I’m far from a tech expert, but some of the latest gadgets are so pretty looking that they look like fashion and styling objects in their own right. I came across the minimalist Switch portable speaker by Native Union, which is just striking in both vertical and horizontal orientations. It is available in several eye-catching colors but what really struck me is the amazing tactile sensation it offers, due to its use of a soft-touch black rubber casing that matches the high-polished copper fascia with metallic rose gold and leather panels.

The Switch is fun and useful to bring along while travelling, on a day at the beach or even just to use at home in the bathroom, in the garden or on a bedroom nightstand. And although it looks robust and straight forward, it’s actually packed with a lot of features. I’m not sure you’d want to test how water resistant it actually is, but a more sensible function I discovered is that its battery also doubles as a portable phone charger. And the Switch connects to other USB mobile devices and can therefore function as an extra speaker, like in a conference call solution!

The sound quality is obviously still the most important aspect and although you shouldn’t expect quadraphonic sensations (whatever that may mean), the three build in speakers offer a nice sound, especially in the lower ranges. The Bluetooth connection works up to 30 feet away but for the best sound, I suggest you hook it up to your phone with a regular cable. Perhaps not very sexy but trust me, if you go for the Switch in gold, this speaker looks so good that nobody will notice the cable.

Buy your limited edition Switch by Native Union // here