Sony's sexy new NFC-enabled portable Bluetooth speakers arrive in March

     Sony's new NFC-equipped X-Series Bluetooth speakers stack up nicely against some of the other swankier portable Bluetooth speakers.

The new speakers range in price from $69 for the ball-style SRS-BTV5 to the line-topping X-Series speaker, the SRS-BTX500, which retails for $299. They arrive in stores this March.
In case you don't know what NFC is, it's available in only certain smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, for example) and allows you to tap your phone or tablet on the speaker to automatically pair with it. I don't find it terribly compelling (it doesn't really save you more than a second or two), but NFC is a hot feature these days and more companies are adding it to their Bluetooth speakers.

                                                       The ball-shaped SRS-BTV5 comes in multiple colors for $69

Sony's new NFC-equipped X-Series Bluetooth speakers stack up nicely against some of the other swankier portable Bluetooth speakers.

The new speakers range in price from $69 for the ball-style SRS-BTV5 to the line-topping X-Series speaker, the SRS-BTX500, which retails for $299. They arrive in stores this March.
In case you don't know what NFC is, it's available in only certain smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, for example) and allows you to tap your phone or tablet on the speaker to automatically pair with it. I don't find it terribly compelling (it doesn't really save you more than a second or two), but NFC is a hot feature these days and more companies are adding it to their Bluetooth speakers.

The ball-shaped SRS-BTV5 comes in multiple colors for $69.

I was most impressed by the X-series line, which includes the aforementioned $299 SRS-BTX500 and the smaller $199 SRS-BTX300. Both models have a sleek design and some heft to them. They feel like well-built products, especially the SRS-BTX500, which offers big sound and bass for its size and competes against such products as Bose's Mobile Bluetooth Speaker II and Jawbone's Big Jambox.
Both X-Series models feature AptX and AAC Bluetooth codecs to "ensure the highest-quality sound while streaming wirelessly." Built-in rechargeable lithium ion batteries provide up to 8 hours (SRS-BTX300) or 7 hours (SRS-BTX500) of continuous playback and there's a USB charging port for smartphones, as well as a neoprene carrying case.
Throw in the speakerphone capabilities, sleek design, and you're looking at a pretty nice package despite the somewhat high price.
As I said, from my brief listening demo, I was impressed with the sound of the SRS-BTX500 and I'll be curious to put it up against other higher-end portable Bluetooth speakers.

 The purse-style SRS-BTM8 retails for $99 and comes in black, white, and pink.