Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Look ma, no hands! Siri and Google Now come to the UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom

By Kris Wouk Published June 28, 2016

ue boom 2 megaboom siri google now support ultimate ears wireless — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Normally, using your phone or tablet to control playback on a Bluetooth speaker is no big deal, but there are situations where that is less than ideal. If you’re at the beach, for example, you might not want to risk bringing your phone near the water, even though the speaker you’re using is waterproof. In a case like that, users might want more detailed control over playback than simply skipping forward or backward through a playlist.

Fortunately, Ultimate Ears is introducing a solution to that very problem with two of its most popular speakers, the UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom. On Tuesday, the company announced that both speakers are receiving an update that adds voice integration for both Siri and Google Now, offering users much more control over playback.

Recommended Videos

“Music lovers can now truly stay in the moment, playing their favorite song from the middle of the pool or even while diving off a cliff with their UE speaker in hand,” Ultimate Ears general manager Charlotte Johs said in a statement. “No matter how wet, muddy or wild the situation, with Siri and Google Now voice integration on UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom, fans no longer need to pick up their phone to play DJ. Now, they can just say it to play it.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

With this update, users can simply tap the Bluetooth button on either speaker and Siri or Google Now take over from there. It isn’t quite as seamless as the voice control with something like the Amazon Echo, but it’s still a handy feature for anyone owns a UE Boom 2 or UE Megaboom. The new feature requires a firmware update, as well as an updated version of the mobile app for each respective speaker.

The UE Boom 2 debuted in September 2015 and retails for $200, while the UE Megaboom was released in January 2015 and sells for $300. Both speakers are IPX7-certified waterproof and offer 360-degree sound. 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.

Both the firmware update and the updated versions of the app for iOS and Android are available beginning today. For more information, see the Ultimate Ears website.

Updated by Kristofer Wouk on 06-28-2016: Edited to correct retail pricing of the UE Megaboom and UE Boom 2

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Audio / Video

What is spatial audio? The 3D sound experience fully explained

Person listening to spatial audio using Apple AirPods Max headphones.

Since Apple added “spatial audio” to the Apple Music streaming service and the AirPods family of wireless earbuds and headphones in 2021, it feels like you can’t read about new audio products or services without running into that term. And just a few short years later, it’s seemingly everywhere.

This has led to a lot of misconceptions about what spatial audio is, how it works, and why you need to hear it for yourself. People often ask, “If Apple created spatial audio, why are other companies claiming they do it, too?” The answer is that Apple didn’t create it, and you certainly don’t need to own its products to experience spatial audio.

Audio / Video

How to download music from SoundCloud on desktop and mobile

Soundcloud Interface on a Macbook.

If you’re a huge music fan, you’ve probably combed through the many playlists, artists, and albums of your Spotify or Apple Music subscription. But what about all the indie artists of the world? Some music-streaming platforms are better than others at celebrating the
‘unsung gem’ acts, but one of the most reliable forums for new, off-the-grid tunes is SoundCloud.

Founded in 2007, SoundCloud has always prioritized music that’s a bit under the radar. With over 320 million tracks in its library, the platform will even let you download a majority of its songs and albums.

Audio / Video

The best kids headphones of 2024: for fun, safety, and sound

Two kids using the Puro Sound PuroQuiet Plus to watch something on a tablet.

Kid-friendly consumer tech is all the rage these days, so it’s no surprise that there’s an entire market of headphones designed exclusively for young ones. But when we think “kid-friendly,” sometimes we imagine products that are built to be a bit more throwaway than their adult counterparts. That’s not the case with the products on our list of the best headphones for kids, though.

We want our child-tailored headphones to include parental-controlled volume limiters, to ensure our children aren’t harming their eardrums. Pretty much every entry on our list checks this vital box, but we also wanted to point you and yours toward products that offer exceptional noise-canceling, built-in mics for phone and video calls, and long-lasting batteries for schooldays or a long flight.