Bosch’s Power Box 360 Radio Spotted on Arrow

Companies pay big bucks for their tools to appear on TV shows and in movies. You have probably noticed big time placements by Sony, Burger King, and other such companies, but there a lot of tools are used as promo props as well.

Sometimes tools are used as props, as when a Stanley rolling tool workcenter was shown on Dexter.

If you recall, but you probably don’t since it was over 4 years ago, there were oodles of tools featured in Iron Man 2.

It was subtle, but I spotted a Bosch Power Box 360 jobsite radio in a recent Arrow episode (Season 3, episode 10).

The Power Box 360 looked a little weird, so I asked Bosch if they were coming out with a new model, and they said no. Actually they gave me a roundabout answer, saying that they’d send me news about any new products.

On the TV screen, it looked like there were red backlit buttons or media controls. In this screenshot from an on-demand Hulu stream, it looks like the producers slapped some red stickers on the side of radio. One was used to cover up the Bosch branding, and I suppose they felt that it would look more natural – or rather more inconspicuous – if there were other stickers/faux control buttons. Or at least I think those are stickers. What else could they be covering up the battery compartment door?

By the way, in case you missed it 4-1/2 years ago, check out my review of the Bosch Power Box 360! It was an awesome and tough radio, and seeing it on Arrow made me really miss my test sample. I donated it to a non-profit a while back, and while it lacks Bluetooth functionality, it rivals any of the full-sized and fully-featured jobsite radios currently on the market.

It will be interesting to see how the Power Box 360 compares to other recent cordless radios. One feature I really liked on the Bosch radio were the four covered power outlets. Dewalt’s DCR015 jobsite radio features two power outlets, but they’re not covered. International versions, such as the DCR016 and DCR017.

Dewalt has said that:

The spring loaded outlet covers are required by EU compliance standards. We haven’t seen any issues with terminal contamination in the US so therefore didn’t add these costly parts.

Still, I wish Dewalt’s jobsite radio had covered outlets. Dewalt’s radio also has horrible FM radio reception. I asked them if there was a reason for this, and if there was any way to mitigate the static, but they never got back to me.

So you can see why I miss the Bosch Power Box 360 – solid construction, great features, fantastic sound, and covered power outlets. Its only downsides were that it was large and bulky.

I also spotted a Weller battery-powered soldering iron (model BP650MP), although Palmer (the character playing around with the tools) should have sprung for a Hakko. That Weller model has pretty poor user reviews.

There are also a bunch of precision pliers and screwdrivers on the table, and a couple of other accessories as well, but the brands don’t really stand out to me.

Have you spotted any recognizable tools on TV or in movies these days?