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Etón rukus XL: Bluetooth boombox for fun in the sun
Etón's alternative-energy accessories for Apple devices are a favorite here at TUAW, so when the company announced its new rukus XL solar-powered boombox (US$199.99) today, we just had to take a look. Available at Amazon.com and Crutchfield.com, the rukus XL features a big 72-square-inch solar panel to fully recharge the internal battery in five hours and keep your tunes blasting for more than eight hours. Sound-wise, the rukus XL has eight speaker drivers -- two tweeters, two woofers and four passive radiators -- providing 22 Watts of audio power. So you don't have to throw out a shoulder lugging your rukus XL, there's a built-in carrying handle. If you want to charge your iPhone from the battery pack while it's feeding your playlist to the rukus XL, there's even a USB connector for that. Stay tuned to TUAW for a forthcoming hands-on review of the rukus XL.
Eton adds two more solar-powered Bluetooth sound systems to its Rukus lineup (hands-on)
For those about to rock out (in direct sunlight, at least), Eton won't just salute you, but offer you more options for your environmentally friendly moshing. At this year's CES, it's launching two more solar-powered Bluetooth boomboxes to complement the Rukus that arrived at 2012's show. The Rugged Rukus offers the same hardware as the flagship, but wrapped in a sturdy IPX-4 shell that'll keep it safe from knocks and splashes. It's also trotting out the Rukus XL, a not-too-distant cousin of the old Soulra XL iPod dock, which ditches the e-ink display in favor of a chunky, triangular body, flip-out solar panel and six more speaker drivers. We took a quick look at these two eco-friendly music machines at CES, and were impressed by their solid build and smart appearance. The Rugged model is suitably compact and lightweight, and the XL has a handy mobile device storage area hidden behind the front panel though its 72-square-inch solar panel is quite massive in person. The Rugged Rukus will arrive in Q1 and will cost $99.99, and the Rukus XL setting you back $199.99 when it arrives in Q2. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
