The Amazon Tap puts out an impressive amount of sound for such a small device. A few things to note if you're not familiar with the Tap or haven't seen it in person:- It's roughly the size of a glass of water- By default, you do have to press the microphone button to talk to Alexa, but as of an update released on Feb 17th, 2017 there is an option in the Alexa app to make the Tap always listen without pushing the button (at the expense of battery life)- The speaker grille is not metal, though it looks like it in pictures. It's a mesh fabric, similar to what you'd feel on the end of some speaker grilles and micrphones. It's firm and comfortable to hold, but if you push hard enough it does flex. - Using a sling or other case will most likely not allow you to use the charging dock, as there is very little room between the tap and the dock for any kind of case.- You can charge the Tap using either the included dock or by plugging any micro USB cable (one is included) into the back of the speaker.