Written by: Margaret Burns
It’s nice to have an mp3 player with headphones for private listening while out for a jog or walking around town. But sometimes, you want to share your music, turning it up loud for everyone to hear. The Memorex miniMove Boombox for iPod allows you to do just that.
Apartment living doesn’t offer a lot of space for big, bulky electronics, and most budgets don’t allow for similar items in different rooms throughout the house. So, when I was looking to buy a stereo system that I could plug my iPod into, I wanted something with big sound in a small, easily storable, easily portable package. When I found the Memorex miniMove Boombox for iPod, it was exactly what I needed. Small and lightweight with a handle and an iPod dock, as well as a digital FM radio , it’s designed to look like a purse, perfect for moving from room to room (or to the pool, or the patio, or a party, etc.). It is available in five colors that correspond to the colors that the iPod Nano are available in, so it matches any taste and any decor.
The first thing I found was that, while ideally sized for my iPod Nano, my iPhone, which I also use to play music, did not stay stable on the base, and was really not compatible with the device. The remote control is a great idea, but not as well executed as it could be. It’s very small, and I’ve lost it several times, the buttons are hard to push, and you sometimes have to be standing very close and at a specific angle for the remote to work. I have not tried it with batteries yet, but the power cord does not seem to fit well into the plug. If you try to move it while plugged in, you can easily lose power. Finally, I have never been able to get a good radio signal, but that could, of course have more to do with where I live than the actual radio.
Pros:
- Small and lightweight
- Good quality sound
- Doesn’t take up much space
- Easily portable
Cons:
- Not compatible with iPhone
- Remote small and does not always work
- Power cord does not fit well
- Difficult to get radio signal
At $49.99, the Memorex miniMove Boombox for iPod is ideally suited for someone who wants good sound quality and portability, but doesn’t need the box to be compatible with multiple devices.