JBL Link 10: Price, performance and features compared

What is the JBL Link 10?

While most of the smart speakers available in the Australian market require a hardwired power connection in order to work, JBL has launched a range of speakers, beginning with the Link 10, which are powered by the Google Assistant platform and are battery powered. This means that you can take the speakers with you around the house and even outside, though they still need a Wi-Fi connection in order to connect to the Google Assistant.

The Link 10 is the smallest model in the family of smart speakers from JBL, which also includes the Link 20 and Link 300 models in Australia. The Link 10 promises five hours of battery life, high-quality audio playback and an IPX7 waterproof rating so you can use it everywhere, from the kitchen to the swimming pool, and not panic about getting the odd splash of water on it.

What can the JBL Link 10 smart speaker do?

The JBL Link 10 may look like any other Bluetooth speaker but there's a whole heap of extra functionality under the hood. Primarily, that functionality is driven by the inclusion of the Google Assistant platform, which allows users to get real-time information from the Internet with a simple voice command. That information can vary from the latest sports results to the weather forecast, the latest news headlines, solving maths problems and simple translations.

Because the Google Assistant functionality is all based in the cloud, you get the same experience as the Google Home speaker, including all the same smart home control functionality. So if you have compatible accessories, like Philips Hue light globes or Nest Protect smoke alarms, you can interact with them through the Link 10 speaker.

What makes the Link 10 stand apart from Google's own speakers is the fact that it doesn't require a hardwired power connection to work. JBL promises a five-hour battery life for the Link 10, so you can take it with you around the house to stream music or get updates on the weather anywhere in your home you can connect to your Wi-Fi network.

If you do take the Link 10 beyond the realms of a Wi-Fi connection, the integrated Bluetooth functionality will let you stream from a mobile device over a traditional Bluetooth connection. This makes the Link 10 extremely versatile, especially when you factor in that IPX7 water resistance rating.

What other devices is the JBL Link 10 compatible with?

The ecosystem of devices compatible with the Google Assistant smart home platform is constantly growing and developing, which means that the range of compatible devices for the JBL Link 10 is constantly growing too.

On the smart home front, the Link 10 works with devices from Philips, LIFX, Ring, Nest, WeMo and many more. The device also pairs with a number of entertainment apps, like Spotify, YouTube Music, Google Play Music, Netflix, Stan and YouTube.

Because the Google Assistant works with IFTTT, you can also program a massive array of automation tasks with specific commands, from syncing your task lists across different apps to sending tweets with your voice.

Plus, the Link 10 is Chromecast enabled, so you can easily cast to the device itself, or group it together with other speakers for multi-room audio.

When did the JBL Link 10 launch in Australia?

The Link 10 and Link 20 smart speakers from JBL arrived in Australia in late 2017 and are available now from a number of priority retail outlets.

How much does the JBL Link 10 cost?

The Link 10 has an RRP of $229.95 in Australia.