ProFuturo and American Tower Expand Agreement in Africa to Bring Educational Innovation with Technology to Nigeria

Technology

This collaboration, which began in February in Kenya has proven successful, leading now to an expansion of the agreement to schools in Nigeria.

Both organizations are committed to reducing the educational digital divide through Digital Communities. By gaining a deeper understanding of vulnerable schools, they aim to promote innovative pedagogical practices more effectively and support their digital transformation.

This extension of the initial agreement, which also includes some markets in Latin America, is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of nearly 30,000 students and more than 1,000 teachers on both continents.

​American Tower (www.AmericanTower.com), a global leading provider of digital communications infrastructure and ProFuturo, a digital education program promoted by Telefónica Foundation and ¨la Caixa¨ Foundation jointly announce the expansion of their alliance to Nigeria to foster digital inclusion through Digital Communities in schools in Africa. After a successful roll-out in Kenya, the program is expanding to Nigeria to continue transforming children’s education through technology with the global objective of reducing the educational gap.
This global agreement between American Tower and ProFuturo aims to support underserved communities by implementing social programs that enhance quality of life and promote equitable access to the digital world.
Thanks to this expansion to Nigeria, the collaboration is set to positively impact nearly 30,000 children from vulnerable communities in Kenya, Nigeria, and parts of Latin America by providing quality digital education through educational innovation projects with technology.
The footprint of this project not only covers the education to be received by the students, but also the training to be delivered to more than 1,000 teachers who will facilitate the roll-out of the training to the children in Africa and Latin America. The impact of this project will be truly far-reaching as it will not only transform access to digital education but will also create a large international network of educators who teach, learn and share knowledge to achieve, together, better education in the world.
Mneesha Nahata, SVP, Legal&Chief Sustainability Officer of American Tower Corporation, stated: “At American Tower, we are deeply proud to strengthen our partnership with ProFuturo, expanding our commitment to bring educational innovation with technology, through our Digital Communities program. This collaboration not only reflects our dedication to bridging the digital divide in Africa and Latin America, but also our commitment to empowering thousands of students and teachers with tools that will transform their futures. Together, we are building a strong foundation for lasting impact, where technology and education come together to create real opportunities for development and progress.”
Magdalena Brier, Managing Director of ProFuturo, points out that this agreement highlights the enormous potential of these types of alliances in favor of digital inclusion and how they contribute to strengthening the positive impact of educational projects on the ground, such as what ProFuturo has been developing since 2016. She said “In this way, education with technology has enormous potential to help reduce the educational gap, thanks to its reach and capacity for inclusion, bringing high-quality content to the most difficult environments, which would be very difficult to access in any other way.”
American Tower’s Digital Communities are digitally connected, technology-enabled spaces that offer digital literacy and youth education, financial literacy and adult vocational training, or health care services.
Following the principles established by the United Nations Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals, American Tower and ProFuturo share the same vision: Access to quality education in complex environments is essential to reduce poverty and inequality in the region. Through this strategic collaboration, it is expected to encourage and promote an increase in knowledge, while promoting innovative practices and strengthening educational digital transformation in the coming years.
Suzette Victor, Director, Sustainability, ATC Africa, stated: “In Africa, closing the digital divide is crucial to ensuring that no one is left behind and our partnership with ProFuturo will strengthen our resolve to reach individuals in underserved communities with the transformative power of technology in education. The expansion of this partnership to Nigeria will not only address immediate educational needs but will also lay the groundwork for a future where every child has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their circumstances.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of American Tower Corporation.
Media Contacts:American TowerAlejandro KowalskiSenior Director of Communications for EMEA&LatAm[email protected]+34 669077383

Jonathan ThienemannSenior Director of External Communication, Corporate[email protected]

Aderonke AdebanjoSenior Manager, Communications, Africa[email protected]  
ProFuturoRafa Cobo[email protected]+34 647665488

Blanca Mendiguchía[email protected]+34 667632924
About ProFuturo:ProFuturo is an educational technology innovation program launched by the Telefónica Foundation and the “la Caixa” Foundation to reduce the educational gap in the world by providing quality education to children in vulnerable environments in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. Its intervention model is based on impact evidence provided by continuous monitoring processes, studies, and evaluations.
ProFuturo is based on innovative teaching methodologies with which it seeks to help teachers and students develop skills to face the challenges of the 21st century. The program works with other institutions and companies and aims to create a large international network of teachers who teach, learn, and share knowledge to achieve, together, better education in the world.

About American Tower:American Tower, one of the world’s largest real estate investment trusts (REITs), is one of the leading independent owners, operators, and developers of communications real estate, with a global portfolio exceeding 150,000 sites and a highly interconnected network of data centers in the United States.
Headquartered in Boston, USA, American Tower operates in the United States, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, and Uganda.

As The Player’s Tribune marks first decade, publisher Minute Media plots out its future

Arts & Culture, Books

Though fans have always been fascinated by the people who made up their chosen team, few outlets have put personality on a pedestal like The Player’s Tribune.Launched in 2014 by baseball legend Derek Jeter and his business partner Jaymee Messler, The Player’s Tribune was an early herald of a key, long-term shift within sports media — as sports fans focused on individuals over teams. Its first-person essays, penned by otherwise unapproachable sports stars such as Arsenal soccer star Raheem Sterling or the NBA’s Kobe Bryant, reached an audience of both hardcore fans and casual observers.

“People follow people, they do not follow brands,” said Sebastian Arriagada, co-founder of sports-focused social agency CCG Social.

Minute Media, which acquired the title in 2019, is now planning out its next 10 years, with expansions into print publishing and licensing deals on the table.

The title reaches the decade mark in a difficult period for digital publishing, even for titles in lucrative areas like sport, as search and social referrals to news and lifestyle publishers have fallen.

And with an editorial model reliant on access to star power, reader traffic estimates shared by Comscore indicate that The Player’s Tribune has seen large swings in its audience over the years. In 2021, during the Super Bowl month of January, Comscore estimated the title drew 629,000 unique visitors, versus 122,000 this year. A spokesperson for Minute Media claimed it recorded 875,000 page views during January, and said it averaged 500,000-600,000 page views per month, citing internal figures. They noted that the site’s CMS changed in 2021, a transition that could skew external reporting.

Andres Cardenas, Minute Media CMO and general manager of The Player’s Tribune, declined to share figures for the company’s financial performance, citing the publisher’s status as a private firm. He told Digiday that the title had a “healthy financial model” based on principally branded content and sponsorships.

Branded content revenue in 2024 had increased 54% year-over-year, driven in part by rising advertiser interest in its formats that highlight women’s sports, he said. Current advertising partners include Audi, State Farm and Gatorade.

This month, The Player’s Tribune released a print book containing 80 of “the most special, impactful stories that we have written,” he said. Cardenas did not provide the book’s sales figures. Though the print book, “I’ve Got A Story To Tell,” is its first foray away from digital, print is an area Cardenas said The Player’s Tribune will continue exploring as it works to diversify its revenue streams and audiences.

He wants to license out more of its stories to TV, cinema and publishing, too. “We sit on tons of very valuable stories and IP,” said Cardenas, who pointed to the examples of the late Kobe Bryant, who released a short film in 2017, and A’ja Wilson, who published a book this year, both based on work originally published by The Player’s Tribune. Cardenas didn’t share commercial details of those deals, or the terms used when publishing articles from athletes. 

Cardenas was careful to say that the title won’t be shifting from its “core” business model, for fear that a saturated ad environment would compromise reader experience — and potentially damage its credibility among the athletes whose stories provide its lifeblood, a credibility which has made it the go-to means for top sportspeople to broadcast their perspectives.

Were that reputation to be damaged, sportspeople might look to other media pulpits. After all, athletes across football, soccer and basketball are busy exploring new roles as content creators and media owners in their own right.

“We’re living in an era of player empowerment,” said Cardenas. “Athletes have their production companies, have their podcasts, have their social outlets, and they tried to, you know, have a direct communication with their fans and their fan bases,” he conceded. “However, [because of] the credibility that we have built… we will see athletes still come to The Player’s Tribune to tell their stories.”

Minute Media’s other titles each occupy different niches in the sports and fandom space. The portfolio includes include the Fansided network of sports websites, sports and entertainment title Mental Floss and, since March, Sports Illustrated.

The company has been attempting to make the latter a more attractive digital advertising proposition. According to Rich Routman, president of Minute Media, it has opted to implement The Trade Desk’s single sign-on (SSO) “OpenPass” solution.

Users can log-in to Sports Illustrated’s site using their email address, which OpenPass converts into targetable IDs. The SSO is intended to give publishers such as Minute Media the authenticated reach it needs to monetize audiences.

“This will further enhance our first-party data collection strategy which in turn, will provide advertisers richer targeting opportunities… we anticipate a large uplift in highly addressable audiences for advertisers,” Routman said in an email. He declined to say what commercial benefit the firm expected to gain from the solution, but added that, once its use with Sports Illustrated is cemented, the company will roll out OpenPass “when and where it makes sense” across its entire portfolio.

Though advertisers might prioritize TV or paid social when activating around sports content, Kerry Doyle, evp of content at media agency Carat said there’s a strong argument to include premium sports titles such as The Player’s Tribune and Sports Illustrated in a client’s media mix.

“Sports are a huge passion point we that lean into, through talent, relevant cultural moments and our partners,” Doyle said in an email.

She added: “We find talent-lead storytelling that leverages existing IP with premium trusted publishers sees a higher brand lift and drives consumer intention and interest. Weaving our client’s message into custom content and meaningful moments builds incremental fandom for the brand.”

Sports Illustrated, a beloved — and latterly, troubled — publication, would require “steady growth and continuous investment into established and emerging areas,” to achieve the “tall order” of a sustainable business model, Routman said. 

To recap — the 70-year-old magazine was found last November to be running AI-generated articles under fake writer bylines. The chief exec of then-operator Arena was fired, before it laid off around 100 staffers. It’s not clear how many subscribers the publication has.

Since it took over the publishing rights from Arena in March (Authentic Brands Group is the outright owner of the brand, while Minute Media operates it via license), Minute Media rehired “the vast majority” of those staffers, per Axios, while returning its print edition to its monthly schedule.

In a follow-up email, Routman claimed Sports Illustrated boasts a current readership of 60 million users each month, across its website, social and print channels. Though subscribers make up “a solid portion of revenue” for the title, “we still see the majority of our revenue come through marketing and advertising partnerships.”

Both “content consumption” and digital revenues had increased since Minute Media’s March takeover, he said, without providing further detail. Routman said he was encouraged by how the title has been received under its new operator. Its August/September NFL preview edition was so in-demand it had to go to a second print run, which in turn “nearly sold out,” for example.

“Our focus and main question for 2025 is how can we continue to propel this storied platform forward,” he added.

Travel photographer dies in horrific accident after backing into plane propeller

Travel

A professional photographer died in a horrible accident by backing up into an airplane propeller while snapping photos at a Kansas airfield.

Amanda Gallagher, 37, was taking photos of people getting on and off planes Saturday afternoon at the Air Capital Drop Zone in suburban Wichita when she accidentally backed into the active propeller, KAKE News reported.

Amanda Gallagher, 37, was killed after backing up into an active airplane propeller on Saturday. Amanda Gallagher/Facebook

The keen skydiver was rushed to a local hospital in extremely critical condition but died of her injuries, the outlet said.

Gallagher owned a photography business, AG Photography, where she showcased photos of her travels and images she took at the Air Capital Drop Zone in Derby, the largest suburb of Wichita.

She died “doing what she loved: skydiving and taking pictures,” according to a fundraiser, which had raised over $6,000 Monday morning.

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Her family remembered her in the fundraiser as “kind, adventurous, creative and beautiful inside and out.”

Gallagher was a travel photographer. Amanda Gallagher/Facebook

Cook Airfield expressed its condolences to Gallagher’s family in a statement shared on Facebook.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young lady who died yesterday after a tragic accident with an airplane propeller on Cook Airfield,” the statement read.

Gallagher was killed at Cook Airfield in Derby, Kansas. Cook Airfield – K50/Facebook

The author added: “I wasn’t there when it happened, so I will not speculate on what could have or should have happened differently. Just please keep her family, her friends, and her Air Capital Drop Zone family in your prayers and thoughts.”

The incident remains under investigation.

Taiwan shares end down as tech sector suffers profit taking

Technology

Taipei, Oct. 28 (CNA) Shares in Taiwan saw initial gains eroded and closed in negative territory, falling more than 150 points, Monday as the bellwether electronics sector encountered profit taking leading the broader market to move lower, dealers said.Ahead of the upcoming United States presidential election on Nov. 5, local investors appeared reluctant to chase prices for the moment despite gains in the early morning session with turnover staying low, dealers added.The Taiex, the weighted index on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), ended down 150.38 points, or 0.64 percent, at 23,198.07, after moving between 23,164.42 and 23,547.12. Turnover totaled NT$328.3 billion (US$10.23 billion).The market opened up 0.46 percent and rose to the day’s high, rising almost 200 points in the early morning session, with buying in large cap electronics stocks sparked by a 0.56 percent increase on the tech-heavy Nasdaq index and a 1.07 percent rise on the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index on Friday, dealers said.However, after the Taiex breached 23,500 points, selling followed as investors rushed to lock in the gains built for tech heavyweights, in particular contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), pushing the broader market below the technical support at 23,299 points, the 10-day moving average by the end of the session, dealers added.”The selling came as many local investors remain jittery about the U.S. presidential vote, which is too close to call,” equity market analyst Andy Hsu said. “So, when the Taiex moved higher, they tended to pocket their earlier gains.””While some investors rushed to lock in their earlier profits, more stayed on the sidelines and did nothing before the election, which kept turnover thin,” Hsu added.”Today, TSMC remained in focus amid the sell-off as investors fear that once Donald Trump wins the election, his administration could scrap a US$6.6 billion subsidy deal signed between the Biden government and the chipmaker,” Hsu said.Despite a 2.78 percent increase in its American depositary receipts (ADRs) on Friday, TSMC, the most heavily weighted stock on the local market, fell 1.41 percent to close at NT$1,050.00 after hitting a high of NT$1,075.00. TSMC’s losses contributed about 120 points to the Taiex’s decline, and sent the electronics index and the semiconductor sub-index down by 0.96 percent and 1.18 percent, respectively.Among other semiconductor stocks, United Microelectronics Corp., a smaller contract chipmaker, lost 1.10 percent to end at NT$49.25, and IC packaging and testing services provider ASE Technology Holding Co. also dropped 0.62 percent to close at NT$161.00.Bucking the downturn, smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc. rose 1.52 percent to end at NT$1,335.00 as investors bet on the positive leads it will give an investor conference slated for Wednesday. A foreign brokerage even gave the stock a NT$1,650 target price on the stock.Artificial intelligence related stocks also came under pressure after earlier gains, adding selling to the broader market, dealers said.Second to TSMC in terms of market value, iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., which also rolls out AI servers, dropped 0.46 percent to close at NT$215.00, and Wistron Corp., another AI server maker, fell 1.30 percent to end at NT$113.50.In addition, Quanta Computer Inc., also producing AI servers, closed unchanged at NT$310.00, while AI graphics card vendor Giga-Byte Technology Co. shed 1.45 percent to end at NT$271.00.”At a time when TSMC traded in the doldrums, investors tried to seek bargains in select old economy stocks,” Hsu said, referring to petrochemical stocks which suffered heavy losses in recent sessions.In the petrochemical industry, which rose 0.78 percent, Formosa Plastics Corp. rose 3.63 percent to close at NT$48.55, and Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp. gained 2.99 percent to end at NT$39.65. In addition, Nan Ya Plastics Corp. grew 2.30 percent to close at NT$42.30, and Formosa Petrochemical Corp. ended up 1.03 percent at NT$49.15.The transportation industry rose 0.32 percent as the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) stopped an eight-week falling streak last week, Hsu said.Wan Hai Lines Ltd., one of the leading container cargo shippers in Taiwan, rose 1.96 percent to close at NT$88.60, and rival Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. ended up 0.44 percent at NT$68.10, while Evergreen Marine Corp., the largest container cargo shipper in the country, fell 0.72 percent to close at NT$206.00.Elsewhere in the old economy sector, textile brand Far Eastern New Century Corp. lost 0.66 percent to close at NT$37.60, and Eclat Textile Co. ended down 0.73 percent at NT$543.00.Meanwhile, food supplier Uni-President Enterprises Corp. rose 1.01 percent to close at NT$89.80, while Taisun Enterprise Corp. lost 0.49 percent to end at NT$20.15.In the financial sector, which lost 0.12 percent, Fubon Financial Holding Co. lost 0.33 percent to close at NT$91.90, while Cathay Financial Holding Co. gained 0.43 percent to end at NT$69.30.”Before the U.S. vote, the local stock market is expected to continue to move in consolidation, but the Taiex could see its next technical support at the 20-day moving average at around 22,970 points,” Hsu said.”In addition, several megatech stocks on the U.S. markets are scheduled to report their earnings this week, so it deserves watching,” Hsu added, referring to companies such as Google, Meta and Apple.Despite the fall in the Taiex, foreign institutional investors bought a net NT$8.01 billion worth of shares on the main board Monday, according to the TWSE.
(By Jeffrey Wu and Frances Huang)
Enditem/AW

5 things to know for Oct. 28: Presidential race, Middle East, McDonald’s, Washington Post, Toxic smog

Technology

(CNN) — When considering who is living paycheck to paycheck, households with an income of six-figures or more likely aren’t the first to come to mind. However, it turns out that about a fifth of US households that earn more than $150,000 a year are in that situation.Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.1. Presidential raceMost voters think former President Donald Trump will not concede if he loses the 2024 presidential election, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, with a sizable minority of his backers saying losing candidates have no obligation to do so. Overall, just 30% of registered voters think Trump will accept the results of the election and concede if he loses, while 73% say that Vice President Kamala Harris would accept an election loss. The poll comes a day after Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, where he doubled down on his promise for a massive deportation program on Day 1 to reverse an “immigrant invasion.” “The United States is an occupied country,” Trump said, as Democrats projected messages on the exterior of the arena, reading “Trump is Unhinged” and “Trump praised Hitler.”2. Middle EastNegotiations for a ceasefire and to secure the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza are not expected to see “significant progress” until a winner is declared in the US presidential election, a source briefed on the talks told CNN. The latest round of talks, which began in Qatar on Sunday, did not focus on achieving a deal, but rather on jump-starting the process, the source added. The discussions also covered the war in Lebanon, as well as Iran and its regional influence. Meanwhile, Iran has vowed to respond to Israel’s strikes on the country Saturday, which Tehran says killed five people, but said it does not want a wider war. Israel said the strikes hit military targets and were in response to Iran’s attacks on Israel earlier this month.3. McDonald’sMcDonald’s will resume selling Quarter Pounders in all its restaurants this week after considering new data regarding an E. coli outbreak linked to the burgers, the company said Sunday. The CDC issued a food safety alert last Tuesday warning that dozens of people reported becoming sick after eating Quarter Pounders. The E. coli outbreak has led to 75 illnesses across 13 states, including 22 hospitalizations and one death, according to the latest information from the CDC. Most of the related illnesses occurred in Colorado. A specific ingredient has not been confirmed as the source of the outbreak, federal agencies said Friday, but the FDA previously said slivered onions or beef patties were the likely source of contamination.4. Washington PostDays after The Washington Post announced it would not endorse a presidential candidate, its billionaire owner remains silent. Jeff Bezos has so far declined to comment, even as his own paper’s journalists reported that he was the one who ultimately spiked the planned endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Many current and former newspaper staffers feel the timing of the announcement was highly suspect and has led them to believe Bezos’s business interests influenced the decision. On Friday, Donald Trump met with executives from Blue Origin, the space exploration company owned by Bezos, hours after the Post announced its decision. The company has a $3.4 billion contract with the federal government to build a new spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the moon’s surface.5. Toxic smogA thick, toxic smog has enveloped northern India and eastern Pakistan just days before the start of Diwali, a festival typically celebrated with fireworks that each year sends air quality plummeting. The air quality index in India’s capital Delhi earlier today was roughly 250, after days in the “very unhealthy” zone above 200, according to IQAir, which tracks global air quality. In the Pakistani city of Lahore, roughly 15 miles from the Indian border, air quality today surpassed a “hazardous” 500 — almost 65 times the World Health Organization’s guidelines for healthy air — making it the most polluted city in the world, according to IQAir. Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is set to begin Thursday. During the five-day celebration, people gather with their families, feast and set off firecrackers, further exacerbating air pollution.BREAKFAST BROWSESchool resumes in Asheville, NCA month after Helene pummeled western North Carolina as a tropical storm, students in the Asheville area have started returning to classrooms. The Asheville City Schools district will reopen on a modified schedule today , according to the district.Health alert for kidsChildren who have coughs that go on for weeks may have a type of walking pneumonia that’s been surging in the US this year — and they may need a different antibiotic regimen to treat it, infectious disease experts say.Shorter work week = thriving economyResearch shows Iceland’s economy is outperforming most other European countries after workers opted for less time in the office with no pay loss.Hidden in the wallsYou never know what renovating your old home might turn up: a Chicago-area resident once found a human skull in his walls. Decades later, DNA technology helped identified the remains.What all those sexy Halloween costumes are doing to kidsRather than helping them explore identities such as doctors or scientists, Halloween costumes often sexualize girls. Here’s how parents can combat this problem.TODAY’S NUMBER$20A North Carolina man knew it was his lucky day when he spotted a $20 bill in the parking lot of a convenience store. He had no idea how lucky until the scratch-off he bought with the money revealed his prize: $1 million.TODAY’S QUOTE“I will never excuse murder, and those were brutal, premeditated murders.”Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, explaining his recommendation to resentence Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1989 murder of their parents.TODAY’S WEATHERCheck your local forecast here > > >AND FINALLY …Dramatic rescueA Medina County, Ohio firefighter’s bodycam captured the courageous rescue of a woman who was trapped in the basement of her burning house and had to be pulled from a small window.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.​THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2024 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Bose SoundLink Flex Is The Perfect Travel Speaker To Take Anywhere

Travel

Bose is one of those consumer brands that can divide a room full of nerds. Plenty of people swear by the audio brand and love its products. Some others say Bose products are pricey and the company doesn’t always show technical specifications. I tend to fall into the first camp because I’ve tested quite a few Bose products and I’ve always found them high quality even though they tend to be a bit more expensive than some other brands.

Following on from my recent review of the Bose SoundLink Max, this week I am looking at the Bose SoundLink Flex, a smaller Bluetooth speaker that was recently launched in its second iteration. The Second Generation SoundLink Flex is the same price as its predecessor but now incorporates some important changes that make it an even more compelling proposition.

The new Bose SoundLink Flex is now able to take advantage of the excellent Bose smartphone app which offers access to various customization options and other features. For example, there’s a graphic equalizer for tweaking the speaker’s tone or SimpleSync, an easy way for linking the Soundlink Flex with another compatible Bose product for a multi-speaker stereo setup that’s ideal for parties.

The Bose SoundLink Flex is shown here in Arctic Sage. BOSE
Another new feature is the Shortcut button which can be programmed using the Bose app as a SimpleSync button, for accessing a voice assistant or to trigger Spotify Connect. Along with the support for the Bose app, the new version of the speaker now supports AAC and aptX Bluetooth audio codecs and will even work with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound Technology when used with a compatible Android device.

The Bose SoundLink Flex is about the size of a small clutch bag and sports a crisp and nuanced sound with a surprisingly big bass. It’s the perfect travel speaker that’s small enough to pack into your luggage but with a big enough sound to fill a hotel room.

The speaker can play standing up, on its back or even hanging upside down because PositionIQ Technology senses the speaker’s orientation and optimizes the audio to ensure there’s plenty of sound projected. There’s also a textile loop on the end of the speaker that can be fitted with a carabineer for hanging the speaker on a tent spar or something similar. I’d love to have seen a color-coordinated carabineer in the box.

On the top of the SoundLink Flex is a strip of waterproof touch controls for doing everything from … [+] turning the speaker on or off, to adjusting the volume levels.Bose
There is a strip of waterproof controls running along the top of the SoundLink Flex. The Buttons include a power switch, Bluetooth pairing, Shortcut button, plus a rtrio of transport controls and volume adjusters. One thing I like about the power button is it only needs a short press to turn on or off, unlike some Bluetooth speakers.
With an IP67 rating, the Bose SoundLink Flex is both waterproof and dust-resistant, ensuring it can be used anywhere. It will even float if it drops in the bath or is thrown in a swimming pool. And thanks to the silicone-wrapped body, the speaker is also resistant to scuffs and scratches so should stay looking good for years.
A full charge of the Bose SoundLink Flex’s rechargeable battery can provide up to 12 hours of playtime, plus it can double as a full-duplex speakerphone because there is a microphone built-in. So, if you do need to take an important business call while chilling at the pool, that won’t be a problem.Pack the Bose SoundLink Flex in the back of the bar or hitch it to your backpack. The speaker is … [+] rugged and has a long-lasting battery plus great sound.Bose
Verdict: As we’ve come to expect with Bose, there are few technical specifications listed for the Bose SoundLink Flex, so you’ll have to use your ears to judge the sound. What we do know is the speaker uses Bluetooth 5.3 and supports SBC, AAC, apt X and Snapdragon Sound. That’s about it. I can’t quote you the power output in Watts and neither can I tell you how big the drivers are. All I can say is this is a gorgeous speaker with high-quality construction, great sound, good looks and a speakerphone function. What more do you want? Highly Recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Bose SoundLink Flex is available in Black, Blue Dusk, Sandstone and a very fetching Alpine Sage, which is a minty green shade. The price is $149 / £149.95 / €179.95.