The most common question following a demo of the Bheard Sound Pod, our popular acoustic speaker for smartphones, was "Do you have one for tablets?" Thirty-nine beta-tested versions and many months later, I'm happy to reveal the design for our newest product design in collaboration with Ultimaker.

The Bsonic iPad Speaker by Bhold x Ultimaker is an acoustic amplifier that optimizes sound from your iPad for video or audio. Watch movies and TV shows without worrying about plugging in or having to inch in closer to hear the audio, or listen to music and podcasts as you go about your tasks for the day. Its shape is inspired by a conch seashell and the idea of pressing a shell against your ear to hear ocean waves. The egg- or pod-like curves make it more relevant to our modern lives for daily use and build in our learnings from the Bheard Sound Pod design.

Through expanding Bhold Labs with Ultimaker's 3D sharing platform YouMagine, we opened up the design process to be even more transparent and expanded Labs to be global. It's a first-of-its-kind program in sharing digital prototype files ahead of final release so that anyone anywhere could download the files, 3D print them and send us their feedback. The Bsonic was tested with 64 testers from 22 countries. See how the concept and prototypes evolved over time in the image below, and learn how we worked with Ultimaker and their community to create the finished piece.

It wasn't possible to support all tablets due to inconsistency in speaker placement, but most of our testers and requesters had iPads so we focused on the latest iPad versions.

Expanding the tester base for this design means we were able to remove even more bias from our data, and less bias means better design. Our data driven approach is unique in combining the best of new technology and tools with real user feedback to create a better and more thoughtful final product. Take a more detailed look at our Bsonic speaker and take advantage of its rich sound boost for your video, music and podcasts on your iPad!