UE Speakers Add Siri, Google Voice

Say it to play it: Ultimate Ears has introduced Siri and Google Now voice integration in two of its speakers.

The portable Boom 2 (pictured) and Megaboom are built to withstand the wettest, muddiest adventures—something your phone probably can't handle. Now you don't have to worry about that; just choose your next song or playlist hands-free.

Ensure your UE speaker is running the latest software, and press the Bluetooth button; wait for the tone and the blinking light, indicating that Siri or Google Now is listening.

Apple users can simply say a command—"Play indie music" or "Play R&B music"; Android owners, meanwhile, must be running the UE speaker app in the background for voice commands like "Play electronic music" or "Play pop music" to work.

"Music lovers can now truly stay in the moment, playing their favorite songs from the middle of the pool or even while diving off a cliff with their UE speaker in hand," Charlotte Jobs, general manager of Ultimate Ears, said in a statement. "No matter how wet, muddy or wild the situation … fans no longer need to pick up their phone to play DJ. Now, they can just say it to play it."

All languages and services supported by Siri and Google Now are available on UE's speakers; that includes iTunes, Apple Music ($10.99 Per Month at Apple Music) , Spotify, Google Play Music, and locally stored tunes.

Recommended by Our Editors

Cortana vs. Google Now vs. Siri: Which Voice Assistant Wins?

Ultimate Ears said its speakers do not collect voice commands or user data.

For more, see PCMag's reviews of the UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom speakers.