It’s a given that Apple users like to get out there. You like to “create” in small coffee shops, wide open spaces, fast-moving trains, crowded airports. And for all that creating on the go, you need gear. Not just any gear — great gear.

For that reason, MacWorld brings you its latest Gear Guide for the Mobile Mac User. And this time they’ve featured not one but TWO Twelve South products.

Here’s what they said about PlugBug:

“To avoid schlepping multiple device chargers with you when you travel, check out the PlugBug by Twelve South. The $35 PlugBug snaps onto your MacBook’s power brick and provides its own USB port so you can simultaneously charge your laptop and a USB device (like an iPad, which won’t charge from lower-powered USB ports). In addition to providing a loaded power supply (10W, 2.1A), the PlugBug inadvertently serves as a plug adapter for MacBook users traveling to North America.”

We’re actually hearing that a lot — and selling a lot of them to people traveling to the US. One less adapter to remember to pack!

And then for the music lover who likes to get around…our newest way to rock the house, or hotel room, or even sleigh, the BassJump 2:

“Although we love our MacBooks, sometimes the sound quality of their built-in speakers just won’t cut it. For an extra sound boost, check out the BassJump 2 Subwoofer by Twelve South. This compact device connects to your MacBook with a USB cord and adds extra bass and midrange frequencies to your laptop’s built-in speakers. It’s compatible with third-party USB speakers as well as Apple’s Thunderbolt Display speakers, but make sure you have Mac OS 10.5 or later.”

So whether you’re kicking back to “Jingle Bells” or even something a little, well, louder and somehow dare-we-say-less-annoying?…BassJump 2 is the way to go. Get one for the music lover in your life (ahem, and also for yourself, since shipping is free).

Twelve South intros BassJump 2. The world’s first USB subwoofer for MacBook just got a lot better.

Charleston, SC, October 25, 2011 – Twelve South introduces the all-new BassJump 2, a portable, USB-powered subwoofer that turns MacBook Pro or MacBook Air into a travel-friendly sound system. Like the original, BassJump 2 is powered by a single USB connection and uses proprietary software that blends the sound output of the BassJump subwoofer with the output of built-in Mac speakers for dramatically enhanced sound. The new BassJump 2 includes remastered software that delivers greater compatibility and eight more decibels of sound. BassJump 2 is available now at Amazon.com and other outlets for $69.99. More information and images are available at twelvesouth.com.

Software refinements make BassJump 2 compatible with iMac and Apple Thunderbolt Display speakers, as well as third party USB and headphone-connected speakers. BassJump 2 enhances the sound of iMacs and Apple Thunderbolt Displays by adding mid- and low-frequencies for a deeper, fuller sound. Minimalists will see a less cluttered workspace but hear better sound without the added clutter of extra power cables and speakers on their desk.

Since its initial release, some of the biggest BassJump fans have been professional musicians, citing sound quality and portability as the key features. BassJump 2 works with most pro audio software, including Apple’s Logic Studio, making it an excellent monitor for musicians listening to and editing tracks on the road. Direct feedback from the music community led to several of the enhancements that make the new BassJump 2 sing.

Monty Lee Wilkes, Front of House Engineer for Prince, B-52s, Britney Spears, Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Jennifer Lopez and other top acts says of his BassJump, “I can’t get over how cool this thing is. I use it every day that I’m in a hotel. I even throw it in my backpack when we have to fly to do a one off and I don’t bring my luggage.”

Other satisfied owners and fans of BassJump include Ed Simons (of The Chemical Brothers), Ian Watkins (lead singer of Lost Prophets) and Ben Watt (of Everything But The Girl) who uses BassJump with his MacBook Pro and wrote to say that BassJump “is absolutely ace.”

With its simple, elegant design and sophisticated software, BassJump 2 makes the great speakers in your Mac sound even better. Perfect for small offices, hotel rooms and on the road, BassJump 2 brings a richer, fuller sound to every note of music your MacBook makes.

Click here to read the original release.

How’s this for some beautiful coverage of a few Twelve South faves that start with a “B”? Thanks, Stuff magazine, for spreading the word about Twelve South products in India!

Get yours here, just in time for the holidays…

The people over at Beatweek are serious about their music and their media. And it’s no wonder — it’s been publishing as a website since January 2004, and evolved into a magazine in 2007.  Since 2007, the magazine has released more than 70 issues with cover story interviews with the likes of many a famous musician (yes, they got Lady Gaga AND Katy Perry), actor, and athlete (Olympic gold medalists — talk about “performers!”).

So it was quite an honor when editor Bill Palmer chose to review our BassJump. Some highlights from his user experience:

“The built-in speakers on MacBook laptops are better than what you find on a lot of other laptops, but they’re still too tweeter-ish to enjoy music on for any extended period of time. Any set of generic computer speakers can be plugged into the audio-out port on the MacBook for the sake of providing a real audio experience, but Twelve South takes a different approach with the BassJump. Whereas most computer speakers cut off the built-in speakers entirely in favor of their own three (or more) speaker units, the BassJump attempts to simply add a subwoofer to your MacBook’s built-in speakers. After all, when reduced to tweeter status, they’re pretty decent in that role. As such, the BassJump is one of the most intriguing Mac accessories I’ve encountered in some time.”

“And I made that conclusion before I even plugged it in. Out of the box, the BassJump looks something like a Mac Mini, albeit smaller, with the familiar brushed metal sides but a black top instead. In other words, it matches the styling of my MacBook Pro perfectly. It connects via USB, and for good reason. Connecting through the audio-out port would kill the built-in tweeters, so it’s necessary to begin with. But the USB connection is also for another reason, as a piece of accompanying Mac software (sorry PC users, this is where the train stops for you) allows you to control the volume of the BassJump relative to your computer’s overall volume, along with the audio mix between the BassJump and the built-in tweeters. It’s clearly a well thought out product, from its hardware design to its integration, and the whole thing feels, dare I say it, Apple-esque.”

(My goodness! Thank you! – Twelve South)

The bottom line? Beatweek gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thanks!

Know someone who loves music? Give them a BassJump for Christmas, and they’ll jump for joy. Get it here.

MacTalk over in Australia has some VERY nice things to say about our own BassJump after conducting a thorough review for themselves.

In their words:

“Twelve South have the attention to detail we expect, plus a sense of humour. The packaging is typically minimalist (only slightly bigger than the product itself) and includes nothing more than the subwoofer, its soft neoprene case (with USB cable inside) and a brief brochure. There are some handy suggestions in the bottom of the box on what to do with it instead of putting it under the bed with all your other Apple boxes, but I’ll leave those as a surprise.”

And about BassJump’s software:

“The software allows you to control 2 important settings that balance each other to make the most effective impact on your music; the BassJump Volume and the Crossover Frequency. Volume is pretty straightforward but crossover frequency is a little more particular to getting appropriate response from your music. A subwoofer is designed to produce only the lowest frequencies in your audio and the crossover frequency is the high end limit of audio that will be handled by subwoofer vs your internal MacBook speakers.”

“The good news is that Twelve South include 5 preset combinations of volume and crossover frequency, including Classical, Default, Pop, R&B and Rock, plus a Custom setting for your own adjustments. The manual is careful to point out that pushing each slider to the right is not a good idea.” (Twelve South: No, never.)

…And it’s not just for music? (Really. It’s not.)

“And it’s not just for music. The BassJump made a positive difference to the audio on movies, TV shows, YouTube clips and even just sounds and alerts like “You’ve Got Mail” (yes, that’s what I use and always have). Hearing Alex announce “It’s 7 o’clock” with new found bass in his voice makes it seem like he’s just gone through puberty.

That’s hilarious. We’ll have to give that “You’ve Got Mail” a whirl on BassJump for ourselves.

“Once you’ve connected the BassJump, you don’t want to disconnect it…if Apple could fit this kind of sound inside a MacBook it would be amazing (and I suspect impossible). If you’re a very mobile person, play a lot of music from your notebook and can squeeze a solid box into your kit then you’ll really appreciate the BassJump.”

Why thank you!  Want to enjoy enhanced sounds of your own, from music to “you’ve got mail?” Order your BassJump here today, and tell ‘em MacTalk Australia sent you.

So to say ”Monty Lee Wilkes knows audio” is just about the understatement of the year.

He recently gave our BassJump a whirl, and here’s what he had to say, in his own words:

“I can’t get over how cool this thing [BassJump] is.  I use it EVERY DAY that I’m in a hotel. I even throw it in my back pack when we have to fly to do a one off and I don’t bring my luggage.”

Yeah, we think he likes it. But the question is, how long do you think it will take all the other roadies to get their own BassJump for their “work box” so they can say they found it first?

BassJump. Rocking. The. Music. Pros. World.

Gadget Grrl

“She’s got it going on”… is how Gadget Grrl’s audio tag goes on her syndicated Gadget Grrl Minute. This week she combines her love for music with her love for gadgets and checks out our BassJump Subwoofer for Mac!

Gadget Grrl says “it just really enriches the sound of your music… particularly if your listening to a movie on your MacBook.”

Listen to the Gadget Grrl Minute BassJump review here:
Lexy: bassjump subwoofer for mac.

Never heard of BassJump? Check it out here:
http://www.twelvesouth.com/products/bassjump/

CNET says:

… if you’d like to improve your MacBook’s audio output, but aren’t quite ready to make the leap to a full set of external speakers, Twelve South’s BassJump could be the ideal solution.

Designed primarily for Apple laptops, the BassJump provides a noticeable improvement to the depth and clarity of your MacBook’s audio playback. At $80, it’s perhaps a bit expensive for such a focused task, but its Mac-consistent design, compact size, and handy control software help its appeal. We also like that it’s USB-powered, so you only need to mess around with a single cable.

Photo credit: Sarah Tew/CNET

Twelve South BassJump – Must-have Mac accessories – CNET Reviews.

YouTube – Twelve South BassJump portable subwoofer for MacBook.

Learn more about BassJump here.