[August 23, 2005] CSR Helps iCombi Design iPod Compatible Stereo Headset; CSR Powers Bluetooth Stereo Headset Market Tweet CAMBRIDGE, England --(Business Wire)-- Aug. 23, 2005 -- CSR plc (LSE:CSR): Ref: EMQ1232 Photo ref: PEM4329 To download: http://www.csr.com/images/hires/pem4329.jpg CSR plc (LSE:CSR) has confirmed that its world-leading BlueCore silicon is the critical technology behind iCombi's new Bluetooth stereo headset, the AH10. With CSR's support, iCombi presents music lovers, including iPod users, around the world with a stylish and wireless way of listening to music on the move while never missing another call. The AH10 is available now and is compatible with all v1.1 or v1.2 Bluetooth music devices supporting the new A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile) and AVRCP (audio visual remote control profile). The AH10 Bluetooth stereo headset offers the highest quality sound in a small package weighing only 80g. Using a simple one-touch pairing system, the AH10 can be linked to any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone, laptop, MP3 music or multimedia device. By pairing the AH10 with iCombi's AP11 iPod Bluetooth dongle, iPod aficionados can finally go wireless without compromising on functionality or design. The headset incorporates power on/off, standard music and volume controls and integrated microphone for handsfree use with a mobile phone. The DSP architecture of BlueCore gives CSR a clear advantage over competitors using an ARM processor core which require higher levels of power and therefore impose greater drain on battery life. iCombi claims up to 11 hours operating time for the AH10, a level comparable with operating times of most portable music players. CSR leads the Bluetooth headset market with BlueCore being used in 85% of all Bluetooth headset designs publicly listed on the Bluetooth SIG website in 2004. "BlueCore was the obvious choice for our stereo Bluetooth products," noted Brian Yoo, managing director, iCombi. "The technical expertise required to create a headset which can not only connect to a music device and control playback remotely but stop playback and switch to the mobile phone connection to answer a call and resume playback once the call is finished, is extremely advanced. CSR engineers have enabled us to create just such a product with long battery life and extremely high quality audio." BlueCore3-Multimedia implements the advanced measures introduced by the v1.2 Bluetooth standard to reduce interference with other wireless devices. Adaptive frequency hopping (AFH) maintains the strength of the Bluetooth link by avoiding 'busy' frequencies. These techniques combine with the new A2DP profile and software enhancements to ensure that sound quality, be it stereo music or voice streams, is without fault. "Wireless stereo headsets are the 'hot product' of 2005,"commented Luke D'Arcy, product marketing manager, CSR. "Consumers demand comfort, style and ease of use, but above all, they expect audio quality to be the same as with a high-level wired headset. The iCombi Bluetooth stereo headset not only delivers on all of these counts, our BlueCore3-Multimedia technology allows a seamless transfer between music streams and voice calls, removing the need to put your hand in your pocket to stop the music and answer a call." About CSR CSR plc is the leading global provider of Bluetooth technology and has developed expertise in other single-chip wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developed hardware/software solutions for Bluetooth based around BlueCore, a fully integrated 2.4 GHz radio, baseband and microcontroller. CSR is now producing its fourth generation BlueCore devices. BlueCore4 supports the Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) standard which was ratified at the end of 2004. BlueCore4 remains the only EDR silicon to be shipping in volume today. In November 2004 CSR launched UniFi, the first single chip 802.11a/b/g embedded solution specifically targeting the mobile phone and consumer electronics markets. BlueCore features in over 50 per cent of all Bluetooth devices shipped and over 60 per cent of all qualified Bluetooth enabled products and modules listed on the Bluetooth website with industry leaders including Nokia, Dell, Panasonic, Sharp, Motorola, IBM, Apple, NEC, Toshiba, RIM and Sony using BlueCore devices in their range of Bluetooth products. In March 2005, CSR acquired Clarity Technologies Inc., for its Clear Voice Capture (CVC) technology that enhances the audio performance of any voice-based product or system. Applications for CVC include wireless headsets, handsets and automotive hands free systems. CSR has its headquarters in Cambridge, UK, and offices in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Denmark, Sweden and both Texas and Detroit in the USA. More information can be found at www.csr.com and the partner web site www.btdesigner.com More information about Bluetooth technology can be found on the SIG web site at www.bluetooth.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]