Michael Gowan
Michael Gowan is a freelance technology journalist covering soundbars, TVs, and wireless speakers of all kinds of shapes and sizes for Tom’s Guide. He has written hundreds of product reviews, focusing on sound quality and value to help shoppers make informed buying decisions. Micheal has written about music and consumer technology for more than 25 years. His work has appeared in publications including CNN, Wired, Men’s Journal, PC World and Macworld. When Michael’s not reviewing speakers, he’s probably listening to one anyway.
Latest articles by Michael Gowan
Soundfreaq Pocket Kick Review: Ultraportable Stereo Sound
By Michael Gowan published
The Soundfreaq Pocket Kick packs stereo sound and speakerphone function into an attractive – and very portable – package.
Razer Leviathan: A Soundbar for Gamers
By Michael Gowan published
Razer’s Leviathan soundbar improves the gaming experience, and it’s big, bassy sound may please music and movie lovers, too.
Yamaha YAS-203 Review: Big Sound, Affordable Price
By Michael Gowan published
Yamaha's YAS-203 soundbar creates a big, immersive sound while keeping the price affordable.
Zvox Soundbase 570 - All About That Bass
By Michael Gowan published
The Zvox SoundBase 570 boosts dialogue well and delivers booming bass without a separate subwoofer.
JBL Cinema SB100 Review: Simple Sound Booster
By Michael Gowan published
JBL's affordable Cinema SB100 delivers enhanced sound with few frills in a simple package.
Vizio S4251w-B4 5.1 Surround Soundbar Review
By Michael Gowan published
Vizio's S4251w-B4 delivers true 5.1 sound in the convenient form of a soundbar for an affordable price.
Sonos Playbar: Premium Sound at a Premium Price
By Michael Gowan published
The Sono Playbar soundbar fills your room with rich sound, whether from movies or music--if you're willing to pay a premium for the experience.
Creative Sound Blaster Roar Review: Bursting with Sound and Features
By Michael Gowan published
The Creative Sound Blaster Roar is a Bluetooth speaker that delivers big and bold audio for a reasonable price.
Boombot Rex Review: Feature-Rich and Rugged Ultraportable Bluetooth Speaker
By Michael Gowan published
With plenty of features, the rugged Boombot Rex is a good ultraportable Bluetooth speaker for on-the-go music lovers.
TiVo Roamio Review: Intuitive DVR for Cord Cutters
By Michael Gowan published
TiVo's Roamio is a great DVR for live TV, but lacks the app variety that many cord cutters want. A limited-edition $50 model debuts Sept. 14.
Boom Swimmer Review: Waterproof, But So-So Audio
By Michael Gowan published
Boom's rugged, flexible and waterproof Swimmer Bluetooth speaker can go everywhere, but the sound quality doesn't impress.
UE Boom vs Bose SoundLink Mini: Speaker Face-Off
By Michael Gowan published
Both the Bose SoundLink Mini and UE Boom are excellent portable Bluetooth speakers, but which one is best?
Slingbox M1 Review: Easily Stream Live TV Online
By Michael Gowan published
SlingBox M1 beams live and DVR'd cable or satellite TV over the Net to computers and mobile devices, with good quality and no monthly fees.
Braven 570 Review: Good Features, Low Price
By Michael Gowan published
The Braven 570 Bluetooth speaker packs in a ton of features and delivers decent audio performance at an affordable price.
JBL Flip 2 Review
By Michael Gowan published
The Flip 2 is an affordable, portable Bluetooth speaker that gets plenty loud, but the fidelity won't wow you.
Bose SoundLink Mini Review
By Michael Gowan published
The Bose SoundLink Mini boasts excellent audio quality and booming bass for a speaker its size, but it’s lacking some features.
Philips Shoqbox 7200 Bluetooth Speaker Review
By Michael Gowan published
The Shoqbox 7200 is packed with more features than most Bluetooth speakers in this price range, but the sound just isn't good enough.
JBL Pulse Bluetooth Speaker Review: See Your Music
By Michael Gowan published
The JBL Pulse's LED lights are a treat for the eyes, but the sound on this Bluetooth speaker is just average.
Fugoo Style Bluetooth Speaker Review: Best-in-Class Sound and Features
By Michael Gowan published
Fugoo's portable Bluetooth speaker bests the competition in all the areas that matter: ruggedness, battery life and sound quality.
Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Speaker Review: A Good Speakerphone
By Michael Gowan published
The Jabra Solemate makes it easy to answer calls, but average audio sinks it as a speaker for listening to music.
Klipsch Gig Bluetooth Speaker Review: Booming Bass
By Michael Gowan published
Few Bluetooth speakers can match the Gig Portable Music System's emphasis on bass, but other models handle vocals better.
Logitech UE Boom Bluetooth Speaker Review
By Michael Gowan published
The UE Boom's combination of ruggedness and sonic superiority over its competitors makes it worth the slight premium.
How to Play Movies on Your Roku 3 from a USB Drive
By Michael Gowan published
Your Roku 3 can play video from a hard drive or USB stick — no streaming required. It can also play music and show photos.
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