Ultimate Ears Intros UE MEGABOOM: A Bigger, Better, Bolder Portable Speaker

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Ultimate Ears Intros UE MEGABOOM: A Bigger, Better, Bolder Portable Speaker

Ultimate Ears, the company behind the insanely successful UE BOOM portable Bluetooth speaker it introduced a little over a year ago, has finally released its third next-generation portable speaker with a design so familiar you'll probably have deju vu. The UE MEGABOOM is Ultimate Ears' thumpier sounding and longer-lasting portable speaker that just so happens to look identical to its now somewhat smaller brother – the UE BOOM. Not that we're complaining. We actually think the UE BOOM's ultra-durable design is one of the best around. And although the UE MEGABOOM features the same durable waterproof cylindrical design covered in rubber and a stain-resistant acoustic nylon mesh skin, as well as the same amazing immersive 360-degree audio output, it does have a few significant improvements over the UE BOOM model like longer wireless Bluetooth range of up to 100ft (compared to 50ft), extended 20-hour battery life (compared to 15-hours), and for the first time the UE MEGABOOM will be able to receive wireless over-the-air firmware updates.

But most importantly, the UE MEGABOOM also features enhanced audio performance thanks to its larger dual 2-inch active drivers and dual 2-inch by 4-inch passive bass radiators promising "deep, heart-pounding bass". This compared to the dual 1.5-inch drivers and dual 2-inch passive bass radiators of the UE BOOM. Our only gripe when we reviewed Ultimate Ears' UE BOOM was that it lacked deep bass and we're very curious to hear how the UE MEGABOOM will fare with its enhanced drivers.

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Harman Kardon Intros Esquire Mini, The Sexiest Ultra-Slim Wireless Speaker

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Harman Kardon's newest portable wireless speaker is a miniature version of its full-sized and not-so-portable $300 Esquire speaker, appropriately named the Esquire Mini. It's the most elegantly designed and best looking ultra-slim and ultra-portable high-end Bluetooth speaker you can buy for a surprisingly reasonable price...$150. With its unapologetic iPhone 5s-esque inspired design, the Esquire Mini is as premium as premium stereo Bluetooth speakers get. Like its larger Esquire brother, this beautifully made pocketable speaker is crafted from a unibody brushed aluminum construction with genuine leather backing for a luxurious feel and finish, a scratch-resistant ceramic-coated speaker grille and chamfered-edge finished aluminum detailing. 

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Logitech Debuts X300 Mobile Wireless Stereo Speaker

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Logitech's X300 is the company's latest strikingly snazzy portable wireless Bluetooth speaker with angled drivers that are said to output an expansive sound spectrum with precise bass response, detailed mids and highs. The X300 is a stereo performance variant of Logitech's smaller and more affordable single-driver X100 wireless speaker. Logitech did not release information regarding the X300's driver specs, but from an exploded interior view of the X300 on Logitech's website it looks like there are at least four symmetrically positioned drivers. The X300 features a svelte rubberized design with circular on-board buttons at the top for music playback and call control, speakerphone functionality and a built-in rechargeable battery with up to 5 hours of continues wireless audio streaming.

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JBL Outs Charge Portable Speaker, OnBeat Rumble Lightning Speaker Dock

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JBL has announced of two new portable speakers to further enhance its industry leading offerings. JBL's new Charge is a $150 cylindrical portable Bluetooth stereo speaker that is very much like the company's award-winning Flip speaker, albeit more ruggedized and with a much larger built-in rechargeable battery for up to 12 hours of playback. The Charge can be placed either horizontally or vertically, and features a built-in bass port, digital sound processing for room-filling lows combined with accentuated highs. The JBL Charge is a stereo speaker with two 40mm full-range drivers and a 2 x 5-watt amplifier, same as the Flip. It will be available in several colors, including black, blue and green when it is released in the first quarter of this year.

Next in line is JBL's new OnBeat Rumble, a slightly more expensive and highly versatile $400 wireless Bluetooth Lightning speaker dock made for Apple's iPhone 5, iPad mini, iPad 4 and iPod touch 5. The OnBeat Rumble's 50-watts of power, down-firing 4-1/2” subwoofer with proprietary Slipstream port technology and two 2.5” full-range drivers deliver pounding bass with low distortion, and powerful room-filling sound. JBL's OnBeat Rumble is compatible with all Bluetooth enabled audio devices, and it'll charge any of Apple's Lightning connector equipped devices while docked. The OnBeat Rumble will be available in the spring.

Satechi Audio Cube Is Back With A New Look

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Portable speakers are starting to become reliable and quality audio devices than what it use to be. Just look at Jawbone and Logitech, they're doing a pretty good job. Satechi wants a piece of the cake too as they out their newly redesigned Audio Cube that's just as the name suggests. It's a cube. It plays music. Dressed in a rubberized casing with a shiny gloss panel on top, the Audio Cube is as simple as portable Bluetooth speakers get. 

While these are in no way meant to be your daily audio speakers for high quality sound, they are definitely nice to have in your bag or backpack as a portable speaker. It's Bluetooth capability is a plus too. You can pick one of these up on Amazon at a nice and smooth $49.99.

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Bobby Zhang

Jawbone Big Jambox Speaker Is Insanely Good Looking, Big & Thumpy

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Big Jambox is big. Jawbone's portable and lovable Jambox Bluetooth speaker took some pills, and now it's bigger and much louder. Jawbone has announced its  Big Jambox wireless speaker today which is now available to pre-order at $300, and will hit retailers on May 15. Jawbone's Big Jambox continues the uber stylish design of the Jambox with three different styles and colors to pick from. Despite its huge, size, the Big Jambox is still very much a portable wireless speaker. 

Jawbone's Big Jambox is compatible with any device that supports A2DP Bluetooth audio streaming, and features additional on-board playback and volume controls across the top, a built-in rechargeable battery that will last up to 15 hours of party rocking, a 360-degree omnidirectional microphone with echo-cancellation for speakerphone functionality and two passive bass radiators and two stereo acoustic drivers for hi-fi sound full of clarity and richness at any volume.