Soundboard (computer program)

For other uses, see Soundboard (disambiguation).

A soundboard is a computer program, Web application, or device, traditionally created in Adobe Flash that catalogues and plays many short soundbites and audio clips. Soundboards are self-contained, requiring no outside media player. In recent years the soundboard has been used on many mobile platforms, specifically in relation to the iPhone App Store and Google Play. There are numerous soundboards to choose from and many prank sounds, including rude body sounds (e.g. iFart Mobile on iPhone appstore, BodyBoard on Google Play).

Traditionally, builders generally take sound clips said by celebrities and combine them into one Flash creation. They are most often used in prank calls, when the caller uses the soundboard to imitate a celebrity or other well-known person. The individual on the other end of the call is usually deceived into thinking that they are actually talking to a real person. In some cases, the victim associated with the prank call has no idea who the person from the soundboard is, with one famous example being Matt Romney pranking his father by pretending to be Arnold Schwarzenegger using a sound board.[1][2] Some users even record the calls and post them on the Internet. Soundboard prank-calling is often done with caller ID spoofing or masking, to provide a high level of anonymity or impersonation. The goal is often to create confusion or test how long the victim(s) will remain on the phone.

Other, Including Call Center Applications

The soundboard is also used to facilitate humor, highlighting some of celebrities' more unusual utterances, or allowing for juxtaposition or even "composition" of quotes and sounds that would otherwise not go together.

The soundboard has also been used as a promotional tool for films, television shows, radio, products and more.

Call Centers are adopting soundboard technology.[3] Though more limited in its scope and applications, soundboards are one type of agent-assisted automation, a specialized call center technology which improve productivity. For example, soundboards seem to be primarily used for outbound telemarketing. Because the technology effectively eliminates agent accents, the telemarketing work can be done by lower cost agents in offshore locations.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pranks a Lot, Dad: Matt Romney Calls on the Governator
  2. ↑ Romney Sons on 'Conan': Mitt Loves 'SNL,' Falls For Schwarzenegger Prank
  3. ↑ Madrigal, Alexis (December 2013). "Almost Human: The Surreal Cyborg Future of Telemarketing". The Atlantic.
  4. ↑ Schelmetic, Tracey (January 2014). "Automated Outbound Sales Go High-Tech". tmcnet.com.


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