Table of Content
You'll want this cradle if you plan to move the speaker around . The charging cradle costs $29, and I purchased one for my review unit. I'm irritated it's not included in the box since this speaker costs a very high-end $399. Bose's skimping on accessories feels very cheap. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is an aluminum cylinder about eight inches tall and four inches wide, with controls and a carrying handle at the top, and a downward-facing audio driver.

We may get paid by brands or deals, including promoted items. Get notified on new deals directly in your inbox or on your phone... Ask our community of deal experts a question about this deal, product, or store.
ADD MORE SOUND AROUND THE HOUSE
Newly designed subwoofer that delivers a dynamic range of bass in a small, compact size that can be easily hidden Designed to be paired with the Bose Soundbar 500 or... Take advantage of your Bose speaker by sounding an alarm that supplements your abode system’s when triggered. With the Bose Music Amplifier’s analog and optical inputs, you can also connect a record player, CD, or cassette player. Rediscover the oldies, goodies, and anything in between. Take your dinner party from the dining room to the garden and back.
And you can set up to six different presets for playlists, Internet radio stations and more, so your favorites are just a tap away. Get powerful sound for your kitchen and bedroom, or take your streaming music around the house with our portable speaker. Before you hire a home theater or home automation service in Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, shop through our network of over 12 local home theater & automation companies. Read through customer reviews, check out their past projects and then request a quote from the best home theater & automation companies near you.
Does the Bose Smart Speaker 500 have a battery for portable use?
The app will guide you through setting up your account on the speaker, adding your account information for your favorite music services, and choosing your voice assistant . With theBose Music app, you can easily browse through all your music in one place and seamlessly jump between stations, playlists, and services. Plus, it’s another simple way to control the Bose Smart Speaker 500. Setting up presets with the app is easy, so the music you love is just one touch away.

Having multi-room audio functionality baked into a speaker that I can use outside is a huge get for me. Home security connected to your Bose Smart Home speakers and soundbars. The microphones on the Bose Home Speaker 500 may be turned off with a single tap of the microphone off button on the top of the product . This button completely cuts power to the microphones so the Google Assistant and Alexa will not hear any commands. For security reasons, it is not possible to use a voice command or the Bose Music app to turn the microphones on or off — only a physical button press can control the microphones. When the microphones are off, this button will always be backlit with a red LED light.
What is the color LCD display screen on the product for?
The LCD display shows information about the content currently playing on the speaker, including album art, track name, artist name, music service information, radio station name, and location, etc. There is an optional clock setting available in the Bose Music app, which displays the time when the speaker is in standby mode. The display also shows setup and diagnostic information.

Longevity will vary widely based on how you use the speaker, however. For example, low-volume Bluetooth playback from a nearby source will likely exceed 12 hours, while loud Wi-Fi streaming on a less-than-ideal connection will tap the battery sooner. Charging from zero percent to 100% with the included charger takes about five hours. You can ask questions, adjust smart home gadgets, control media playback, and the whole nine. You can also add the speaker to groups of your other Assistant or Alexa speakers to sync audio playback across rooms.
Editor's Notes & Price Research
The plainly named Bose Portable Smart Speaker is an interesting device. If you couldn’t guess, the $399 unit offers all the benefits of a quality smart speaker with your choice of Alexa or Google Assistant. It also includes a built-in battery that lets you move the speaker from room to room and beyond without a power outlet. Its reliance on Wi-Fi for smart features does rain on the portable parade somewhat, but if you’ve got a niche it can fill, the Bose Portable Smart Speaker is a delight — albeit a pricey one.

Plus, the LEDs light up when you're interacting with a voice assistant. I do wish there were buttons to skip tracks, though. With the current controls, you skip forward and backward by pressing the play/pause button twice or three times, respectively. That works fine, but the process would be easier with dedicated buttons, and there's definitely room on the speaker for them.
Believe it or not, best-selling Amysen smart plugs with Alexa & Google Assistant are down to just $3.11 each when you buy a 4-pack. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. Your vote will help the community find the best deals. Purchased a Bose Solo 5 a couple of year back from the Bose Ebay store.
The Bose Smart Speaker 500 is part of a Bose family of smart speakers and soundbars. And with built-in voice control, you have millions of songs at the tip of your tongue. Or you can manage everything from the Bose Music app. Bring all your entertainment to life — music, movies, and TV — in any room you want.
I also really appreciate the rigid, fabric-wrapped handle. It makes the speaker easy to move around, but it's also a convenient way to hang up the speaker anywhere you want music, like an audio lantern. It's IPX4 rated, which means it's resistant to splashes, but you shouldn't try to use it in the pool. I've used the speaker in light rain a few times, and there hasn't been any issue so far. It’s not a problem for our voice pickup technology.