Parrot, one of the leaders in wireless peripherals around the mobile phone, will now supply hands-free Bluetooth solutions to Kenwood.

Kenwood is one of the world's leading manufacturers of car audio, video and navigation equipment -- and Parrot will provide Kenwood with Bluetooth and Digital Signal Processing technology for several models of its 2008 car audio, video and navigation systems sold in Europe, Japan, Asia and North America.

"Automakers and audio equipment manufacturers are looking for solutions that will allow broad in-car connectivity and convenience to vehicle owners. Parrot has the technology that enables these solutions and our chipsets and modules are being selected by more and more manufacturers for their OEM car audio equipment business worldwide," Eric Riyahi, Parrot's OEM Executive Director, said in a press release.

Kenwood by using Parrot's CK5050 modules would be able to integrate advanced telephony features such as voice recognition, noise reduction, advanced echo cancellation as well as phonebook synchronization.

Kenwood and Parrot would also cooperate in joint marketing efforts. In Kenwood catalogs, products will be presented as "Powered by Parrot" and will show the Parrot logo.

Founded in 1994, Parrot has rapidly established itself as one of the leading global player for wireless mobile telephone accessories.

Drawing on its tried-and- tested expertise on voice recognition and signal processing technologies, Parrot was one of the very first companies to produce Bluetooth-based wireless hands free car kits, having identified this standard's vast potential as early as 1999.

In 2006, Parrot sold about 3 million units. Determined to accompany the wireless peripherals' irresistible breakthrough into our day-to- day lives, Parrot has been developing since 2006 a new wireless range of sound and image products.

Today, Parrot truly has a major international focus: 90.5% of its sales are generated outside of France, and a large percentage of its production is outsourced to carefully selected partners.

Parrot has achieved strong growth in its consolidated revenues, up from 80.9 million Euros pro forma in 2005 to 166.9 million Euros in 2006.

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Anil Sharma is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

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