Some speakers are still firing on all cylinders

(Credit: IWantOneOfThose.com)

For awhile there we thought the trend of portable cylindrical speakers, which seemed so hot at times this year, had been snuffed out by more beastly competitors. But apparently they're alive and well, as evidenced by this set--they've just been broken in two.

Depending on how much space you have, this compact set can either be kept intact in one piece or separated for wider stereo angles for any device with a 3.5mm jack. What we like most, however, is that it seems perfect for travel: The pieces have a scratch-resistant rubber (and dirt-hiding) black rubber shell, and at a combined length of 5 inches they can be stowed just about anywhere. And they sure beat a pair of ugly tin cans.