SDI Technologies

Last updated

SDI Technologies is an American Rahway, New Jersey-based [1] consumer electronics manufacturer whose products are marketed under several national brands, including Timex, eKids, KIDdesigns, and iHome. SDI used to market under Soundesign, a now-defunct brand. SDI Technologies had 110 employees as of 2007, and has a distribution network that covers over 70 countries. Including Asia, SDI employs over 400 people. [2]

Contents

History

A Soundesign pocket transistor radio from the 1960s Vintage Soundesign Transistor Radio, Model TR-1820, AM Band Only, 8 Transistors, Made In Japan, Circa 1964 (31420910750).jpg
A Soundesign pocket transistor radio from the 1960s

SDI Technologies was founded as Realtone Electronics in 1956 by Saul Ashkenazi and Ely Ashkenazi. [3] In that year, the company introduced one of the first pocket cigarette lighters and one of the first transistor radios. Realtone went public in 1961. [2] It introduced the Soundesign brand of high-end audio components in 1963, [2] and the company changed its name to Soundesign in 1968. [2] [3] Soundesign returned to being a privately-held company in 1982. The company was renamed again, this time to its current name, in 1994. [2]

Products

Soundesign

Soundesign, the defunct flagship division of SDI Technologies originally known as RealTone, marketed inexpensive home and portable electronics. The Soundesign brand faded as SDI began selling its products under the Zenith brand in 1993. [4] SDI's current offerings include small electronics of the iHome and Timex brands. [2]

iHome

iHome Alarm Clock connected to a 4th-generation iPod IHome docking station with 4th-generation iPod.jpg
iHome Alarm Clock connected to a 4th-generation iPod

Created in 2005, the iHome division produces docking stations, headphones, smart home devices, and other accessories. iHome speakers are able to stream music over Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth, as well as via a wired connection. In addition to playing music wirelessly, some systems can act as a charging station for many devices when connected. Their compatibility ranges from smartphones, MP3 players, iPods, tablets, and many more. Some iHome accessories act as a docking station so that users with tablets can use a physical keyboard rather than the one provided on-screen with many devices. iHome also produces several smart home accessories such as smart outlets and motion detectors, which are compatible with Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Wink, as well as others. [5]

Related Research Articles

Aiwa is a Japanese consumer electronics brand of Aiwa Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Towada Audio holdings. The current company was established in 2017 and creates mainly audio products; the brand is also licensed to or owned by other companies in different regions of the world, producing various electronics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voxx International</span> American electronics company

Voxx International is an American consumer electronics company founded as Audiovox Corporation in 1960, and renamed Voxx in 2012. It is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The company specializes in four areas: OEM and after-market automotive electronics, consumer electronics accessories, and consumer and commercial audio equipment.

Conexant Systems, Inc. was an American-based software developer and fabless semiconductor company that developed technology for voice and audio processing, imaging and modems. The company began as a division of Rockwell International, before being spun off as a public company. Conexant itself then spun off several business units, creating independent public companies which included Skyworks Solutions and Mindspeed Technologies.

Archos is a French multinational electronics company that was established in 1988 by Henri Crohas. Archos manufactures tablets, smartphones, portable media players and portable data storage devices. The name is an anagram of Crohas' last name. Also, in Greek (-αρχος), it's a suffix used in nouns indicating a person with power. The company's slogan has been updated from "Think Smaller" to "On The Go", and the current "Entertainment your way".

The Source (Bell) Electronics Inc., doing business as The Source, is a Canadian consumer electronics and cell phone retail chain. The chain goes back over 50 years in Canada, initially as Radio Shack and later as The Source by Circuit City. The Source is now owned by BCE Inc., which purchased the assets of InterTAN from its parent, American retailer Circuit City, in 2009. The Source is a unit of 4458729 Canada Inc. and is based in Barrie, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster Cable</span> American consumer electronics manufacturing company

Monster Inc. is an American company that manufactures and markets about 6,000 products, but is best known for audio and video cables. It also produces speakers, headphones, power strips, mobile accessories and audio devices for automobiles. The company was founded by an audiophile and engineer, Noel Lee, in 1979 by experimenting with different ways to build audio cables. It grew by doing demonstrations to convince the industry that audio cables made a difference in audio quality and by establishing relationships with retailers that were attracted to the cable's profit margins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belkin</span> American consumer electronics and networking company

Belkin International, Inc., is an American consumer electronics and networking company headquartered in El Segundo, California. It produces mobile and computer connectivity devices and peripherals for consumer and commercial use. These include wireless chargers, power banks, charging cables, data cables, audio and video adapters, headphones, earbuds, smart speakers, screen protectors, surge protectors, Wi-Fi routers, smart home products, electronic device sanitizers, docking stations and data hubs, network switches, KVM switches and network cables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RCA (trademark)</span> American multinational trademark brand

RCA is an American multinational trademark brand owned by Talisman Brands, Inc. which is used on products made by that company as well as Sony Music Entertainment, Voxx International and ON Corporation. RCA is an abbreviation for the Radio Corporation of America, founded in 1919. The company became known as the RCA Corporation in 1969. In late 1986, RCA was purchased by General Electric and over the next few years, GE sold or liquidated most of the corporation's various divisions and assets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dock connector</span> Bus and power connector in laptops and mobile devices

A dock connector is an electrical connector used to attach a mobile device simultaneously to multiple external resources. The dock connector will typically carry a variety of signals and power, through a single connector, to simplify the process of docking the device. A dock connector may be embedded in a mechanical fixture used to support or align the mobile device or may be at the end of a cable.

Beats Electronics LLC is an American consumer audio products manufacturer headquartered in Culver City, California. The company was founded in 2006 by music producer Dr. Dre and record company executive Jimmy Iovine. Since 2014, it has been an Apple subsidiary.

iPad Line of tablet computers by Apple

The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple, first introduced on January 27, 2010. The iPad range consists of the original iPad lineup and the flagship products iPad Mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smartwatch</span> Wearable computer in the form of a watch

A smartwatch is a portable and wearable computer device in a form of a watch; modern smartwatches provide a local touchscreen interface for daily use, while an associated smartphone app provides management and telemetry, such as long-term biomonitoring. While early models could perform basic tasks such as calculations, digital time telling, translations, and game-playing, smartwatches released since 2015 have more general functionality closer to smartphones, including mobile apps, a mobile operating system, and WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity. Some smartwatches function as portable media players, with FM radio and playback of digital audio and video files via a Bluetooth headset. Some models, called watch phones, have mobile cellular functionality such as making telephone calls.

Promate is a Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company that develops mainly computing, communications and consumer electronics but also engages in the development, design and manufacturing of computer and mobile accessories. Promate produces personal computer peripherals, MFi certified product, mobile and smartphone accessories, USB products, power banks, universal power adaptors, audio devices, digital gadgets, LED, wired microphone and Solar lights and photography accessories. Founded in 2004, the company is headquartered right now in Shenzhen, China.

Goji Electronics, Inc. is a producer of computer, smartphone, audio products and equipment headquartered in Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom. The audio division of the company was founded by grime artist and entrepreneur Rav and DSG International plc president Lord Kalms, and primarily produces products under the brand Goji-Rav.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ASBIS</span>

ASBISC Enterprises PLC is a multinational corporate group that is engaged in distribution of IT-products in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) emerging markets and is headquartered in Limassol (Cyprus).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surface Pro 3</span> Tablet computer by Microsoft

The Surface Pro 3 is the third-generation Surface-series 2-in-1 detachable, designed, developed, marketed, and produced by Microsoft. It originally ran the Windows 8.1 Pro operating system (OS), but the optional upgrade to Windows 10 Pro (OS) operating system was later added.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Electronics</span> South Korean multinational electronics corporation

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a South Korean multinational major appliance and consumer electronics corporation headquartered in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, South Korea. It is currently the pinnacle of the Samsung chaebol, accounting for 70% of the group's revenue in 2012.

PTron is an Indian electronics manufacturer, headquartered in Hyderabad. PTron is a brand owned by Palred Electronics Private Limited, which is a subsidiary of Palred Technologies Ltd, a public-listed company on BSE and NSE since 2004. PTron sells products like Bluetooth headsets, portable Bluetooth speakers, wired headsets, chargers and cables, smart watches and networking products.

A televisionaccessory is an accessory that is used in conjunction with a television (TV) or other compatible display devices and is intended to either improve the user experience or to offer new possibilities of using it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensington Products Group</span>

The Kensington Technology Group is a technology division of ACCO Brands. The company is headquartered in Redwood Shores, a district of Redwood City, California. The German branch is located in the town of Schorndorf.

References

  1. "Contact". SDI Technologies. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About". SDI Technologies. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Saul Ashkenazi, Founder of SDI, Dead At 90". Twice . August 22, 2011. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  4. "Company News; Zenith and Soundesign to Market Audio Products". The New York Times. November 25, 1992. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2020 via NYTimes.com.
  5. iHome Smart Home Accessories, Archived September 27, 2017, at the Wayback Machine