These days, we expect to have our music available anytime, anywhere. And we want it to sound really, really good.
The latest in speaker technology has that covered.
Today’s trends include:
- speakers for your home that integrate voice assistants
- big, booming party speakers for outside
- small, portable speakers for, well, everywhere
Read on to learn more.
Speakers for home
Voice assistants are one of the hottest smart home tech items. If you’re looking for a speaker that not only sounds good, but also has voice-assistant capabilities, there are more options than ever.
- The Insignia Voice Speaker with Google voice assistant has a great sound for the value. Just put it in any room where you want music, connect it to your home Wi-Fi network and you can listen in multiple rooms. Plus it has a display that can show time and temperature, so you don’t have to check it on your phone.
- The Sony S50G Smart Speaker also has the Google Voice Assistant built in, great omnidirectional sound, and lets you control it with the wave of a hand.
- And if you’re looking for total sound immersion, there’s the harman/kardon Invoke Bluetooth Speaker. It fills the room with music—or you can use it to take Skype audio calls or access Microsoft’s Cortana assistant.
Speakers for parties
The days of the big ol’ boom box are still with us. Or at least the speakers are.
- Pair the JBL Boombox with a smartphone and you can pound out the jams for 24 hours on one charge. At 80 decibels.
- If you’re really looking to start a party, the Sony High Power XB60 Portable Bluetooth Speaker has multiple LED lights to create a festive mood. Plus the built-in battery kicks in whenever you’re not plugged into the mains, giving you up to 14 hours of play time or up to 3.5 hours at maximum volume.
- For a different vibe, connect two Sony XB40 Portable Speakers and watch the built-in multicolored lights pulsate while the speakers deliver sound from both sides of the room. (If you’re feeling really wild, press the Extra Bass button and take cover.)
Small and portable speakers
At home or on the go, these portable speakers are small in size but mighty in sound.
- When you want to scale it back and take your music with you, the UE WONDERBOOM Portable Bluetooth Speaker is light, floats in water, and will put out great sound from the palm of your hand.
- The Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker is also portable and it’s waterproof from the inside out.
- The Altec Lansing Baby Boom Portable Bluetooth Speaker may have baby in its name, but this speaker packs a punch. It’s water resistant, and works up to six hours on a single charge — perfect for keeping it handy in your bag.
To learn more about smart speakers, go to BestBuy.com or stop by your local Best Buy store.