I have only four hard and fast rules in the shop. The first of them is “The music doesn’t stop.” I require a steady stream of tunes wherever I am, and the shop is a favorite place for it. A few years ago when the Power Box was released we thought it was a good idea — later this year its newest incarnation, the Bosch Power Box 360, is simply the next 5-speaker step.
The 360 gets the name from the 360-degree speaker configuration that — you guessed it — pumps music out in 360 degrees — a forehead smacker after you think about. The five-speaker design also features an integrated subwoofer that Bosch says is an industry first among jobsite radios.
We’re guessing the biggest addition we noticed between the 360 and the first box, other than the 360 speaker thing, is the weather-sealed digital media (read: iPod/iPhone) bay that houses protects against moisture, dust, and debris. In one of the brighter moves we’ve seen in this type of rig, Bosch also took the time to slide a built-in SD memory card and USB ports in the compartment so you can play your MP3’s and WMA’s from your SD memory card or USB thumb drive. So your $150 iPod is safe and the $4 thumb drive you don’t give a crap about is prone instead — brilliance.
The 360 has a boatload of other features as well, including the shock-mounted frame and all manner of bells and whistles. What remains clear is Bosch is betting these jobsite radios are not going away anytime soon. We tend to agree.
Press Room [Bosch Power Tools]
