Bose announces new Portable Home Speaker with Assistant and Alexa for $349

What you need to know

• The Bose Portable Home Speaker launches on September 19 for $349.
• It will support Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, and AirPlay 2.
• It has a built-in handle, IPX4 water-resistance, and up to 12 hours of battery life.

Bose has announced its first portable smart home speaker, aptly named the Bose Portable Home Speaker. The new speaker stands 7.5-inches tall, is just over 4-inches wide, and weighs in at 2.3 pounds.

It has an anodized aluminum body and inside are "three passive radiators, a high-excursion driver, and a proprietary deflector" to "distribute clear, lifelike sound evenly in every direction — including size-defying bass."

There is also a built-in handle, and Bose says the battery will last for up to 12 hours, meaning you can bring your tunes with you wherever you go. It even has a water-resistance rating of IPX4 which is able to withstand spills, splashes, and rain.

When it comes connectivity, the new Bose Portable Home Speaker does it all. Not only does it support the most commonly used Bluetooth and Wi-Fi standards for connecting wirelessly, but you can also stream via Spotify Connect or AirPlay 2.

Along with all the different ways to connect, the Bose Portable Home speaker also features some serious smarts in the form of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Using its own proprietary voice pick-up system, you'll be able to use your favorite voice-activated assistant to access your favorite music, ask questions, control your smart home, and much much more.

If you choose to not use the mic, that's fine too. Along with the buttons on top of the speaker, there is a proprietary mic-off button that cuts power to the microphones. That way, you can ensure there is no possibility of you being listened to or recorded.

The Bose Portable Home Speaker goes on sale beginning September 19 for $349 in Triple Black or Luxe Silver. You'll also be able to purchase a $29 charging cradle, or use the standard USB-C charging port to charge up your speaker.

You might not want to open your wallets just yet though, because Sonos is also set to launch a very similar speaker next week. If it lives up to the previous leaks, the new portable Sonos speaker and the Bose Portable Home will have a lot in common. Both will offer Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and AirPlay 2 support as well.

With both of these speakers launching so close together, one thing is for certain — it's a great time to be an audio fan, but maybe not so great for your bank account.