MacDirectory Magazine

Jason Seiler

MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.

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Power & Beats The Charge 3 > Teen Proof, Guaranteed By Thomas Bender Let your teenager take their music anywhere with the JBL Charge 3 and they’ll become the life of the (responsible) party.  Having established a very nice lineup of portable Bluetooth speakers serving almost anyone’s on-the-go audio needs - from the $50 Clip to the $300 Xtreme - JBL has truly started refining their speakers with some subtle and not-so-subtle improvements.  From its appearance to the internal acoustics, the $150 Charge 3 has received some impactful upgrades to stay relevant as one of the more reliable speakers in its crowded mid-range class. The Charge 2 had a hard aluminum and plastic shell, but the Charge 3 has taken its design and materials from its older brother, the JBL Xtreme.  A durable fabric covers most of the speaker, with buttons inlaid directly into the fabric.  The two ends of the cylindrical speaker are rubberized and feature two passive bass radiators that will actually pulse to the bass of the music, intriguing and mesmerizing most people when the first lay eyes on this handsome speaker.  The Charge 3 comes in a variety of colors whose bright shades combine with the fabric design to look really sharp. The materials used to construct the Charge 3 are durable under rough conditions and even manage to keep the Charge 3 fully waterproof, not just splash proof (it is fully IPX7 certified)! The whole unit can be submerged in water up to 3 feet for 30 minutes - a great piece of mind for taking this thing to the beach, on a boat, or poolside. On the inside, the Charge 3 sports a 6000mAH battery that will keep the music pumping for up to 20 hours, or, if taking advantage of its namesake feature, can be used to charge any of your other devices through the USB port on the back of the speaker.  The battery powers two 50mm drivers that put out a fairly balanced sound at normal volumes.   Paired over Bluetooth, the Charge 3 also makes for a surprisingly decent speaker phone, and will also work with Siri and Google Now - a cool feature that is sure to come in handy and at least impress your friends. All in all, for a Bluetooth speaker in this price range, the Charge 3 offers a full gamut of features, an impressive run time, and all the durability you need to rest assured that your $150 gift is not going to break anytime soon.  The Charge 3 will surely be any teen’s favorite gift under the tree this year! For more information, visit: https://www.jbl.com

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