Increasingly, people are listening to music on their smartphones, tablets and other smaller devices not designed to play music at higher volumes out loud. Usually, you have to listen via headphones to really hear the music properly.

But what do you do if you want to listen to your music out loud, maybe play it for a small group of people, and have it come from your phone wirelessly?

Well, there is a growing sector of wireless speakers available, of varying sizes and prices, that allow you to do this.

One of the options in the category that is on the smaller and more affordable end is the new Logitech Mini Boombox. This little speaker packs quite a bit of volume, and will get your music playing at a pretty impressive volume.

The machine is very small, so as a result the bass sounds pretty weak, despite Logitech’s claim that the bass is enhanced. Still, this is hardly a unique problem. It’s very hard to do bass well in something this small.

Pairing a device with the speaker is pretty simple, and then it will remain paired as long as the device’s Bluetooth is turned on.

Controls are embedded into the top of the device, and light up when the device is turned on (volume controls, forward/backward, etc.)

WHO IS IT FOR?

So who would want to use a device like this?

In general, it is good for people on the go who want to have some sort of speaker with them but not drag around large devices.

It could be good for college-age kids who might use it as a way to play the music from their phones and make a party get started wherever they are.

And on the family front, I even used the Mini Boombox to play music from my smartphone for my baby to help calm her down.

It could be good for people who travel; people who want to listen to music at work after hours; you can sit on your porch and listen to music without lugging a big system out there

Basically, it’s very versatile; and there are lots of possibilities for situations it could be used.

BATTERY

Battery life is pretty good on the device, l got about 8 hours or so out of it before needing to recharge.

You can also make speakerphone calls through the Mini Boombox.

Is it the most booming and vibrant sound you’ll get from a portable wireless speaker? Not by a longshot.

There are larger and much higher-end models out there, that can cost several hundred dollars, but they target a different audience.

This type of simple product is not about being the biggest and best. It’s about performing a basic job – playing your music out loud without wires.

And it does it pretty well, considering the price.

PRICE

The offfical price of the Logitech Mini Boombox is $99.99; but you can find it for less online (I saw it as low as $69.99. This is a pretty good price compared to the competition.

BOTTOM LINE

As long as you’re not expecting humongous sound and have a realistic view of what it can do, the Logitech Mini Boombox is a fun little gadget that should find some fans. Wherever you go, youll have the power to play your music for yourself or a small crowd, and it’s smaller than most portable speakers on the market, which gives it kind of its own niche market.

On the Web

For more information on the Logitech Mini Boombox, visit: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/tablet-accessories/speakers/devices/Mini-Boombox

Matt Myftiu can be reached at matt.myftiu@oakpress.com or 248-745-4617. Follow him on Twitter @MattMyftiu or become a fan of the Facebook page “OPTechTime”.