Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
These days, it’s not difficult to find a smart speaker bearing the capabilities of the Google Assistant. Google itself has released five Assistant speakers and that doesn’t include three flavors of its Nest Hub smart display. Many manufacturers have followed suit and it has become relatively easy to find a decent Assistant smart speaker to fit just about any budget so long as you’re looking for a static device that lives among your home’s decor and is tethered to a wall socket.
What’s not easy to find is a really good portable Google Assistant speaker. The few on the market are either extremely cheap with mediocre audio or you find yourself on the other end of the spectrum paying hundreds of dollars for portability and premium sound. That’s not to say that there aren’t any portable Assistant devices out there. They are simply few and far between. Thankfully, Sony’s ever-evolving lineup of portable speakers has led us to a killer deal on a Google Assistant speaker that boasts powerful bass and is water and dustproof.
The Sony XB402G Extra Bass Wireless Speaker launched with a retail price of $249.99 and depending on your taste, some would say that the portable Bluetooth speaker w/Google on board is worth the asking price. Still, that’s a lot of dough to pony up for a speaker to use on the go. If you’re looking for something to use in your home or office and portability isn’t on the wishlist, you could just go with the Nest Audio for $99 and you should be very satisfied with the experience. That said, it looks as if Sony has discontinued this particular model, and right now, you can pick it up from Woot, brand new, for the ridiculously low price of $64.99.
Even if the sound quality were so-so (which I almost guarantee it’s way better than average), you’re getting a portable Bluetooth speaker that you can literally submerge in water and it will keep on trucking. The Sonly XB402G is IPX6 dustproof and IPX7 waterproof which makes it the perfect device for around the pool, on the boat, or even out in the wild. Sony boasts up to 11 hours of battery life even with the Extra Bass mode enabled and the Chromecast or Bluetooth pairing options make it as versatile as they come. When you’re connected to wi-fi, you will also get all the goodness that comes with any Google Assistant-enabled smart speaker. Any way you slice it, this is a killer deal. Grab one while you can because I’d bet, when they’re gone, they’re gone.
Pro Tip: You can get an extra 5% cash back from Woot when you ship with Rakuten. Sign up for a new account with the link below and get an extra $30 when you make your first eligible purchase.
