Amp up your Smartphone speakers
Jen O’Rourke tests ways to make your Smartphone louder.
By Jen O’Rourke
Your Smartphone just got smarter. Or maybe just louder.
On a quest to pump up the jams on my Smartphone, I’ve tested a few popular devices to see which one is best.
Here’s what I found:
An empty glass – free from your cupboard
Simply the easiest and cheapest way to go. Plop your phone into an empty glass (emphasis on the empty), crank up the tunes, and you have instant amplification at no cost. A drawback however, is that people might be thinking you’ve adopted your phone as a pet fish. So you may want to consider the other options for going out in public.
The Bone Horn Stand – $25
Styled in the fashion of the old gramophone horn speakers, this silicone accessory merely slides over the bottom of your phone and acts as a stand and amplifier in one. Perfect for trips to the beach or anywhere where you want to prop up your phone and not worry about it getting dirty.
X-Mini Capsule Speaker -$32
This is the winner in my books. This tiny speaker is stylishly put together and connects into your phone’s earphone jack. It has added volume control, great sound quality, extra outlets to add more speakers and a nice groove to tuck the cord into so there’s no extra wire sticking out.
iHome IHM60 -$20
Similar to the X-Mini in concept but ultimately lacking some of the better perks. The sound quality is good but you don’t have the added volume control on the speaker. These also have the ability to add more than one speaker. A little large in design but quite entertaining when they bounce around with the bass in the music.
