CES 2015

There is no shortage of all-weather Bluetooth speakers but the Boomjacket takes longevity to a new level with 40 hours of playback time on a single charge. (Moreover, Altec Lansing claims that you don't have to lower the volume to achieve that.) The Boomjacket is the sequel to the Life Jacket; like its predecessor, the Boomjacket features rain/dirt/shock-proof construction; in addition to its improved playing time, it has improved sound quality and more mounting capabilities.

The Boomjacket has a washable, rubberized skin that is IP67-rated to make it waterproof, dustproof, and shock-resistant. Drop it in the pool? No problem. Leave it outside overnight? Sure. The unit can be recharged either from its USB port or from a wall outlet; the speaker can also recharge other devices. A neat feature: the speaker can verbally tell you how much power is left. Other items: built-in speakerphone functionality; ability to dial, accept, reject, and terminate calls using voice commands.

From an audio standpoint, the Boomjacket has dual 2-inch neodymium drivers, a passive radiator, DSP audio enhancement, and aptX CD-quality wireless audio. Of course, music can be played wirelessly from Bluetooth-enabled devices and there is an auxiliary input as well. Pairing is made easy with voice confirmation as soon as the connection is live. Pairing needs to be done only once; the Boomjacket can remember up to eight devices.

The Boomjacket weighs about a pound, and measures a diminutive 7-1/2 x 3-1/8 x 2-7/8. MSRP is $199 including carrying case (mounting options sold separately); the speaker will ship in the spring.