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JULY 13th, 2005
Alpha Imaging Technology Company (AIT), a fabless chip company based
in Taiwan has selected audio synthesizer technology from Sonic Network, Inc. for use in its camera phone multimedia chips.
Sonic’s EAS for embedded Audio Synthesis has been planned for Alpha Imaging’s next generation of chips intended
for mobile ringtone and game audio functions.
One of the reasons for the selection was that Sonic’s solution
required the least amount of memory and the best sound quality. According to Andy Tsai, Director of Product Planning of Alpha
Imaging, "Sonic Network's mature and complete solution is a natural complement to our multimedia IC's. Most important to us
was the quality and compactness of the solution. Based on our tests, Sonic Network provided the best sound quality and the
smallest memory and processor requirements, important features for competing in the increasingly aggressive cellular market."
Noting that the solution offered cost savings where it counts, to
wireless ODMs, was Jennifer Hruska, Sonic’s President, "Wireless ODMs are continuing to push multi-media IC manufactures
for greater functionality and larger feature sets. Since both AIT and Sonic offer the widest range of format support, our
technology is a natural complement that can offer tremendous value to a handset manufacturer. This is most important to ODMs
competing in the feature phone market, as the low memory requirements of our EAS allows substantial cost reductions over using
other software solutions as well as even greater savings over utilizing a dedicated hardware solution such as a melody chip."
AIT is well known in the cellular phone market. Its chip solutions
have been used by BenQ, Motorola, NEC, Philips, Siemens, and Panasonic.
JULY 7th, 2005
Dialog Semiconductor Plc (NASDAQ:DLGS) reports that one of O2’s approved
handsets, incorporates its cellular music machine chip technology. The chip combines audio and power management functions,
and works in conjunction with Intel’s cellular processor. The two chips working together enable the phone with music
and video features and are fundamental to the over four hours of talk time the phone offers. According to Roland Pudelko,
CEO of Dialog Semiconductor, "The new phone features the ability to download music direct to a music player, run several different
applications at the same time, provide video and audio playback, and provide up to 200 hours standby and four hours talk time.
This is exactly the kind of consumer device that our technology addresses. The DA9011 is helping to manage this significant
demand on the battery using our specialist mixed signal design expertise, and it utilizes our advanced knowledge of integrating
in the same device high performance audio DACs for CD-quality music and audio playback."
Dialog’s chip, developed with Intel Corp. to work with Intel’s
PXA800F cellular processor, is called the DA9011 GSM/GPRS audio and power controller. The DA9011 is based on Dialog’s
Smart Mirror Technology, which minimizes quiescent current and optimizes power supply rejection (PSRR).
JULY 7th, 2005
Beatnik, Inc., noted for its design win with Texas Instruments,
plans to further its efforts to address the needs of the semiconductor market. In that regard, the Beatnik Audio Engine
for will be central to attracting more wireless chipset companies. The chip-compatible embedded software from Beatnik
supports a number of advanced audio, multimedia messaging and other needed musical cell phone functions.
The technology is also said to lower the bill of materials cost
for the production of cell phones. Jeremy Copp, Chief Sales Officer at Beatnik highlighted the integration of its technology
into TI’s wireless chips in emphasizing the merits of Beatnik’s cost savings approach, "The technical, economic
and commercial benefits to handset manufacturers in using our audio technology as a proven component of a chipset reference
design are clear and well defined. Establishing the embedded trend with Texas Instruments has shown us that manufacturers
stand to gain from significant improvement in time to market as well as cost savings in the production of devices with the
now mandatory in-built audio capabilities, without having to compromise on quality. Instead of having to go to a variety of
different suppliers, they need only go to a single source for the best technology, integrated into a specially designed product."
Texas Instruments is considered one of the largest suppliers of
wireless chipsets in the world.
AUDIO CHIP NEWS COLUMN
JULY 1st, 2005
SigmaTel Inc. (NASDAQ:SGTL), a primary provider of integrated circuits
for music players, forecasts that its revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2005 would be in the range of $68 million to
$72 million – approximately 86 percent to 97 percent above the second quarter of 2004 and down 28 percent to 32 percent
sequentially from its first quarter in 2005.
In explaining the lowered guidance, the company noted the 30 percent
drop in pricing for NAND flash chips. According to Ron Edgerton, CEO at SigmaTel, "While we anticipated a reduction in revenues
from the first quarter, as previously guided, the pricing disruptions in the NAND flash market have had an unexpected impact
on our second quarter revenues. However, lower NAND flash pricing bodes well for market growth in the second half of 2005,
with the expectation that 1 GB flash players will retail for less than $100. SigmaTel continues to execute on its long-term
business strategy through market-leading products that have resulted in strong gross margins of greater than 55%. In an ongoing
effort to maintain our market-leading position, in the third quarter we expect to sample an FM tuner product which is uniquely
designed to offer the most cost-effective solution for the portable digital audio market. We expect to gain design wins in
the second half of 2005 that would positively impact our market position and revenues in 2006."
The company indicated that over the last three to four weeks
that NAND flash prices have dropped over 30% and projected that prices are expected to drop another 40 percent over the
next several months, which the company says impacted order patterns of customers.
JUNE 15th, 2005
Texas Instruments and RadioScape First to Offer DRM Technology
At the Digital Radio Show in London. Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) (TI) and its partner, RadioScape,
announced chips and modules for the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) standard. The module from RadioScape is based on TI's DRM300
and DRM 350 chips. It supports both FM-RDS and AM in software. The RS500 module includes all the necessary hardware and software
for the construction of DRM, DAB, FM-RDS and AM receivers. A number of different types of mass market consumer companies are
potential end-markets for the multi-standard receiver modules. These include standard desktop radios, CD boom box, hi-fi and
tuner companies.
According to Peter Senger, Director of Distribution at Deutsche
Welle and Chairman of the DRM Consortium, "Although TI only joined the DRM Consortium last year, it already is the first company
to provide silicon for this standard. Backed by a complete module developed by RadioScape, we expect OEMs will be able to
provide DRM-capable receivers by the end of the year."
Prices for the DRM300 and DRM350 chips starts were given at $18
in sample quantities of 1,000. The DRM modules are expected to be available in 3Q05.
DRM is a new type of low-cost broadcast system, which enables the transmission of near FM quality
sound over short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave AM broadcast bands.
JUNE 14th, 2005
austriamicrosystems, a company that has delivered over 50 million
audio and power management chips in the last three years, has made available yet another chip. This time it is an analog front
end, the AS3517 for portable audio applications, such as MP3. The chip is available in a chipscale package that measures just
9x9 mm. Inside the small package are 11 voltage converters and regulators, a Lithium battery charger, CD quality audio codec
and 12 programmable amplifiers.
John Heugle, CEO of austriamicrosystems, emphasized that the product
reduced the size and bill of materials of current day portable music players, "The AS3517 is the most highly integrated solution
available today. It provides all of the audio and power management functionality that is required in products like music-enabled
mobile phones, MP3 music players, digital audio and video broadcast receivers, PDAs and other portable music devices while
simultaneously reducing the costs involved in manufacturing."
The new chip also includes Digital Rights Management circuitry according
to Alexander Harrer, Sr. VP and General Manager of the Communications Business Unit of austriamicrosystems, "The AS3517 includes
advanced functionalities designed to support the legitimate desire of rights holders to protect their intellectual property.
We have built-in hardware provisions for music Digital Rights Management, and numerous other functional blocks that can be
used to safeguard copyrighted material without compromising the listening experience of the end-user. "
The company has scheduled volume production for the summer, so that
the chip can be designed into presents for the Christmas season.
JUNE 9th, 2005
Future Waves Samples DAB Chip
Future Waves now offers the Fenix digital audio broadcasting chip based on RF technology it
licensed from Toumaz Technology, based in the United Kingdom. Samples of that chip are expected to be available this month.
Toumaz Technology recently formed a joint venture with Advance Nanotech
for the development of ultra low power wireless biosensors.
JUNE 6th, 2005
Motorola Purchases Interest in Sonaptic
Motorola has purchased a minority interest in Sonaptic Limited. Sonaptic is noted for its chip
technology, which gives high quality 3D surround with just 20 Kbytes of memory requirement. The technology is considered an
ideal way to reduce the size of the new multimedia cellular phones that seek to compete with the current wave of popular MP3
players. Among those that have adopted Sonaptic's technology, which comes in either chip or software formats, are cellular
phone companies and chip companies. Motorola has major operations in the cellular handset market and is intricately linked
to its spin-off, Freescale Semiconductor, which presently supplies large quantities of chips to Motorola.
JUNE 1st, 2005
Imagination Technologies Group PLC reported that its revenue for
the year ended March 31, 2005 reached 31.5 million pounds, down slightly from 31.2 million reached the year before. The company
indicated that royalty revenues increased to 1.3 million pounds in fiscal 2005 up from 0.9 million pounds in 2004. The company
stated that 2.5 million chips now incorporate its technology.
Other items that the company noted in the second half were an increase
in PURE Digital revenues of 50 percent over the first half to 9.8 million pounds. The company attributed the Christmas season
to the increase in PURE Digital revenue. PURE Digital is the company’s product line that addresses the Digital Audio
Broadcasting (DAB) radio market. With over 80 products shipping with Imagination’s DAB technology, which includes products
from companies such as Philips, Sharp and Sony, Imagination estimates it has over 70 percent market share.
Elaborating on its DAB product revenue, Imagination noted that Frontier
Silicon’s Chorus processor chip is based on its META technology, and that chip has been shipped in over 1 million DAB
based products – or 70 percent of the installed base. Projecting out into the future, the company indicated that for
the United Kingdom, 1.2 million DAB units are expected to ship in the 2004 / 2005 financial year and that number is
expected to increase to somewhere between 5 and 6 million units in 2008.
MAY 27th, 2005
DTS to Offer Products Based on Realtek and C-Media Chip Sets
DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTSI), with its latest PC initiative, called DTS
connect, has aligned with C-Media Electronics Inc. and Realtek Semiconductor Corp. to offer audio solutions based on both
companies' integrated circuits. Both Realtek and C-Media are public companies based in Taiwan.
MAY 26th, 2005
FreeLinc to Integrate Aura’s Wireless Headset Technology
Aura Communications, a fabless semiconductor company, with the announcement of new products
from FreeLinc, reported that FreeLinc would integrate its LibertyLink near field magnetic solution. Aura is noted for its
low power and low cost solution, which is attributed to its “radio frequency free” technology.
Kenneth Kokinakis, Aura's president and CEO emphasized the adoption of near field technology
for a wide range of popular consumer electronic products, "LibertyLink is ideally suited for wireless headsets that operate
aside any mobile electronic device -- including MP3 players, portable DVD players and two-way radios. Our technology is poised
to become the de facto standard for any short-range wireless application that requires secure, efficient transmission of streaming
audio, voice or data. With LibertyLink, FreeLinc's customers will enjoy the most reliable personal-range wireless available."
MAY 16th, 2005
JAM Technologies Enters Asian TV Digital Amplifier Market with Five Distributors
JAM Technologies Inc., a fabless digital audio company, has entered into agreements with five
Asian distributors to distribute its digital audio amplifier integrated circuits. The company has targeted the new generation
of televisions. JAM noted that the distributors selected have existing supply relationships with TV manufacturers. According
to JAM's Stuart Nixdorff, VP of Sales and Marketing, "Asia is ground zero for LCD, plasma and flat panel TV OEMs. Local knowledge
is key to understanding their requirements and to securing design wins. We have partnered with some of Asia's best distributors.
We are now positioned to work closely with leading TV manufacturers helping them build their next-generation products with
our state-of-the-art digital amplifiers."
Also commenting was Johnny Chan, President of Cytech, one of China's
leading electronics distributor, "The world's largest TV manufacturers are here in China and many of them are our customers.
They have been frustrated with the poor performance and high cost of today's outdated analog and the current crop of so-called
digital audio amplifiers. With JAM's True Fidelity amplifiers, we now have the right solution to offer our customers to meet
the exploding local and international demand for a new generation of Digital TVs."
JAM Technologies, based in Boston Massachusetts, has over 20 issued
and 20 pending patents related to its Class-D amplifier technology. JAM states that its Class D architecture can provide true
CD-quality, which features 16-bit resolution.
MAY 9th, 2005
MIPS Technologies, Inc., (NASDAQ:MIPS), through a license agreement
with ITE Technology, Inc., has moved the company into the music player market. ITE Technology intends to use the MIPS32 4KEm
Pro and 4KEp Pro cores to develop chips for the MP3, Portable Media Player and other audio and video markets. The agreement
adds to MIPs core base in the portable consumer market, which includes Sony's Playstation Portable.
Vincent Hu, Chairman of ITE commented on the power-based decision
to license MIPS' cores, "After careful evaluation, we decided to adopt the MIPS architecture because of the high-performance,
low-power and small footprint delivered by the 4KEm and 4KEp Pro cores. With their large writeback cache memories and user-defined
instructions, the 4KEm and 4KEp Pro cores will enable IC designers to optimize the performance and battery life of portable
digital devices."
ITE, based in Taiwan, is noted for its market leadership in the
I/O chip market.
APRIL 29th, 2005
PortalPlayer, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY), now a major chip supplier to the
MP3 media player market, has seen its sales rise significantly over the last year. The company's revenue for the first quarter
of fiscal 2005 ended March 31 2005 was $44.5 million, over 400 percent higher than the $10.2 million in the first quarter
of 2004. The first quarter numbers were however down slightly from the lofty Christmas quarter, which brought in $44.7 million.
Gary Johnson, CEO of PortalPlayer discussed the recent quarter,
future prospects and the company's new product features in length, "We had a great first quarter of 2005. The launch of our
new PP5022 chip, and the introduction of exciting new models from the leading MP3 player manufacturer based on our technology,
helped us to record significantly stronger than seasonal results during the quarter. First quarter revenue more than quadrupled
from the first quarter a year ago, and we generated $13.6 million in cash during the quarter. In the first quarter of 2005,
we focused on demonstrating innovative new features and technologies to our customers and introducing two new semiconductor
devices that we believe will contribute significantly to our growth the rest of the year. During the quarter we launched and
began to ship in high volume our PP5022 System-on-Chip, which up to triples battery life for today's hard drive media players
and also supports high-capacity flash memory storage media. We also began to sample the PP5024, our first device that integrates
the media processor along with audio, power management, and battery charging features in a single System-in-Package for MP3
flash players. We believe this new product will enable us to now target a larger percentage of the digital media player market.
Because of our technology leadership, we expect demand from our customers to continue to be stronger than the typical seasonal
consumer electronics trends. The momentum for us has not slowed. Therefore, we believe that our revenue for the second quarter
of 2005 could be at the same level as our strong first quarter revenue. In addition, we believe we are well positioned for
impressive growth in the second half of the year."
APRIL 13th, 2005
Empower Technologies Corporation has entered into an agreement
with Mobile Dynamics Corporation to use technology to convert audio software to TI DSP and other integrated circuit platforms.
Empower plans to receive royalties on the resultant software audio codec from consumer electronics companies. The technology
includes active noise cancellation, acoustic reconciliation and modeling and equalization
Derek Lee, President of Mobile Dynamics concluded about
the agreement, "We're excited that Empower is putting maximum effort into releasing the first of several software kernels
that we have available. The sure success of Empower's product will aid our company's establishment as a valued provider
of software based audio enhancements for other products."
APRIL 7th, 2005
Akustica, Incorporated has secured $15 million in Series B funding for
its acoustic system-on-chip technology, which permits the integration of high quality miniature silicon microphones based
on CMOS MEMS (micromachine) technology. Rangos Investments and Mobius Technology Ventures both participated in the round.
Mobius Technology indicated that the investment was influenced by the enormous
potential of the market. Ryan McIntyre of Mobius stated, "Akustica's silicon microphones have the potential to be the
highest-volume MEMS product in history by providing users, designers, and manufacturers of consumer electronic devices with
next-generation features, superior performance, increased reliability, and lower overall system costs. Mobius will continue
to put its considerable knowledge in the MEMS space to work for the company as I join the Akustica board of directors."
The financing is expected to assist Akustica in the development of more
advanced solutions. James Rock, President, and CEO of Akustica commented, "This financing is an important endorsement of the
increasing value of our technology and products. Akustica is now poised to accelerate product development and broaden our
extensive portfolio of CMOS-based MEMS solutions."
APRIL 5th, 2005
D2Audio's Digital Amplifier Technology Secures
$12.5 Million
D2Audio, a company that offers digital audio amplifier modules, based
on its custom digital audio processor integrated circuit design technology, has secured $12.5 million in Series C funding.
Participants in the round included CenterPoint Ventures Sevin Rosen Funds, Austin Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Brian Wong, D2Audio CEO and President suggested that the funding would be used to further the company's market growth, "Our
intelligent digital amplifiers have established performance and technology leadership, and we are shipping products into key
market segments today. This round of financing will allow us to expand our product offerings into the high growth markets
defined by convergence of digital media and entertainment." According to D2Audio, its products are currently used in Home
Theater & Audio Video Receivers (AVRs); Home Automation & Distributed Audio and Powered Loud Speakers & Subwoofers.
The funding brings D2Audio's total capitalization to $40 million.
MARCH 29th, 2005
A collection of digital radio patents, pooled from a consortium
, is now available through Via Licensing Corporation, a unit of Dolby Laboratories, as part of as an agreement between Via
and the Digital Radio Mondiale committee. Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), a technology that revolves around standards for audio
and modems defines a near FM quality sound from a global digital transmission system for short, medium, and long wave bands,
based on existing global frequencies, such as frequencies below 30 MHz.
Ramzi Haidamus, President of Via Licensing described the consortium
and its effort, "It is truly gratifying to see the collective effort of all the dedicated licensors bear fruit. The successful
launch of a joint commercialization program for essential DRM patents is a reflection of the constructive, collaborative spirit
that has always been a welcome ingredient in the culture of the DRM Consortium and the related essential patent holders. Via
Licensing is very pleased to be in a position to offer this license at the right time to facilitate the orderly launch of
Digital Radio Mondiale receivers from multiple vendors targeting consumers worldwide."
Via lists patent collection contributors as AT&T Corp., Coding
Technologies, Dolby Laboratories, France Telecom, Fraunhofer IIS, NEC Corporation, Philips Electronics, Robert Bosch GmbH,
Sony Corporation, TDF, T-Systems International GmbH, Thales, and VoiceAge Corporation.
MARCH 22nd, 2005
Tripath Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:TRPH), a relatively small fabless chip
company competing in the 1-bit digital audio amplifier market, has reported a design win at Samsung. Samsung will utilize
the companies TA2024 audio amplifier in its Chigall line of high-end monitors. These monitors are used in multimedia and videoconferencing
applications.
Tripath reports the TA2024 offers 15 watts of stereo audio power, but only
generates 1/8 the heat of a traditional amplifier - which allows display makers, such as Samsung, to eliminate space consuming
heat sinks.
MARCH 16th, 2005
CSR Acquires Clarity Technologies for $17.1 Million
CSR plc (LSE: CSR), one
of the world's leaders in the Bluetooth integrated circuit market, has acquired Clarity Technologies, Inc. Clarity's audio
and voice processing software, for voice extraction and echo cancellation functions, is used to improve the performance of
wireless headsets, handsets and automotive based hands free systems. CSR already has major Bluetooth market positions in the
wireless headset, mobile handset and PC industries and with the acquisition is expected to further its position in the audio
and automotive hands free systems market - where automotive safety is a growing and major concern. John Hodgson, CEO of CSR
commented, "This is an exciting acquisition for us. Not only does Clarity give us access to leading customers in the US
automotive sector but its patented software will give us a key competitive advantage in audio, which we believe will continue
to be the largest Bluetooth application into the future. Bluetooth products, such as next generation wireless telephony stereo
headphones for PCs and MP3 players, will demand better quality noise reduction and echo cancellation and in our view CVC is
the best software in the market to provide this."
MARCH 16th, 2005
ATI Acquires India Based Audio Embedded Software Developer
ATI Technologies has finalized
the acquisition of CuTe Solutions Pvt. Ltd. of Hyderabad, India.
CuTe has a history as a developer of embedded software for audio and speech based DSP integrated circuit applications. The
acquisition is expected to strengthen ATI's positions in the audio end of the multimedia market. ATI's rise to one of the
top North American fabless companies has been mainly fueled by the company's 3D graphics expertise. Adrian Hartog, Senior
Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Business Unit, at ATI Technologies Inc. stated, "With CuTe's expertise in audio,
our customers can look to ATI for the industry's best integrated multimedia solutions.” Dasaradha Gude, Managing Director,
at ATI Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. indicated that CuTE was delighted to join a company with strengths in the graphics and
video market. He expects that CuTE will further strengthen ATI's product line offerings.
FEBRUARY 28th, 2005
Leading DAB Fabless Chip Company Closes
$28 Million
Digital
Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio products have been central to the financial health of Frontier Silicon, a fabless chip company
based in the United Kingdom. The company has reported that it’s DAB chip products are
now in 70 percent of all digital radios and that it also has a customer list that includes some of the most well known consumer
electronic companies. Frontier lists its customers as Bang & Olufsen, Cambridge Audio, Goodmans, Grundig, Hitachi, Ministry of Sound, Philips, PURE Digital, Roberts Radio, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and
TEAC.
Besides
the consumer electronic companies, DAB digital radio products are apparently of interest to venture capitalist. Frontier in
its latest round of funding was able to pull in $28 million. The lead investor was ACT Venture Capital. A number of existing
ventures also invested. These included Apax Partners, Alta Berkeley and BlueRun
Ventures as well as a new investor, Quilvest.
Frontier
has also expanded its total available market through the recent launch of a mobile digital television chip set. The Kino and
Apollo chip were designed to receive terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (T-DMB) services on cellular hand sets. The
chip set performs both broadcast reception and digital baseband processor functions.
FEBRUARY 24th, 2005
Dolby IP Licenses Brings in $245 Million in
IPO
Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB), a company that depends on semiconductor license agreements for a significant amount
of its revenue, has completed its initial public offering. Proceeds to Dolby were reported to be $247.5 million, net of underwriting
discounts and commissions.
Dolby has over 40 semiconductor companies as customers. These include Cirrus Logic, Industrial Technology Research
Institute, Matsushita Electrical, MediaTek, Sony, Yamaha and Zoran. Dolby’s technology is incorporated into integrated
circuits for consumer electronics applications.
Dolby’s revenue has increased from $49 million in its fiscal 2000 year to $211 million in its latest fiscal year,
which ended September 24, 2004.
FEBRUARY 24th, 2005
More of Apple iPod’s Vendors Revealed
The
success of Apple’s iPod has resulted in a curiosity about iPod’s vendors. PortalPlayer, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY), a
fabless chip company involved in the music player space, is one company that depends almost entirely on Apple iPod’s
for the nearly $50 million in sales it received in its latest nine month reporting period.
That is according to PortalPlayer. PortalPlayer believes that nearly all its chips it sells to Inventec Appliances
(Shanghai)
Co., Ltd. and Inventec Appliances Corp., or Inventec, end up in the Apple iPod. Inventec,
according to PortalPlayer, accounts for about 90 percent of the company’s total sales.
FEBRUARY 23rd, 2005
Apple’s iPoD Helps Rockets Wolfson’s Revenues 58
Percent
Wolfson, whose semiconductors are used in a range of gadgets including Apple's iPod and Sony's popular PlayStation
game console, reported that its yearly 2004 revenues increased 58 percent to $119.3 million. The company also reported that
in 2004 its design wins increased 50 percent to 250. These design wins
were from a number of well known international companies such as Apple, Hewlett Packard, LG Electronics, Pentax, PalmOne, Samsung, Sanyo, Scientific-Atlanta,
Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba. Japan based revenues increases were
dramatic, tripling, according to the company. For its wafer fabrication needs, Wolfson presently relies on Magnachip (Korea), Chartered Semiconductor (Singapore),
CMSC (China) and TSMC (Taiwan).
FEBRUARY 16th, 2005
Global IP Sound (GIPS), a company which offers audio intellectual
property to chip and system companies for voice and conference engine VoIP applications, announced that its Acoustic Echo
Cancellation (AEC) technology has been integrated into the Viewport AV 100, Logitech’s desktop video communications
solution. The AEC technology is used to eliminate echo caused by acoustic feedback between microphones and speakers. The AEC
includes an adaptive filter, non-linear processor, comfort noise generator and control system.
Global IP Sound’s technology, known for its capability
to maintain telco-grade voice quality, with up to a 30 percent packet loss, has been targeted at the VoIP market. Semiconductor
companies such as Infineon Technologies have integrated GIPS’ technology into its VoIP solutions. GIPS’s
other semiconductor chip customers and partners include Analog Devices,
ARM, Brecis Communications, Intel, Starcore and Texas Instruments.
FEBRUARY 15, 2005
Sonaptic Limited announced at DEMO@15 its latest 3D Audio Engine.
The technology, available in either chip or software format, enables mobile devices to deliver high quality 3D surround sound
with a memory requirement of just 20 KB. The technology is expected not only to give a wide host handheld devices, high-quality
sound, but will also give rise to a whole new range of miniaturized high quality-sound systems.
A number of major electronic consumer manufacturers have already selected
Sonaptic’s technology. These include NEC, Fujitsu and Mitsubishi Electric Company for the N901iC, F901iC and D901i 3G
FOMA phones. Additionally, the technology can be licensed in either chip or software form two other Japan based companies,
Rohm and Yamaha. Yamaha is one of the most respected names in musical instrument technology.Request More Information - Specify Company, Product,
Etc.
FEBRUARY
10th, 2005
Sonic Network’s IP in Analog
Device's SoftFone Chipsets
Sonic
Network, Inc. (Sonic) has announced that its Embedded Audio Synthesis technology has been integrated into Analog Device’s
SoftFone chipsets used in cellular phones. Critical to the selection of Sonic’s MIDI ringtone synthesis technology, was its high quality and low cost. Analog Devices needed
a product that would provide the high quality of stand-alone ringtone chips, but a lower price. Sonic Networks technology,
which is well known for its quality, met both of Analog Device’s requirements. Analog Devices is one of the largest
producers of mixed signal integrated circuits in the world.
FEBRUARY 4, 2005
Sigmatel and Matsunichi
Enter into MP3 Agreement
SigmaTel, Inc., a fast
growing MP3 chip company and Matsunichi Communication Holdings Limited have entered into a strategic agreement, whereby Matsunichi
will exclusively use SigmaTel MP3 audio technology in the Matsunichi 2005 flash and hard disk portable audio player models.
Matsunichi portable digital audio products are well known in Hong Kong and mainland China.
Matsunichi has five regional offices located in Asia, Europe and the U.S as well as
two R&D centers and it owns two manufacturing plants.
The partnership also includes
arrangements between the two companies for joint promotions, packaging and advertising.
JANUARY 25th, 2005
ISSI’s Quest to Diversify from Memory Includes Acquisition
Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. has negotiated an agreement to acquire Integrated Circuit Solution, Inc. (ICSI),
a company it had a previous equity interest in. ICSI has developed integrated
circuits for MP3 music and card controller applications. ICSI is a public company
traded in Taiwan.
JANUARY 21st, 2005
Bridgeco Offers New Processors for Music Industry Applications
Brdigeco, which counts twelve audio OEM customers, introduced two new multimedia processors.
The DM1200 and DM1500 processors are for musical instrument and recording studio applications. The processors expand the creative
capabilities of audio engineers to generate and mix sound.
JANUARY 19th, 2005
iPod Break Down
Reveals Sigmatel Chip
Portelligent, a company that takes apart electronic gadgets to find out what’s inside, reported Apple’s
iPod Shuffle MP3 player has a SigmaTel chip in it. Specifically the STMP3550 MP3 audio decoder chip for audio processing was
found. If the story’s true, it could mean that Sigmatel may continue to
see steady MP3 chip sales growth. However, as reported yesterday, Intel also has its eyes on the iPod. Previous iPod chip vendors are reported to include Wolfson Microelectronics. The next question is who makes the flash chips inside the iPod?
JANUARY 19th, 2005
Great Wall Welcome’s Intel’s Sonoma
Chip
The Beijing Modern Business Daily reported that Great Wall Computer would include Intel’s Sonoma
chip in its T41 series notebooks, which feature a built in TV tuner.
JANUARY 18th 2005
Does Intel Want Apple’s Music Machine Business?
The San Jose Mercury suggested today that Intel wants in to the
lucrative music machine business. In an apparent move to take away Apple’s iPod market share, Intel has introduced its
Sonoma chip. The chip has been designed to let PDAs play music, like the iPod. The chip is expected to be able to handle both
graphics and music at twice the speed of current designs.
JANUARY 7th, 2005
Tripath Technology has reported that its Digital Audio Amplifiers “(DDAs)
are to be used in Sharp’s LCD Television. This adds to Tripath’s other flat panel display customers. These companies
include Fujitsu General, Hitachi, Sanyo, Samsung, and Toshiba. One attribute of DDAs are low heat dissipation.
Types of digital audio chips in this category include digital audio ADCs and DACs, MP3 units, digital audio amplifiers
and digital audio controllers.
JANUARY 6th, 2005
Actions
Semiconductor Faces Law Suit
Sigmatel
announced that it has filed suit against Actions Semiconductor Co., Ltd for patent infringement related to its MP3 IC technology. Sigmatel also seeks to obtain an injunction that
will prevent Actions’ customers from selling their products into the United States.
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Types of digital audio chips in this category include digital audio ADCs and DACs, MP3 units, digital audio amplifiers
and digital audio controllers. See the microphone section for other audio chip technology news.
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