The JBL Charge bluetooth speaker is on its 3rd incarnation as of 2016. The version I own, made in 2013 and pictured above, is the original. I love this speaker, though I know speaker buffs will probably make fun of that. The JBL Charge is definitely not the best speaker out there, and it is also highly annoying to switch pairing between devices, which it doesn’t do automatically or smoothly. However, I love it anyway. It can be placed horizontally or vertically, has a nice solidity to its weight and feel without being heavy, and is of a size that can produce decent sound while not taking up much room in a suitcase. This speaker served as my main source for music that didn’t emanate from a laptop speaker during my two years abroad, and after thinking about why I like it so much, I realized that zipping its cylindrical case shut has become a signal that I am about to travel. It feels satisfying and exciting. For me, that is a great illustration of emotional design.
