INTRODUCTION

   With summer just around the corner how many of you will storm online and retail stores alike to find a suitable portable wireless speaker for use when at the beach (or at the pool) so you can listen to all your favorite tunes from your smartphones? Personally i use wireless portable speakers a lot when I’m at the beach in the summer especially if there are many friends around so i really do think that such devices can be quite useful as long as you can find the right one to cover your needs. So currently in the market we have the usual Bluetooth enabled wireless speakers that require to be paired with a smartphone or tablet and NFA (Near Field Audio) wireless speakers that just require for the smartphone to be placed right next to the NFA sensor (the sensor location is always listed in the user’s manual). Now obviously each type has its advantages and disadvantages but it's worth mentioning that both also offer wired 3.5mm mini plug connections (most models) which can be used by people who don't want to use the extra battery required by Bluetooth connections or people who prefer the more classic way. One such device is with us today and more specifically the Boombero NFA Wireless Speaker by Oregon Scientific. 

   Oregon Scientific is a global brand and creator of electronic products for today’s lifestyles. Its innovative products are the combination of cutting-edge US technology and stylish European design that build a bridge between people and technology, helping them understand their environment and enhance their daily lives. Established in the US in 1989, Oregon Scientific is both the inventor and market leader for Smart Clocks and Home Weather Stations. These two principal areas of expertise remain at the center of Oregon Scientific’s core competencies. Besides the award-winning Time and Weather collection, Oregon Scientific has successfully developed four other lifestyle enhancing product collections : Sports and Fitness, Telecommunications, Digital Media and Electronic Learning collections. 

   Earlier we mentioned that the current Bluetooth and NFA wireless speakers have both advantages and disadvantages which is entirely correct. So although Bluetooth connectivity may have a much larger range (30ft/10m) it does use more battery power and in order to make use of it you first need to pair your Bluetooth device with the speaker (something which may not be easy for every person). On the other hand Near Field Audio wireless speakers work just by placing your smartphone right on a specific place of the speaker which means that although they are easier to use and you also save on battery power (since you are not using Bluetooth) you need to have your phone placed on the speaker at all times. NFA wireless speakers also have another drawback so although pretty much every Bluetooth compatible wireless speaker in the market comes with rechargeable built-in battery packs all the NFA wireless speakers I’ve used to date use normal 1.5v AA batteries which in turn don't feed the speaker with the same amount of power (less audio volume) and obviously get depleted faster. Having mentioned all the pros and cons of Bluetooth and NFA wireless speakers it's time to see what the Boombero Wireless Speaker has to offer.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Boombero is placed inside a very small white box with a product image at the front, a short product description and the Oregon Scientific logo.

The main features of the unit are placed on the right side while on the left we see both the black and white product version.

At the rear of the box you can see the full features list printed in 10 languages.

The product is safely placed inside a piece of cardboard.

The Boombero Wireless Speaker, a 3.5mm audio jack cable, the user’s manual and a warranty paper are placed inside the box. 

THE BOOMBERO

The Boombero is a rather small wireless speaker featuring a single driver and measuring 117mm in length, 67mm in width and 61mm in height.

The gap in the middle of the speaker allows you to place your phone either horizontally or vertically in order to watch movies while amplifying their audio.

Size-wise the Boombero is a tad smaller than the Boost Plus NFA speaker by iFrogz.

At the rear of the speaker we see the on/off button, micro-USB port (can be used to feed power to the speaker) and the 3.5mm port.

There are two long rubber feet at the base of the speaker along with a battery compartment.

The Boombero gets powered via three 1.5v AA batteries (or via the micro-USB port at the rear).

Here's how you are supposed to use the Boombero when watching movies. Unfortunately you can't, not with every smartphone out there so to see how you will need to place your own smartphone on the speaker check here. 

CONCLUSION

   The Boombero is a compact wireless speaker that looks great and performs quite well for its size but due to the current state of NFA technology it's not what I’d call perfect (much like all NFA wireless speakers currently). You see although NFA makes it extremely easy for anyone to use their android/iOS compatible smartphone just by placing it on the speaker each smartphone has its NFA sensor placed elsewhere and so even by taking a look at the correct placement chart you can see how long it may take someone to find out the correct placement. Of course that can be easily resolved if smartphone manufacturers sit down and create an standard so all smartphones can have their NFA sensors at a specific spot but until that day comes all NFA wireless speakers will have the same issue. There are some good news however and so if you happen to own an iPhone 4/4s or a Samsung Galaxy SIII/S smartphone you will be able to use the Boombero as intended. 

   Although there aren't that many Near Field Audio wireless speakers in the market and that makes them hot accessories their prices are quite low and so the Boombero by Oregon Scientific currently retails for just USD55 inside the USA and 45Euros inside the EU. At the same price range however you can also get the Boost Plus by iFrogz which happens to be slightly more powerful (and larger) but things like that come down to personal preference and personally i like the Boombero a bit more in terms of design. So if you are looking to buy an wireless portable speaker and you think you can adjust to the way NFA works then the Boombero is worth checking out.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Size
- Mounting Spot
- NFA Technology
- Good Sound Amplification
- Battery Life
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Smartphone Placement
- Works With Normal 1.5v AAA Batteries