I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
fall on the floor.

So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
clips around your neck. Only $2.

But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck. Wasted $2? It turns
out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2

They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
loud enough. ?????

In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:48:46 -0500, micky
<NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

>
>They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
>can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
>loud enough. ?????

It was way far down the list, after the big ones for dancing at parties,
even waterproof when your drunken guest throws it in the pool, but here
is
https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Speaker-Mobile-Interface-Smartphone/dp/B0824HK17J/ref=sr_1_19

and bluetooth
https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Speaker-Bluetooth-Hands-Free-Portable/dp/B0C9TH3H64/ref=sr_1_18

Both get good ratings. I haven't read the reviews or even the features,
but I'm leaning to the first, a plug in, so I won't have to recharge one
more thing.

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

> I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
> are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
> the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
> asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
> fall on the floor.
>
> So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
> aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
> speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
> salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
> clips around your neck. Only $2.
>
> But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
> on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
> the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
> I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck. Wasted $2? It turns
> out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2
>
> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
> can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
> loud enough. ?????

There isn't an end table next to the bed? Lay on the end table, and put
something on the opposite side from you to reflect the sound in your
direction, like the table lamp if there is one.

Does the bed have a headboard? If so, you might try self-stick velcro
tape on the headboard and phone. Or look at magnetic mounts. Or a
spring-clip holder (to eliminate any damage to the headboard).

I would think you would NOT want the phone attached to you since it is
likely you will turn over while in bed. Besides falling on the floor
when you move, you could roll over on the phone to muffle it.

Speaker on phone is too weak, even with volume moved to the top, to use
under the pillow?

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

> micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
>
>> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack.
>> I can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they
>> were not loud enough. ?????
>
> It was way far down the list, after the big ones for dancing at
> parties, even waterproof when your drunken guest throws it in the
> pool, but here is
> https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Speaker-Mobile-Interface-Smartphone/dp/B0824HK17J/ref=sr_1_19

Do you have a case (for looks or armoring) on the phone? That will make
the "throw" longer for the speaker's barrel to reach all the way into
the phone's headphone jack. I had to enlarge the cutouts in an armor
case for both the headphone jack and USB port.

> and bluetooth
> https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Speaker-Bluetooth-Hands-Free-Portable/dp/B0C9TH3H64/ref=sr_1_18

Do you just want to listen to audio, or might you also want to view the
phone's screen, like when playing videos?

https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Waterproof-Bluetooth-Compatible-Smartphones/dp/B0CFFHFK7T/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=collapsible%2Bbluetooth%2Bsmartphone%2Bspeaker&sr=8-8&th=1
(with magnet)
https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Wireless-Bluetooth-Outdoors-Compatible/dp/B0C284YGZM/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=collapsible+bluetooth+smartphone+speaker&qid=1705070783&sr=8-10
(without magnet)

Never used anything branded Comiso, so no idea of their quality. The
smaller they are, the less bass you'll get.

Sure you don't want to get bluetooth ear buds? Besides the hotel bed,
you could use them on the plane, at the airport, at a cafe or library
(no making noise to irritate other patrons), and anywhere else where you
don't want surrounding noise to make it difficult to hear a BT speaker
or where you would make noise to offend others. Never used them, so no
idea if they stay in and comfort when used in bed, like when you are
sideways with an ear against a pillow.

So, what is Amazon's delivery speed to Guatamala? Where are they going
to send it to you in Guatamala? Or are you delivering to your home to
use the solution on your next trip?

> Both get good ratings. I haven't read the reviews or even the features,
> but I'm leaning to the first, a plug in, so I won't have to recharge one
> more thing.

Are you plugging your phone into the power supply to keep it charged
since keeping the phone on while also constantly playing audio is going
to drain the battery.

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
> I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
> are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
> the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
> asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
> fall on the floor.
>
> So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
> aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
> speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
> salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
> clips around your neck. Only $2.
>
> But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
> on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
> the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
> I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck. Wasted $2? It turns
> out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2
>
> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
> can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
> loud enough. ?????

A trick my kids used to do years ago with their phones was to put the
speaker end of the phone in glass. Made the sound louder, presumably by
directing it all in one direction.

On 2024-01-12 14:48, micky wrote:
> I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
> are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
> the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
> asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
> fall on the floor.

You can use BT headphones or those tiny ones almost "inside" your ear.
No cables.

>
> So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
> aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
> speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
> salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
> clips around your neck. Only $2.
>
> But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
> on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
> the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
> I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck.

To hang from the neck.

> Wasted $2? It turns
> out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2
>
> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
> can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
> loud enough. ?????

A BT speaker often includes a cable to connect directly to the jack.

I bought for my last trip a pair of expensive earphones with noise
cancelling. BT, but come with a cable for use in the airplane/bus/train
with their system. They reduce the noise in the plane tremendously, so
that I could almost sleep in the plane (just light sleep). And very good
sound quality with the computer/phone/tablet at destination. Best
purchase I made in years. They fold and pack neatly.

Sennheiser

HD 450BT
Around-ear headphones
Model: SEBT4

I also tried to sleep with them on. Have the phone play some soft white
noise plus noise cancelling, and you can sleep with kids playing in the
other room. Almost :-)

Problem in that usage is that they are big and you can not move your
head. Better in some sort of reclining sofa.

Re those Amazon ones you post. The one that connects directly with a
rigid jack, I don't like. It might stress the phone socket.

A holder with a spring-click to hold on the the bed headboard or table,
with one of those flexible goose-necks (as VanguardLH suggests) might be
an idea.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:43:23 -0600, VanguardLH
<V@nguard.LH> wrote:

>micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
>> are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
>> the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
>> asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
>> fall on the floor.
>>
>> So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
>> aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
>> speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
>> salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
>> clips around your neck. Only $2.
>>
>> But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
>> on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
>> the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
>> I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck. Wasted $2? It turns
>> out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2
>>
>> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
>> can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
>> loud enough. ?????
>
>There isn't an end table next to the bed? Lay on the end table, and put
>something on the opposite side from you to reflect the sound in your
>direction, like the table lamp if there is one.
>
>Does the bed have a headboard? If so, you might try self-stick velcro
>tape on the headboard and phone. Or look at magnetic mounts. Or a
>spring-clip holder (to eliminate any damage to the headboard).
>
>I would think you would NOT want the phone attached to you since it is
>likely you will turn over while in bed. Besides falling on the floor
>when you move, you could roll over on the phone to muffle it.
>
>Speaker on phone is too weak, even with volume moved to the top, to use
>under the pillow?

I think several of your ideas would work if my hearing were as good as
it once was. I don't always notice it, but sometimes I can't hear people
right in front of me. And when I was on a previous trip going to
movies at night (because there is little to do between dinner and sleep)
I complained to the "usher" that the sound of the *movie* was not loud
enough. (He said he'd fix it but I'm sure nothing happened.)

Yes, I worry about wired earbuds, rolling over and pulling my phone off
the table.

But this added speaker is as much for when I'm awake and doing things in
the room. When the laptop is on, I have a great Logitech stereo
speaker that is much louder than the built in speakers. But often the
computer is not on.

In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 13 Jan 2024 10:13:12 -0000 (UTC), Chris
<ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote:

>micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
>> I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
>> are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
>> the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
>> asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
>> fall on the floor.
>>
>> So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
>> aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
>> speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
>> salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
>> clips around your neck. Only $2.
>>
>> But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
>> on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
>> the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
>> I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck. Wasted $2? It turns
>> out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2
>>
>> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
>> can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
>> loud enough. ?????
>
>A trick my kids used to do years ago with their phones was to put the
>speaker end of the phone in glass. Made the sound louder, presumably by
>directing it all in one direction.

That's a good idea. I used to (in 1971) have a wind-up watch with an
alarm and to make it louder I put it in the glass ashtry most Central
American cheap hotel rooms had. It worked quite well. But darn it,
people can't smoke in the rooms anymore and there are not ashtrays.

I didn't think of using a regular water glass. I did try something to
make it louder but it didn't work. I'm sure a glass will work.

In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 03:41:52 +0100, "Carlos
E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

>On 2024-01-12 14:48, micky wrote:
>> I'm a tourist in Guatmala staying in $40 hotels. All the tv stations
>> are in Spanish, afaict, and I'm happy to listen to news stations from
>> the US**, but the cell phone is't quite loud enough. Afraid to fall
>> asleep with earbuds in for fear of turning over and making the phone
>> fall on the floor.
>
>You can use BT headphones or those tiny ones almost "inside" your ear.
>No cables.
>
>>
>> So I'm at a dollar store (they have a chain of them, Dollar City. Each
>> aisle has a sign with "$1+".) and I can't find a really small external
>> speaker. (At the cell phone store he had one that was as big as a small
>> salami, meant for parties.) But I see something that holds the phone and
>> clips around your neck. Only $2.
>>
>> But it. It's got a lot of hinges and springs for only $2, and I put it
>> on and the screen is only 2 inches from my face, despite the picture on
>> the cardboard backer wrapping. and the words "Para colgar en el cuello".
>> I don't know colgar but I know cuello is neck.
>
>To hang from the neck.

I never knew "colgar", but my Spanish is up to 70% of what it was 53
years ago. Now I need to be reviewing vocabulary lists, but I'm too
busy.
>
>> Wasted $2? It turns
>> out it clips well to my thigh. Well worth $2
>>
>> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack. I
>> can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they were not
>> loud enough. ?????
>
>A BT speaker often includes a cable to connect directly to the jack.

That would be good. I'll keep my eyes open.
>
>I bought for my last trip a pair of expensive earphones with noise
>cancelling. BT, but come with a cable for use in the airplane/bus/train
>with their system. They reduce the noise in the plane tremendously, so
>that I could almost sleep in the plane (just light sleep). And very good
>sound quality with the computer/phone/tablet at destination. Best
>purchase I made in years. They fold and pack neatly.
>
>Sennheiser
>
>HD 450BT
>Around-ear headphones
>Model: SEBT4

I have something like those. I think I got them just before the last
transatlantic flight, but Florida to Guatamala is only 2.5 hours. Not
worth carrying bulky ones. (And the engines on this plane were behind
the plane, well, almost.)
>
>I also tried to sleep with them on. Have the phone play some soft white
>noise plus noise cancelling, and you can sleep with kids playing in the
>other room. Almost :-)

I said "almost" before I read this paragrah.

>Problem in that usage is that they are big and you can not move your
>head. Better in some sort of reclining sofa.
>
>
>
>Re those Amazon ones you post. The one that connects directly with a
>rigid jack, I don't like. It might stress the phone socket.

Good point. And I see it requires charging like the other one. I
thought it got its power from the phone, but of course there is not
enough power.

>A holder with a spring-click to hold on the the bed headboard or table,
>with one of those flexible goose-necks (as VanguardLH suggests) might be
>an idea.

Maybe.

In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:59:27 -0600, VanguardLH
<V@nguard.LH> wrote:

>micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
>
>> micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
>>
>>> They used to sell little speakers that plugged into the phone jack.
>>> I can't find them now even online and I presume it's because they
>>> were not loud enough. ?????
>>
>> It was way far down the list, after the big ones for dancing at
>> parties, even waterproof when your drunken guest throws it in the
>> pool, but here is
>> https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Speaker-Mobile-Interface-Smartphone/dp/B0824HK17J/ref=sr_1_19
>
>Do you have a case (for looks or armoring) on the phone? That will make

Just a regular vinyl case.

>the "throw" longer for the speaker's barrel to reach all the way into
>the phone's headphone jack. I had to enlarge the cutouts in an armor
>case for both the headphone jack and USB port.

Didn't have to do that but I did cut off the cover for the USB port.
>
>> and bluetooth
>> https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Speaker-Bluetooth-Hands-Free-Portable/dp/B0C9TH3H64/ref=sr_1_18
>
>Do you just want to listen to audio, or might you also want to view the
>phone's screen, like when playing videos?

Playing videos was the plan for after dinner until bed. I've done 9
days of my 21 day trip and not had time for that yet, but this is
planning for the future anyhow.
>
>https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Waterproof-Bluetooth-Compatible-Smartphones/dp/B0CFFHFK7T/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=collapsible%2Bbluetooth%2Bsmartphone%2Bspeaker&sr=8-8&th=1
>(with magnet)
>https://www.amazon.com/comiso-Wireless-Bluetooth-Outdoors-Compatible/dp/B0C284YGZM/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=collapsible+bluetooth+smartphone+speaker&qid=1705070783&sr=8-10
>(without magnet)

Thanks. Very interesting. The one with the magnet is waterproof too.
Of course I don't think the phone is, what with the usb and audio ports,
but it's a nice touch. And I'm sold on magnets, rather than clamps.
>
>Never used anything branded Comiso, so no idea of their quality. The
>smaller they are, the less bass you'll get.

Bass is not important. It will be mostly news anyhow.

>Sure you don't want to get bluetooth ear buds? Besides the hotel bed,

I do have bluetooth earbuds, but I don't like wearing them in my hotel
room. I don't play the sound loud enough to be heard in the next room
but I don't like things in my ears unless it's necessary.

I also have wired earbuds with me

>you could use them on the plane, at the airport, at a cafe or library
>(no making noise to irritate other patrons), and anywhere else where you
>don't want surrounding noise to make it difficult to hear a BT speaker
>or where you would make noise to offend others. Never used them, so no
>idea if they stay in and comfort when used in bed, like when you are
>sideways with an ear against a pillow.
>
>So, what is Amazon's delivery speed to Guatamala? Where are they going

I won't order them until I get home.

>to send it to you in Guatamala? Or are you delivering to your home to
>use the solution on your next trip?

Yes. Next trip. I already forgot my bluetooh sound amplifiying
earbuds, which both amplify what people are saying to me and receive
bluetooh. I forgot them because 80 or 90% of the time I can hear what
everyone says. So the first week of this trip was to see my brother in
Florida. He's been sick, and while I was there he got covid too (and I
spent 4 night sleeping in the same bed with him before his covid
symptoms showed up. And a couple days after that, I got covid symptoms,
laryngitis, sore throat, runny nose, slight headache (but no fever
afaict) , but I did 6, count em, 6 self-tests and they were all
negative. Today I talked to my sister in law, my brother's wife, the one
who refuses to get vaccinated against covid (and who wouldn't go the
hospital when she had it the last time because they kill people at the
hospital! And she was sick too with covid symtoms and said she was
tested at the hospital (the more reliable test) and she was negative
too. So it's some wierd coincidence that we got flu somewhere with the
same symptoms as covid when my brother just got covid. Unless of course
she/they did his self-test wrong.

Anyhow I was scheduled to be in florida for a week so I ordered them
from Amazon they came before I left, but they didn't still have what I'd
bought before, and these do nothing but amplify ambient sound and they
are terrible. The lowest volume is too loud and they distort the sound.
But I can't understand what people say here even when I can hear them so
it's no great loss that I can't hear 10% of them.

>> Both get good ratings. I haven't read the reviews or even the features,
>> but I'm leaning to the first, a plug in, so I won't have to recharge one
>> more thing.
>
>Are you plugging your phone into the power supply to keep it charged
>since keeping the phone on while also constantly playing audio is going
>to drain the battery.

Yes, both in the car and in the hotel rooms. I brought a 12 or 15 foot
extension cord** and a 6 food usb cable. So even when the room has only
one outlet in the bathroom it's long ehought to reach the desk

I also need to get a fast charger***. The dashboard jack just puts out
enough to run the phone without discharging, but it doesn't charge.

***The one I brought for cig lighers is 2.4amps.

**Today's cords are thicker, bulkier, and heavier. My extension cord is
from the 60's so it's thinner, less bulky, and lighter. And on other
trips I used it for months with 220 volts even though it was designed
for 110. This way I only have to bring to Europe one plug adapter
because there are 3 "receptacles" at the end of the extension cord.

On 1/13/24 9:34 PM, micky wrote:

>I worry about wired earbuds, rolling over and pulling my phone off
>the table.

Low tech solution: Get a 3 or 6 foot headphone extender cable and leave the
phone in the table's drawer. Or even on the floor...

In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 05:50:30 -0000 (UTC), AJL
<noemail@none.com> wrote:

>On 1/13/24 9:34 PM, micky wrote:
>
>>I worry about wired earbuds, rolling over and pulling my phone off
>>the table.
>
>Low tech solution: Get a 3 or 6 foot headphone extender cable and leave the
> phone in the table's drawer. Or even on the floor...

I put it in the drawer when leaving it alone to charge at my brother's.
I wonder why I didnt' do that when sleeping.

It's on the floor now because this hotel room has 3 outlets, one far
away, one behind the big dresser, and one behind the night table. That's
why I carry a 15 foot extension cord when I travel, and the cord crosses
the whole room, just waiting for me to trip on it.

Thanks.

micky wrote:
>AJLnoemail@none.com> wrote:
>>micky wrote:
>>
>>>I worry about wired earbuds, rolling over and pulling my phone off
>>>the table.
>>
>>Low tech solution: Get a 3 or 6 foot headphone extender cable and leave the
>> phone in the table's drawer. Or even on the floor...
>
>I put it in the drawer when leaving it alone to charge at my brother's.
>I wonder why I didnt' do that when sleeping.

When dozing in my recliner and using earbuds I usually just leave my phone
in my shirt pocket. But when in a bed I go the above extension cord route.
Why not just put it on a speaker you say? At the volume my old ears require
my neighbors would complain... :-/