Bose announces a Jambox competitor, the SoundLink Mini

By Mike Flacy June 5, 2013

Check out our review of the Bose SoundLink Mini bluetooth speaker.

Unveiled at an event in New York City yesterday, speaker manufacturer Bose announced a new mobile speaker product that provides the same functionality as the Jawbone JAMBOX or the Ultimate Ears BOOM. Retailing at a $200 price point, the Bose SoundLink Mini is seven inches wide, two inches high and a bit over two inches deep. Covered with a metal housing which brings the total weight to 1.5 pounds, the SoundLink Mini can stream audio from a Bluetooth-enabled laptop, smartphone, tablet or standard audio device like an iPod Touch. If you live in a home with multiple devices or family members, the SoundLink Mini will remember up to six devices without having to re-sync over Bluetooth.

Rather than plugging the speaker into a computer or electrical adapter with a mini-USB cable, the SoundLink Mini comes with a charging cradle and proprietary AC adapter. After charging completely, the speaker has a battery life of approximately seven hours before requiring a recharge that takes a full three hours.

It’s important to note that competitors advertise significantly longer battery life. For instance, the Jawbone JAMBOX lasts up to ten hours on a single charge and the Ultimate Ears BOOM lasts up to 15 hours before recharging. In addition, the user is forced to travel with the SoundLink Mini AC adapter if they want to take the speaker with them on vacation.

If a Bose customer doesn’t like the classic silver look to the housing, the company will be selling soft covers in blue, green and orange to protect the SoundLink Mini. The device is currently available for preorder on the Bose site and the company is expected to start shipping the speaker at the start of July 2013. Besides the Jawbone JAMBOX and Ultimate Ears BOOM, other competing products to consider in the mobile speaker space include the Logitech UE Boombox, Beats by Dr. Dre Pill and the JBL Charge.

Editors' Recommendations

This Bose Bluetooth speaker is just $79 for Prime Day — save $50

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Mobile

AirTags range: here’s how far the tracker can reach

An AirTag attached on a keyring

Apple AirTags are a helpful tool for tracking valuable possessions like wallets, keys, luggage, and backpacks. These tags employ various technologies that allow you to track your items from short and long distances using your compatible Apple device, such as an iPhone 15 Plus. You might wonder how far you can track your items with AirTags. It's time to find out.
AirTags range, explained

The range of AirTags varies depending on the method you use to locate them. A Bluetooth connection will work when your AirTags are close to your supported Apple device. Otherwise, Apple's Find My network is utilized. Luckily, you don't have to choose the method because it's selected behind the scenes automatically.

Mobile

The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals

A person holding a partially open Galaxy Z Fold 4.

While the more recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has turned attention away from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Z Fold 4 is still an incredibly capable smartphone. Newer tech releases often make previous generations much more affordable, and that’s certainly the case with the Z Fold 4. While much of what’s available out there are refurbished models, there’s some huge savings to be had on a Z Fold 4. Retailers like Amazon and Back Market offer great ways to save, and we’ve got all of the information you need to do so. Reading onward you’ll find links to the best Samsung Z Fold 4 deals you can shop right now, as well as a little information on what each retailer has to offer with a purchase.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Best Buy
The Unlocked 512GB model of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is on clearance at Best Buy. The popular retailer is really showing up with this deal, which sees the Z Fold 4 marked down to $700 and makes for nearly $1,300 in savings. Even more savings are available if you have an eligible device trade-in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Amazon
Amazon may currently have the widest variety of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals. You’ll find both the 256GB and 512GB models discounted there, as though much of what's available are renewed models. Don't hold back because it's renewed, though, as Amazon has a great return policy should you receive something that doesn't live up to its condition. You can save even more when purchasing a Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Amazon if you have an eligible device to trade-in.

Mobile

Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513

An iPhone 13 in white color option.

The Apple iPhone is one of the best phones on the market, and because of it they don’t often come cheap. There are some great iPhone deals out there, but it’s rare to find significant discounts on newer models without having to commit to a longterm contract with a carrier, and it’s even less frequent you come across one of the best iPhones with a major price drop. This is where shopping refurbished can come in handy. Refurbished iPhones — for the most part — will come backed with a functionality guarantee or extended return window, making refurbished iPhones as safe of a purchase as shopping new. There are a lot of refurbished iPhone models seeing great price drops right now, which is why we’ve done the heavy lifting of rounding up all of the best refurbished iPhone deals. You’ll find them below, as well as some information on which refurbished iPhone might be best for you.
iPhone XR -- from $136

A refurbished model but one that's unlocked and comes with a full one-year warranty, the Apple iPhone XR is still pretty stylish for its age. It has a large 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792 x 828 resolution with Liquid Retina technology ensuring it looks super sharp. Powered by the A12 Bionic chip, it's starting to show its age but still has potential. There's also a 12MP back camera that can shoot 4K videos while the front-facing camera is 7MP and ideal for selfie-taking.