UE BOOM 2 Bluetooth Speaker

Below are also three videos – one interviewing John Paterson, UE’s Regional Product Manager, Music in Australia, the other a video of the Australian launch of the UE Boom 2, and finally at the end of the article, UE’s cool promotional video.

Ultimate Ears, the audio brand owned by Logitech, has unveiled a new version of its 360-degree portable speaker, dubbed the UE Boom 2.

The UE Boom 2 builds on this design, changing very little on the outside.

Aside from clearer and louder sound, the Boom 2 is water-, drop- and dust-proof design. Translation: the Boom 2 is the ideal beach buddy. It’s still a stubby tube, made of fabric and sturdy rubber, and while there’s a ring on the bottom to attach it to a lanyard or similar, it’s also just the right size to slot into the bottle holder on a bike. When the Boom 2’s on, hold it in your hand and give it a slap on top and it’ll start playing.

That’s not to say it’s the same speaker, far from it in fact.

In a world where Bluetooth speakers are practically giveaway items, you have to do something special to command a $200 sticker, and Ultimate Ears believes it has the answer.

Look extra close and you’ll see external differences, though, including a new mesh material finish, utilised for its ability to take on printed designs better (likely to be offered as a future personalisation option, so keep your eyes peeled). Ultimate Ears has proofed the design of Boom 2 to make it even more water and dust resistant. The UE Boom 2 has been completely redesigned, using entirely new components for a 25 per cent louder output than the original. “We’ve been leading the category in a new direction, and we’re breaking the mold yet again with UE BOOM 2″.

Plus, UE BOOM 2 gets better with time. Ultimate Ears has introduced clever mobility-centric features, like doubling the Bluetooth range to 30m, adding gesture controls and making the speaker fully waterproof (including internally). And, if you want to get even louder and know someone else with a UE Boom 2, you can use the UE Boom 2 iOS or Android app to wirelessly pair two speakers. And like the old Boom, it’ll come in a bunch of different colors: BrainFreeze, Cherrybomb, GreenMachine, Phantom, Tropical, and Yeti.

The speakers are slated for a release in the US and in some European and Asian countries this month, and the good news for USA residents is that you can already buy these from Ultimate Ears on their website.