Bluetooth speakers are everywhere, so standing out from the crowd takes some effort. Urbanista, with its solar-powered audio devices, fits this bill nicely and has launched the world’s first Powerfoyle solar charging Bluetooth speaker, a great-looking speaker that will keep powered up so long as it’s exposed to light—indoors or outside.
Urbanista Launches the Malibu Waterproof Solar Speaker
The new Urbanista Malibu is a solar-charging waterproof Bluetooth speaker. It uses Urbanista’s Powerfoyle solar cell tech to charge in almost any light level, be that indoors or outside, which means its audio products rarely run out of battery. And for anyone who uses wireless tech, the pain of running out of battery when you least want it is all too real.
Similar to theUrbanista Phoenix we reviewed, the Urbanista Malibu can charge using indoor light, too. You’ll get better conversion rates outdoors in direct sunlight, as you would with all solar panels, but the option to keep the Malibu charged up without reaching for an outlet indoors is super handy.
Urbanista has focused on sustainability in other ways, too. The Malibu is designed and built from recycled plastic and other materials, while the IP67-rated speaker is fully waterproof and dustproof—perfect for using while you’re out and about, at the beach, by the pool, and so on. Better still, the Urbanista Malibu floats, as attested by the Urbanista team here at IFA 2023, with plenty of footage of the Malibu dunking in and out of a pool. I’d hazard that, as with most tech, you should go and chuck the Malibu in the sea, as the salt water is a different issue, but it’s comforting to know your speaker won’t die if someone accidentally sends it into the drink.
Handily, the Urbanista Malibu comes with a companion app, which not enough Bluetooth speakers offer. The Urbanista app features a fully customizable EQ that lets you tune the speaker to your liking, plus historical battery performance indicators. While that might not sound like a “killer” feature, knowing how long your speaker will last based on its previous outings is vital for keeping the music playing as long as possible.
The app is also under development, with new features being developed before the Malibu’s full launch in October. The app will also feature an option that allows you to switch to a “low-profile” mode that reduces the overall sound profile (i.e., drops the bass, lowers the volume a touch, etc.) but gives you another 20 hours of playback (for up for 40 hours total).
It’s no wonder the Urbanista Malibu picked up aBest Tech in Show award from MakeUseOf.
Never Run Out of Battery Again
Now, the Urbanista Malibu is rated for 20 hours of playback. That figure comes from testing the Malibu in a darkened room without any light source to charge the battery. But when the Malibu’s Powerfoyle solar charging panel sees the light, it begins to charge. Theoretically, if you keep the Malibu near a light source, it won’t run out of battery. I’ll stop short of saying “ever” (as do Urbanista), but as the Powerfoyle panel allows charging from almost any light source, it’ll certainly keep playing for a long time.
The Malibu also charges while playing; the solar panel keeps the battery topped up with the music pumping.
Should You Buy the Urbanista Malibu?
Urbanista’s Powerfoyle-powered solar audio products are well-known across the audio world. Combining interesting, unique designs with eco-friendly solar power regeneration, Urbanista has carved itself a niche with those who want great-looking and sounding audio but don’t want to spend time chained to a power outlet.
The Urbanista Malibu is available in Midnight Black and Desert Grey and costs $149.
