Palo Alto, California-based tech startup Ninety7 announced VAUX, the first battery-powered speaker for Amazon’s Echo Dot ever created. The company debuted its latest creation on Wednesday and is already offering pre-orders for the device. VAUX sports a $49 price tag and is available in Ash and Carbon colors, both of which can be seen above. The product will start shipping to consumers in early April though no more details on its availability have yet been revealed.
VAUX was designed as an extension of the Amazon Echo Dot connected speaker as Ninety7 was looking to create a device that could integrate Amazon’s Internet of Things (IoT) gadget even deeper into your smart home system. The battery-powered speaker is said to be relatively simple to both install and use and doesn’t require a particularly high degree of technical proficiency from users. VAUX offers six hours of battery-powered operating time on average and was designed for a wide variety of applications ranging from entertainment to productivity. Ninety7 claims that VAUX offers a higher level of audio quality than the Echo Dot and can subsequently improve your listening experience, as well as your interactions with Amazon’s artificial intelligence (AI) assistant Alexa. VAUX also features a 3.5mm audio jack that people can use to connect their smartphones and tablets to the speaker and turn their Echo Dot into a mobile sound system, Ninety7 says.
The device features a rechargeable battery but it’s unclear how long it takes to charge on average. While it’s extremely portable and can be taken anywhere, the creators of VAUX say that the device was primarily designed for home use, i.e. to do things that the Echo Dot can’t. In other words, Ninety7 made VAUX with the intention to provide consumers with an Echo Dot that can be carried around the house without dealing with cords. The device itself features a rather minimal look and should be compatible with most interior decors. Refer to the gallery below to see some renders and images of Ninety7’s new creation. If you’re interested in pre-ordering VAUX, you can do that by following the source link beneath the gallery. It’s currently unclear whether the company is planning to offer its new wireless speaker in more than two colors.
