BYTE's BYOD Holiday Gift Guide

This year, get friends and family a gift they can really use: A bring-your-own-device -- BYOD -- gadget, something that makes it easier to use their favorite mobile device. They'll thank you every time they use it.

Portable Speakers

Your mobile device has speakers and you've got earbuds, but if you want real sound neither of them are going to cut it. That's why it's handy to have real portable speakers. The iHome iHM79 Portable Multimedia Speakers provide higher fidelity and much more volume than your notebook, tablet or smart phone's built-in speakers. The speakers can be collapsed down and attach to each other back-to-back magnetically. The speakers' batteries are charged via USB so you won't need to find another power outlet for a gigantic power brick. Small, light, and loud enough for small group presentations in moderate noise conditions makes it a good pick for your mobile presentation toolkit.

The list price of the iHM79 Portable Multimedia Speakers is $50, but you can find them for less. Costco has them for $40.

-- Todd Ogasawara