From the press release:
Today, Nokia announces a partnership with speaker experts JBL to create a range of audio accessories, plus the first fruits of the relationship: the JBL PlayUp Portable Wireless Speaker for Nokia.
Keen-eyed readers will note that the new PlayUp speakers bear a considerable resemblance to last year’s Nokia Play 360° portable speakers.
You may remember that I reviewed there here?
The release continues:
There’s one major change on the design side, though: this model is made of specially created double-shot plastic to add extra durability to the design. Inside, however, the guts of the speaker have been entirely revised to bring JBL’s excellent audio know-how to the party.
The PlayUp portable speaker is rated as having a maximum output of 89dB, plus there's still a 'woofer', with frequency response rated at 85Hz – 22kHz (-6dB).
As with the Play 360 speakers, music is transferred using Bluetooth, and with NFC 'tap to pair' implemented. (NFC is widely expected in the next generation of Windows Phones; it's already in Nokia's Symbian phones from the last year or so.)
Older phones or MP3 players without either Bluetooth or NFC aren’t left out, though – they can also connect using a standard 3.5mm jack. There’s a cable supplied in the box for this, together with a carrying pouch and a MicroUSB charger.
The dimensions of the speaker are 118 x 118 x 128mm, and it weighs 760g. The rechargeable battery inside will last for 10 hours in normal use, and, of course, you can run it off AC power using the charger indoors. It will come in cyan, white and black – plus a new bright yellow colour.
It's not clear yet whether the new speakers also emulate the Play 360 trick of being able to operate in matched pairs to provide full stereo.
The JBL PlayUp Portable Wireless Speaker for Nokia will begin shipping before the end of the year and will cost approximately €149.