If you can’t bear to be separated from your music while taking a bath, JVC may be able to help you. It’s created a speaker that’s actually designed to float alongside you while you take your daily scrub.

JVC's floating speaker

The XA-AW33-W is marketed as a "healing player", although its medicinal properties aren’t immediately visible. The dome-shaped player measures 8.7 x 12cm, and it has a faint blue light band around its edge that shines on the water’s surface as the unit out your favourite bathtime tunes.

It comes pre-installed with a selection of relaxing tunes. However, its 256MB Flash memory can hold your MP3 and WMA music files too, which can be transferred onto the player via its USB 1.1 port.

Related stories

• Creative debuts iPod Shuffle-sized speaker
• Ears turn to USB for virtual 7.1 sound source
• Audioengine shrinks audiophile speakers for desktops
• Clap-controlled TV consigns remote to bin of history
• Gear4 debuts 'cheapest ever' Bluetooth speaker
• Jabra shows 'world first' Bluteooth speaker-headphone combo
• Surround sound... with a single speaker unit?
• CES' top ten weirdest gadgets

A flap on the player’s front lifts up to reveal the controls, and JVC claims the XA-AW33-W can operate in temperature ranges between 0°C and 42°C - if there’s anyone brave enough to try... It’s powered by four dry-cell batteries and also comes with a plastic stand for use, say, in the kitchen or as a bedside mini-stereo.

The player is currently available in Japan for ¥19,800 (£83/€120/$168), but no European release date or price has been announced.

Earlier this month, Register Hardware featured a futuristic-looking MP3 player, dubbed the Juketower, that’s designed to be used while you wash, but which sadly is only splashproof.