Review: Philips SHOQBOX sound system

If the tunes on your iPod are so fantastic you want your fellow commuters on the train to join you in musical nirvana, or if you suspect repeated use of your in-ear headphones is causing the onset of tinnitus, the SHOQBOX could be your saviour. This is a portable jukebox with a difference - it's got loudspeakers on the side.

Looks and size-wise, its retro stylings pitch the SHOQBOX somewhere between an old 80's ghetto blaster on the one hand and a paracetamol tablet on the other; curious, yet compelling. Although a little too large to fit in your hand, it is pretty compact for all the features hidden inside. As well as 256MB of internal memory, which will hold up to 60 songs in MP3 (120 in WMA format), there's a decent FM radio with room for up to ten preset stations, a sleep timer and an alarm clock. If you think, like we do, that 256MB might not be enough for your music needs, there's also a line-in port that can make the SHOQBOX double-up as a set of speakers for a larger capacity device such as an iPod or for playing your music files from your PC.

Although you'll get decent enough sound quality with headphones (not supplied), it's the built-in speakers that are the main attraction of the player, and in this respect the SHOQBOX fairs quite well. Powered by XSL Acoustics, the sound from these 2x2 watt beauties is certainly loud enough to wake you (and possibly your neighbours) up in the morning, or to listen to amidst the bustle of the great outdoors. However, there's not a great deal of bass to them, and the sound is a little tinnier than you might expect for your 100 quid. You'll get nigh-on ten hours of life from its in-built rechargeable battery - not great by modern jukebox standards, though of course it will run off the mains as well.

As with Philips' more straightforward MP3 players, the SHOQBOX comes supplied with the latest version of Musicmatch Jukebox music management software, which makes file transfers easy and hassle-free. There's a USB lead supplied that plugs straight into the back of the SHOQBOX and once you've put music onto the player you can browse through your collection by way of the buttons on the front (there's no remote though, which would have come in handy). Philips makes up for this however by throwing in a robust and rather stylish travel case to keep the SHOQBOX safe on your journeys. And incidentally, if you're planning to go to next year's football World Cup in Germany, the SHOQBOX is the tournament's official product, so when England most likely crash out in the semis on penalties, it'll be on hand to offer some consolatory sounds.

Verdict:

All in all this is a charming little gadget that's suitable for a range of uses whether you're at home or on the move. The biggest drawback is its limited storage capacity, which considering the player's size is a disappointment, and ultimately diminishes its suitability as a dedicated music player. Battery life too is less than appealing, but if you're looking for a personal radio with extras or a portable set of speakers to hook up to your existing portable jukebox, then the SHOQBOX fits the bill.