Lenovo is a big Chinese multinational company that is producing all sorts of electronic devices such as: computers, notebooks, servers, netbooks, peripherals, printers, TV-s, scanners, storage devices and others.  It has the headquarters in Beijing China, but since it is a multinational company it has other subsidiaries all over the world. The company was founded in 1984 and since then it continued to develop more and more.

Lenovo is the largest seller of  PC-s in China, and the fourth largest producer of computers in the world. In 2009 it had a great revenue of 14.901 billion dollars.

Besides all the products we mentioned before, Lenovo is also producing some computer speakers, and this is what we are going to discuss about today. We’ll first discuss about the Lenovo ThinkVision USB Soundbar PC multimedia speakers. It is quite a cool looking sound bar that has 2 speakers in each end, each one with 1 watt RMS of power. So you might wonder why it looks like this, and not like a normal set of stereo speakers.

Well, the answer is because this is a special soundbar made to be attached on your monitor. So this means that it will stay there and it won’t take any space at all on your desk. Even though the power is not so big, so it won’t offer a very powerful audio experience, this device is a great alternative for the classic small stereo speakers. You will get pretty much the same power and sound quality, only that you won’t have any speakers on your desk.

Another advantage is that it has just a single cable. Most of the stereo speakers have two wires, one which is for the audio signal and connects with the computer and the other that is for power and connects to an AC adapter. But this speaker has just one, which is both for audio and power and which connects into the USB port. So we can place this soundbar into the “USB portable speakers” category.

So if you want you can take it with you when traveling and connect it to your laptop. It has quite an accessible price of 32 dollars but in some places you can find it even cheaper, so that’s why it is always best to search for the best deal before buying something.

Now let’s discuss about another speaker produced by Lenovo, and we’ll choose the M 220 mini speakers. As the name says, these are really small speakers. They are also from the USB category  of speakers, so it means that they are highly portable, and can be used anywhere with your laptop or computer. There is not much to say about these speakers, except that they have a price varying from 15-30 dollars, a small and pretty cool design and an acceptable sound quality, specific to most of the small stereo speakers.

There are probably some others speakers produced by Lenovo, but if you are looking for a really good audio experience we don’t recommend buying some speakers from this company, because speakers are not its strong area. What you can do is buy some speakers from a professional audio producer (such as Harman Kardon, Altec Lansing, JBL, Bose, Boston Acoustics etc.) and combine these speakers with Lenovo computers or notebooks.

The iPod is a really famous music player, and it is actually the best selling digital music player in history. It was launched in 2001 by the company Apple, and since then it sold millions of copies all over the world. It is really popular among teenagers but it used by all sorts of people no matter their age.



It is a very small and lightweight device that can easily be carried in your pocket, but which offers a great memory and it is capable of storing hundreds and even thousands of songs. There are 4 models of notebooks (iPod Classic, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch) and each model has a  few generations, so you will have where to choose from.

Usually any model of iPod comes with an included set of headphones, so that you can enjoy your music in peace, without disturbing the others. But sometimes you may want to share the sound with others…for example when being at a picnic or even at a party. And to do this, you will need some iPod speakers. These are also small and portable devices, that have a docking place for the iPod, and that render the music from it. Almost every audio producer is offering some kind of iPod speakers, and Apple (the producer of the iPod) makes iPod docks too.

Today we are going to discuss about a model offered by Apple. We won’t choose the iP23 iPod speakers because those are quite old now, and we’ll discuss about the upgrade for that model which is the iHome iP29 Portable Speaker System for iPhone and iPod. This cool device comes at a price of around 99 dollars and will allow you to take the music from the iPod (or iPhone) anywhere you are going.

It is actually a speaker case with integrated drivers and a docking place, so this way it is more resistant to shocks or drops. It is available in two colors: black or purple, and it looks quite ok. It works with 4 AA batteries (that are not included) or with an AC adapter (that of course is included). It works with an iPod or iPhone but thanks to the line in jack you can also connect it to another music source (computer, CD or MP3 player). It has two integrated speakers that offer quite a good sound plus MaxxBass technology for a better bass. The device has these dimensions : (H x W x D): 2.8 x 8.4 x 4.8 in. / 7.1 x 21.3 x 12.2 cm and a weight of just 1.32 lbs (0.59 kg).

It is compatible with most of the models of iPods and iPhones and it is quite appreciated by the persons who used it. It has an overall rating of 3.5 stars out of 5, which is ok. Most of the users agree that it is a small and portable device that also sounds quite good. So enjoy it!

The iPod is a very small and portable music player made by Apple, and it is actually the best selling digital music player in history. In was invented in 2001 and since then it had sold millions of copies all over the world. There are 4 different models of iPods today, each one with its own characteristics.



The first version is the iPod Classic, then there is the iPod Nano that has video capabilities, the iPod Shuffle that is the smallest one and doesn’t have any display screen and also the iPod Touch that has a touchscreen technology. The iPod was first made to play music, but the iPods today are capable of storing other file types too, such as: photos, videos, games, e-mails, calendars and others.

So you just take the iPod anywhere with you (because of its very small size) and you can enjoy your favorite music wherever you go, using the included headphones. But sometimes you may want to share the music from your iPod with friends, and in this case you must use an iPod dock (or iPod speakers). These are also small and portable devices, that have an included set of speakers and also a docking place where you can put your iPod or iPhone and enjoy the music from it.

There are many companies that are producing iPod speakers, and today we are going to discuss about the S 125i iPod dock made by Logitech. This is quite a nice device, that is small and portable and has the design of an old stereo cassette player. You can use it to enjoy the music from your iPod or iPhone, but you can also connect a CD, DVD or MP3 player to it and even a computer or laptop (thanks to the 3.5 stereo jack). The device has dimensions of 3.35 inches (8.5 cm) H x 7.77 inches (19.5 cm) W x 3.54 inches (9 cm).

So it is not so big and you will be able to take anywhere you go. It works with batteries that can last for up to 10 hours. If you prefer the music with a more powerful bass than normal, then this speaker is good for you because it features a bass boost function that will increase the level of the bass. The price for the Logitech S 125i iPod dock is around 70 dollars.

Another good model of iPod docking station is the Klipsch iGroove SXT that costs 150 dollars. Klipsch is known for making very good speakers that are offering a high quality sound, and it is the same with this one. It offers both an elegant design and a great sound. It features advanced technologies (such as bi-amplification and active crossovers) and it is compatible with all models if iPod and iPhone. It has  dual 2.5 inch woofers and dual ¾ inch tweeters meaning that it will give a rich sound, through all of the sound ranges. So the frequency response is quite a good one, from 60 hz to 20.000 hz.

And here are all of the technical details for this model: Frequency response: 60 Hz – 20 Khz; Crossover frequency: 6 Khz; Max acoustic output: 90 dB SPL @ 1m; Tweeter: 3/4-in./19.05 mm MicroTractrix Horn loaded; Mid-woofer: Heavy-duty 2.5 in./6.35 cm; Amplifier: Class D, Bi-Amplifier (separate amp for each woofer and tweeter); Enclosure material: ABS plastic enclosure; Enclosure type: Tuned port; Inputs: 30-pin iPod docking connector and 3.5mm mini auxiliary input; Voltage: 120 v; Dimensions: 4.75 x 30.48 x 4.625 in./12.06 x 30.48 x 11.75 cm; Weight: 4 lbs./1.81 kg. Enjoy it!

Any teenager has probably used an iPod or at least heard about it. An ipod is a very small and portable music player, that is actually the best selling digital music player in history. It was launched in 2001 and since then it sold millions of copies all over the world – to be more precise there were sold 240 millions of iPods as of January 2010.



Today there are many models of iPods, and these are: the iPod Shuffle (which is also the smallest one), the iPod Nano, the iPod Classic and also the iPod Touch. All of the models except for the iPod Shuffle have a display screen, and some of them don’t store just music, but they also store videos, pictures, games, documents and other types of files. Any model of iPod comes with an included set of headphones, so you can enjoy the music by yourself without disturbing the other people around you.



But sometimes you may want to share the music with others, and to do this you will need some iPod speakers (iPod dock). These are some kind of devices that have integrated speakers and also a docking place where you can put your iPod or iPhone. They come in all sizes and shapes, and since they are really demanded by users, most of the big audio producers are offering some kind of iPod speakers.

Today we are going to discuss about a specific model and we’ll choose the Orbit M Speaker made by Altec Lansing. It is a nice and small speaker, that has quite an interesting design, and it looks just like a can. But this is a good thing, because the sound will be spread in all of the directions. It will offer you quite a good volume and a clear sound, and you can use it anywhere you want because it works with batteries. It needs 3 AAA batteries, and it can work for up to 24 hours of continuous playing.



So you can take with you anywhere you go, for example at a picnic, at the beach, at the mountain and so on, and enjoy your favorite music from the iPod, and also share it with your friends. It also comes with a carrying case, to be protected when you are traveling. It is not that expensive and it costs around 30 dollars. All the users were really pleased with this speaker, so they gave it very good ratings (5 out of 5 stars), and also good reviews. Most of the users agree that this is a small and light speaker, that also sounds really good. So if you decide to spend the 30 dollars for the Altec Lansing Orbit M iPod speaker, you won't regret the choice you made.

Today most of the new computers come with some default speakers. Usually they are some small and not so powerful stereo speakers. And that’s why many people are choosing to buy some new speakers for their computer. There are many possibilities that you can choose from. For example you can buy some other stereo speakers, but those that are more powerful and sound better.



Or you can buy a 2.1 audio system, that beside the two little stereo speakers it also has a subwoofer. This component will bring the deep and low sound frequencies (the bass) so it will make the sound much better. Or if you are looking for a complete audio experience, with all of the sound frequencies and also a surround sound, then you can buy a 5.1 system.



But if you don’t wish to have a lot of speakers and wires all around your room, then you buy some floor standing speakers. These are big and heavy devices, that also bring a very rich and powerful sound. And if you don’t want any cables at all then you can choose some wireless speakers. Not only that you can place them anywhere in the room, but you can take them in other rooms too.

And you can even put them outside, as long as you are in the specified range from the transmitter. Also if you want some sound for your garden, you can choose some outdoor speakers. And there are other choices that you can make, and there are also many audio producers that you can choose from. Here are just examples of big brands from the audio market: JBL, Harman Kardon, Altec Lansing, Creative, Logitech, Bose, Boston Acoustics, Klipsch and others.

So today we are going to discuss about how to switch between 2.0 stereo and 5.1 speakers. When you will unpack your new 5.1 audio system, you will notice that it has 6 or 7 components. These are: 4 small satellite speakers, a subwoofer, and also a larger speaker that sits horizontally, which is the center channel. We said 7 components, because some 5.1 systems may also come with a control pod unit, that needs to be placed on the table next to you, and with it you will be able to control the overall volume, the bass volume and other features, depending on the model. So after unpacking all of the components, it is time to place them in the room.

You must be very careful on how you place the satellite speakers. You must have one in each corner of the room, and you should respect their role in the system. The Rear Left speaker must be behind you, in your left side, the Front Right must be in front of you on your right side and so on. The center channel has  to stay in front of you (preferably on the desk) and the subwoofer must be placed in a corner under the desk. This way you will be able to enjoy the best surround sound possible. After putting each speaker in its place, come with each of the cables to the subwoofer, and introduce each one into the appropriate port.

Then you must connect the three colored wires that go out from the subwoofer, to your computer. This is really simple, especially if you are using the appropriate sound card  (a 5.1 card). You will just have to match each of the colored connectors with the colored ports on the sound card.  If you have a simple sound card you can still connect the system, but it won’t sound so good, so that’s why it is best to use a 5.1 sound card.



So after connecting the system, go into your audio software (that usually came with the sound card or with the speakers). Or if you don’t have any software just go into the “Volume control” from Windows and into the “Sounds and Audio Devices Proprieties” from the Control Panel. Here you will have to switch from “stereo speakers” to “5.1 surround sound speakers”. And also make sure that all of the volumes are turned all the way up, and that none of the channels is muted. Good luck and enjoy your new system!