*** Hardware
The device comes in black plastic, the design is kept plump and rise obliquely backwards, as you know it from the competition from the Apple camp. So nothing fancy but a Augenschmeichler in a desk-compatible size.
Front there are only 3 LED-illuminated buttons (On / Off, Loud, Soft) and Bluetooth activity. Rear is plugged the power adapter, and there is a normal USB port and a "Aux in" input to connect other audio sources.
On the lower side there is a flap, behind which one can insert 4 AA batteries to operate the device independently of the mains.
*** Connections
There is already a huge step forward that the manufacturers of Android phones on Micro-USB port on the smartphone as agreed. This micro USB connector can also be found on the central dock. However, there are the androids in countless housing versions and there is no fixed specification, where because of the USB port has to sit. There have accessory manufacturer for Apple technology definitely easier.
To the greatest possible variety of Androids to meet, Philips has designed the USB port mobile. So you can the slip 10cm reciprocate and the USB connector itself is still rotatable by 180 ° and is framed by two height-adjustable "props". That's when my HTC Desire HD and everything necessary because on the one hand sits the socket on the phone is not in the center and on the other hand, the display would show as delivered to the rear. The flexible connection technology that is but a matter of seconds, until the device is placed centrally on the docking station. It also manages to move phones like the HTC Desire S with sideways attached USB connection for employees. Operation then of course only in landscape mode.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The USB port is * only * required to charge the phone. It is not designed to transfer music, which is all done via Bluetooth. Ultimately, you can hear music so even if the phone in BT reach rumgammelt somewhere in space. Thus making it clear that you need a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone ;-)
A connected for testing purposes with the included jack cable iPod worked without any problems, so you are relatively flexible in terms of the audio source.
*** Software
Philips introduces the "Play Store" own app called Fidelio for controlling the phone together with the docking station free of charge. However, Android has to be at least version 2.1, otherwise goes there nix. It is advisable to install the app before putting the hardware, because then the necessary Bluetooth coupling designed as a plug and play.
When plugging the phone into the USB port on the docking station, the docking is Station turned on (if not already on) automatically starts and the Fidelio app or until it is asked whether Bluetooth should be activated and after successful connection to AS351 then the actual app launched. This behavior is configurable.
The Fidelio app then shows up as a surface for three different radio ions: listening to music by Songbird (Download is available), the radio via TuneIn and a full-screen clock display with weather. This can be done even various settings (eg, the starting performance or very, very simple sound settings) or disconnect and establish a Bluetooth connection to the docking station.
Nice detail: If Bluetooth is turned off when plugging, it is also disabled after exiting the Fidelio app again.
The Fidelio app is the way to use also for other Android docks of Philips, the comments on the software (see below) should therefore * probably * are also there.
*** Conclusion
The device gets to me smooth 4 stars. The hardware and haptics is a unit of price range appropriate to the sound good at low or middle range. When things get loud, you come to the small speaker membranes to the limits of physics. But you can certainly fill a small room just fine and will not get a headache (at least not by the sound!). If it is too low, then please look at that in the mobile phone, the media volume is adjustable - so turn up there and it also works with the neighbors ;-)
Why then "only" 4 stars? Now, the Fidelio app unfortunately does not work all of a piece and it is not particularly intuitive. TuneIn is, for example, therefore with no visible controls and if you want to stop the radio times briefly, one puzzled first, how to do it (Pro tip: on the screen tap ;-))
Songbird is a nice music player, which you also can use elsewhere. At my HTC, he turns off the screen, leading to the CPU throttling and leads to short stuttering during playback. Remedied by the switch to the built-clocks screensaver that lets the display. Here one would then want title information and a few controls.
Yet not far reproducible peculiarity: When a call comes in, the media output is stopped. One pulls the phone on the dock and can take the call. However, the web radio has with me during the Tele fonts turned on once again. Possibly, because I moved from the Blutooth area out, in any case bring very confusing for everyone involved and hectic the app in the foreground and stop is not something you want to do at every call.
Turning off the dock during a media player will not turn on principle but playback from the internal speakers. That should do it, but is relatively normal with Bluetooth.
All in all, thumbs, the Android world to support high for Philips with decent hardware. And on the software one can work even ;-)
