Bose SoundLink wireless Bluetooth speaker review: It lives up to the hype

The Bose SoundLink Wireless comes in a standard ($299.95) and LX version ($349.99).

(Credit:
Bose)

Bose, create a groundbreaking product? Sure, the company's got some really nice headphones and decent sound systems that are just a tad overpriced. But Bose? Since when does Bose make a game-changer?

Since it came out with its compact Bluetooth speaker, the SoundLink Wireless Mobile, that's when. No, it's not the iPhone or anything, but it may just be the iPhone of portable Bluetooth speakers.

For the uninitiated, Bluetooth speakers let you stream music and other audio from any smartphone and many tablets (including the iPad) wirelessly. There's no need for network configurations--just a simple pairing procedure, and whatever you're playing on your phone or tablet gets wirelessly sent to the speakers, whether it's MP3 music, Spotify, Rdio, a baseball game, or a video soundtrack.

Bluetooth speakers have been around for years, so what's so special about the Bose? Well, it starts with how small it is and ends with just how much sound comes out of it--and impressive sound at that.

Bose also seems to be taking a few cues from Apple: along with the compact shape and clean, elegant design, the SoundLink Wireless Mobile, starting at $300, is equipped with... [Read more]