Bose takes on Sonos Roam with a Bluetooth speaker that floats in your hot tub (or just the bath)

Audio veteran Bose has just launched a new portable speaker, the SoundLink Flex, which it hopes will be cruising to the top of the best Bluetooth speaker charts. Featuring a rubberized outer case, this compact speaker looks to be a beautifully robust device built with IP67 dust and water resistance for those who need audio and an adventure.

And, let's be clear, the Flex is built to travel: not only does it have a utility loop from which you can hang it from a bag or carabiner, but it also floats to the surface if dropped in the swimming pool, or when, say, kayaking during a water-based adventure.

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Perhaps the coolest part of the SoundLink Flex is that it's the first to use Bose’s new PositionIQ technology, with the device ingeniously “adjusting to however it’s oriented to optimize the sound” irrespective of which way the device is positioned. 

Bose is pretty matter-of-fact when it comes to the device’s sound. The company says it has used the biggest driver it can possibly fit in the SoundLink Flex, which should exude a powerful bass without sacrificing the sound quality. 

Much like the Bose SoundLink Micro, the speaker uses the older-gen Bluetooth 4.2 firmware as standard, with a standard nine-meter range. To smooth over these shortcomings, the SoundLink Flex boasts some handy software features, including tighter integration with the Bose Connect app, plus the ability to seamlessly switch between devices, which is handy if you've got numerous items connected to it.

The SoundLink Flex is available to buy now and ships from tomorrow, October 14. Color-wise, you can pick the speaker up in black, blue, and white smoke, all for the sum of $149. Currently, there's no word on when the speaker will hit shelves in the UK, but given the UK's temperatures during winter, I'm sure there won't be too many of us hitting the poolside before then, so it won't be missed quite that much just yet.