UE Speakers Add Siri, Google Voice

Amazon Echo, Tap and Google’s upcoming smart home device now have competition as Ultimate Ears (UE), a brand under Logitech, have pushed out a software update that allows users to access Google Now or Siri. The speakers have a push-to-talk function to active the voice control.

To take advantage of this latest feature, all users have to do is update their UE apps for the Boom 2 or Megaboom. The functionality works only when the speaker is connected via UE app. Both these speakers are water-resistant. Say you’re lounging around in the pool and listening to your favorite jams (the UE speakers carry an IPX7 rating meaning they’re waterproof for up to half an hour at a depth of one meter) and you want to play a different track, message a friend or better yet, order up a pizza.

Apple users can simply say a command-“Play indie music” or “Play R&B music”; Android owners, meanwhile, must be running the UE speaker app in the background for voice commands like “Play electronic music” or “Play pop music” to work. Both the UE Boom 2 and the UE Megaboom are also available from Amazon.com at slightly lower prices.

Ultimate Ears has announced that two of its popular Bluetooth portable speakers are getting the ability to be controlled with your voice. In our review of the UE Megaboom, we praised the bass response, battery life, and feature set, but found the sound didn’t quite live up to some of the more premium Bluetooth speakers we’be seen.

UE Mega Boom is the 360 degree wireless BT speakers who will blast to every corner of the party.

Essentially, then, your formerly dumb Bluetooth speaker has been transformed into an Amazon Echo-like smart speaker – albeit indirectly.