Glossary of some important terms

AAC
Advanced Audio Coding - an audio encoding/compression scheme popularizes by Apple Computers' iTunes. Based on a lossy-compression algorithm, it is believed that the technology achieves better sound quality than the MP3 format when compared at the same bit rate.
AMOLED
Active-matrix Organic Light-Emitting-Diode - a "successor" to the LCD technology. It is considered superior due to its emissive nature, creating its own light rather than relying on modulating a backlight. The technology also offers much wider viewing angle than the LCD counterpart.
In 2003, the first consumer-grade AMOLED display was integrated into the Kodak EasyShare LS633 digital zoom camera, offering a resolution 512 x 218 pixels.
ATSC
Advanced Television Systems Committee - the group that oversees the ATSC digital television standard for the United States. This high-definition TV standard will be replacing the existing NTSC system, providing a video resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and digital audio output using Dolby Digital AC-3.
codec
A hardware or software device used to encode or decode a digital data stream. The term was originated from a combination of the terms "[en]COde" and "DECode".
DVI
Digital Visual Interface - a digital video technology for delivering uncompressed video stream to display devices such as LCD monitor and digital projectors.
It supports resolutions up to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz in single-link mode and 2560x1600 @ 60Hz in dual-link mode.
EDGE
Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (also known as EGPRS) is a mobile data transmission technology deployed on GSM networks. It provides higher rate of data transmission speed and improved reliability over the GPRS network that came before it. Currently operating at 236.8kbps, the technology is often classified at 2.75G. Its speed is still no match to its CDMA counterpart, EV-DO, which operates at 4.9 Megabits/second.
EV-DO
Evolution Data-Optimized = high-speed mobile data standard used by CDMA=based networks, originally developed by Qualcomm. Operating at the top speed of 4.9 Megabits/second (rev. B), the technology is significantly faster the EDGE technology deployed on the GSM network. However, the technology is no match when compared against the up and coming HSDPA standard, which can potentially operate at 14.4 Megabits/second.
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service - mobile data service for GSM phones. It is used as the underlying technology for WAP, SMS, MMS and other Internet-related services such as web browsing and email.
GSM
Groupe Spécial Mobile or Global System for Mobile Communication is the most widely-used 2G mobile standard in the world. Used by more than 2 billion people in 212 countries and territories, the GSM standard allows international roaming very common between operators.
HDCP
High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection is a form of Digital Rights Management protection scheme developed by Intel that controls copyrighted media as it travels through DVI (Digital Visual Interface) or HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connections.
HDMI
High-Definition Multimedia Interface - a digital audio/video interface typically used to transmit uncompressed data stream between any audio/video source such as DVD Player, A/V receiver, and set-top box. It essentially combines the DVI standard for video with the multi-channel digital audio standard.
HSDPA
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access - 3G mobile telephony protocol capable of transmitting at 14.4 Mbit/second, though the current top deployment speed is 7.2 Mbit/second. It is currently available in 39 countries on 64 networks.
MP3
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 - digital audio encoding format that utilizes a lossy-compression algorithm to significanly reduce the amount of data representing the original audio data. Developed by engineers from Philips, CCET, IRT and Fraunhofer Society, the underlying algorithm removes the sound frequencies that cannot be heard by human ears.
Ogg
An open standard container format for media files whose standards are maintained by Xiph.Org Foundation. Though a .ogg file extension maybe of any Ogg media type (audio/video/subtitle), it is often used to refer to the audio format Ogg Vobis, a Vorbis-encoded audio enveloped inside an Ogg container.
sone
A unit of perceived loudness for an average listener, proposed by S. Smith Stevens in 1936. It is equal to a 1000-hertz sound with an intensity of 40 decibels above the listener's threshold of hearing.
UMTS
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System - a 3G mobile phone technology designed to be the successor of the GSM standard. The most common form of the technology uses W-CDMA as the underlying air interface. However, with the HSDPA interface, it can achieve data transfer speed of up to 14.4 Mbit/s.
WWDC
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference - an event held annually by Apple Inc. specifically for software developers on the Mac platform. The event showcases new technologies and offers hands-on labs to its participants. It is usually held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA in June.