Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones let a single user listen to an audio source privately, in contrast to a loudspeaker, which emits sound into the open air for anyone nearby to hear. Headphones are also known as earphones or, colloquially, cans. Circumaural and supra-aural headphones use a band over the top of the head to hold the drivers in place. Another type, known as earbuds or earpieces, consists of individual units that plug into the user's ear canal. A third type are bone conduction headphones, which typically wrap around the back of the head and rest in front of the ear canal, leaving the ear canal open. In the context of telecommunication, a headset is a combination of a headphone and microphone.
A phone connector is a family of cylindrically-shaped electrical connectors primarily for analog audio signals. Invented in the late 19th century for telephone switchboards, the phone connector remains in use for interfacing wired audio equipment, such as headphones, speakers, microphones, mixing consoles, and electronic musical instruments. A male connector, is mated into a female connector, though other terminology is used.
A lifebuoy is a life-saving buoy designed to be thrown to a person in water to provide buoyancy and prevent drowning. Some modern lifebuoys are fitted with one or more seawater-activated lights to aid rescue at night.
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels, focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or waterskiing. It is a popular activity, and there are millions of boaters worldwide.
A personal flotation device is a flotation device in the form of a vest or suit that is worn by a user to prevent the wearer from drowning in a body of water. The device will keep the wearer afloat with their head and mouth above the surface – they do not have to swim or tread water in order to stay afloat and can even be unconscious.
Waterproofing is the process of making an object, person or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environments or underwater to specified depths.
Ultimate Ears is an American custom in-ear monitor (IEM), speaker, and earphone manufacturer based in Irvine and Newark, California, United States.
A rugged computer or ruggedized computer is a computer specifically designed to operate reliably in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty conditions. They are designed from inception for the type of rough use typified by these conditions, not just in the external housing but in the internal components and cooling arrangements as well.
Sling Media Inc. is an American technology company that develops placeshifting and Smart TV solutions for consumers, multiple-system operators and set top box manufacturers. The company is based in Foster City, California, and was a subsidiary of Echostar. Their initial product, the Slingbox, debuted on the US market on July 1, 2005. The EchoStar business unit was part of a corporate assets exchange with Dish Network at the beginning of 2017 and now operates as Dish Technologies Corporation under Dish Network.
Belkin International, Inc., is an American consumer electronics 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, screen protectors and cases, surge protectors, docking stations and data hubs, secure KVM switches and network cables.
Monsoon Multimedia was a company that manufactured, developed and sold video streaming and place-shifting devices that allowed consumers to view and control live television on PCs connected to a local (home) network or remotely from a broadband-connected PC or mobile phone. It was one of 5 major transformations initiated by Prabhat Jain, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur with 5 undergraduate and post graduate engineering degrees from Cal Berkeley and Univ of Vienna, Austria. On the even of Cisco acquiring Monsoon in 2017, EchoStar, the new parent of Sling sued Monsoon for patent infringement, having obtained confidential information about the date of the acquisition by Cisco from a Monsoon employee under murky circumstances. Monsoon settled the lawsuit by agreeing not to sell its products in the USA simply because it did not have the legal funds to fight mighty Echostar's legal maneuvers. EchoStar thus successfully removed its only competitor from the market place. This meant Monsoon's death knell.
Mobile accessories include any hardware that is not integral to the operation of a mobile smartphone as designed by the manufacturer. Its purpose is to protect the mobile from being damaged or to use for more convenient use of the mobile.
ioSafe is a manufacturer of disaster protected hard drives and network attached storage (NAS) appliances. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Roseville, California. ioSafe's storage systems are optimized for heat from fire and complete submersion in fresh or saltwater with the ability to recover data located on the disk drive inside.
H2O Audio is a company based in San Diego, California, which develops accessories for portable media players. In 2008, it was notable for being one of the top 500 fastest growing companies in the United States. H2O Audio has an international distribution system covering over 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and Japan.
Otter Products, LLC, or simply OtterBox, is a privately owned consumer electronics accessory company based in Fort Collins, Colorado, that produces cases for mobile devices. The company was founded in 1998 as a manufacturer of water-resistant boxes meant to house electronic devices, mostly catering to outdoor enthusiasts. Since then, OtterBox has produced both water-resistant and non-water-resistant protective phone cases for smartphones.
HZO manufactures thin film coatings applied to devices during their assembly processes to protect electronics from damage caused by exposure to corrosive liquids. HZO headquarters are located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company also has Centers of Excellence in Shenzhen, China and Bac Ninh, Vietnam.
Valencell is a US-based biometric technology company that develops biometric sensor technology for wearables and hearables, and provides its patent-protected technology to consumer electronics manufacturers in various industries. Valencell's PerformTek technology enables wearables and hearables to continuously measure biometrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, heart rate variability, respiration rate, VO2 and other parameters for health and fitness assessment. The technology can be integrated into products designed by consumer electronics manufacturers, mobile device and accessory makers, medical device, sports and fitness, and hearing aid companies. Valencell has more than 60 patents granted, plus more than 100 patents pending. More than 35 companies utilize Valencell's technology and intellectual property, which has been commercialized in wearable devices made by companies including Bose, Suunto, LG, Jabra, Samsung, and Sony.
PopSockets LLC is a privately owned consumer electronics accessory company that produces removable grips for smartphones. The company was founded in 2012 by David Barnett, who was at the time a philosophy professor.
A microphone blocker is a phone microphone connector used to trick feature phones that have a physical microphone switch to disconnect the microphone. Microphone blockers won't operate on smartphones or laptops because the microphone is controlled with software rather than a physical switch.
A rugged smartphone is a specific type of toughened smartphone which is designed to be completely sealed within a durable housing to protect it against damage from water, shock, dust, and vibration. Rugged smartphones are designed to survive extreme weather and temperatures, accidental damage, and rough handling; making them ideal for working outdoors, or in harsh environments, along with use during extreme sports, such as sailing, rock climbing, etc. Most rugged smartphones have been tested to tough IP68 standards.
