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Ultimate Ears' Wonderboom 2 gets better sound, longer battery life
Two years ago, Ultimate Ears' launched a beefy Bluetooth speaker that offered 360-degree sound in the body the size of a soda can. Now, the company is updating the Wonderboom with design flourishes cribbed from the Boom 3, bigger sound and a longer battery life. The Wonderboom 2 gets specially-tuned audio profiles to make tunes sound better outdoors, and its power has been bumped from 10 hours to 13.
Ultimate Ears' custom-designed Boom 3 speakers match your style
Ultimate Ears' Boom speakers have usually been colorful, but there's been a catch: you've always had to pick from whatever designs UE offered, which didn't help if you thought the company's choices were too gauche. Thankfully, UE has a simple solution. It's launching a MyBoom Studio feature that lets you customize the Boom 3 with a choice of eight colors and 12 fabrics across the body, caps and volume buttons. It's not infinite customization, but you have plenty of room to be flamboyant, safe, or something in between.
UE Boom app update removes Alexa support on Android
You normally hear about companies adding Alexa support, but not so in this case -- the feature is going away for some users. An updated version of Ultimate Ears' Boom app for Android has removed Alexa control (not to mention alarms) for both UE Boom and Megaboom speakers, turning them into simple Bluetooth speakers. If you ask the company, it's a question of focus.
Ultimate Ears' Boom and Megaboom 3 are a pool party's best friend
You can always trust an Ultimate Ears speaker to sound pretty slick, be simple to use and not blast a hole in your wallet, and the newest launches from the Logitech-owned brand are a case of if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 -- there never was a Megaboom 2, but for the sake of consistency, Ultimate Ears has jumped a number -- look a lot like their predecessors, but a few design tweaks, added features and attractive price tags define this next generation.
The nine speakers we recommend in our back-to-school guide
Though our back-to-school guide includes plenty of headphones, we threw in just as many speakers. Whether you intend to host a few parties or just want the convenience of a smart speaker, we found a number of models that we feel earn their space in your dorm. As you might expect, our list of nine picks include plenty of smart speakers, including usual suspects like the Apple HomePod, Google Home and Sonos One. Our feeling is, if you're going to invest in bookshelf or desktop speakers, you may as well have the option of using voice commands. That said, nearly half of our recommendations are portable, with highlights from JBL, Bang & Olufsen and the category leader, UE. As a warning, not everything on this list is cheap (we're looking at you, Klipsch), but some, like the UE Wonderboom are much cheaper, with a street price of around $70. Find all that and more (plus those headphone picks we mentioned) in our complete guide.
Spotify voice control is coming to UE's Alexa-powered speakers
The Alexa-powered Blast and Megablast speakers Ultimate Ears launched late last year will soon give you a way to listen to your favorite tunes on Spotify without lifting a single finger. Ultimate Ears will roll out Spotify voice control through Amazon's voice assistant in the near future, so you can simply say "Alexa, play my Discover Weekly" or any of your music on the service. The speakers will also be the first Ultimate Ears products to support Spotify Connect, which allows you to stream music to audio devices via WiFi without having to pair through Bluetooth. It offers a much more reliable connection than Bluetooth, one that's less susceptible to dropouts and interruptions.
UE's Blast and Megablast join the Alexa smart speaker family
These days, the launch of yet more speakers with Alexa onboard isn't the most exciting announcement. However, these aren't stout smart home speakers or a mere software update, but an entirely new line for Ultimate Ears -- a long-standing favorite for its speakers' audio output and resilience. Today, the company introduces the Blast and Megablast, the network-capable and Alexa-enabled siblings of UE's Boom 2 and Megaboom. This new line was built explicitly for the Amazon Alexa ecosystem of apps and features, and along with the Power Up charging base, offers always-on functionality to cater to your verbal demands. Unlike many other options though, this one also includes an on-board battery for portability.
Now Alexa can do your bidding through Ultimate Ears' speakers
Alexa keeps making its way to non-Amazon devices recently, such as Anker's Dot clone and HTC's U11 phone. Now, it's gracing two more devices with its presence: Ultimate Ears' Boom 2 and Megaboom wireless speakers. Simply press the Bluetooth button and issue a voice command to play music, order food, get sports scores and do other things Alexa is capable of wherever you are, whether you're in the pool, out for a picnic or just chilling at home.
Ultimate Ears' cheapest Boom speaker looks like a colorful barrel
When the design teams at Ultimate Ears got together to create the Boom and Roll, the end result was a set of vibrant bluetooth speakers that took cues from a can of Pringles and a flying saucer. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that UE's new entry-level model, the $100/£80 Wonderboom, also shies away from the conventional portable form factor. You could say it looks like a small barrel, or resembles a watermelon with hundreds of rubber bands tied around it, but it's colorful, strangely cute and -- most importantly -- affordable.
Logitech's CEO says you can innovate and be humble
Logitech is a rare technology company. It's been around for 35 years, all the while finding different ways to thrive as an independent accessory maker. But despite being a well-known brand, it's never been considered "hip" like Apple or Beats. Instead of betting big on showy new products, Logitech has always focused on finding successful niches in which it can build a small-but-loyal following. And according to the company's CEO, Bracken Darrell, he wouldn't have it any other way. At SXSW last week, I sat down with Darrell to chat about the road ahead for Logitech.
UE's new PartyUp feature broadcasts to multiple speakers
Ultimate Ears' Boom and Megaboom Bluetooth speakers have been some of our favorites in recent years, and if you or your friends picked one up, today's new software update may surprise you. The company is launching a revamped app interface and OTA firmware update that now allows you to pair far more than two UE speakers at a time. This new feature is called PartyUp and leverages Bluetooth Smart LE to let you see, remotely turn on and add nearby speakers to your audio output. The company claims you can easily add up to 50 at once, provided they're all running the new firmware. To help kick off the party, you can pick up speakers from the company's website at a discounted rate in groups of five or ten, which will be offered through the holidays.
Engadget giveaway: Win a complete set of Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speakers!
Summer is here and, at least in the north-eastern US, it's providing strong sunshine paired with melt-inducing heat. Those vibes have been captured perfectly on Ultimate Ear's latest limited edition UE Roll 2, which features the "Drippy" design from artist Jen Stark. Known for her psychedelic blends of contrasting color and repetitive layers, Stark aimed to bring oozing motion to this speaker's fabric. This week's giveaway is courtesy of Ultimate Ears and includes one of the limited edition UE Roll 2 Bluetooth speakers, along with one of each of its siblings: the UE Boom 2 and Megaboom. These speakers will help you kick out the jams all summer long in waterproof style. Each model has its own level of portability and volume output to fit your activity, plus any two can be paired for stereo sound. Want to get in on the audio fun? Head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this full set of UE speakers, including the limited "Drippy" release. Winner: Congratulations to Sergio C. of Sunnyside, NY!
UE adds Google and Siri voice integration to its Boom speakers
Today, Ultimate Ears is pushing out a software enhancement that's available for both the UE Boom 2 and Megaboom Bluetooth speakers. With an app refresh and OTA update, users will now be able to access Google Now or Siri by pushing a button on the speakers themselves, as long as they're connected through the UE app on the host device. Since the Boom 2 and Megaboom are both IPX7 water resistant, this could be perfect for beach or pool time, letting you keep your phone or tablet out of harm's way. Friends can also use this to find a song they want without hassling you for your phone or lock screen code. This new feature puts the speakers in competition with devices like the Amazon Tap, which also requires a button push to access Alexa, its on-board smart assistant. I had few hours for a quick preview of the update using both of the compatible UE speakers and an Android device, and while the service works, there's certainly room for improvement.
Logitech buys Jaybird for $50 million
If you already make killer audio products, do you think spending $50 million on a headphone firm is a good idea? It is you're Logitech's management, which just cut a check for that amount to buy sports audio outfit Jaybird. Much like Ultimate Ears, Jaybird will remain an independent subsidiary of its new parent company, selling wireless sport buds. Logitech's interest may rest more on Jaybird's sport-focused wearable, Reign, which measures your heart rate variability during training. In a release, Jaybird founder Judd Armstrong says that his firm will "benefit from Logitech's global distribution network and engineering prowess."
Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speaker update lets friends share DJ duty
Ultimate Ears has been redefining its lineup of Bluetooth speakers lately, waterproofing them and fine-tuning their innards so they all have the same tech at their core. As part of this unification, the company's pushing a new over-the-air firmware update around 1PM ET that adds the Boom 2's tap control functionality to Megaboom speakers. That's not all: An app update for iOS and Android is also rolling out with a new feature called Block Party. It takes the multi-user playback feature (which, to be honest, I've rarely had much success with before) and gives it an easy-to-use visual interface. Up to three users (including the host), can connect to a UE Roll, Boom 2 or Megaboom speaker and jump in with their own tunes. To keep potential mayhem in check, the primary user can moderate that input by playing, pausing, skipping to the next track or removing a user entirely from the DJ roster. If a spot opens up, anyone with a Bluetooth connection can hop in and join the party, playing their own jams or letting the host skip through their playlist. It's yet another step forward for UE's speaker line, but there are a few inherent limitations to this new feature.
UE's Roll speaker is a resilient flying saucer of sound
Ultimate Ears just tied up the last loose end in its product line today, replacing its aging Mini Boom speaker with the UE Roll. Instead of a rounded rectangle with mono-directional sound, this new model takes the form of a flying saucer, with a similar design as the higher-end Boom and Megaboom. Outside of its colorful exterior, there are plenty of other updates packed into this new entry-level offering. One thing that hasn't changed is the price: the UE Roll costs $100 (£100 in the UK). Starting today, you can pick one up from the Ultimate Ears website, while Best Buy will have select colors (Reef exclusively) on June 21st, followed by the Apple store on July 7th. I had a chance to test one out for a few days, and while it's a cute bit of eye candy, it still seems to hold its own among everything else in UE's lineup.
Ultimate Ears' UE Megaboom is a larger version of its 360-degree speaker
The UE Boom has been a popular choice among Bluetooth speakers since its debut back in 2013, thanks in large part to its stellar design and ability to blast tunes in 360 degrees. In fact, we've been quite smitten with it here at Engadget HQ. After nearly a year and a half, and a number of new colors and artist collaborations, Ultimate Ears has a new version: the Megaboom. If you're thinking this looks a lot like the regular Boom, you're correct -- except it's bigger. The larger option is still waterproof and wrapped in a stain-resistant skin, and it's said to last 20 hours on a charge with a Bluetooth range of 100 feet. Free apps for both iOS and Android are in play as well, which means remote control, alarm and sound tweaks from your mobile device return. And if one isn't enough, the UE Megaboom can "double up" with a second or a regular Boom for a sound boost. The $300 speaker will arrive in the US and a few countries in both Europe and Asia later this month.
Logitech's Ultimate Ears Mini Boom wireless speaker can take a bruising
So you want a portable Bluetooth speaker, but you're worried that it won't survive your party-driven lifestyle. What to do? You may want to consider Logitech's new Ultimate Ears Mini Boom, which can take a moderate amount of abuse thanks to its metal frame and rubber housing. Like the full-size Boom, the Mini Boom can still operate in pairs (through Android and iOS apps) and lasts for a healthy 10 hours per charge. It will also power up through micro-USB in the event that you're nowhere near a wall outlet. Logitech expects to ship the Mini Boom this month in a variety of flashy colors for $100.
UE Boom: a splash-resistant, Bluetooth-enabled speaker for overzealous rioters
You know what'll go perfectly with that waterproof Bluetooth speaker ball that a Billy Corgan doppelganger recommended a few years back? That odd tube you're undoubtedly fixated on above. That's the Ultimate Ears UE Boom, and those people underneath are presumably blitzed from a day of raving at [insert EDM festival here]. Parent company Logitech is calling this thing the "world's first social music player," but last we checked, it's not capable of tweeting whatever you're listening to. Instead, it's seemingly engineered "to help you rage, riot, party and play the music you love, out loud." Seriously -- that's in the description. In order to do so, there's a Bluetooth radio within, NFC support, a 15-hour rechargeable battery and an exterior that'll turn away light splashes. Of note, you can wirelessly link two UE Booms together using an associated Android or iOS app to play them in either stereo-to-stereo mode or traditional left / right stereo mode. It's expected to hit US and European shores later this month for $199.99, which means you too can take weird shots of yourself holding it at frat parties in the very, very near future.
Ultimate Ears intros Vocal Reference Monitors to save singers from strain
Believe it or not, few musicians' in-ear reference monitors are tuned to emphasize voice; singers might have to compete for attention with wailing guitars and drums inside their own heads. Rather than risk artists shouting themselves hoarse, Ultimate Ears has launched its Vocal Reference Monitors. Separate versions for men and women focus on their typical vocal ranges and narrow the frequency range to between 90Hz and 8kHz, cutting out the more extreme sounds of instruments in the mix. The $999 price rules out the Vocal line for most garage bands -- it might, however, be perfect for pros whose screaming isn't part of the act.
