Hi-tech: Micro-sized boom box

In the age of technology, taking your several thousand song music collection on holiday is no mean feat. And we have an intimidating range of headphones to pick between: from delicate in-ear pieces to attention-grabbing faddish DJ headsets. But say evening falls and you and your travel companions are after some atmospheric background music. No one wanted to pull the short straw and have to use precious suitcase space with packing a clumpy set of speakers. This is where the micro-sized boom box comes in. Designed by Japanese tech-whizzes, the 'boom box' is the size of credit card and thinner than a pack of gum!

That said, this inconspicuous little device produces sound that is anything but understated. The shielded speaker is 36 mm and an 8 ohms built in amplifier provides an output equal to other large and expensive speakers on the market. Above all, it is apt for travelling as it charges through any USB outlet and two hours of charging will give you five hours of use. The cable and plug also fit into the padded foam carrying case, so no need to worry about keeping your baby together and protected! What's great is the speaker connects via a 3.5 mm jack to any mp3 player, iPhone or other mobile phone, making it convenient and versatile. So, this summer there's nothing to stop you enjoying a serenaded sunset, whether you are lounging on the hotel balcony, swaying from your beach hammock or camped deep in the jungle.

Price : £66.82