Editors' Note: The rating on this review has been lowered from 6.3 to 6.0 due to changes in the competitive marketplace.
JLab Audio entered the U.S. market at the beginning of this year, choosing to debut at CES. The company announced a limited array of products, including a USB speaker, a pair of earbuds, and a tiny speaker designed for the iPod Nano, the MiniBlaster. The unit, which is available in either black or white to match your iPod of choice, went on sale at the end of June with a tempting $49.95 price tag.
The MiniBlaster for iPod Nano is the most compact iPod speaker we've ever reviewed. It measures just 4 by 1.9 by 1.2 inches, and that's with the Nano fully inserted. The speaker has a slot built into the back made just for the player, though you have to use the included skin to ensure a snug fit (and to protect the Nano from scratches). At the bottom of the slot is a 3.5mm connector positioned to plug into the Nano's headphone port. If you want to use other MP3 players with the device, an auxiliary line-input (and included cable) lets you do just that. Alongside this port are a power jack, a power switch, and a volume dial. And opposite the Nano slot are the two 1.4-inch speakers protected by a silver speaker grille.
