Gadgets: This Bluetooth speaker will be the life of the party

Ensure that the Tribit StromBox 2 is on the guest list for your next summer gathering. The portable Bluetooth speaker will be the life of the party with great sound and endless features.

With more than 5,000 results coming up on an Amazon search for portable Bluetooth speakers, knowing what the Tribit StromBox 2 does eliminates the need to consider any of those. The cylinder-shaped 7-by-2.7-by-2.7-inch, 1.54-pound speaker has many great features, but the sound it delivers is the most important. The robust 360-degree surround-sound comes from 34 watts of two 48mm full-range speakers behind a black mesh covering.

With an IPX7 waterproof rating, the Tribit StromBox 2 is ready for any outdoor event and can even take a short swim and float. The IPX7 rating is most important to protect the speaker from accidental splashes or rain showers.

With Bluetooth 5.3, the StromBox 2 can reach up to 150 feet from the music source. If you have two StromBox 2 speakers, pairing them and getting double the volume with the party mode will produce booming stereo, true wireless sound.

For bass lovers, the StromBox 2 has XBass technology. This gives you a deep, immersive bass sound by pressing the XBass button. Other buttons on the speaker include power, pairing and a link button for adding a second speaker with the press of a button. There's a port for an aux-in cable, but beware: When using the aux-in or the USB-C ports, a flap must be opened, and the speaker will not be waterproof. Big buttons running up and down on the side control the volume, along with track choices.

Depending on the volume level, the speaker's battery is rated to last for 24 hours of playtime with its RunStretch technology. It charges with the built-in USB-C port and the included cable in about four hours. However, Tribit does point out that to achieve 24 hours of battery life, music is played at 60% volume in non-XBass mode. The bass mode reduces the battery life to less than 24 hours.

If you want a truly customized sound with the right amount of bass or treble, the Tribit app is available and loaded with easy-to-use presets. They include audiobooks, classics, jazz and rock. You can also use the customized EQ curve with nine bands that range from 80Hz to 13kHz to get a precise, fine-tuned sound.

A carrying lanyard is built into the top of the speaker.

https://tribit.com $67.99

The ultra-thin Ohsnap Snap 4 Luxe smartphone grip is one of the better grips I've seen. Measuring just 2.5 mm thick (0.09 inches) and constructed with aerospace-grade aluminum, it offers top-of-the-line quality without taking up much space.

If you're not familiar with a smartphone grip, it's a round accessory that attaches to the back of your phone. When needed, it expands out, making it easy, comfortable and secure to hold your phone.

The Snap 4 Luxe has four spider-like legs that collapse into themselves like a scissor lift to achieve the thin profile. When it is not expanded for use, it is held in place by magnets. When it is expanded in any of the multiple gripping positions, it makes holding the smartphone safer, easier and more comfortable with a firm grip.

It attaches to smartphones and most cases, with a nano-adhesive. When it has to be removed, Ohsnap recommends running water over it and letting it air dry while the adhesive reactivates.

A great feature allows passthrough charging. The MagSafe compatible grip does not have to be removed while charging an iPhone and will work in most smartphone cases that are thinner than 2.2 mm thick, according to the Ohsnap site. The Snap 4 is compatible with almost every phone made in the last 15 years and has recommended charger compatibility with a magnetic/MagSafe wireless charger.

The Snap 4 Luxe's magnetic design allows it to be mounted on many metal surfaces, including workout machines and kitchen appliances. It is available in multiple color options for $34.99.

https://ohsnap.com