A sound card is an internal expansion card that provides input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. The term sound card is also applied to external audio interfaces used for professional audio applications.
The Sound Blaster family of sound cards was the de facto standard for consumer audio on the IBM PC compatible system platform, until the widespread transition to Microsoft Windows 95, which standardized the programming interface at application level, and the evolution in PC design led to onboard audio electronics, which commoditized PC audio functionality. By 1995, Sound Blaster cards had sold over 15 million units worldwide and accounted for seven out of ten sound card sales.
A boombox is a transistorized portable music player featuring one or two cassette tape recorder/players and AM/FM radio, generally with a carrying handle. Beginning in the mid 1980s, a CD player was often included. Sound is delivered through an amplifier and two or more integrated loudspeakers. A boombox is a device typically capable of receiving radio stations and playing recorded music. Many models are also capable of recording onto cassette tapes from radio and other sources. In the 1990s, some boomboxes were available with minidisc recorders and players. Designed for portability, boomboxes can be powered by batteries as well as by line current. The boombox was introduced to the American market during the late 1970s. The desire for louder and heavier bass led to bigger and heavier boxes; by the 1980s, some boomboxes had reached the size of a suitcase. Some larger boomboxes even contained vertically mounted record turntables. Most boomboxes were battery-operated, leading to extremely heavy, bulky boxes.
ZEN refers to the series of portable media player designed and manufactured by Creative Technology Limited, the names of which start with the word ZEN, e.g. ZEN, ZEN X-Fi. The players evolved from the NOMAD brand through the NOMAD Jukebox series. Three of Creative Technology's players won the Best of CES award from 2004 to 2006 in their respective categories, with one winning the overall award. The ZEN series has a strong foothold in Asian markets, especially in Singapore, the company's headquarters.
Computer speakers, or multimedia speakers, are speakers sold for use with computers, although usually capable of other audio uses, e.g. for an MP3 player. Most such speakers have an internal amplifier and consequently require a power source, which may be by a mains power supply often via an AC adapter, batteries, or a USB port. The signal input connector is often a 3.5 mm jack plug ; RCA connectors are sometimes used, and a USB port may supply both signal and power. Battery-powered wireless Bluetooth speakers require no connections at all. Most computers have speakers of low power and quality built in; when external speakers are connected they disable the built-in speakers. Altec Lansing claims to have created the computer speaker market in 1990.
Sound Blaster X-Fi is a lineup of sound cards in Creative Technology's Sound Blaster series.
Audio-Technica Corporation is a Japanese company that designs and manufactures professional microphones, headphones, phonographic magnetic cartridges, and other audio equipment.
Sound Blaster Live! is a PCI add-on sound card from Creative Technology Limited for PCs. Moving from ISA to PCI allowed the card to dispense with onboard memory, storing digital samples in the computer's main memory and then accessing them in real time over the bus. This allowed for a much wider selection of, and longer playing, samples. It also included higher quality sound output at all levels, quadrophonic output, and a new MIDI synthesizer with 64 sampled voices. The Live! was introduced in August 1998 and variations on the design remained Creative's primary sound card line into the 2000s.
Sound Blaster Audigy is a product line of sound cards from Creative Technology. The flagship model of the Audigy family used the EMU10K2 audio DSP, an improved version of the SB-Live's EMU10K1, while the value/SE editions were built with a less-expensive audio controller.
The Nokia 6233 phone made by Nokia is the successor to the Nokia 6230i. It is a 3G/GSM/WCDMA mobile phone that runs the Series 40 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1 UI on the Nokia operating system.
A headset combines a headphone with a microphone. Headsets are made with either a single-earpiece (mono) or a double-earpiece. Headsets provide the equivalent functionality of a telephone handset but with handsfree operation. They have many uses including in call centers and other telephone-intensive jobs and for anybody wishing to have both hands free during a telephone conversation.
Creative Technology Ltd. is a global technology company headquartered in Jurong East, Singapore with additional offices in offices in Silicon Valley, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. The principal activities of the company and its subsidiaries consist of the design, manufacture and distribution of digitized sound and video boards, computers and related multimedia and personal digital entertainment products. It also partners with mainboard manufacturers and laptop brands to embed its Sound Blaster technology on their products.
Wireless speakers are loudspeakers which receive audio signals using radio frequency (RF) waves rather than over audio cables. The two most popular RF frequencies that support audio transmission to wireless loudspeakers include a variation of WiFi IEEE 802.11, while others depend on Bluetooth to transmit audio data to the receiving speaker.
The ZiiSound, Inspire and Creative Wireless Speakers is a range of wireless speakers by Creative Technology, which utilizes Bluetooth technology and apt-X audio codec for high-quality wireless streaming of audio.
Beats Pill is a brand of portable Bluetooth speakers produced by Beats Electronics. The Pill was released in 2012. The devices include 3.5 mm audio input and output jacks and charges over a Micro USB port.
Sound BlasterAxx is a series of USB powered speakers that has got features of a sound card. The speakers also have got built-in microphones. The series of speakers work with Mac OS X other than Microsoft Windows.
The Sound Blaster X7 is a USB audio device that can work without a computer. It was announced on 3 September 2014. It supports Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X computers but requires a power supply to work. The Sound Blaster X7 has the SB-Axx1 sound chip built-in. Android and iOS devices can change SBX Pro Studio audio settings with the Sound Blaster X7 Control app.
The UE ROLL is an ultra-portable speaker manufactured by Ultimate Ears, supporting Bluetooth and wired connections.
UE BOOM 2 is a compact, durable wireless Bluetooth speaker manufactured by Ultimate Ears, a subsidiary of Logitech, that offers 360-degree soundstage effect. It plays louder than the original Boom, sounds better and offers tap control. The speaker is stain-resistant, shock-resistant and fully waterproof. UE Boom 2 won GOOD DESIGN award for 2015-2016.
