MacStories Product Review: SuperTooth Buddy

Despite our daily commutes, it’s almost required that we stay connected on our mobile devices during the long drive to and from work. Bluetooth accessories and various car kits have exploded in the automobile market, and many new vehicles come with phone syncing capabilities built in. As people consider the safety hazards of driving and choose to focus on the road instead of their phones, many purchase an in-car speaker or bluetooth headset so both hands can stay on the steering wheel. SuperTooth is one of the companies whom offers various solutions for motorcycles and automobiles to keep your hands off your ears. One of their latest products is small, pocketable, and doesn’t require a mechanic to install. Today we’re looking at the SuperTooth Buddy, a small handsfree Bluetooth speaker that goes where you go.

One of my biggest concerns when it comes to any car-kit is its portability. Anytime we leave something attached to the dash, the windshield, or our sun visors, we risk our sometimes expensive goods becoming theft items. Having seen several break-ins on campus and at the gym, I’d rather not have my window shattered for some clunky or expensive adapter. Staying hands free while driving is important to me, even if talking on the phone is legal in a neighboring state, and so is keeping my personal belongings out of site. Enter the SuperTooth Buddy, a small, yet pocketable Bluetooth speaker that’s travel and talk ready.

The SuperTooth Buddy is tiny, and comes with a magnetic clip for easy attach ability to your sun visor. Thanks to the magnet, you can quickly snap the Buddy in place, then remove it and slip it in your messenger bag once you arrive at your destination. The clip-less design makes this Bluetooth speaker attractive for my needs, and the best part is that it universally works with any Bluetooth enabled phone. Setup was quick and painless.

There is no soft rubber texture as on the SuperTooth Disco, rather the shell is a hard piece of matte plastic topped with a glossy stripe over the speaker branded with the company and product name. One end of the Buddy is a squishier plastic (near the USB port), though I’m not sure why this is. Otherwise, the unit is adorned with a total of five buttons for power, to start the call, end the call, and to change the volume.

Operating the SuperTooth Buddy is very simple: you can simply power the speaker on, then press the call button to start a call. The Motorola Droid I tested this speaker with asked me to speak the name of the person whom I was calling, and it quickly placed my call. To end the call, I simply pressed the red button. The buttons are all easy to press, and didn’t get in the way of placing a call.

The call quality is passable, and the volume can be adjusted loud enough to hear your conversation over traffic. However, an open window will quickly drown out the call. The caller whom I tested the Buddy with noted the quality to be a bit “tinny,” and I agree I felt the same about the sound on my end. I don’t expect any better from my phone, though if you’re looking for a bluetooth speaker that blocks out background noise, the Buddy may not be the best choice.

An interesting note about the SuperTooth Buddy is that it charges via USB. The Buddy isn’t smart nor does it connect to any computer software, but the included (large and ugly) auto charger has a USB port which attaches the included USB cable. If the Buddy is on the magnet clip, you the USB port will be hidden and inaccessible. It’s too bad the location wasn’t on the side of the device so you could talk and recharge the Buddy at the same time. SuperTooth claims you can get up to twenty hours of talk time with the Buddy. So far, I haven’t been able to run down the battery of my review unit over the course of a week, talking for an hour each day. Needless to say, you won’t be charging the Buddy often unless you talk constantly.

The SuperTooth Buddy is a great companion to have on hand when driving, and I love that it’s easily detachable to slip into my bag. For the simplicity and the quality of the Buddy, I think the price is pretty affordable on Amazon. You can find it for around $40 USB at various online retailers, although SuperTooth does sell it direct for $59 Euros, which ends up being about $85 USD. It’s simple, just works, and offers great battery life in a small package.