i escape

Almost every cell phone doubles as a jukebox these days. But the list of phones sporting decent speakers? It's a lot shorter. Sony's solution is the MBS-100, a tiny Bluetooth speaker meant for bumping music on the go.

First, the good news. Getting the MBS-100 connected to my bluetooth gadgets (cell phones and laptops mostly) is idiot proof due in no small part to its excellent synchronization ability. In short, the device defaults to 'search mode' when first powered on and the passcode is "0000." Want to add another device? Just hold down the sync button on the bottom of the speaker, wash, rinse, and repeat. It's that simple. Also, at 4 x 4 x 4-inches it's travel friendly and the space-age meets hornet's nest chassis looks cool (if not a little Matrixy) on my desk. But the real fun lies in taking the MBS-100 on the road with your Bluetooth gadgets. My favorite prank? Sneaking its eight ounce frame into a bag and bringing music to verboten places like movie theaters, the Wired cafeteria, and public restrooms. After all, who doesn't like having a disembodied orchestra playing their theme song when they enter a room?

Sony Ericsson MBS-100 [wired]