The Sony SRS-WS1 is a wearable neck speaker that’s downright bizarre

Topping the list of gadgets that nobody really asked for is the new Sony SRS-WS1 ($249), a wearable neck speaker designed for use around the house. The bizarre creation is placed on your shoulders so that it can surround you in the “sound and vibrations” of your favourite movies, music, and games, and is apparently capable of reproducing a sound field similar to what you’d experience at a live music venue. It’s a novel idea on paper, but it’s one that has us wondering why you’d ever choose to sling a soundbar over your shoulders when you could opt for a pair of high-end wireless headphones instead? It’s a question that’s particularly pertinent when you consider the SRS-WS1 doesn’t actually support Bluetooth. In fact, the only way to connect a device to the speaker is by connecting it to the bundled transmitter via an audio or optical cable. The peculiar device also only has a battery life of 7 hours when fully charged, which doesn’t exactly stack up against similarly priced premium heapdhones. Still, if you’ve got cash to burn and enjoy littering your home with technological oddities, this might tickle your fancy.