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Smart phones, tablets, and laptops do lots of things well, but providing great sound quality usually isn't one of them. The small speakers in many of these devices produce audio that you could charitably call weak or even tinny. So what do you do if you're sharing tunes with friends or you want to listen to music or enjoy a video without putting on a pair of headphones?
For the cheapest, most portable option, you can hook up to a small battery-powered speaker. We tested several low-priced models and found one that did a decent job: the Satechi BT Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker, $40, a pint-sized portable that weighs in at just over 4 ounces.
The Satechi sounded better than the iPad and the laptop and smart phones we tested, and we could crank up the volume to a satisfying level without distortion. It can pair wirelessly with Bluetooth-capable devices. You can also use the built-in 3.5mm audio jack.
The rechargeable lithium-ion batteries lasted 6 hours in our tests. The Satechi comes with a USB cable for recharging from your computer or any USB charger.
You can get even better from bigger, pricier models like the TDK Life on Record, which we tested recently.
—Eileen McCooey
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