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Jawbone Jambox (black diamond)
Manufacturer: AliphCom Part number: JAWBOXBLK
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Jambox is the most stylish portable speaker we've seen, with features and sound quality you won't find in comparable compact designs.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Jawbone Jambox (black diamond) price range: $132.95 - $199.99
- Reviewed by: Donald Bell
- Reviewed on: 11/04/2010
- Released on: 11/16/2010
The good: The Jawbone Jambox is a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker with advanced features, a stunning design, and a balanced sound that defies its small, convenient size.
The bad: The Jambox isn't cheap and the money could buy a larger, wired speaker with superior sound.
The bottom line: The Jambox is the most stylish portable speaker we've seen, with features and sound quality you won't find in comparable compact designs.
Editors' note, 4:14 p.m. PT Wednesday: Jawbone issued a free software update for the Jambox on August 24 enabling a sound-enhancement feature called LiveAudio. The new feature is a worthwhile addition and addresses some of our earlier concerns about the speaker's sonic limitations.
One of the most overlooked features in any laptop, iPad, smartphone, or iPod Touch is Bluetooth music streaming. Sure, everybody loves the idea of music without wires, but in reality stereo headsets are often awkward, and Bluetooth speakers typically sound wimpy.
Enter the Jawbone Jambox--a rechargeable speaker that breaks our preconceptions of what Bluetooth can do (and how good it can look doing it). Priced on the high end at $199, this little speaker bar uses two 1.25-inch drivers on the front and a passive radiator woofer on the back to deliver surprisingly balanced sound for its size. Just as importantly, the Jambox includes an integrated microphone, capitalizing on Aliph's expertise in wireless voice communication.
Design
The Jambox comes in four colors, black, red, blue, and gray. The top and bottom have a nonslip rubber coating, and the middle is covered with a wraparound metal grille embossed with a geometric pattern. On the whole, it is a seriously solid design, with a reassuring 12-ounce heft. Total dimensions are 2.25 inches high, 6 inches wide, and 1.5 inches deep. Even after knowing this, you're still likely to be shocked by how small the Jambox is when you glimpse it in the wild.
At the very top you have three oversize buttons--two for volume control, and a multipurpose button that gives the battery status, answers and ends calls, engages voice dial (when available), and can be programmed as an autodial button when paired with your phone. On the side, there's a three-position power button that triggers the pairing mode when you hold it up. Beneath that you have a minijack aux input for use with non-Bluetooth audio devices, and a Micro-USB port for recharging the speaker or connecting to a computer.
Features
You'll have a difficult time finding a portable Bluetooth speaker with more features than the Jambox. All of the proprietary software features included with Aliph's Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset are available on the Jambox, as well. For example, the system voice (used to announce caller ID, battery levels, pairing mode, voice dialing, and so on) can be changed to one of six languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Spanish, French, and German) as well as customized between male and female voices.
By connecting the Jambox to your Mac or PC using the included USB cable and launching the Jawbone MyTalk Web site, you can customize the speaker's buttons to activate noise cancellation (dubbed "Noise Assassin") and configure Dial Apps, such as Voice-to-SMS, Voice Dial, and a preferred autodial number. This same USB connectivity allows you to update the Jambox firmware to help maintain compatibility as new Bluetooth features and devices become available.
Other notable features include compatibility with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, as well as A2DP stereo audio, HFP 1.5, and HSP 1.1. The Bluetooth connection is multipoint, allowing you to connect two devices at the same time. Also included are a 3-foot stereo aux cable for connecting non-Bluetooth devices, two Micro-USB cables (1-foot and 5-foot), a form-fitted case, and a USB wall socket adapter.
Performance
The Bluetooth range of the Jambox is an expected 30 to 40 feet, depending on obstructions in the room. Sonically, the Jambox is a mixed bag. Its sound is undeniably impressive for its size, but not great overall, and certainly not for its price. Aliph uses a pair of proprietary 1.25-inch drivers on the front of the Jambox, along with a rear-facing passive radiator woofer on the back, responsible for its surprisingly present low-end punch. When you turn it on, it even gives a little subfrequency kick just to show off.
A larger Bluetooth speaker, such as the Creative D100 or D200, will easily outgun the Jambox for much less money, but lack the Jambox's speakerphone capabilities and custom features--not to mention its more compact size.
During testing, we paired the Jambox effortlessly with an iPad, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch. Once paired, the Jambox emits a little tone to signal the established connection, and you're off and running. While routing sound to the Jambox for video playback and games, we noticed no obvious audio latency.
Incoming call quality was very good using an iPhone 4 as the paired device. Outgoing voice quality using the Jambox's integrated microphone was decent when placed within arm's reach, and free from the background hiss associated with cheap speakerphone units. Name recognition during voice calling mode also worked well.
Aliph rates the battery life of the Jawbone Jambox between 8 and 10 hours, depending on volume levels. During our informal testing, we were impressed by how well the speaker maintained its charge in standby mode. It's also worth noting that Jambox uses a quick-charge technology, bringing the battery level near 80 percent after 90 minutes of charging and reaching full charge in 2.5 hours.
User reviews
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Lasted 3 months and died. Jawbone service horrible.
by kbpost123 on March 19, 2012
Pros: While it worked, the speaker was OK. I liked the speakerphone option.
Cons: Did not last 3 months before it completely died.
I did not abuse the speaker or use it everyday.
Jawbone customer service would not honor the 12 month warranty. (see below)Summary: I purchased a Jazzbone speaker from BuyDig.com which is a subsidiary of Beach Camera. After less than 3 months, the speaker completely died. (I probably used the speaker 2 ...
Summary: I purchased a Jazzbone speaker from BuyDig.com which is a subsidiary of Beach Camera. After less than 3 months, the speaker completely died. (I probably used the speaker 2 - 3 times per week.) BuyDig referred me to Jawbone to honor the 12 month warranty on the unit. I spoke to two reps from Jawbone. In each case, I was asked where I purchased the unit and for the serial number. After multipl...e emails and after I sent them all the information they requested in order to receive the promised authorization to return the speaker for a warranty replacement, they informed me that they would not cover the warranty because it was purchased through an "unauthorized" seller. I spoke to a THIRD rep at Jawbone and was denied a replacement. Instead, they offered to allow me to purchase a new speaker from them for $150.00! I have since contacted BuyDig and they are going to help me as they assured me that their parent company, Beach Camera is indeed one of the approved sellers. This has been extremely frustrating. If this speaker is representative of the quality of Jawbone products, and my experience representative of their customer service, I will never buy another Jawbone product! Beware before you buy!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Bad Sound, warranty not honored.
by Louis247365 on February 23, 2012
Pros: Looks good
Cons: Poor sound, not room filling at all as it is touted. Very difficult and time consuming to allow new devices to connect so you end up using the jack cable alot. Speakers blew within the first couple of weeks, even worse sound now and really not usable. Unf
Summary: Take it off your list, its not very good. I was immediately disappointed after taking it out of the box and heard it.
Summary: Take it off your list, its not very good. I was immediately disappointed after taking it out of the box and heard it.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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If the $200 price is acceptable, buy one!
by Toddgajewski on April 15, 2011
Pros: Great sound in a small package, the cool factor is also very high!
Cons: Could use a little more volume for outdoor use...
Summary: You know you want one!
Summary: You know you want one!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesome! But too expensive!
by rgiz on January 2, 2011
Pros: Great Sound in a little box!
Cons: Too expensive! Got as gift otherwise would not of bought it.
Summary: If money not an issue, take a chance with this speaker. Sound is clear and crisp with great bass. Updates itself every time you connect it to your pc.
Summary: If money not an issue, take a chance with this speaker. Sound is clear and crisp with great bass. Updates itself every time you connect it to your pc.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Stupendous personal sound system
by hdinin on April 18, 2011
Pros: Get real. This is a device intended for personal use, not as the sound system for a disco. And its sound compares, all things considered, to finely engineered sound systems. It's simple, it's elegant, its design is lovely to this professional designer, an
Cons: Very few. The hardest thing to do was choose which color.
Summary: An excellent piece of engineering, design that delivers satisfaction on its promised functions with the added pleasure of elegant appearance and interface. Another winning vendor, in the tradition of Apple. ...
Summary: An excellent piece of engineering, design that delivers satisfaction on its promised functions with the added pleasure of elegant appearance and interface. Another winning vendor, in the tradition of Apple. It simply works.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Picked it up at the airport and it exploded with music!
by ofilispeaks on May 7, 2012
Pros: Compact, very well designed, bluetooth capability, bass is awesome and makes for a great speaker phone. Have not had any technical issue with the device, works as described.
Cons: Several times the box has fallen off a table or shelf due to the bass vibrations. Better stability would have helped. Also the sound could be made louder.
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audio was distorted before jawbone mytalk update
by vinnyjames2000 on March 21, 2012
Pros: small, sleek, easy to use, battery life
Cons: not quite as powerful as I thought it would be but darn close
Summary: don't know if it's worth $200 but it's pretty cool. do not forget the mytalk update or you will be disappointed http://mytalk.jawbone.com
Summary: don't know if it's worth $200 but it's pretty cool. do not forget the mytalk update or you will be disappointed http://mytalk.jawbone.com
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Big sound, Small Footprint, Bad iMac connection
by metty1cr on December 10, 2011
Pros: Very good styling. Sounds really good hooked up to my iphone. I am very excited to use this when traveling because i think i would go out and buy this just for that alone. This thing seems TINY compared to what you would expect, as others noted.
Cons: My only downside to this thing is that it connects really poorly to my iMac. I have tried it several ways and it never seems to connect or stay connected. I have read on some blogs that it is what it is with the iMac, which is disappointing.
Summary: I would highly recommend this for a travel companion speaker alone. the battery life is awesome and the sync with the iPhone is wonderfully easy. Amazon does have this for $...
Summary: I would highly recommend this for a travel companion speaker alone. the battery life is awesome and the sync with the iPhone is wonderfully easy. Amazon does have this for $150 or so, at least when i bought it late November. I will update this if I ever find a solution to the hooking it up to the iMac.
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A little pricy, but has a strong punch for its size
by Rob Ricci on August 18, 2011
Pros: Small enough to fit in my pants pocket, enables me to listen to Rhapsody in my car, good battery life
Cons: One thing and that is the price, otherwise, nothing wrong with the design or execution of this product
Summary: I have nevere heard of Jawbone or Jambox until I walked into my local Verizon store the other day. I saw the Jambox on display and it was on a ...
Summary: I have nevere heard of Jawbone or Jambox until I walked into my local Verizon store the other day. I saw the Jambox on display and it was on a shelf. I liked the sound, but I figured the shelfd was adding to the bass. I bought it anyway, and am glad I did. The Jambox is a small package, but has a good bass sound rivaling a table top radio. Not exactly loud where the people of the next car would feel the bass, but decent enough for me.
Let's talk about the battery. First, in the above video review, it's says 8 hours. The rated battery life says 10 hours. Don't believe either of these of these lies. It's actuially a lot longer. My phone's microphone is broken, so for now, I'm using the Jambox as a replacement speakerphone until I get my new phone so I rarely turn it off. I've had the Jambox on for 2 days without turning it off and what does the little bugger say when I check the battery ststus? "Battery is about full"!!! Maybe I'm lucky or something, but I think that's pretty good.
I plan on getting some velcro and making a puesdo dock in my car so I can put the Jambox on the dash so I can listen while I drive. It's not as loud as the car's radio, but I think by mounting it that way, I can listen to my beloved Rhapsody.
In conclusion, I think I made a wise choice with this purchase -
Great solid sound, compact, Love it!
by gutierrez2002 on February 1, 2011
Pros: Awesome sound, simply awesome for such a small speaker.
Cons: None, if you dont like the price dont buy it.
Summary: I love this speaker, the awesome battery life, the sound and the ultra awesome carrying case it comes with. It is super portable so you can just pack it everywhere :) ...
Summary: I love this speaker, the awesome battery life, the sound and the ultra awesome carrying case it comes with. It is super portable so you can just pack it everywhere :) I work for a retailer so i was lucky to pay half of what it sells for so it was a no-brainer.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: AliphCom
- Part number: JAWBOXBLK
- Description: The world's smallest, best-sounding wireless speaker and speakerphone. Fill even the largest rooms with stunning audio, share conference calls while on the go, and plug into MYTALK for the latest apps and updates. Jambox delivers stunning Hi-Fi audio in a portable wireless speaker so compact you won't believe it when you hear it. It's loud. Jambox fills even the largest rooms. Unlike other portable speakers, Jambox is powered by a pair of proprietary, highly sophisticated acoustic drivers, unmatched in their ability to produce extreme high (tweeter) and low (woofer) frequencies from a single, ultra-small dome speaker. They work in concert with an innovative moving-wall passive bass radiator and airtight enclosure to deliver shimmering highs and thumping lows that you can literally feel - the richest sound all in the palm of your hand. Jambox gives you the freedom to bring pristine wireless audio to whatever you are doing, wherever you want. Carry it from room to room or just throw it in your bag - it's always ready to go. No more cords, docks or hassles. With Jambox, you can also enjoy streaming music, podcasts and sporting events while using your phone to do other things like email, post to Facebook or browse the web.
General
- Product Type Portable speaker
- Speakers included 1 x Speaker
- Width 2.2 in
- Depth 6.1 in
- Height 1.6 in
- Weight 12.2 oz
- Enclosure Color Black
- Available Body Colors Black,
Blue,
Red,
Grey Speaker Features
- Speaker Type Active
- Response Bandwidth 60 - 20000 Hz
- -3dB Frequency Response 60 - 20000 Hz
- Output Level (SPL) 85 dB
- Sensitivity 85 dB
- Audio Amplifier Integrated
- Connectivity Technology Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
- Bluetooth Profiles Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP),
Hands Free Profile (HFP),
Headset Profile (HSP) - Transmission Range 33 ft
- Controls Volume,
Power on/off - Additional Features Bluetooth 2.1,
Multi-point technology,
Compact design Speaker Details
- Features - Indoor / Outdoor,
1 x Portable speaker - 60 - 20000 Hz Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x Audio cable - 3 ft,
1 x USB cable - 1 ft,
1 x USB cable - 5 ft - Included Accessories Carrying case
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Run Time (Up To) 10 hour(s)
Battery
- Type Speaker battery - Rechargeable - Lithium polymer
Product series
-
Manufacturer: AliphCom
Specs: Portable speaker,
Blue,
Active,
85 dB -
Manufacturer: AliphCom
Specs: Portable speaker,
Red,
Active,
85 dB -
Jawbone Jambox (black diamond)
Manufacturer: AliphCom
Specs: Portable speaker,
Black,
Active,
85 dB -
Manufacturer: AliphCom
Specs: Portable speaker,
Grey,
Active,
85 dB
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse AliphCom products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:AliphCom
- Address:
8000 Marina Boulevard, Brisbane, CA 94005 - Phone: 1-866-529-2663
- Email: info@aliph.com
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