XBOOM Mini Portable Capsule Speaker with Rechargeable Battery and Enhanced Bass+ Resonator - Blue

I've never been real big on smartphone speakers. I hate trying to crank music out through those tiny little speakers because one of two things will happen. First, it won't be loud enough and it'll sound tinny and horrible. Second, it'll be loud enough and sound okay, but then the speakers will blow and your ringtones sound terrible. So I set out to find a little speaker that'll help save my smartphone speaker and found this.Considering what this thing is, it's very impressive. People are blowing things out of proportion and that happens, but when you compare this speaker to the speakers of Android, iPhone, tablet, etc devices, this speaker is worlds better than those speakers. I'll say that again to hammer the point home. Compared to smartphone and tablet speakers, this thing rocks. Compared to capable speaker systems, it does not rock.Here are the quick pros and cons.Pros1. It's much louder than my smartphone speakers. This helps in places like the shower, where I could barely hear a podcast playing before. I can clearly hear them now. I also have been using it outside around backyard fires so play music. Which brings me to...2. Portability. I can take it anywhere literally. Fits in the pocket. When it's closed into the capsule, it's about the size of a baby's fist. It's very tiny. When you pop it out of the capsule, it only about doubles in size. Very small, very portable.3. Charges quickly. I've killed it a couple of times already and I charge it using a USB slot on my laptop. From dead it takes about an hour to charge fully and the charge lasts for a long time.4. The look and feel. I got the blue one and it's a very pretty shade of blue (obviously, my opinion). The build quality feels quite nice. It has a little heft for how small it is and the various actions (compressing it into the capsule, etc) feel smooth and strong.Cons1. This is not the audio masterpiece everyone claims it is. While it sounds a whole hell of a lot better than every smartphone or tablet speaker, it's not like you're connecting to a $300 Bose speaker system. It is what it is, a small, inexpensive speaker that makes your phone sound louder and better.2. The 3.5mm plug that goes into the device is like 3 inches long. It's fine for my purposes (since I just use it on my desk or on the counter in the bathroom when I shower), but if I want to check my phone while I'm outside by the fire, I have to bring the phone and the speaker to do it.3. On my Nexus 7, Galaxy Note 3, and Nexus 4, the lower half of the volume is no louder than the phone. It's only really the last 3 volume notches at the top where the thing actually picks up and sounds loud. I hated having my speakers up that loud on my phone, and I hope the loudness doesn't blow the speakers.All in all, it was $18 so I don't feel like I got ripped off. It's not as loud as I wish it were, but considering what it is and what I paid for it, I'm happy with my purchase. It works as intended, does exactly what I need it to do and it looks nice. Can't really complain there.

The first word that came to my mind when I tried out the product was "Damn!"This bite-sized, cost-efficient speaker really puts the BOOM in XBOOM.As a teen (16), who loves to listen to music, I was searching for a cheap speaker to play some tunes. When I came across this product I didn't think (by the photo) that this little speaker could give me anything more than loudness and a hint of bass. But the reviews begged to differ. So, with a wary click of the mouse, I added to my cart and bought it.The packaging it arrived in showcased the speaker in it's rounded glory, appearing as if it was suspended in air. I slid out the plastic holder it came in. I was also greeted with a velvet-textured carrying bag, and the charging/aux cord, along with the cord already attached to the speaker itself. Along with all that, to my surprise, another aux cord was packaged as well, nothing fancy, just a longer aux cord.The speaker itself has a nice matte finish and a pleasant blue shade. It has a nice amount of weight to it, not too heavy and not too light. It fits in the palm of my hand and can slide into my pocket. It's durable and appears to be able to take a fall or two. It's a nice product with a nice design.Now let's get on to the sound.First off, I listen to trap and future bass which requires the bass being heard, to really get the full effect of the songs. So I was expecting a little bass, and that's what I got. I turned up the volume rocker on my phone and the speaker and nodded my head to the beat. I was loud and clear and filled up my bedroom, already blowing away my expectations for the volume. But the bass was very...eh. And then I remembered that the speaker expands in the middle, with a twist action, to deliver more bass, and so I did just that.And that's when I knew I had to write this review and that my money was well spent.The bass from this small device is phenomenal, especially when you factor in the price. I didn't know what exactly I was expecting with the bass, but whatever that expectation was, it was blown out of the water. I could feel the vibrations through my bed and that was amazing. I am so happy I spent my money on this speaker.ProsAMAZING bassPortableLoud and clearPriceCarrying bagNice color and textureConsYou might want a bigger sound, but that can be achieved through the buddy plug feature. Which is where you can plug multiple speakers into each other and create a chain of speakers.Final thoughtsBUY THIS SPEAKER! There is no reason to not buy this speaker if what you're looking for is cost-efficient and portable. Five stars.

I have a similar speaker I use for my phone and the cord is longer which is very convenient. I bought this for my boyfriend and he uses it all the time. He hasn't complained about the short cord, but he doesn't miss what he never had. I am no expert on speakers, but I think it sounds nice and clear. Definitely enhances the music played on a phone. I wish it were slightly louder, but it's not something that is really an issue for this type of speaker. It's perfect for in the bathroom when you are showering, doing stuff in the garage, things of that nature. He always plugs it back in to charge so I'm not sure about the battery life because it's never been used for more than a couple hours. Overall I would recommend it.UPDATE 11/2016: My boyfriend is still using this and it's still going strong. He uses it for several days without charging and it's used several days a week. After two years, I had to up my review to 5 stars because the longevity has been excellent.UPDATE 10/2017: My "boyfriend" is now my husband and he's still using this speaker. It's pretty beat up looking (he's hard on things), but it still functions perfectly.

I absolutely love this.! I have two now and plan to buy 4 to give as gifts for Christmas. They sound great with loudness too. Be careful as they may cause problems with your neighbors.Buy one or two or more. You will not regret it at all.You can play the music or movie or whatever with it closed or open it carefully for a base sound. Fantastic.!GREAT for Laptops, M P 3's & 4's , I-phones,etc.