Have you ever said to yourself, “You know what I need? A portable Bluetooth speaker in the shape of a travel mug that fits right in my cup holder in my car.”? If so, you’re in luck! iCreation’s speeCup is a very convenient, nicely powered speaker that fits your criteria. The speeCup retails for $129.95.
The new UE MINI BOOM is a small speaker with huge sound. It has simple controls, gets up to 10 hours per charge, and offers a 50′ Bluetooth range. Like its big brother the UE Boom, you can wirelessly pair two UE MINI BOOMs via the free iOS or Android UE MINI BOOM app for big, stereo sound. Learn more. We’ll have our full review and audio samples up soon.
I loved the Libratone Zipp I reviewed, and Elana still uses it daily. Now Libratone is introducing the Loop. This $499.95 wireless speaker packs AirPlay, DNLA, and Libratone’s PlayDirect when WiFi isn’t available. Set on the floor, a table, or hung on the wall it promises a great look and sound great. Features: Works wirelessly with iPad, iPhone and Android or Mac/PC, enabling awesome sound through AirPlay or DNLA Can be used without a Wi-Fi network router through Libratone’s patented PlayDirect™ technology Streams wirelessly from Internet radio stations and services such as Pandora and Spotify, as well as integrating with…
Is it time to replace your leaky old showerhead and bring your bathroom into the 21st century? Then you should check out the Kohler Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker. This clever design includes a removable Bluetooth speaker that magnetically inserts into the middle of a 2.5 gpm showerhead with 60 nozzles; its style will look great in any bathroom’s decor. When I was offered the chance to review the Kohler Moxie, there were two things that immediately went through my mind: the first was that I needed to replace the leaking showerhead in our master bathroom anyway, and the second…
speeCup may look like a cup of coffee, but this cup is filled with sound. Available in red, white, or black the $129.95 speeCup is a Siri/S Voice enabled Bluetooth surround sound speaker with gesture control. 8” tall, it has a noise canceling microphone, top mounted controls and up to 20 hours of use per charge. Check it out.
BlueFlame has quite the repertoire of stylish accessories for you mobile needs. One such clever device is their Slingshot wireless, water-resistant speaker. At about $119, this speaker system packs a lot of sound in a small package and can fit into other BlueFlame Slings. Simply pop the speaker unit proper out of one Sling and slip into another. The BlueFlame Slingshot is a compact, portable Bluetooth speaker that permits users to stream audio from a mobile device of choice while also permitting the reception of cell phone calls with its built-in microphone. Boasting increased bass response and improved sound quality…
Supertooth Disco Twin Bluetooth Speakers have a rich, deep sound, great battery life, and a sleek design. Looking for a powerful and portable system? The Supertooth Disco Twin set is only $199 and worth every penny. I owe the world of music an apology. See, for years I’ve blown off having good speakers around, because I hardly listen to music outside of my car. And my hearing isn’t the best, so I’ve always felt like I didn’t need decent speakers around. But now I’m testing the Supertooth Twin Speakers, and from the moment I fired them up to review I…
Dan loves his small wireless speakers, but the Polk Audio LSi25 Speakers may bring him back to component stereo systems. The speakers are pricey, and they require the addition of an independent amplifier, but in return they offer huge, impressive sound. Dan took a look for eBay as part of their huge My Gadgets Giveaway. As Dan points out in his post over on the eBay Influencer’s Blog, while you can get good sound from a small speaker, big, teeth-rattling, bone-shaking sound won’t come from something that can sit on a bookshelf. For that kind of sound, you’ll want something…
The Boombot REX is a small, ultraportable Bluetooth speaker that is available in a range of different colors and styles. Add in the availability of a number of different accessories and this speaker may be just the thing for the active music-lover on the go. Check out all the available options. If you are wondering how the speaker got its name, the company explains it is “A salute to the king of dinosaurs, the Boombot REX mimics the thump of the T-Boombot REX’s footsteps as it ruled the land.” Awwww… cute. The company behind the REX describes the speaker as…
The Soundfreaq Sound Step Lighting dock is priced under $140 and lets you connect to iOS Lightning-enabled device, via Bluetooth, USB and much more. It even includes an FM radio, an IR remote and an iOS and Android app are also available. Best of all, the speaker sounds great. We have seen a huge proliferation in the number of available Bluetooth speakers. Similarly, lightning-enabled docks designed to work specifically with current generation Apple products have been increasing in number. The result is an ever-growing number of choices when looking for a relatively inexpensive way to enjoy your music at home…
In a world of same-same Bluetooth speakers, Musemini’s DBoom speaker is looking to stand out in terms of looks and features. From a looks perspective, the speaker comes in five different colors: it will soon offer the added ability to create custom skins that give a unique look to the front and back of each speaker. From a technology and feature perspective, the DBoom sports both Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC (Near Field Communication) that makes pairing the speaker to any NFC-enabled device quick and simple. Add in the ability to Daisy-chain the speaker, and you have a versatile unit that will…
B&O PLAY by Bang & Olufsen just introduced the Nordic Sky edition of its BeoPlay A9. It is the perfect meeting point between art, furniture, and High Fidelity. Designed to be standalone furniture, or art that is hung on the wall, the BeoPlay A9 is also an amazingly powerful piece of audio equipment. The speaker packs impressive technology into a sleek, one of a kind, design. The BeoPlay A9 has a total of five speakers and has an output of 480 watts thanks to a digital Class D amplifier with separate amps for each of the five speakers. At the center…
If your son or daughter is headed off to college no doubt he or she wants a way to listen to some tunes while studying (or not studying as the case may be). Over the past months we’ve seen a host of decent bluetooth speakers and many would be great for a college dorm. Three that recently came to us for review stand out as excellent options. They are the Logitech Bluetooth Speakers Z600 for PC/Mac computer, tablet and smartphone, the Soundfreaq Sound Step with Lightning Connector and the iLuv Mo ‘Beats HD High Definition Rechargeable Bluetooth Speaker with Viewing…
The other day, Dan brought word about my reviews of the Samsung GALAXY S4 and the Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch with Glow Light. Both reviews were written as part of the eBay Influencers program and are currently live on eBay’s Digital Digest. You can read the S4 review here and the Nook review here. Dan is also part of the eBay Influencers program, and he just published a review of the Onkyo TX-NR609 A/V Receiver. If you are a regular Gear Diary reader, then you know that Dan has covered — and continues to cover — numerous portable…
Mike reviewed the Orb Audio Mini-T stereo system back in December of 2011. You can read his review here, but all you really need to know is that when the time came to return the loaner unit, Mike was none-too happy. Yup, he really liked the system. The unit Mike reviewed consisted of two single Orb speakers, an Orb Super Eight subwoofer and the company’s Mini-T amplifier. The company sent me the same arrangements for a second-look Gear Diary review. The only significant change was the inclusion of the updated — and significantly more refined-looking — Mini-T. Was I equally…
At GearFest 2013, Judie, Mike, Carly, and I sat down with a number of Bluetooth speakers to do a blind test listening to two pieces of music Travis had put together. (Thanks for jumping in to help us Coach!) With Mike’s wife Lisa helping us out (and offering up a few dance moves at the beginning of the video), we listened to six different Bluetooth speakers that have previously been reviewed here on the site. The speakers included: The JBL FLIP (Read the review) The MiPow Boom (Read the review) The Jabra Solemate (Read the review.) The Braven 600 (Check…
As summer gets into full swing, many of you will spend a lot of time outside soaking up the sun and having a great time. Nothing makes these kind of days more enjoyable than some of your favorite music. When I take my boys to the pool or we camp, we always have some tunes that match the occasion playing in the background. Of course, most people have some sort of mobile device capable of streaming or playing their music collection, but the speakers are usually less than desirable. What everyone needs is a way to listen to the music that…
In an age of wireless technologies like Bluetooth, AirPlay and DLNA, one might expect the speaker dock would be dead. And while there certainly are far fewer speaker docks that rely on a direct connection to the audio source, iLuv clearly believes there is a market for such accessories. After using the iLuv Aud 5 for the last week, I have to agree with them. I love my Sonos system, and I’m a fan of the Libratone Zip (Elana is too, and she uses it every morning), but there is something to be said about a speaker that will also charge your…
When Apple first announced the MacBook Pro with retina display a year ago, they made a big deal out of the fact that the 15″ laptop powerhouse would not only ship with the best screen ever, but that it also sported the best speakers they had ever put in a laptop. Having had my MBPr for almost a year, I can without hesitation, say that IF that is the case, then it simply means that all previous Apple laptops had particularly crappy speakers. Yes, I’ve been using my 15″ MacBook Pro with retina display for a year, and I have been…
I love my Sonos system. I love it enough that I have a Sonos component in just about every room of the house. I love it enough that I purchased a PLAYBAR as soon as the product was announced (our review is forthcoming), and I added a Sonos SUB a few days after that. The one Sonos component I never purchased was the Sonos Controller. The reason was simple — by the time I entered into the Sonos ecosystem, their iOS and Android Controller apps were functional enough that I didn’t need a dedicated controller. At this point my Sonos…
This is our review of the Zooka. Before reading further please say that out loud five times fast. Now please say it five times slowly. Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka It is just fun to say isn’t it? Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka Zooka! Okay enough of that. Let’s dig into this successful Kickstarter project. The people behind it, Carbon Audio, were looking to raise $25,000 dollars. By the end of the campaign they had 678 backers and had raised $70,540. Neither Judie nor I backed the Zooka, but now the Bluetooth speaker is available…