If the notion of a neck speaker sounds ridiculous to you, you’re not entirely wrong. A loudspeaker wrapped around your neck, with your music blasting for all the world to hear, sounds about the right amount of outrageous and weird. But then again, Bose makes such a good argument to own one via its Soundwear Companion wireless wearable speaker. It sounds incredible, offers hands-free calling, lasts extremely long, and is super comfy, as long as you’re amenable with the idea that you look like you want attention. You can get this wearable speaker for an astounding $150 off on Amazon this Columbus Day. Snag it for $149 instead of its usual price of $299.
The Bose Soundwear Companion wireless wearable speaker is shaped like a horseshoe. Its exterior is wrapped in medical-grade silicone reinforced with steel wire that’s not only durable but is also comfortable to wear. It weighs a little over half a pound that you might almost forget that it’s there. It feels extremely well-built, and unlike other neck speakers, this one flexes so you can adjust its fit to your liking. Once you have it on, you’ll find the volume control buttons and the multifunction button on the right side, while the power and Bluetooth buttons are on the left.
This neck speaker comes with a zippered black stretch jacket that you don’t need to take off as it doesn’t muffle the sound. Besides, it looks really good and adds an extra touch of luxury. Unzip it slightly to access the micro-USB charging port. Furthermore, the Soundwear Companion has an IPX4 rating for protection against sweat and particle intrusion. You can absolutely take it with you to the gym if you don’t mind sharing your playlist with other people.
The Soundwear Companion is designed for people who want to listen to their music while still being aware of their surroundings. It has two upward-firing speakers on both ends that disperses sound smartly through what Bose calls the Waveguide technology. This system allows the sound to not bleed everywhere unlike regular speakers, but to travel straight to your ears. It’s not seamless, and of course, other people will hear your music, but we were aware somehow that we were receiving most of the sound. A couple more great features are hands-free calling and access to Siri or Google Assistant with a tap of a button, minus having to dig out your phone.
Last but certainly not least is the Soundwear Companion’s battery life. When fully charged, you’ll be able to squeeze out an impressive 12 hours of juice from it. Charging usually takes up to three hours (the consequence of not having a USB Type-C port) and its Bluetooth range is nine meters, so you don’t have to constantly wear it.
The Bose Soundwear Companion wireless wearable speaker might cause curious (even mocking) glances, but it sounds great, has lots of cool features, and a remarkably long battery life.
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Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.