San Francisco-based company Jawbone, the maker of the popular Jambox Bluetooth speaker, is now launching a new wireless speaker: the Big Jambox. With the new version, it seems that Jawbone's original Jambox is all grown up, and has plenty to offer.

The Big Jambox will come with a $299 price tag, $100 more than its predecessor, but it is far more powerful. The new wireless speaker is 10 inches wide, 3.5 inches tall and about 3 inches deep, with a weight of 2.7 pounds. It will be available in three colors: "graphite hex" (black), "white wave" (white) and "red dot" (red).

Features

The rectangular Big Box unit has six buttons on top: talk/Jambox, play/pause, previous and next, and volume up and down. The original Jambox only had a three-button control scheme. The talk/Jambox button has a double function: when you pair the Big Jambox with a phone via Bluetooth, holding down the talk/Jambox button will initiate voice dialing (or trigger Siri, if you are using an iPhone 4S). Meanwhile, a quick press of the button will offer a spoken update on the battery status.

On the right, the Big Jambox has a glowing Power button, a Bluetooth-pairing button, a stereo auxiliary-input jack for connecting a wired audio source, a micro-USB port, and a jack for the power adapter (included in the package). The dedicated Bluetooth button allows you to easily pair the Big Jambox, and you can even pair multiple devices at once. However, if you pair two devices with the Big Jambox, only one can be actively connected and stream audio. If an audio source is connected to the auxiliary-input jack it will take precedence over Bluetooth streaming, though the Big Jambox can still be used as a speakerphone.

Power Adapter & Battery Performance

Another difference between the Big Jambox and the original Jambox is the included power adapter - the original model charged only via USB. The Big Jambox still has this option, but its battery charges more quickly using its AC adapter. During use, the Big Jambox gets very warm in a spot on the top left, similarly to Apple's new iPad. According to Jawbone, a fully drained Big Jambox should take 2.5 hours of power-adapter charging to reach a full charge, which should last for 15 hours of playback time.

Besides the included power adapter, the Big Jambox also comes with a 3.5mm cable and a Micro-USB-to-USB cable, in the color of the speaker. A carrying case, however, is available separately, for $49.

Better Audio Experience

When it comes to volume, it is truly amazing what such a small speaker can generate. The Big Jambox can play far louder music than its predecessor, and offers a well implemented balance between lows and highs. At lower volumes, it uses a loudness-compensation algorithm for an even greater audio experience.

In addition, the Big Jambox also incorporates Jawbone's LiveAudio software, unveiled in August 2011 for the original Jambox. The LiveAudio plugin basically simulates three-dimensional sound, and works considerably better on the Big Jambox. The new speaker can also connect with Jawbone's MyTalk service, just like its Jambox predecessor. MyTalk allows users to install other voices and apps onto the speaker.

Availability

The new and improved Big Jambox will be available for pre-order starting May 1 on Jawbone's Web site, and on May 15 it will go on sale at the Apple store, Best Buy and other select retailers.

(reported by Alexandra Burlacu, edited by Dave Clark)