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Ultimate Ears has officially a new-and-improved version of its tiny, entry-level portable speaker.
Ultimate Ears is one of the biggest names in portable Bluetooth speakers, but its popular Boom and Wonderboom speakers haven't been updated in years. The latest models, the Boom 3 and the Wonderboom 2, were released in mid-2019 and since then the competition in the portable Bluetooth speaker space — thanks to the likes of Sony, Bose, JBL and Sonos — has gotten fierce.
Well, it seems that Ultimate Ears has finally taken the hint. The brand has just officially announced the Wonderboom 3, a new version of its tiny, entry-level portable speaker. (The company has yet to announced a new Boom speaker, however, but we can only assume that's imminent as well.)
The third-generation Wonderboom 3 is basically identical to the Wonderboom 2 in every way. It's the same size and shape — and it still floats, too. It has the same control buttons and the same tiny carrying strap. It costs $100, just like the Wonderboom 2 (although the latter has been frequently on sale). And, as far as we can tell, the sound quality is the same.
The disappointing thing is that, just like the Wonderboom 2, the Wonderboom 3 also charges via micro-USB. This means that it doesn't support fast charging. It's also just a little inconvenient given that most devices now support USB-C — including most other new portable Bluetooth speakers — and it's just nice being able to use a single cable to charge most of your devices.
The differences between the Wonderboom 3 and the Wonderboom 2 manly come down to range and battery life. The new speaker has a Bluetooth range of 131 feet (up from the Wonderboom 2's 100 feet range). And its battery life has been increased by an hour, from 13 hours to 14 hours with the Wonderboom 3.
If you're nitpicking for differences, the Wonderboom 3 comes in slightly different color designs, but they are just as colorful, playful and two-toned as before. The Wonderboom 3 will be available in four different color options: gray, pink, blue and black. Ultimate Ears claims that the Wonderboom 3 is a more environmentally-friendly speaker, too, now made with at least 31-percent recycled plastics.
You can pre-order the Wonderboom 3 now. It's expected to ship at the end of August.