Tech Next: BOOM 3 speakers and world’s first in-screen camera are here

The BOOM series sits on the premium end of their portfolio and the latest iteration — the BOOM 3, is easily one of the most powerful speakers around the Rs 15,000 mark. 

The BOOM 3 doesn’t deviate from the brand’s design template. There are a couple of subtle design changes, like the two-toned high-performance fabric — the BOOM 3 comes in a choice of three colour variants including a funky sunset red. We also approve of what Ultimate Ears calls the Magic Button. This versatile button offers a host of music controls — you won’t need to keep hunting for your phone to manage controls on the speaker. The device pairs effortlessly with your phone — we tried this with an iPhone and an Android device. Bluetooth Speakers need to be geared to take on the elements. The BOOM 3 is IP67 certified. You can throw this into the water or trek through a dusty track without a fuss. 

Ultimately speakers are about their sound quality and the BOOM 3 more than packs a punch. We tested this with a variety of sounds — from Netflix videos to hard rock music and news broadcasts and it doesn’t disappoint. Each speaker has a carefully balance audio and 360-degree sound. The device also delivers on battery life. It may not be in the 20 plus hours league of some of its competitors but delivered an impressive 15 hours in our tests. While we were disappointed not to see a USB type-C charging slot, we like the placement of the Micro-USB charging slot that allows you to charge the speakers even as it continues to belt out music. BOOM 3 also offers a wireless charging solution. The speaker is compatible with the Ultimate Ears POWER UP charging dock (sold separately). The BOOM 3 has a lot going for it and it is certainly powerful enough for your next house party. (Rs 15,999)

Honor View 20: Honor has come to the flagship killer party with all guns blazing and a first of its kind in-screen camera. The Rs 35,000-40,000 is the same zone where devices like the OnePlus 6T hold sway. Honor combines a pleasing design aesthetic with a solid hardware spec sheet. 

The device features a striking glass back — Honor calls it Aurora Nanotexture, that creates stunning patterns. The 48MP rear camera is placed at the top left corner and shoots sharp images. It’s the placement of the 25MP selfie cam that sets this device apart. It’s a hole-punch camera that almost merges with the 6.4-inch display (2310 x 1080 pixels) that packs 398 pixels per inch. Hardware highlights include a 4000 mAh battery and a zippy Kirin 980 chipset with 6GB of RAM and  128GB of internal memory. (Rs 37,999)