NEED TO KNOW

Streaming All portable speakers have Bluetooth for quick, reliable wireless streaming (up to 10m range) from your laptop, smartphone or media player. Some devices and speakers are aptx compatible, which means they can stream at higher quality. Apps Increasingly, connected speakers come with smartphone apps for adjusting setting, or registering a product warranty, while others enable you to link same-brand speakers to enjoy stereo sound or multi-room systems. Build quality If you’re looking for adventure, choose a speaker that’s splash-proof. Some, like the Bose, can be dropped in water and survive, while others can be left in the rain without issue. A rating of IPX4 is waterresistant, while IP67 is fully waterproof. Battery life You can find some speakers that last 20 hours, but the longer the battery life, the bigger (and heavier) the speaker.