Not your average $20 iPod speakers.

Travel versions of gadgets such as hair dryers and irons often fall short compared to their standard, full-size counterparts. We were happy to discover that this wasn’t the case—at least not overall—with the Cube Travel Speakers from Pacific Rim Technologies.

As their name suggests, these speakers are made for toting around. When fully expanded, the Cube Travel Speakers measure 7.5 by 2.5 by 2.3 inches, but they fold into an easy-to-pack, 2.4-by-2.4-by-4-inch rectangular form that’s about the size of a full-size iPod, just a few times thicker. And since they can run on four AAA batteries (which are not included), you don’t even have to carry the included DC power adapter with you if you’re trying to save space. There is one piece that doesn’t fit into the folded cube: the iPod stand, which fits only the 5G iPod and both generations of the iPod nano. But technically, you don’t need the stand, since it’s merely an iPod prop.

The Cube Travel Speakers play your iPod’s audio via the headphone jack instead of the dock connector, which means they could also work with any brand of music player. Unfortunately, the speakers don’t have a USB port, so you can’t sync your iPod with your Mac. And since the iPod isn’t docked, the Cube Travel Speakers can’t charge it, even when they’re plugged in to the wall. The sound won’t please serious audiophiles (each speaker pumps out just 0.9 watts), but what were you expecting at this price? The sound is midrange focused—it’s not a bass thumper, and it can’t reach for the high notes. But it can fill your hotel room without any distortion.

The bottom line. We plan to make room in our carry-on luggage for the Cube Travel Speakers. Fortunately, they don’t need a lot of space.

COMPANY: Pacific Rim Technologies
CONTACT: www.pacrimtechnologies.com
PRICE: $19.99
REQUIREMENTS: 5G iPod or iPod nano
Affordable. Small. Decent sound.
No docking ability. Blocks iPod dock.