Beats, the audio company synonymous with rap mogul Dr. Dre, unveiled two new audio products on Tuesday. The Pill is a portable Bluetooth speaker system that looks to take some market share from Jawbone's Jambox while a new line of Executive headphones aims to please those with an appetite for quality construction.
The aptly-named Pill (interesting name choice, don't you think?) is described as being not much larger than a cucumber. There are four 1-inch drivers inside compared to just two found in the regular-sized Jambox but it's worth noting that there isn't a passive bass radiator.
The Pill is available in your choice of black, red or white and includes a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, a USB to micro-USB charging cable and a small carrying case. The sound system supports a number of codecs and technologies including AAC and Apt-X and it can even be used as a speakerphone.
Tap-to-pair NFC connectivity comes standard. Beats claims users can expect to see around seven hours of battery life with the volume cranked to 75 percent.
The Pill is on sale now with an MSRP of $199.99 - identical to the suggested price of Jawbone's offering, although it can be had for slightly less if you shop around.
The Beats Executive over-ear headphones deliver legendary Beats sound in a refined premium package that's said to be easier than ever to travel with. The headphones accept a standard 3.5mm audio jack and lay flat for easy packing inside the included hard shell carrying case.
The cans feature active noise-cancelling, powered by two AAA batteries that should be good for around 25 hours of run time. The set is constructed of lightweight brushed aluminum and is accented with dark grey hand-stitched leather pads.
Like the Pill, the new Executive headphones are also on sale right now through various retailers and directly from Beats. They can be yours if you're prepared to shell out the $299 asking price.