Like some kind of modernistic, polygonal igloo or cyborg tortoise, the Big Turtle Shell — from Outdoor Tech, the L.A.-based maker of skater/punk-inspired novelties, auditory and otherwise — is prepared to seriously crash the Bluetooth speaker party that so many companies are a part of these days. Equipped to deliver quite a bit of boom in the most brutal of outdoor environments, this successor to the original Turtle Shell has already bursted onto the scene by smashing its $40,000 Kickstarter pledge goal within its first 24 hours on the crowdfunding site. The total pledged amount now sits at nearly double the original goal with a substantial 27 days to go.
Outdoor Tech impressed us with its original Turtle Shell back in late 2012 with its durability, charge-length and audio capabilities, and the Big Turtle Shell seems poised to nearly double up its predecessor’s strong suits.
Soundwise, the little beast will be able to omnidirectionally kick out 360-degree audio (when laying down flat), at a fat 110dB. Alternatively, users can set the speaker on its side for more straightforward directional playback. Outdoor Tech included a 3.5-mm input and output for those without a Bluetooth-enabled device (those with Bluetooth functionality will be able to connect from up to the usual 30 feet).
Though the Big Turtle Shell will most likely deliver a pretty strong sound — considering the handful of technical specs Outdoor Tech has revealed so far — the device, at its core, seems to be one with outdoor and travel enthusiasts in mind, particularly. This shell of a speaker — again, like its predecessor — will come standard with IPX6 water and dust/solid particle protection, meaning it’s protected “against heavy seas” and any “ingress of dust,” (“dust-tight”). The speaker’s also shock-proof and likely able to withstand tosses, drops, smashes and crashes.
The Big Turtle Shell can also function as an on-the-go power bank with USB charging: the Kickstarter page indicates a battery capacity capable of charging an iPhone four times, a Samsung Galaxy three times, and a GoPro six times. The speaker can also moonlight as a speakerphone — it supports voice commands, conference calls, and most other basic phone functions seen on the average call-supporting Bluetooth speaker nowadays.
For a $150 pledge you can reserve (at a lower price) your own Big Turtle Shell when it ships in approximately June later this year — Outdoor Tech says it will retail for more than $230 upon its release. As usual, the rewards scale upward with the pledge amounts.
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