Short version: These two battery-powered bluetooth speakers are the first modern boomboxes designed by the newly created subsidiary Logitech UE. Acquired in 2008, Ultimate Ears is well-known for its in-ear monitors used by many musicians in concert, not for its speakers. Even though the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox is limited, it is no surprise given the entry-level pricing. The real surprise comes from the big brother, the Logitech UE Boombox.
Logitech UE BoomboxFeatures:
- Two woofers, two tweeters and four passive radiators
- Bluetooth (A2DP profile) and 3.5mm audio output
- 6-hour rechargeable battery
- 4.4lbs (2kg)
- MSRP: $ 250
- Logitech UE Product Page
Pros:
- Precise and very enjoyable sound
- Incredibly powerful performance for this size
- Bass-heavy sound profile, perfect for partying
Cons:
- Bass-heavy sound profile, exhausting with some tracks
- Heavy
- No audio cable in the box
Long version:
When it comes to picking the right speaker for your needs, it’s often a very personal choice due to sound profiles, music tastes and other side niceties. The Logitech UE Boombox doesn’t change the rule, and it will be hard to give a definitive verdict for that product.
First, design and features are less controversial. With a sleek grille and a rubberized lower third, the device looks both solid and elegant. The handle at the top makes it easy to pick the boombox up. But at 4.4lbs (2kg), you may only want to carry it in your backyard or in another room. Compared to other models, such as the Big Jambox, this boombox is quite big and you should leave it in your home.
The big rubberized volume buttons on one side are unmissable. On the other side, you find the on/off switch, a Bluetooth pairing button, the 3.5mm audio output and the power socket.
Pairing the boombox with an iPhone, an Android 4.0 phone and a Mac was very easy. The A2DP audio profile ensures that a large number of devices will be compatible. It’s even easier in iOS 6 with the Bluetooth settings now front and center in the Settings app. With an iPhone 4, audio didn’t drop even with approximately 30 feet of distance between the two devices in an office environment.
Yet, as audiophiles will tell you, A2DP is not ideal for audio fidelity. The audio is first compressed on the phone or tablet using SBC, or optionally AAC or MP3. For example, iOS now supports AAC up to 128 kb/s in addition to SBC, which is pretty low. Moreover, reencoding a lossy track, such as a song bought in the iTunes Store or streamed in Spotify, with a lossy codec is one of the worst thing to do for sound quality. It’s like taking a photo of a photo.
It still sounded good, especially when you compare it to using the internal speaker of your smartphone. But you definitely lose sound clarity in the higher and lower ends of the audio spectrum. That’s why Logitech UE should have put an audio cable in the box. It’s a high-end speaker.
Talking about audio spectrum, the Boombox is clearly skewed toward low mids and basses. I usually use very neutral equipment, such as studio monitoring headphones (Sony MDR-7506). It is more noticeable when playing some songs, especially electronic music tracks with a deep and clean beat. Other times, it makes the track more enjoyable. But when it ruins a classic, you have no choice but to skip the track.
Yet, as the name suggests, the Boombox was intended to produce booms. If you intend to use it to party, to fill a crowded room with a sound that is pleasant to listen to, then it is the perfect choice.
We have a Jawbone Big Jambox in the office. When playing the same song on the two devices, there was no room for discussion. The Logitech UE Boombox is the clear winner, with a much clearer and richer sound than the limited Big Jambox. The Boombox is much bigger, but $ 50 cheaper than the Big Jambox. Picking Logitech’s speaker is a no-brainer if you are not constrained by size.
Logitech UE Mobile BoomboxFeatures:
- Compact speaker
- Bluetooth (A2DP profile) and 3.5mm audio output
- 10-hour micro USB rechargeable battery
- MSRP: $ 100
- Logitech UE Product Page
Pros:
- Very easy to carry around
- Better sound than the speaker of your smartphone
- Perfect for podcasts
Cons:
- Not very powerful
Long version:
Don’t expect any magic from this Mobile Boombox. It is an inexpensive speaker to throw in your bag when you are going to the beach, the park or hiking. You don’t get a lot of details, especially with messy and difficult to render tracks. But if you really need to listen to music with a speaker in those situations, the Mobile Boombox is a good versatile choice.
If you insist on using it in your home, there is another use that makes it very useful, podcasts. I listen to a lot of podcasts and don’t use iTunes anymore, even if Apple plans to release a completely redesigned version. I manage all my podcasts in Instacast on my iPhone and listen to podcasts exclusively on my iPhone, using headphones, AirPlay or the internal speaker.
You can use the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox to listen to podcast while doing the dishes and cooking for example. Voices sound much better than with the internal speaker and you won’t have to spend a lot of money for a kitchen speaker.
ConclusionThese two speakers are highly capable for different uses. While you won’t take the Boombox with you, it will be a very polyvalent and enjoyable speaker in your home. The Mobile Boombox, on the other hand, can make an excellent speaker to listen to podcasts in your kitchen, or a correct portable speaker for the park or the beach. I wasn’t very confident when turning those speakers on due to the brand. Logitech isn’t a well-known audiophile brand. Those fears vanished quickly.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen any new blood refreshing Logitech’s line of universal remotes, but after indications of new devices on the way in an earnings call earlier this year tipster Andrew spotted this brand new Harmony Touch on store shelves. Arriving at Best Buy unheralded by any official announcement or specs so far, the box shots and list of features show the ability to control 15 different devices and (of course) that center mounted touchscreen. There’s no mention of it on the Logitech site either, however one leaked blog post we spotted referred to this device and a Harmony Plus.
As our friends at Tech of the Hub note, the Touch clearly draws a lot of its heritage from the Harmony One and 1100 touchscreen remotes although to have ditched the dedicated Activity button for “one touch” control. The touchscreen itself supports both taps and swipes as well as up to 50 customizable channel icons, and the box lists both online setup and on-remote customization as features. According to Andrew it’s rocking a price tag of $ 249 — $ 50 above the current price of the Harmony One but $ 100 shy of the RF-equipped Harmony 900 — hopefully we’ll find out soon if what Logitech has added this time around makes it worth the wait.
[Thanks, Andrew]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Logitech Harmony Touch remote pops up unannounced at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 19:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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With Logitech’s Squeezebox platform having quietly and unexpectedly reached its EOL status, the company found it necessary to let its customers know where they stand going forward. In a very detailed letter from UE product director Ariel Fischer, the Harmony maker reassured current Squeezebox owners it will continue to offer support for these products, adding that the current “mysqueezebox” website and certain apps will still work with existing devices. What’s more, those who managed to snag one of those Squeezebox Radios will have the option to upgrade to the outfit’s new UE Smart Radio service — which, according to Logitech, can play nicely alongside existing Squeezebox products, though this “will operate and be controlled separately.” All in all, it could be worse — and, in age where customer service can sometimes be rather unpleasant, we’re sure most of us can appreciate the transparency being shown in the open letter. Speaking of which, you’ll find that at the source link below.
Filed under: Misc, Portable Audio/Video, Software
Logitech promises continued support for Squeezebox, says it won’t force a switch to UE Smart Radio originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 06:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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When it comes to finding a good iPad keyboard case, two accessories come out of the pack, the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard and the Belkin YourType Folio. The Logitech one was the clear winner in Matt Burns’ review battle and it now comes in white.
If this accessory needed another argument to convince you, the color might be what you were waited for. For white iPad owners, the white keyboard case is a nice addition to match it with your device.
Other than that, all of the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard previous strengths still apply to the white version. The battery life is very long. Logitech claims that it will last 6 months based on 2 hours of usage a day. But even more important, the keyboard provides a good tactile response and allows you to write efficiently if you are accustomed to physical keyboard — maybe the newer generations will think the other way round and prefer a touch-based keyboard but you may feel the need for this accessory.
It has the same layout as a MacBook keyboard, which makes it very easy to switch from a MacBook to an iPad with the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard. A nice side effect is that it will protect your screen while carrying your iPad. It costs around $ 100 and should be available later this month at Apple retail stores.
Having most recently introduced products like its water-friendly K310 washable keyboard and that TV Cam HD, Logitech’s now apparently prepping a fresh Ultimate Ears portfolio for all sound lovers out there. Via its UE page on Zuck’s social network, the company’s teasing a plethora of products with some rather suppressive shots that don’t quite tell us what’s on the other end, though we can slightly see new headphones and speakers will be the focus of the main ‘Power to the Music’ event in a couple of days — or August 29th, to be exact. For now, it looks like we’ll have to keep wondering, but you can get a better hint for what to expect by tapping on the Facebook link below.
[Thanks, Khaled]
Filed under: Misc, Portable Audio/Video, Wearables
Logitech teases new Ultimate Ears lineup, says it’s bringing ‘power to the music’ on August 29th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Two gadgets enter, one leaves. It’s that simple. Welcome to the TC Gadget Review Battle where two competing products are pitted against each other. No wishy-washy conclusion based on an arbitrary numbering system, just a reliable buying recommendation.
A naked iPad is a fantastic device but not a particularly productive device. Enter about a billion iPad accessories. Here are two of the top keyboard cases: The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard and the Belkin YourType Folio. Both aim to turn the iPad into a word-processing, spreadsheet-editing, and emailing-producing machine. And they both do this through the magic of Bluetooth. However, as per the rules of the Review Battle, only one can get our recommendation. So let’s get to it.
DesignThe Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard is simply a keyboard with a slot for the iPad to sit in. The overall design is an evolution from the highly successful Keyboard Case made in partnership with ZAGG. However, where the old model snapped onto the iPad, the Ultrathin Keyboard utilizes a SmartCover-type hinge to connect itself to the iPad when not in use. The keyboard itself is nearly the same thickness as an iPad, and it’s the same shape, too. When connected together, this smart design results in a very sleek package.
When in use, the iPad snaps into the docking channel with the help of some strong magnets. This is my favorite feature. The magnets grab the iPad with enough strength that you can pick up the iPad and move the whole contraption as if it was one unit. The keyboard neatly stays in place.
But there are two notable downsides to the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard. The Ultrathin Keyboard doesn’t provide any additional protection for the iPad. Worse yet, the smartcover-type hinges leave a bit of their paint on the iPad, slightly marring the surface. These can be removed with a solvent but they’re very unsightly.
The Belkin YourType Folio + Keyboard uses a more traditional design. The keyboard itself rests within a folio case, which wraps the iPad in pleather. It’s lightweight but a bit tacky. The keyboard is detachable, secured to the case with a bit of Velcro.
When in use the case folds a bit, providing a bit of a stand as the iPad can rest against the back of the keyboard. It does not stay in this configuration when picked up, but rather collapses as any fabric-based case would do.
The advantage of the Belkin case is apparent, though: The Belkin YourType Folio + Keyboard provides a lot more protection for the tablet than the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard.
Battery lifeLogitech claims the Ultrathin Keyboard case has a 6-month battery life based on 2 hours of usage a day. I didn’t have to charge it during my month of testing. Similarly, even though Belkin doesn’t list the battery life on the YourType Folio, I didn’t have to charge it even after extensive use. Both recharge via microUSB.
KeyboardIt was immediately clear from the first time I used these keyboards that the Logitech model was superior in a number of important ways.
For one, the keyboard itself provides better tactile response, with the keys a bit more responsive in a familiar layout. The top row offers traditional F keys with other system functions accessible through an Fn button. The layout is just like on a MacBook. The Belkin, while employing a similar keyboard layout, is different enough to likely cause many MacBook owners to slip up; there’s an additional button to the right of the space bar and the number keys are off-set. This might seem trivial at first, but typing on the Logitech keyboard provides the same workflow of a MacBook — a very important advantage.
Nearly as telling as the superior keyboard, the Logitech holds the iPad in a single spot thanks to the magnetic channel. I found it to work very well, and preferred the iPad locked into this single angle rather than the floppy, almost haphazardness of Belkin’s solution. With the iPad locked into place, you can pick up the iPad, and move it around with the keyboard securely attached to the bottom. It’s an oddly comforting feeling knowing that the iPad and keyboard are mated as one.
ConclusionThe Belkin is a superior case, better protecting the delicate iPad. The Logitech provides a better keyboard experience but the hinge does mark up the iPad. That said, the Logitech affords a better workflow and I grabbed it nearly every time I needed to use my iPad over the last month. The Belkin YourType Folio works, but the end experience is not nearly as satisfying as the Logitech’s. Buy the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard. It’s amazing.
Two gadgets enter, one leaves. It’s that simple. Welcome to the TC Gadget Review Battle where two competing products are pitted against each other. No wishy washy conclusion based on an arbitrary numbering system, just a reliable buying recommendation.
These two speaker docks couldn’t be more similar. They both use the same overall design, have nearly identical feature sets and the same $ 399 price tag. But one is a Sony and one is a Logitech. Well let’s get to it: The Logitech UE Air Speaker vs the Sony RDP-XA700IP.
FeaturesThese are AirPlay docks. They’re designed to sit on a shelf, look pretty, and blast music streamed from an iOS product. That’s all they do. For better or worse, these $ 400 speaker docks lack any other feature besides the arguably trivial feature of a 3.5mm input on the backside. Both lack an FM tuner, digital display, or on-board EQ functions. A remote ships with the Sony, though.
This feature-lite philosophy actually works well in this case. All the functions besides power and volume are tasked to the docked iDevice. It further enforces the draw of AirPlay in that the speaker is just that: a speaker. The real power lies in the iPhone or iPad.
Both speaker docks claim to work with iPhone cases. The Logitech is much more friendly to cases with a taller dock connector. The Sony doesn’t work with anything thicker than a thin bumper.
DesignSony knows design and it shows. The RDP-XA700IP is gorgeous with a slight strip of metal on top of the hefty dock. It’s the perfect size, really. At just 15-inches long and 7-inches tall, the footprint isn’t substantial enough to eat up space on a table but at the same time not small enough that a docked iPad looks out of place. Conventional wisdom would suggest that an iPad would block the sound but it doesn’t thanks to the large port sitting opposite of the iPad.
The Logitech looks cheap in comparison. Its outer shell is comprised mostly of lightweight shiny plastic and the whole thing feels underwhelmingly light. The extra long casing doesn’t seem to improve the overall sound dynamics; it’s just a waste of space. That said, I do prefer the volume dial on the Logitech verses the rocker buttons on the Sony — volume controls should always be a round dial — but the Sony looks and feels like a $ 400 kit where the Logitech does not.
Both of these models have retractable docks. The Sony’s dock deploys with a measure of confidence. A gentle inward push causes the dock to extend with the hiss of a high-end automobile component. The Logitech’s snaps out with the same elegance as a plastic plaything.
AirPlay SetupThe magic of AirPlay is often in the absolute lack of setup required. Once these speaker docks are on a local network with an iDevice, they’re instantly available for media streaming. However, the Logitech is a lot easier to set up.
It only takes downloading an app and running through several screens to set up the Logitech model. It’s idiot-proof. With the Sony, the owner is still prompted to download an app when docking for the first time. However, Sony’s implementation isn’t as clean and straightforward as Logitech’s. The app is much cleaner.
If the iOS app fails to work, both speaker docks can be connected to the local WiFi network through WPS.
Sound QualityWith such a small feature set, sound quality is the most important factor in this comparison. It’s the only deciding factor between the two docks. Thankfully it’s an easy decision. The Sony is the clear winner but the Logitech still sounds fine.
The Sony RDP-XA700IP produces a surprising amount of bass, which is often sorely lacking in desktop speakers. The stronger low-end helps dramatically. I dare say the Sony RDP-XA700IP is the best tabletop speaker dock I’ve heard — including the B&O Zeppelin. The sound is deep, rich, and very satisfying at both high and low volumes. The confident bass will make items on your desk dance around.
The Logitech fails to produce the same rich sound. It lacks a strong low-end response, making the sound much more flat and lifeless. At high volume levels the little bass it does have starts to clip and distort. This is not a party speaker.
WinnerIt’s pretty rare nowadays to find two products just so similar. The physical differences between the two amount to nothing more than design decisions and meaningless quirks. The Sony is a bit smaller, comes with a remote and is harder to set up. The Logitech on the other hand is very easy to setup and is more friendly with iPhone cases.
But these are speaker docks. Their primary lot in life is to reproduce sound. On that thought alone the Sony wins by a magnificent mile. It produces sound that’s much more rich, bold, and accurate. It easily rivals high-end 2.1 speaker setups with a powered subwoofer. The Logitech is flat and muffled in comparison. Superior sound wins over easier setup and a more friendly dock connector.
Buy the Sony.
Click to view slideshow.
Two gadgets enter, one leaves. It’s that simple. Welcome to the TC Gadget Review Battle where two competing products are pitted against each other. No wishy washy conclusion based on an arbitrary numbering system, just a reliable buying recommendation.
These two speaker docks couldn’t be more similar. They both use the same overall design, have nearly identical feature sets and the same $ 399 price tag. But one is a Sony and one is a Logitech. Well let’s get to it: The Logitech UE Air Speaker vs the Sony RDP-XA700IP.
FeaturesThese are AirPlay docks. They’re designed to sit on a shelf, look pretty, and blast music streamed from an iOS product. That’s all they do. For better or worse, these $ 400 speaker docks lack any other feature besides the arguably trivial feature of a 3.5mm input on the backside. Both lack an FM tuner, digital display, or on-board EQ functions. A remote ships with the Sony, though.
This feature-lite philosophy actually works well in this case. All the functions besides power and volume are tasked to the docked iDevice. It further enforces the draw of AirPlay in that the speaker is just that: a speaker. The real power lies in the iPhone or iPad.
Both speaker docks claim to work with iPhone cases. The Logitech is much more friendly to cases with a taller dock connector. The Sony doesn’t work with anything thicker than a thin bumper.
DesignSony knows design and it shows. The RDP-XA700IP is gorgeous with a slight strip of metal on top of the hefty dock. It’s the perfect size, really. At just 15-inches long and 7-inches tall, the footprint isn’t substantial enough to eat up space on a table but at the same time not small enough that a docked iPad looks out of place. Conventional wisdom would suggest that an iPad would block the sound but it doesn’t thanks to the large port sitting opposite of the iPad.
The Logitech looks cheap in comparison. Its outer shell is comprised mostly of lightweight shiny plastic and the whole thing feels underwhelmingly light. The extra long casing doesn’t seem to improve the overall sound dynamics; it’s just a waste of space. That said, I do prefer the volume dial on the Logitech verses the rocker buttons on the Sony — volume controls should always be a round dial — but the Sony looks and feels like a $ 400 kit where the Logitech does not.
Both of these models have retractable docks. The Sony’s dock deploys with a measure of confidence. A gentle inward push causes the dock to extend with the hiss of a high-end automobile component. The Logitech’s snaps out with the same elegance as a plastic plaything.
AirPlay SetupThe magic of AirPlay is often in the absolute lack of setup required. Once these speaker docks are on a local network with an iDevice, they’re instantly available for media streaming. However, the Logitech is a lot easier to set up.
It only takes downloading an app and running through several screens to set up the Logitech model. It’s idiot-proof. With the Sony, the owner is still prompted to download an app when docking for the first time. However, Sony’s implementation isn’t as clean and straightforward as Logitech’s. The app is much cleaner.
If the iOS app fails to work, both speaker docks can be connected to the local WiFi network through WPS.
Sound QualityWith such a small feature set, sound quality is the most important factor in this comparison. It’s the only deciding factor between the two docks. Thankfully it’s an easy decision. The Sony is the clear winner but the Logitech still sounds fine.
The Sony RDP-XA700IP produces a surprising amount of bass, which is often sorely lacking in desktop speakers. The stronger low-end helps dramatically. I dare say the Sony RDP-XA700IP is the best tabletop speaker dock I’ve heard — including the B&O Zeppelin. The sound is deep, rich, and very satisfying at both high and low volumes. The confident bass will make items on your desk dance around.
The Logitech fails to produce the same rich sound. It lacks a strong low-end response, making the sound much more flat and lifeless. At high volume levels the little bass it does have starts to clip and distort. This is not a party speaker.
WinnerIt’s pretty rare nowadays to find two products just so similar. The physical differences between the two amount to nothing more than design decisions and meaningless quirks. The Sony is a bit smaller, comes with a remote and is harder to set up. The Logitech on the other hand is very easy to setup and is more friendly with iPhone cases.
But these are speaker docks. Their primary lot in life is to reproduce sound. On that thought alone the Sony wins by a magnificent mile. It produces sound that’s much more rich, bold, and accurate. It easily rivals high-end 2.1 speaker setups with a powered subwoofer. The Logitech is flat and muffled in comparison. Superior sound wins over easier setup and a more friendly dock connector.
Buy the Sony.
Click to view slideshow.
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we’re using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.
In this, the last IRL until after we get back from CES, we’ve got a tale from Brian, who spent his Virgin America flight home to the west coast playing with his first Chromebook. Meanwhile, Andy defends the idea of spending $ 130 on a Bluetooth keyboard, and Mr. Christopher Trout explains why he’s loathe to recycle his three year-old MacBook, even if it has devolved into a glorified media hub. Before we turn around and give you wall-to-wall coverage of all the new stuff, meet us past the break to spend a few minutes with some oldies-but-goodies.
Continue reading IRL: Logitech Y-R0026 Bluetooth keyboard, Apple MacBook and a Virgin America flight with the Series 5 Chromebook
IRL: Logitech Y-R0026 Bluetooth keyboard, Apple MacBook and a Virgin America flight with the Series 5 Chromebook originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Related Posts:The Logitech forums are alive with music, or rather screenshots, or rather, if I’m honest, one screenshot. Yes, one user has reported that the 3.1 software has appeared on his Revue box. Users of Sony Google TV products already received this update more than a month ago, so Logitech users are probably foaming with righteous anger and expectation. But the screenshot does suggest that the update is being seeded, and if it’s anything like other updates, will roll out over the next week or two.
Google TV 2.0, as we call it, is based on 3.1 and is a significant improvement over the original interface. But as we noted, there’s a lot of functionality still left out. The slickest interface in the world can’t help you if there’s nothing to watch.
Engadget was tipped off first, but the press release they cite is from last year, so the December 17th date isn’t actually applicable. And although the user on the forums promised more pictures, none have been forthcoming and no other users have reported the update going through. An isolated case? Possibly, but it wouldn’t be the first time an update went out to a few isolated units before going live.
There’s not much more to say. But if you’re the proud owner of a Revue, you might boot it up a few times tonight and tomorrow to see if it picks up the update.
