Gizmo Guy: Music on the Go

Now's an apt time to shop for a wirelessly connecting Bluetooth speaker.

Delivering shockingly big sound from a small and usually portable package, working well with streaming music and radio apps on your smartphone or tablet, BT speakers jack up summer vacation and backyard pleasures. And that goes double now, if you take advantage of a free, three-month trial for the Apple Music service offered to users of iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, Macs, and PCs.

Best of Breed: The Bowers & Wilkins T7 and Bose SoundLink Mini II are weightier than most. That's a performance enhancer.

For better isolation and clearer stereo separation, the 2.2-pound B&W floats its speaker array inside a unique honeycomb-style frame: $349.99 and nearly worth the price.

The half-as-tall, metal-clad, 1 lb., 7-ounce Bose delivers a highly entertaining, in-your-face sound by doubling up bass radiators (the physics also neutralize vibrations). Model upgrades include a 10-hour battery, speakerphone skills, and recharging by USB line as well as on Bose's convenient stand: Our "best of show" at $199.

In the Pocket: You'll giggle at the design of the iHome Wireless Kennedy Stereo Speaker (iBT12SC, $49.99). Also known as "Soundflask," it looks like and slips neatly into a back pocket just like a liquor flask. Control buttons are a snap to operate, sound is decent undercover, and you'll have people pondering "where's that coming from?" iHome cautions "listen responsibly."

Talk that Talk: The Amazon Echo ($99 for Prime members, or $179.99) can't offer a battery power option, drat. But, oh, is this thing neat. Just murmur "Alexa," (that's her name, Siri-ously) "switch to Bluetooth" and the cylinder-shaped, 360-degree-firing speaker connects to the wireless-sound-beaming source of your choice, putting out room-filling "table radio" quality sound.

Also connecting wirelessly, by WiFi, to a home network, Echo can be told "play Pandora - Tom Waits channel" or Audible books or or pretty much any radio station on Earth.

With her brains in the clouds, the speaker responds audibly to some basic challenges - "What does 400 ml equal in ounces?" "What's the weather?" "Add carrots to my shopping list" She'll also turn on a light - if it's a Philips Hue bulb or on a Smart Home switch (Wink or WeMo).

Echo is a babe in training, though. The thing has no clue "What's playing at the Ritz?" or "Where's the closest pizza?" And better not say anything incriminating without hitting the microphone mute button. Little speakers have big ears.

Water Buddies: What looks and floats like a toy boat, but hums sweet tunes? The Monster Superstar Backfloat ($149.99), a Bluetooth speaker most worthy of taking into a bathtub or pool. GG got it tootin' sweetly during a soak with Philly trumpet man Terrell Stafford's relaxing new BrotherLee Love album (a tribute to Lee Morgan). When bassist Peter Washington soloed, water drops danced out of the upward-firing grill.

The sturdy, metal-clad Philips Shoqbox Mini BT2200 ($59.99) resembles a hand grenade - but won't explode if you toss it around on the beach while the music is playing brightly. Have a lousy throw? It should float to shore.

Water resistant though not immersible, Ultimate Ears' UE Roll ($99.99) is the Summer of 2015 BT speaker we'd tote to the Shore. The lightweight, 8-inch, pancake-shaped music maker has a 60-foot range, boasts multiple drivers, special equalizing circuitry, and a rugged cloth wrap, available in several cute color/pattern options, which all contribute to the superior quality sound. And the springy, bungy-style cords on the back let you hang it on handlebars, a lounge chair, or whatever.

215-854-5960@JTakiff