There is and has always been a challenge to making speakers smaller yet powerful. Well it seems iFrogz Boost Speaker does just that! The iFrogz speaker looks like a simple box with two silver things on the side and essentially it is except it connects wirelessly with your iOS device. Earlier this evening I was preparing to shower and really wanted to listen to some music but cranking up the Bose wasn’t really an option.
Then I remembered that I had this iFrogz gizmo, and I thought I’d give it a try. After I realized that the charger plug for my phone would fit I was off and running for my shower. Even had to turn it down a bit. Read the review, and check some photos below!
You literally plug it in to a wall outlet (plug not included) or you put three AA batteries on your own for each 15 hours of play time, and if you prefer a wired connection, there are ports for 3.5mm audio and micro-USB cables that you self-supply. Push the on button; set your iOS device down on top of it and turn it up. Granted you’re not going to rock the neighborhood or anything but it does put out enough sound that your roommates will be asking you to turn it down.
So long as the iOS device€™s bottom is close to the power button€”the opposite side from where Boost€™s two chrome-capped audio drivers are located€”you€™ll hear its audio performing through the speaker at a surprisingly high volume, with comparable overall clarity to Bluetooth wireless audio systems such as the iHome units. Yet there€™s no Bluetooth at work here, no pairing to worry about, and no audio cable in the box.
Overall, iFrogz€™ Boost is a bona-fide good speaker for its low asking price, assuming that you€™re using one of the several iOS devices that it€™s physically compatible with, and that you€™re willing to sacrifice a little sonic performance and range for the sake of simplicity. Like all small, inexpensive speakers, Boost does make some tradeoffs in order to achieve what it offers for $40, requiring users to self-supply the batteries and/or cables that rivals now routinely include, and limiting compatibility somewhat, but if you€™re using a currently-sold iPhone or iPod touch, you€™ll be surprised at just how capable it is.
Despite these few drawbacks we’re going to give the iFrogz Boost the green light! It’s a very impressive system for the price and honestly I am very impressed with it. Vastly more than I thought I would be the first time I took it out of the box.
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