Shooting Sound Out from Your Smartphone or Tablet

by Lori Cunningham

Editor’s Note:  Over the next couple of weeks, we will be covering different ways to unleash your music from your smartphone, tablet, or mp3 player.  The first product to cover is the Philips SoundShooter, a compact portable speaker.  Next, we’ll move to the AR Wireless Speaker which has a much bigger presence  but is very portable and weatherproof.  Finally, on our sister site, TheWellConnectedHome.com, we’ll cover the Boston Acoustics T-Vee 10 Soundbar which requires a cable to connect, but gives larger sound.

The Philips SoundShooter is a fun little speaker that plays music wirelessly from your smartphone or tablet. Its barrel shape is intriguing and people who see it will certainly want to pick it up to try to figure out what it is and how it’s playing music.

Syncing the Philips Soundbar with my Samsung Galaxy S III couldn’t have been easier.  There were no codes to put in, the SoundShooter and the Galaxy found each other and matched very quickly.  Right away I was up and playing music from my phone.

The Philips SoundShooter also has a feature that allows you to accept phone calls so you can take your calls via speakerphone.   I found the speakerphone feature to be very handy in my office.  When calls come in I can select the SoundShooter and speak hands-free while using my computer, as I  often take notes during meetings.

The Philips SoundShooter is small enough where it can easily be tucked away in your purse, diaper bag, or carry-on bag, but big enough to produce great sound that can be heard and controlled from your smartphone.  It even comes with a clip so you could clip it to the strap of your bag, stroller, or beach bag.

Features

• rugged design
• compatible with just about any smartphone, mp3 player, or tablet
• volume and song choice controllable by smartphone/tablet
• contains a rechargeable battery
• 33 feet Bluetooth wireless range
• USB charging cable included

Pros

• a small speaker with big sound
• the rechargeable battery lasts up to 8 hrs. of playtime
• built-in clip makes it easy to clip to your bags, strollers, etc.
• nice rubberized plastic makes it easy to grip
• can use as a speakerphone for easy conference calling
• very portable
• reasonably priced

Cons

• range is not as far as described

The Philips SoundShooter sells for $19.99 + free shipping with orders over $25 through Amazon.  Amazon offers different color options too.

I saw a fun orange one and green one.

A Mom’s Perspective

The Philips SoundShooter is a fun, relatively inexpensive way to begin enjoying your tunes more from your smartphone or tablet.  It’s compact and rugged, portable and convenient with it’s metal clip, and gives great sound. It will easily fill a room with music.  Though it won’t fill an entire backyard, it will provide great music for sunbathing.

I can see this little speaker coming in handy in a pinch to sooth a crying baby or be used as a speakerphone so the whole family can gather around it to talk to the grandparents.  It’s also a great solution for a dorm room so your child can listen to his/her tunes in her room…or anywhere.

*  I was given the Philips SoundShooter in exchange for my opinion.  All opinions are my own.