iTech Portal

ULTIMATE EARS UE BOOM | $200
Best for: Poolside partiers who need loud multi-directional sound in a splash-friendly design.
The Boom is a great choice for a trip to the beach or park—places you’d bring a tote. You won’t fit this big cylinder into a pocket, like you might the Mini Jambox, though. Your car’s cup holder, sure—it’s the size of a tallboy. But bigger means more volume, and the crisp-sounding audio blasts in all directions. The water-resistant skin can handle splashes too. The party doesn’t stop there: Using UE’s free app for Android or iOS, you can link two Booms wirelessly to create a stereo pair.



JAWBONE MINI JAMBOX | $180
Best for: Aesthetes who want a pocket-size speaker and easy access to all their playlists.
The Mini Jambox is about half as thick as the original and sounds almost as good. Its sturdy aluminum body is road-ready, and at only an inch deep it stashes easily in your back pocket. You need to sit in front of it for the best sound, because its two drivers and passive bass radiator all face forward. But what the Mini lacks in volume it makes up for in crazy portability. Plus, Jawbone’s app gives you access to the speaker’s settings and puts all your playlists—Spotify, Rdio, MP3s—in one place.