jawbone speaker – The Jawbone Jambox Review
Jawbone’s original Jambox was one of the first battery-powered portable speakers to hit the market, ushering in a new genre of Bluetooth speakers. However, two years later it’s starting to lose ground as competitors offer better wireless options at lower price points.
The $180 Mini Jambox keeps the legacy of Jambox alive with an even more portable design that improves sound quality and playtime. Additionally, it includes voice dialing, an app that syncs with your calendar, as well as some cool voice prompts.
Sound
Jawbone is known for creating some of the coolest wireless headphones around, as well as innovative Bluetooth speakers that turn any space into a concert hall. Their original Jambox has become an icon in this space, and their latest offering – the $180 Mini Jambox – should help keep them at the top of their game in this arena.
It connects to your phone via Bluetooth A2DP and supports a range of audio formats. Furthermore, it features 3.5mm analog input and molded volume buttons on top, as well as an in-built microphone which makes it useful as a speakerphone – Jawbone claims 15 hours of playtime on one charge!
As expected, the Mini Jambox’s sound quality is outstanding. It features two front-facing audio drivers and a single bass radiator to produce powerful audio. Digitally optimized to produce a more accurate signature than its predecessor, the Mini Jambox sounds clearer and lighter in comparison.
The Mini Jambox also comes equipped with Jawbone’s LiveAudio technology, which transforms stereo audio into 3-dimensional sound that can be heard throughout the room. This works through its dedicated app and adds an entirely new dimension to what comes out of your speakers.
Setting up the app can be a bit of a chore; first you must log into the Jawbone website and then download LiveAudio software onto your device. Once setup and running, you can use it to adjust settings as well as listen to audio from any LiveAudio-enabled device.
In addition to LiveAudio software, you can download apps for iOS and Android to control the speaker from your phone or tablet. These provide access to Jawbone’s MyTalk settings which let you customize default features of the speaker as well as activate certain functions with voice prompts or commands.
Design
Jawbone has earned a well-deserved reputation for producing top-tier Bluetooth speakers that are both stylish and budget friendly. Their original Jambox model quickly gained notoriety as an exceptional portable sound system, quickly making the company a household name.
But as demand for wireless Bluetooth speakers increased, so too did competition. Jawbone struggled to stay ahead of more companies offering superior sound at lower costs that quickly overwhelmed the market.
Jawbone was ultimately forced to change course in 2011. They decided to enter the fitness trackers market, which was rapidly growing at that time. Unfortunately, competition from Fitbit and other activity trackers cut into Jawbone’s share of this sector.
Now, however, the company is striving to maintain its place in the Bluetooth speaker space with the Mini Jambox. Priced at $180, this $180 device updates the Original Jambox and adds some features that help it remain competitive with other speakers of its price point.
One of the most noticeable changes is that the speaker’s mic no longer faces forward; rather, it has been relocated to the top of the speaker and can be easily seen from behind. This improves audio quality when using it as a speakerphone for connected mobile devices.
Furthermore, the speaker’s volume control is much simpler to operate – just press a button instead of having to push one.
The Mini Jambox also features voice control for additional functions, like playing Beach House or Wiz Khalifa music. With just a few simple commands, you can enjoy all your favourite tunes uninterrupted!
Your Bluetooth speakerphone doubles as a speakerphone for the phone connected to it, alerting you when battery life is low or who is calling.
Another useful feature is that this speaker can be connected to multiple mobile devices simultaneously, so you can play music on your phone while conversing with a friend on theirs. The free iOS and Android apps support local music playback as well as streaming audio from Spotify or Rdio services.
Connectivity
Jawbone Jambox, Mini Jambox and Big Jambox are Bluetooth enabled devices that connect to smartphones, tablets and other Bluetooth-enabled gadgets. With these, you can stream music, movies and games right onto your device with voice-control features like Siri or Google Now available on both models.
The Jambox, Mini Jambox and Big Jambox utilize dual acoustic drivers with a passive bass radiator to produce an expansive spectrum of sound with deep bass. They come equipped with both 3.5-mm auxiliary jack and micro USB port for charging, as well as an integrated microphone that features caller ID, voice dialing and other functions.
At Jawbone MyTALK’s free Web site, you can update your speaker’s firmware and download apps, software upgrades and new features to ensure it functions optimally with all Bluetooth devices. This ensures you stay up to date on all features of your speaker while making sure it works seamlessly across different Bluetooth connections.
By holding down the play button, you can customize what happens when a contact on your phone is called – from voice control to dialing them directly or changing the system voice which announces battery levels, pairing mode and other system messages. Plus, select from six languages or create a custom voice for someone specific in your contact list.
The Jawbone Mini Jambox and Big Jambox can be connected to two other Bluetooth-enabled devices via multi-play function, which couples them together for unison playback or separate stereo playback. These speakers are small enough for your pocket, making them the ideal way to share audio from your mobile device with friends or family members. Plus, their impressive sound quality belies their small size, plus there are numerous connectivity options with plenty of settings that help tailor the Jambox according to individual needs.
Battery Life
One of the benefits of owning a portable music device is being able to listen to your favorite tunes without being wired in. Bluetooth speakers have become especially convenient with today’s smartphones and tablets that support wireless audio streaming, such as Jawbone’s. Recently they released an update that extended Big Jambox’s impressive battery life by two hours! They also added features like speaker sizing enhancement and improved AAC support – though its weight of 1.23Kg makes it somewhat unpractical for everyday usage due to its size (1.2Kg).