Premium audio equipment maker Bose recently launched an updated version of its QuietComfort 35 noise cancelling headphones. The company also used the occasion to announce the new SoundSport Free wireless earbuds.
These, however, weren't the only new items on the docket.
Bose has a third new product that it conveniently forgot to mention in its press release. It's called the SoundWear Companion Speaker and it'll set you back $299.95.
Much like Atari's ill-advised Speakerhat, the SoundWear Companion Speaker is essentially a personal loudspeaker that'll surely annoy innocent bystanders.
Aesthetically speaking, the wearable looks like an oversized version of one of those LG neckband Bluetooth headsets or perhaps a flattened airplane neck pillow. It features two 11-inch "waveguides," offers haptic feedback, connects to your phone via Bluetooth, comes in multiple colors and is designed to rest comfortably on your shoulders.
Rather than isolate music like traditional headphones, the neck speaker directs music in the general direction of your ears. This, according to Bose, allows you to be present with your music as well as your surroundings.
I get it. Bose wants people to use this speaker in the privacy of their own home, while gardening or perhaps during a dog walk. The problem is, it won't stop there. People are going to wear the speaker on the bus, at the store and in other public settings where it'll be a nuisance to everyone around.
The Bose SoundWear Companion Speaker is available for purchase as of writing.