We first spotted BoomBotix at Interbike last year and were impressed with the volume and clarity their little Boom Bots could pump out while mounted to a handlebar.
Now, they’re turning an eye toward more aggressive athletes. You know, like mountain bikers (and snow boarders, skaters, etc.) with the Rex. The Rex is a ruggedized, hexagonal speaker with two 36mm drivers in front of an oblong subwoofer. That combo should give you high volume with respectable bass considering the size. And, with high level waterproofing and wireless operation, you should be able to bring da noiz just about anywhere.
We want one bad. Seems lots of people do, since they blew through the funding goal on Kickstarter by a mile. Why? Click past for all the specs and you’ll be setting aside some of that Christmas cash, too…
The Rex is more than just a portable speaker. It connects to your smartphone, tablet or computer and can take calls via phone, Facetime, Skype or whatever. Three simple buttons let you skip songs, change volume and take/end calls. In addition to the speakers, it has a noise canceling microphone to pick up your voice. You can even use this to operate Siri.
The Li-Ion battery recharges via mini USB and is good for up to six hours of music. A line out lets you daisy chain multiple speakers and still control them wirelessly, and a line in lets you pump tunes through it without going wireless. The housing is ruggedized ABS plastic, and a clip on the rear let’s you stick it wherever you’ve got a belt, strap or crease.
The 2.1 sound system is rated at 90db @ 2′ with sound balancing software to keep your highs in tune with your lows. Other software’s coming soon from the app side, with new tech that’ll expand the Rex’s capabilities over time.
It’ll initially come in blue, green, white, purple and black. Like the little Bots, you’ll see plenty of color and graphic combinations in the future. The grill and clip are swappable, so you can mix and match colors.
Even though the campaign is fully funded, you can still get in and nab a Rex for about $80. When they start shipping in March, retail will be $99.
