14 DAY TRIAL // Electricity and water don't mix well, not if you want your devices to stay functional, but it is possible to overcome this limitation if you're determined and inventive enough. Grace Digital has done it for the Ecostone.
Ecostone is a rugged wireless speaker that also possesses an uncanny level of buoyancy, which means that it can float above the surface of the water if, stars forbid, it gets knocked over the side of a pool or bathtub.
This quite effectively makes it unnecessary to completely seal the speaker from the outside world, which would have affected sound volume and quality if done poorly, not to mention raised the price considerably.
As it is, the Ecostone can still withstand being splashed or exposed to a certain degree of Steam, but doesn't need to have the ability to survive being submerged into water, at whatever depth, because that won't happen unless you force the thing under the surface for whatever reason (the waterproof rating is IPX7).
Ecostone has 3.5-inch speakers of 12W, plus a subwoofer at the back, as well as a 1/4 screw mount (good for permanently attaching the speaker to a wall).
An LED flashlight is part of the speaker as well, so that you can always see where you're stepping even if you're setting up an outdoor or pool-side get-together at midnight.
Moreover, the Ecostone has a battery, since it would not be cool to have a cord stretching from the wall all the way to the middle of the yard. Tripping is not conductive to fun. At least usually.
Besides, you would not be able to take the speaker out camping or hiking if you had to worry about finding a power socket all the time.
The integrated battery can last for 12 hours per charge and can replenish its energy if you use a USB cable to link it to a PC or charger for a while. Not sure how long, but two or three hours should do it.
Furthermore, the Ecostone waterproof speaker can play the role of speakerphone if needed, as it also boasts an integrated microphone.
Other assets include a size of 10.1 x 3.7 x 5 inches / 256 x 94 x 127 mm, a weight of 3 pounds / 1.36 kg, and four color options: black, orange, blue, and camo. Grace Digital's Ecostone should be up for sale already, at a price of $149 / €110.
