August 28, 2015

Scosche Unveils boomBOTTLE Plus Rugged Portable Speaker

August 28, 2015/ Nir Schneider

Scosche has introduced a new portable Bluetooth speaker today that has been designed for all weather conditions and outdoor adventures. Scosche's boomBOTTLE+ speaker has a ruggedized cylindrical shape so that it can easily fit into most water bottle holders and is fully waterproof, can float on water, and its rubberized shock-absorbing exterior casing offers drop protection. At 8.5-inches tall, the boomBOTTLE+ is roughly the same size as the UE Megaboom –albeit slimmer in diameter – and also features 360-degree audio and dual pairing capabilities for simultaneous pairing of two boomBOTTLE+ speakers to create an immersive stereo experience. Inside, the boomBOTTLE+ packs two large 50mm drivers including a single large passive subwoofer said to deliver "incredible bass".

January 05, 2015

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

January 05, 2015/ Nir Schneider

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.

January 07, 2014

Fugoo Wireless Speaker Redefines Durability, Packs Big Specs Into Small Form Factor

January 07, 2014/ Nir Schneider

We're beginning to see companies putting their own unique spin on portable Bluetooth speakers. This year at CES 2014, new companies like Fugoo are making a serious name for themselves. Fugoo has debuted its new stylish portable speaker that features a cleverly designed modular Jacket system that let's users switch between three types of slide-on Jacket enclosures that provide a unique style or nearly indestructible protection with ease.

The Fugoo speaker itself is a self-contained angular Core unit that is completely waterproof and designed to be dust, sand, snow dirt and impact-resistant regardless of its modular exterior casing. As for hardware specs, the Fugoo Wireless Speaker boasts an impressive 40-hour battery life, loud 95dB volume, and six symmetrical placed speaker drivers positioned at an 8-degree upward tilt – two neodymium 28mm tweeters, two neodymium 39mm midrange woofers and two 43mm x 54mm passive bass radiators that harmoniously produce a rich and immersive 360 degree sound experience. This is the first time that we're seeing such a complex set of hardware in a portable speaker that's only 6.5" long. Color us impressed.