Bose Roommates are small, bookshelf speakers made by the Bose corporation.
I bought my pair in 1988 for $200, when Apple and Bose did a co-promotion of a special edition of the Roommates. The special edition of the Roommates were made using Apple's platinum color scheme (a light grey color) and featured a small rainbow next to the Bose logo on the front - as such, they were designed to match the Apple //GS computer that was relatively new at the time.
As each speaker measures approximately 10 x 6 x 6 inches, they are slightly larger than the average pair of computer speakers, but they also produce much better sound. A small amplifier in the left speaker (which takes the source audio signal and passes it down the wire to the right speaker) ensures everything is loud and clear. The connector is a standard 1/8" stereo plug - as such the speakers have, from time to time, made excellent companions to my Sony Discman and minidisc player as well.
In the 14 years or so since I bought the Roommates, I have never owned another pair of computer speakers. From my //GS, to my 286, 386, 486, Pentium, P2 and now P4 laptop, I've never had the need.