iMainGo 2 Handheld Speaker Case for iPod and iPhone (Black)

You and your iPod or iPhone love going everywhere. iMaingo 2 provides a protective case for your iPod, iPhone and, built into the case, a portable speaker system. Now you can choose to listen by headphone or speaker. Share tunes with your friend or mate. iMainGo goes wherever you go. No Need to plug it in or recharge. Its advanced design gives its four AAA batteries unprecedented life up to 30 hours. Don't be fooled by the size. Thanks to iMainGo's state-of-the-art electronics and speakers, you hear rich full sound you'd expect from systems many times its size. iMaingo 2 is tough. Safely inside, your iPod and iPhone are protected from bumps and other rough handling by iMainGo's sturdy construction. The edge of iMaingo 2 is the sound quality coming from the built-in speaker. What contributes in making iMainGo 2 sound so fine is a combination of a high-quality digital amplifier, high-output stereo speakers, and tuned porting for enhanced bass response. All this and a case too! The iMainGo 2 unit can be held in your hand and offers simple access to your iPod and iPhone's controls. It's both stylish, comfortable and is designed to fit all iPods and iPhones. Got an iPod or iPhone? Match it up with iMaingo - a sound relationship that's sure to last. Up to 30 hours battery life Wake up alarm feature High Quality sewn fabric exterior On/off switch has 3 modes - OFF, MUSIC and ALM. MUSIC turns the speakers on, and ALM is for when you use your iPod as an alarm. When the alarm goes off, the speakers power on and play the alarm Requires 4 AAA batteries for up to 30 hours play (batteries are included).

Customer Reviews
The best ultra-small portable sound system that I could find, November 17, 2008
By David H. Peterzell "Ph.D., Ph.D." (San Diego, CA United States)

Donald Norman (great psychologist and human factors expert) has emphasized that products should be functional, but that they should also be beautiful and have an emotional impact as well. "We know how to make products that work fine; how do we make products that make you smile?" Well, there's something about the design of this little gadget that forces my lips to curve upward. The sound quality, simplicity, compact design, and usability combine to make this both a pleasure to use and a joy to behold.

Well... there are plenty of tiny portable speaker systems out there, and I've tried many of them. Back in the dark ages (early 2000's) I trekked around with Sony SRS-T77 portable speakers and a (gack) portable CD player. Despite being limited to such primitive tools, I learned that I could have a portable blast all over the place -- in homes, cars, planes, parks, hotel rooms, conferences, cafes, beach bonfires, sporting events, and more. And I learned a valuable law of the universe -- If you clunk around with an obnoxious boombox, then you are trying too hard. You'll find more, and better, trouble without the excess. (Amazingly, the SRS-T77 is still on the market, and it really is not a bad choice compared to some of the the junk out there. Mine still works despite years of trying to kill it. Don't mess with the newer Sony SRS-T33; it sounds worse.)

Anyway, I used the original iMainGo for about a year until mine was stolen. It (a) sounded really good (compared to any other tiny speaker system available at the time), (b) was easy to carry without a lot of clutter, and (c) protected my iPod within its zippered enclosure. I liked the fact that the iMainGo was a protective enclosure, and not just a peripheral portable speaker. And I liked the fact that it was really small. And it got plenty of attention, for better or for worse. Once the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Zune came out, the system became somewhat obsolete because these newer products did not fit easily into the plastic inner shell of the iMainGo. Moreover, the iPhone required an an unglamorous adapter plug to connect to its earplug jack.

The iMainGo2 was announced by its parent company early this year, but there didn't seem to be any for me to get one until now. Mine arrived last week, and I've been subjecting it to rigorous experimentation, in the interests of science, of course. The revised product doesn't differ much from the original, except for a re-designed plug, an enlarged storage compartment, and use of memory foam. In particular, the new design uses memory foam to fit the contour of the iPhone, iPod or any other phone/MP3 player. Additionally, the speaker plug is now compatible with iPhones (no adapter needed). The iMainGo2 attaches to any earplug jack with a tiny internal mini-plug cable, making it compatible with just about any brand of MP3 player.

I love the iMainGo2. Like its predecessor, it's loud enough to annoy the really old lady across the street, but clear enough to party for hours with her granddaughters.

If you find something better... let me know! Since losing my original iMainGo, I had been using the new Altec Lansing portable speaker. It sounds really good... but it doesn't have the other features that I've come to appreciate in the iMainGo products.

The product uses 4 AAA batteries. Use rechargeable batteries, and this will save you a variety of headaches. Also, if the batteries are weak, the sound is not very good.

By the way, here is my wish list for the iMainGo3!

1) Make the enclosure/memory foam space even larger. As it is, my iPhone (including my new iPhone 3G) fits tightly into the iMainGo2. I have to take it out of its usual protective case to put it in the iMainGo. It would be better if at least some iPhone cases fit inside the iMainGo

2) Design the iMainGo so that you can answer calls if you are storing an iPhone inside it. The instructions suggest that you shouldn't even try to answer an iPhone when it is stored inside. But this detracts from the usability of the device.

3) Recognize that many of us use the iMainGo unzippered, with the cell phone facing in rather than out. I'm betting that I'm not the only person who does this! Instead of using just one velcro band that crosses the middle of the touch pad, use two - one at the top and one at the bottom.

4) Provide an a/c power option. And while you are at it, improve the battery chamber. The springs are a bit cheap, I think.

Alternatives:

Don't be seduced into buying speakers just because they are tiny. Many small speakers sound horrible, and even the good ones aren't all that much fun to carry around. Also, don't expect some of the larger stuff to be any more portable than a bowling ball.

If you are looking at comparable systems, then take a look at the Sonic Impact i-Fusion (iPods only, I think), LG Portable stereo speakers (MSP-100), Altec Lansing InMotion iM4, Logitech mm32 portable speakers, Creative TravelSound, JBL On Tour, Audio Source DB5, or the Altec Lansing iM-237 Orbit (see my review). All of these are OK, IMHO.

Here are the products I didn't try but wish I had... (1) DLO Portable Speakers for iPhone. They may be more appealing to some iPhone users than the iMainGo2. The speakers fold into an egg-shaped unit and turn the iPhone into a speaker phone. (2) Logic3 portable speakers for iPhone. They supposedly sound pretty good. (3) LiveSpeakR iPhone speakers. (4) LG Portable Stereo Speakers MSP-100. These are very small and reportedly sound good, (5) Kensington 33388 FX 300 speakers. (6) JVC MP3 case with built in speakers. The last two share something of a resemblance to the iMainGo. I doubt that any of these could replace my iMainGo2! I am, however, thinking that I'll need to try (7) the Dada Code M footwear MP3 player... (Check this one out -- it is totally nuts...)

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