Ultimate Ears is now taking two of its Boom speakers to the next level, adding voice integration with Google Now and Apple's Siri.
The Bluetooth speakers from UE have rocked impressive features and performance from the start, but the latest feature is really kicking things up a notch. Thanks to a new software update, the UE Boom 2 and Megaboom speakers now support voice commands to handle music-related tasks on a connected handset running Android or iOS.
Users can access the digital assistant, be it Siri or Google Now, simply by holding down the Bluetooth button on the speaker. The gadget will then relay the voice command to the connected smartphone, enabling users to tap into the music library stored on their handset or access streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music or Google Play Music.
"UE BOOM 2 and UE MEGABOOM are meant for crazy, wet, muddy and downright spontaneous adventures," touts Ultimate Ears. "Probably not the kind of adventures your phone wants to tag along on. No worries. Now just choose the next song or playlist using your voice. So leave your phone behind, get out there, and Say It to Play It."
To take advantage of this latest feature, all users have to do is update their UE apps for the Boom 2 or Megaboom. This functionality comes in handy particularly in outdoor scenarios, as UE itself touts. If you're at the pool, for instance, it's preferable to utter a voice command rather than drying up to use your smartphone to select music. The Megaboom and Boom 2 speakers are water-resistant with an IPX7 rating, so they shouldn't suffer any damage.
The good news don't stop here, however. With the new Siri and Google Now integration, the UE speakers can handle any task that you can normally perform through the digital assistants. This means you can also send texts, ask for directions, check the weather forecast and so on.
On the other hand, it's worth pointing out that relaying all commands to a Bluetooth-connected smartphone may not always prove to be the most reliable solution. Engadget notes that the speakers may occasionally drop the connection to the handset, have delayed responses or have some trouble with parsing those voice commands.
Considering that the UE Boom 2 and Megaboom were not designed with voice optimizations in mind, however, such occasional inconveniences are understandable. Nevertheless, having Siri and Google Now integration is a neat feature that could prove very useful.
If you already got the update and tried out the new voice functionality, drop by our comment section below and tell us about your experience. Did you have any issues with dropped connections, response times or other aspects?
