Bose's new smart speaker puts the bass back in the beat
If you've got a few spare hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket and love portable speakers, you might have another contender to add to the selection list.
Today Bose released the Bose Portable Home Speaker – the third in Bose's entire range of smart speakers. While pricy at close to NZ$600, it fits right in line with the reputation of products and sound that Bose is famous for.
The one-kilogram speaker, measuring 19cm high by 10 centimetres high, packs a punch with 12 hours of battery life, an optional charging cradle, a proprietary voice recognition system that allows users to connect with smart assistants, and of course Bluetooth and WiFi.
Bose says, "A Bose proprietary voice pick-up system works with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, both built-in, to access playlists, podcasts, news, weather, smart home devices, and more.
"Choose AirPlay 2 to play music from Apple devices, or Spotify Connect to listen directly from the Spotify app and hear it all through a new Bose acoustic package that makes everything sound better.
The anodised aluminium-finished speaker pumps out 360-degree sound and deep bass. No matter where you place the speaker, Bose says it will deliver the same experience wherever you are.
"Inside, three passive radiators, a high-excursion driver and a proprietary deflector distribute clear, lifelike sound evenly in every direction — including size-defying bass… And while the left and right channels in standard one-piece systems can cancel each other out — leaving audible gaps in music — the Portable speaker won't. Bose mono-signal technology makes corrections in real time, so you hear everything the artist recorded.
The accompanying Bose music app offers plenty more functionality, like switching music services, browsing content, and even creating a multi-room setup with other Bose speakers or soundbars.
"Coming this year, pair the Portable with a Bose SoundLink speaker for synchronised, voice-controlled audio — a welcome advancement for the millions of SoundLink Micro, Color, Mini, and Revolve owners around the world; and next year, pair two Portables for incredible 360-degree stereo performance.
The Bose Portable Home Speaker is IPX4 water-resistant so it can weather spills, splashes, and rain. It's also sturdy enough to withstand drops, knocks, and hits.
The Bose Portable Home Speaker also joins the Home Speaker 500 and 300; as well as the Bose Soundbar 700 and 500. All of them are Bluetooth and WiFi enabled, which means they can work together as a multi-room system, or on their own.
The Bose Portable Home Speaker is available in Triple Black and Luxe Silver for pre-order. It will go on sale on September 26 for NZ$579.95, or AU$499.95.
