This embodied the true meaning of "wireless" connectivity - the iPod stays on a dock that is connected to the iBall speakers via Bluetooth connection. With this, it enabled users carry the round-shaped speaker anywhere within a 10-meter radius.

It’s like when you are listening to your favorite music inside your living room, then you suddenly have to go to the bathroom but you don’t want to miss out on your precious music. All you have to do is bring along the speakers without carrying your iPod.

But let’s face it. The iBall is really a big device to start with and it is powered with six C-size rechargeable batteries. That and the weight of the speakers doesn’t really make it a portable device.

On the other hand, this portable Bluetooth speaker from Sony Ericsson is what we simply call portable... literally.

Yes, it’s a once-piece speaker which has the capacity of two. It has its own built-in battery that can last up to five hours of music playing when fully charged. Enough time for anyone who loves listening to music for several hours.

Although the design looks as if it was thrown into the rings of Saturn, the MBS-100 Bluetooth speaker is sweet in terms of size and audio quality output. It’s exact measure is 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches and that is small enough to fit in a pouch bag.

Even with that size, the sound quality is not sacrificed. Whether it’s pop, hip-hop, RnB, or rock music that you play, the music will come out crisp and clear even when the player is put to high volume. Perhaps this is due to the latest A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) technology.

Now, your player can be any device from mobile phones to digital audio players as long as it has Bluetooth connectivity. In our case, we paired it with a Sony Walkman player NWZ-A828. This player has Bluetooth and it connected with the MBS-100 with ease. At 90% volume on the Walkman player, the sound was still very clear with minimal crackling sounds. Even the response between the speaker and the player was without delay.

It also connected with my Nokia N95 but there was a difference.