fine for playing music, but the lack of real bass means you might want more music-oriented speakers.
A speakerphone that realizes
Credit: Joshua Hawkins
Overall, I'm very impressed with the S600. Since I received the device early, I had to jump through some hoops to install a beta version of the software to take full advantage of the voiceprint technology, but once that was done the initial setup was actually It was very easy. The final unit does not need to jump beyond these boundaries.
By the way, you don't have to worry about the security of this device. All recordings, including voiceprints, are stored entirely on the speakerphone and are never sent to the cloud.
Pairing the smartphone with the speakerphone was easy, and changing volume and other settings using the touch controls was easy. I didn't experience any connectivity issues while using the speakerphone. The quality is clear enough for important business calls.
The device itself is quite attractive, if not a bit simple, so you don't have to worry about it becoming an eyesore on your desk. Additionally, the ability to directly charge your phone while the device is in use is useful. If you frequently receive calls on your mobile phone, AnkerWork S600 is the perfect everyday work tool. Shipping of units will begin after the Kickstarter campaign ends on May 20th.
