X-Mini makes some really functional and really small speakers which are meant to be used with your multimedia devices.

The company was kind enough to send over a both their X-Mini II & X-Mini Max II for review.

Do these tiny speakers pack enough punch to rock out too?

Read on to find out.

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Not all speaker sets are created equal, that much is certain.  Altec Lansing has sent me their latest — and what I consider their best — the Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra Speakers.

The Expressionist Ultra is currently the top of the Altec Lansing line.  This very stylish three speaker system boasts 200 Watts of power, and its tremendous sub woofer is bigger than the computer the system is connected to. Continue Reading

I am not one of those guys who thinks that everything goes better with Bluetooth. At the same time, I do see the usefulness of Bluetooth in a variety of items. I like using Bluetooth headset, have had some positive experiences with Bluetooth stereo headphones, and I swear by the Bluetooth speakerphone in the car. I had not, however, ever tried a Bluetooth portable speaker before taking a look at the TENQA SP-99 Bluetooth speaker.

Am I sold on this Bluetooth gadget? Let’s take a look… Continue Reading

I’ve never had a great iPod speaker.  I bought a cheap one at Kroger that didn’t last a month.  It also required you to have it hooked to the wall all the time which limited its use.  The inMotion CLASSIC that Altec Lansing sent me solves both the quality issues with my old speakers and let’s me be free of the wall.

While the inMotion CLASSIC isn’t the first speaker dock to have integrated batteries, it is my first one and that has to be my number one favorite feature of the inMotion CLASSIC.  If I want some music while I am outside working on my car or at the pool, I don’t have to worry about a electrical cord.  I can also carry it around the house with the convenient handle.  When you plug the inMotion CLASSIC in, it will charge its battery as well as your iPod’s battery.  Unplugged, you will get about 5 hours of audio from the inMotion CLASSIC according to Altec Lansing.

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Last year Judie reviewed the Altec Lansing Orbit speaker.  It was a interesting speaker that can be used with any device sporting a normal 3.5 mm headphone jack.  The downside to using such a speaker with a laptop is that the internal sound card in most laptops can be a bit noisy.

Altec Lansing recently sent me a sample of their  Orbit USB iML237 speaker. It solves the sound card issue perfectly.   Continue Reading

Lets face it, wires are often inconvenient. They look bad, can be a pain and,  at times, are more trouble then they are worth. Even still, at times it is nice to be able to connect your notebook or handheld device to external speakers with more punch and better sound.

That’s where Bluetooth comes in. As more and more mainstream devices adopt bluetooth technology the playing field for device accessories is changing. And one of the best uses of Bluetooth? Wireless speakers!

Wireless speakers are a great option with laptops and other bluetooth-enabled devices. They let you cut the cord without cutting the sound. Creative has a new offering in this area and they look good!

Their new Inspire S2 Wireless Speaker System is currently out in the UK and, hopefully, will be on the way to this side of the pond. If they do… I want!

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I have a confession to make.  I love iPods.  I have been a consistent user of the iPod since I got my first one about the time Mac OS X Tiger came out.  Back then I was a Mac OS X fan and I had a PowerBook.  I loved my PowerBook.  I used iTunes on my Mac back when it was still clean and sleek.  Now iTunes is a bloated mess that I just dislike dealing with.  I have also transitioned to using Linux as my OS of choice, which can make life difficult if you love iPods, but not terribly so.

RockBox is a alternative firmware that will run on many iPods, Archos, iAudio, iRiver, Sandisk and the Olympus M-Robe 100.  RockBox can also make the life of a Linux using iPod fan much easier. Continue Reading

The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin (which Doug reviewed last October) was easily one of the best looking speaker docks made for the iPod, but with a $599 tag it was a bit intimidating for the average consumer. This October B&W is introducing the Zeppelin Mini, which they claim offers the same great sound in a smaller (and less expensive) package. At $399.95, the Zeppelin Mini order page says that “you get everything you love about Zeppelin – advanced acoustic technology, intelligent design, elegant connectivity – in a streamlined, compact sound dock package that’s perfect for desktops and bedside tables.”

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If you’re an iPod owning Bose loving rich person then you’ll be excited to learn that the SoundDock 10 has arrived for a mere $599. This new sound system for the iPod and iPhone looks great on your shelf, sounds great when you play it and say’s “I have a lot of money” to anyone who visits and views it on your shelf.

The SoundDock 10 system is Made for iPod and Works with iPhone certified,
compatible with any click-wheel iPod or iPod Touch, and the iPhone 3GS, 3G and
original iPhone model.

It features a new, proprietary interchangeable docking architecture, designed to
“future-proof” the system and protect an owner`s investment as new media player
technologies emerge. A Bluetooth® dock is offered separately and streams music
wirelessly from a stereo Bluetooth music phone. As new devices become
established standards, new docks will be made available.

The SoundDock 10 digital music system is available from Bose for $599; the
optional Bluetooth interchangeable dock is available for $149.Both will be sold
at select authorized Bose dealers, Bose retail stores, www.Bose.com, or toll
free at 1-800-444-BOSE (2673) beginning September 21, 2009.

Bose

Altec Lansing has just announced that they have a new speaker dock available for the iPod and iPhone called the inMotion Classic.  The inMotion Classic has built in rechargeable battery and a handle so you can take your music with you and not be attached to the wall socket.  It also has a FM radio and a remote.  The inMotion Classic is available from Amazon.com for $149.

Altec Lansing announces a new addition to the Orbit line of small speakers.  This one is different in that it uses a USB connection to attach to your laptop avoiding the noisy integrated sound card in most laptops.  The USB connection also powers the speakers so you don’t need yet another adapter to carry on your next business trip.  The Altec Lansing Orbit iML237 is available for $49.95 from Amazon.com.

I’ve got a Logitech Squeezebox Boom that is an absolute pleasure to use. It’s one of those products that seems interesting but maybe not necessary, until you actually get one and start using it. That’s when you get spoiled…quickly. I use mine to listen to Sirius Radio inside the house, but I also use it for exploring internet radio and streaming music from my laptop. The sound on mine is pretty amazing, and it looks great sitting under our 55″ flatscreen TV with all the other shiny black components.

Logitech has just announced two new Squeezebox WiFi music player models, and the new features are pretty impressive. The new Squeezebox Radio is a compact (5.12″ x 8.66″ x 5.04″) and portable model that can fit nearly anywhere and adds a new social networking aspect, wherein “Facebook users can share music recommendations and see their friends’ recommendations right on the display and Flickr users can show a slideshow.”

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I was searching for a Bluetooth speaker system to use with my T-Mobile G1 and lo and behold  I came across the Cy-Fi Wireless Sport Speaker.  This nifty little speaker can attach  to the handlebar of your bicycle or motorcycle allowing you to rock out as you ride.

This spacey looking speaker weighs only 5 ounces and is very slim.  You can slip it one of your pockets and use it indoors as well as on the bike.  It comes with a dock, power supply and 2 different brackets.  Probably the most shocking thing is that it comes with a dock!  Not even many cell phones come with them any more. Continue Reading

Want to pump up the volume?

Check out the new vertical Hi-Fi system iLuv has just shown off.

The iMM9400 is being touted as a modern looking audio system and supports playing music from the  iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, iPhone and iPod via the universal iPhone/iPod dock adapters or it’ll play MP3 and WMA file via the built in SD card slot and USB port.

Some of the iMM9400’s other features include:  AM/Radio with 40 programable presets, 4 CD player, iPhone friendly remote control, wall mounting kit and many more.

The iMM9400 will be available in August 2009 at the iLuv web site  for the MSRP of$249.99.

I was looking for a new speaker system to use in my kitchen with my laptop or mp3 player, when I came across the expressionist PLUS system from Altec Lansing.

The Altec Lansing expressionist PLUS is a attractive speaker system that not only looks good, but sounds good as well.  Continue Reading