Bose’s new rugged Bluetooth speaker floats in water

Just in time for the holiday season, has released a new portable Bluetooth speaker designed for both strong audio performance and durability. The SoundLink Flex has an IP67 rating, meaning it’s water, dust and dirt resistant, and the company even claims that the speaker will float to the surface if you drop it in water (but you should probably fish it out quickly if it drops into a bathtub or the ocean).

The silicone rear and powder-coated steel grille should protect the speaker from drops and bumps, according to Bose. The company also claims the device is resistant to UV light and corrosion and it won’t peel or flake.

But it’s not just the speaker’s apparent toughness that makes it interesting. Bose says it packed the SoundLink Flex with features “to deliver astonishing audio performance.” It claims that the custom transducer provides maximum audio clarity and “bass that you can feel in your chest.” The SoundLink Flex also has dual-opposing passive radiators, as well as Bose’s digital signal processing tech, which should minimize distortion.

The speaker can detect its orientation and adjust the audio output accordingly. So, whether it’s horizontal, vertical or hanging from the utility loop, the sound will be optimized. It’s the company’s first Bluetooth speaker that uses this Bose PositionIQ tech.

SoundLink Flex can remember up to eight Bluetooth connections to make it easy to switch from one device to another. You can adjust the settings using the Bose Connect app and control your phone’s voice assistant and take calls using the speaker’s microphone.

You can pair a second Bose Bluetooth speaker for stereo or simultaneous playback. The SoundLink Flex can connect to other Bose speakers and as part of a home audio system. Bose says you’ll get up to 12 hours of playback on a single charge and you can recharge the lithium-ion battery with a USB-C cable.

The SoundLink Flex is just under eight inches wide, 2.1 inches deep and 3.6 inches tall. It weighs just over a pound and is available in black, white smoke or stone blue. The speaker costs $149 and you can pick it up from Bose’s website starting today.