I can understand needing the 3.5mm jack for playback with portable devices, but why can't they use the USB on its own when plugged into a computer?

where can you buy these ?

Are these £30 X-Mini speakers the same as the £15 X-Mini speakers on the Orange Accessories site - http://www.orangeaccessories.co.uk/x-mini_capsule_speaker.html ?

> I can understand needing the 3.5mm jack for playback with

> portable devices, but why can't they use the USB on its own

> when plugged into a computer?

Because that would make them more expensive. Getting power from USB is cheap and simple; I'm not an expert, but I'd expect piping digital audio over USB to require additional chippage including a DAC and some kind of firmware. You'd probably also need some way of delivering software to handle the computer's end of things (does anyone know if there is a generic USB digital audio specification, as there is for USB mass storage?)

To use via USB they would need to put in a USB sound card in the speakers which would lower the considerable profit margin!

And yes, they was "robbed" 8-) If someone thinks £30 is a good price to lose an item ... they are overpaid!!

For laptop-only users with rubbish built in speakers you could drop £3.81 on the following ...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/102424

Note sure about the "chic" tag though 8-)

The X-Mini Capsule in the Orange store is a single speaker of a slightly different design.

The best price I have found for the Mini-Max stereo speakers was here...

http://www.flashdirect.co.uk/acatalog/X_-_Mini_Max_Speaker.html

presumably the same place El Reg found it.

I have listened to a lot of small speakers and nothing of the same size has the kind of detailing that these do.

Perfect for the beach/forest/park/laptop and fits nice in your pocket or handbag.

Best price I found was £24.99 on Play.com but not in stock yet. I've (pre) ordered a pair from there.