Logitech International S.A. (SWX: LOGN, ), headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges
, Switzerland
, is the holding
company for Logitech Group, a Swiss peripheral-device
maker. Logitech makes peripheral devices for
PCs, including
keyboards, mice,
game controllers and
webcams. Logitech also makes home and
computer speakers, headphones,
wireless audio devices, as well as audio devices
for
MP3 players and
mobile phones.
In
addition to its Swiss headquarters, the company has offices in
Fremont,
California
, as well as throughout Europe, Asia and the rest of
Americas. Logitech's sales and marketing activities are
organized into six geographic regions: Americas,
Europe,
Middle East,
Africa,
Australia,
and
Asia Pacific.
Brand names
In the Japanese market, Logitech uses the brand name Logicool since
a that focuses on computer peripheral devices has existed in that
country since 1982, and its parent company has used the Logitec
brand name since 1974.
In the UK, Logitech trades under 'Logi (UK) Ltd'; a 'Logitech'
based in Glasgow, Scotland manufactures precision cutting, lapping
and polishing equipment for the materials processing industry. In
Canada, Logitech International uses its own name without conflict
with Logitech Electronics, an InterTAN Canada Ltd. supplier of
consumer electronics since 1988.
Since the 1980s, Logitech has made computer mice and keyboards
directly for Apple Inc.,HP, Dell and other companies.
History
Logitech
International S.A. was co-founded in Apples, Vaud
, Switzerland, in 1981 by two Stanford Masters alumni, Daniel Borel and Pierluigi Zappacosta, and Giacomo Marini, formerly a manager at
Olivetti.
The mass-marketed
computer mouse
was the product that made Logitech well-known. The range of
products offered improvements over a product originally developed
at LAMI (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) by professor
Jean-Daniel Nicoud and engineer
André Guignard, who was involved
in the design changes of the computer mouse originally invented by
Douglas Engelbart.
For a time
during its formative years, Logitech's Silicon Valley
offices occupied space at 165 University
Avenue
, Palo
Alto
, California
, home to a number of noted technology
startups.
From there, Logitech expanded its product line (see below) to
encompass many mass market computer peripherals and beyond (such as
the "Harmony" range of programmable universal remote
controls).
Production
The first
Logitech mice were made in Le Lieu, in the Swiss Canton of Vaud
by Dubois Depraz SA.
Production
facilities were then established in the US
, Taiwan
, Ireland
and moved
subsequently to Suzhou, China
. ,
the manufacturing operations in China produce approximately half of
Logitech's products. The remaining production is outsourced to
contract manufacturers and
original design manufacturers in
Asia.
In December 2008, Logitech announced the production of its
billionth mouse.
Products
- Keyboards, computer mice, and trackballs (wired and wireless models).
- QuickCam webcams.
- PC speakers, including stereo as well as 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1
channel surround sound systems.
- Logitech 'G' series PC
gaming hardware.
- Xbox, Xbox 360,
PS2, PS3
and PSP gaming hardware,
including game controllers, joysticks, keyboards and racing
wheels.
- Headphones, headsets and desktop
microphones.
- iPod, PSP, MP3
player and mobile phone accessories. Including iPod and PSP
speaker docks.
- Harmony universal
remotes.
- Squeezebox
wireless music systems.
- io2 Digital Writing System.
- Ultimate Ears headphones and in
ear monitors.
Key Innovations
Logitech's Darkfield Laser Tracking technology, announced on August
19, 2009, allows users to accurately mouse on multiple surfaces,
including glass. This technology is currently featured in two of
Logitech's products: the Performance Mouse MX and the Anywhere
Mouse MX. Both mice come with Logitech's micro-sized Unifying
receiver and Hyper-Scroll technologies.
Sponsorships
Logitech is the main club sponsor of
Co Carlow FC for the 2007/2008
season.
See also
References
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