The Summer Gadget Series is presented by the Galaxy Nexus from Sprint. Android 4.0, Google Wallet and Google Play make it pure Google. Truly Unlimited data from Sprint makes it unstoppable. Check it out.

Product: Jawbone Jambox

Price: $199.99 / £159.99 / €199.99

What It's Good For: Wireless, portable audio and speakerphone calls

Who It's Good For: Anyone with a Bluetooth-enabled laptop or phone

Limitations: High price.

Bottom Line: You don't have to compromise on style, sound or size with the Jambox — but it will cost you.

A Look at the Jambox

Aliph boldly describes its Jawbone Jambox as "the smallest, best sounding wireless speaker and speakerphone on the planet." It can pair with your Bluetooth-enabled phone or laptop to stream music, other audio and take calls, but is it really as good as Aliph's confident claim?

The first thing you need to know about this device is that it really is small. As in, 151mm by 57mm by 40mm small.

The second is that it's loud. Capable of pumping out 85 decibels, you're looking at a tiny speaker that can actually deliver on the "room-filling sound" promise.

Hooking up the Jambox is a cinch. There are no complicated controls, and the speaker itself has minimal buttons. There simply are volume controls, the "Talk" button on top, an on/off switch and ports on the side.

To make things even easier, it lets you know it's paired via its built-in voice control (it also alerts you of low battery levels the same way). If you don't like the default voice, you can change it via the bundled software. Be warned though, some of the options are a little cheesily seductive for some tastes. However, if you like the idea of your gadgetry purring, "I'm paired, ready for action," in an over-sexed female voice, this option is going to fall into the "pros" column for you.

Jambox in Action

The sound quality belies the size of the Jambox. Thanks to its proprietary tech (two acoustic drivers and a passive radiator woofer) and sound-enhancing "LiveAudio" functionality, this tiny box can really pump out the tunes — delivering surprisingly balanced sound from such a small unit. Its voice capabilities are also very good, with crisp call quality.

And the best thing is the Jambox looks good doing it. With four designs — a classic "Black Diamond," funky "Blue Wave," cool "Grey Hex" and fun "Red Dot" — the Jambox will not let you down in the aesthetics department, whatever your personal style. It feels sturdy too, thanks to its stainless steel construction and solid rubber casing.

The Jambox also delivers as far as battery life goes, meaning its portable ambitions are not let down by poor power consumption. Once fully charged via the bundled micro-USB cable, you can expect a full day's use out of the speaker (the official boast is 10 hours).

Finally, as with all good connected gadgetry these days, the Jambox is updatable. You can download apps and software upgrades, as well as personalize settings, via the bundled "MyTalk" software.

If you've got the cash to burn, then we are confident in stating that the Jambox will not disappoint. In fact, it's such a great little product that it might even end up delighting you.

The Jawbone JAMBOX

Series presented by the Sprint Galaxy Nexus

The Summer Gadget Series is presented by the Galaxy Nexus from Sprint. Android 4.0, Google Wallet and Google Play make it pure Google. Truly Unlimited data from Sprint makes it unstoppable. Check it out.