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Audio Technica's Jewelry-Box-Style Portable Speaker

By Rain Noe - September 22, 2011

in Product Design

Interesting form factor: Audio Technica's Bijoué Compact Speaker has been designed to look like a modern-day jewelry box, complete with a mirror under the flip-up lid. The diminutive driver (see photo for scale) is meant to be more of a travel item than a permanent desktop addition; it's powered by a pair of triple A's, so the only cable present is the one you plug into your phone or MP3 player.

The Bijoué was a Japanese-market-only product, but it's now on U.S. shores thanks to NYC-based importer AudioCubes, the company whose motto is "Japan's Best Kept Secrets, Delivered."

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tanuki

13 years ago

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agreed with the above. total landfill design. Shame really. AT always had great headphones and canal phones. This really seems to cheapen and de-value the brand.
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Eric

13 years ago

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@Ken
You are correct they are not connected. It's incredibly ironic as well that it is shown hooked up to an ipod. The ipod is the object that has come to represent the ultimate in sleekness today, is paired with a device that has the design aesthetics of an 80's cheap plastic vacuum metalized toy. Equally ironic is that the ipod is in the same "design for the dump" category as that speaker since it has a sealed housing and almost un-replaceable battery.
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Ken J

13 years ago

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@Eric

The functionality of the device seems more baffling than anything else. While I agree on the "design for the dump" remark, I don't think it is because of the exposed structural features.
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Eric

13 years ago

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Wow, do we really need more design for the dump products like this? Totally not a sustainable product in any sort of way. Look at the inside of the lid, you can see the structural ribs as well, goodness gracious, how hideous to boot! Japan needs to keep that secret locked away some where.
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