Best Affordable Portable Speakers for iPhones and iPods

When I got my first iPhone, I thought I was in technology heaven. It seemed to do everything except serve me coffee in bed, or so I thought.

If you love music or even listening to audio books, you would not be pleased with the iPhone speakers. My husband feels the same about his iPod. It just does not do justice to the true sound. We love the Pandora App on both devices, but we were not pleased with the sound.

I started looking for speakers for iPhones/iPods. I found a small set that had two small speakers. The speakers ran on batteries, and we could carry it outside and on outings, but the sound was still lacking. The speakers were mono rather than stereo, so I continued to search.

I wanted speakers that had an awesome sound, but I did not want to break the bank buying them.

As stated, I wanted speakers that not only had great sound but a great price. If you own an iPhone or iPod, you know how much money can be spent on accessories.

I struck "gold"! Speakers that sounded awesome and that I did not have to spend all the money in my savings to attain. I found the Altec Lansing Portable Stereo Speakers for iPhones and iPods. I ordered the speakers, charged the rechargeable battery, and voila, beautiful sound when I attached my iPhone or my husband’s iPod to it.

The speakers were approximately $65. The stereo sound was perfect for indoor or outdoor use. Altec has a variety of models, but I chose the iMT520, which has been upgraded into 600 models since the time I bought it. The price for the product has remained the same, though. The cost is a nice feature since technology is constantly changing.

I have had my speakers for over a year, and they are still going strong with their rechargeable battery or AV charging. They have been used all over the house, out in the yard, next to the pool, in the sunroom, on the lake, and at friends' outdoor barbecues.

First, as I researched, I looked for 4 and 5 star reviews. They were consistent with my model and are still consistent with the updated models. I also looked for what I consider convenient and functional:

• Kick-stand that rotates up for a handle - You can set it on a flat surface in- or outside. The handle also clicks back into place, aligned with the speaker base for easy packing or storage.
• Rechargeable battery lasts up to 6.5 hours - That is a lovely day in the park or on the boat, or it is nice to have that much time when doing projects around the house when you want to carry it around and not depend on plugging it in - though you can plug it in if you choose.
• Full-featured remote - You can change the volume, the playlist, the source, the shuffle, or repeat a song.
• Auxiliary input - You can use other external audio devices.
• Music or audiobook pauses for calls from iPhone - You won't miss a call or a text or that all-important Facebook update. The call will interrupt the music, and the text tone notification will sound off when you receive a text or alert.
• Connects to most iPhones and iPods with universal connections (Note: If you have an iPhone 5, you will need an adapter.)

Even though I love the sound quality of these speakers and the convenience of taking them anywhere, there are some drawbacks and "fixes" that consumers should be aware of when buying:

• The input will not fit an iPhone 5 – I just got the new phone and am waiting for my connector to come, so there is an easy fix.
• If your iPhone or iPod is in a case, it may not fit the input, but there is a fix. With the universal connections, you can buy a 30 pin male/female extension cable, which comes in a variety of lengths. They only cost approximately $5-15, which is very affordable when looking at this type of technology.
• This is not necessarily a drawback, but a heads-up: when you get the speakers, you must turn on the power button while charging the rechargeable battery. I made the mistake of just plugging it in without turning on the power. I did not think about the power button and thought that just plugging it into the wall would charge the battery - uh, wrong. I was extremely disappointed when I took it to the lake the next day and while on the boat, it only played for 6 minutes. I was very relieved to find there was a simple solution and nothing wrong with the speakers or the charging. It was user-error.

There is a fix/solution for every drawback. The speakers produce a quality sound for whatever music or audio book you choose to listen to at home or on the go. They are user-friendly and inexpensive, so much so that I bought one for each of my kids. My children seem to "borrow" things they like. Since the speakers are so affordable, I solved that by getting them the exact same speakers. Altec Lansing Portable Speakers rate closely with the more expensive name brands, such as Bose and Logitech. For the price, you cannot beat the quality.