It's back to school time and there are a number of pieces of technology the current college student shouldn't be traveling back to school without. Listening to music is probably the most universally common activity for all students and these two devices will both contribute to your enjoyment immensely.
Solar Sound 2 Solar-powered Bluetooth Stereo Speakers
A compact, portable stereo speaker that can play music wirelessly via Bluetooth while charging its battery under the sun. No sun near your school? It will also charge via a USB connection. The solar cells charge fast enough that out in the sun the unit will play forever without needing additional power. Longer playing times occur using the analog connection cable, but even wirelessly, the Bluetooth connection will play for 5-10 hours on a charge.
Used in your car or on your desk, the device will also act as a hands free phone device, pausing the music when a call comes in. Simply touch the touch screen button B to accept the call.
For a device only slightly over 6”x2”x2”, it rocks with a sound that’ll fill your room or your car. Nice and light-weight, it packs in a backpack ready to go anywhere your travel takes you. The Devotec site is loaded with testimonials and videos. Check them out here. Units retail for $99.95.
iHome iHM79 Portable Rechargeable MiniSpeakers
Not much room left on the desk, but you need bigger sound than your iPhone or laptop can put out. These are just the answer. iHome’s rechargeable speakers are only 2-1/2” in diameter, but put out a sound worthy of a speaker 4 times the size. Made to travel, they collapse and clip together with their magnetic bases. (See the slide show, upper right, to get an idea of their versatility.) Unscrew the tops and they open up for great sound quality.
The attached cord allows them to be recharged by any USB port, either a computer or wall plug (not included). With a list price of $49.99, look for them at www.ihomeaudio.com . They come in a variety of styles and colors to suit your setup.
Doug Bardwell, based in Cleveland, OH, writes about interesting new travel technology topics, across the country and around the world. Feel free to drop him a line at travel.dougbardwell@gmail.com with suggestions for future products to be reviewed. If you've ever used one of the products he's reviewed, please leave your thoughts in the comment box below. To get his stories delivered to your inbox, click the RSS feed or the "Subscribe" button above.
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