3DsoundSurge Press Release: Analog Devices Improves Voice Communication and Speech Input On New Intel Desktop Board

Analog Devices Improves Voice Communication and Speech Input On New Intel Desktop Board

New D845EBT board leverages SoundMAX Cadenza Digital Audio System with Andrea Electronics' noise cancellation technology for high-quality voice input

NORWOOD, Mass., June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Moving to facilitate the widespread adoption of the voice as a viable, mainstream input device, Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI - News), through a collaborative relationship with Intel Corporation, the world's leading provider of PC motherboards, today announced its role in a new desktop PC platform that eliminates the core obstacles to reliable voice input. These obstacles include: acoustic and electronic noise interfering with voice input signals, expensive far-field microphones, and end-user objection to wearing headsets. Speech-based technologies have entered the mainstream with a resurgence of interest in VoIP applications, such as Net2Phone, NetMeeting® and .NET Messenger, and in the use of voice command and control for data mining. According to a recent Microsoft announcement(1), the company has already licensed 60 million copies of its Microsoft® Office XP, which is enabled for both voice-activated command and control and for continuous speech dictation.

With the availability of Intel's D845EBT desktop board-which features ADI's SoundMAX® Cadenza(TM) Digital Audio System with built-in noise cancellation technology and support for Andrea Electronics' Superbeam® Array Microphone-PC OEMs and systems integrators can now offer a desktop PC platform designed for speech-enabled applications.

"We are delivering much more than a motherboard with the D845EBT Desktop Board. We are providing a platform that will improve the way that users interact with their PCs, allowing them to use voice as an input device," said Joel Christensen, Marketing Director of Intel's Desktop Platform Solutions Division. "By selecting the SoundMAX Cadenza Digital Audio System for our new multimedia desktop board, we are including the industry's only integrated PC audio solution specifically designed to improve the accuracy of voice input. In addition, we are providing support for the only stereo array microphone that allows users to communicate with their PCs without the need of a headset."

"Together with Intel, we are committed to providing the best audio experience possible on the PC platform, from both an input and output perspective," said John Croteau, product line director, Computer Products and Services Group, Analog Devices, Inc. "With leading solutions providers heavily invested in a range of technologies dependent upon the quality of voice input, we have a ready-made audience for a PC that increases the accuracy and reliability of voice input for VoIP, voice command and control, and speech-to-text applications."

Availability of the Intel D845EBT with the SoundMAX Cadenza Digital Audio System

The integrated SoundMAX Cadenza Digital Audio System is available to PC OEMs on the Intel D845EBT Desktop Board. Additionally, the Intel D845EBT with the SoundMAX Cadenza system is featured in two new desktop PCs from MicronPC. Available in June 2002, pricing for the MicronPC Millenia® TS2 Professional and Xtreme models starts at $999. For more information on purchasing and availability, please visit: www.micronpc.com. The Andrea Superbeam Array Microphone, which is compatible with the Intel D845EBT Desktop Board with the SoundMAX Cadenza system, is available directly from Andrea Electronics for $24.95; for more information, please visit: www.AndreaElectronics.com.

About SoundMAX from Analog Devices

The SoundMAX Digital Audio System from Analog Devices is a premium- performance PC audio solution that exceeds the functionality of sound cards. SoundMAX delivers the ultimate audio experience on today's PCs for business professionals, audiophiles, musicians, and gamers. The SoundMAX system features full-duplex functionality, immersive 3D surround-sound, MIDI music synthesis, noise reduction functionality, and next-generation audio rendering technologies. Residing on the PC's motherboard, the SoundMAX system consists of high-performance hardware CODECs, with features such as hardware sample rate conversion (SRC), professional quality 94-dB playback, and software speaker equalization (EQ). ADI's newest audio CODEC, the AD1980, features support for six-channel audio output and is already available on the Intel D845EBT Desktop Board.

The SoundMAX software, which is integrated into the PC's audio subsystem, includes Windows® device drivers and applications that support 3D audio, Microsoft DirectX(TM) 8.0, EAX, A3D, unlimited voice DLS-2 wavetable, and support for 5.1 virtual theater surround. SoundMAX also features SPX "audio animation" technologies. For more information about SoundMAX, please visit: www.soundmax.com.

About Analog Devices, Inc.

Analog Devices is a leading manufacturer of precision high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications. The company is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts and employs approximately 8,800 people worldwide. It has manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, California, North Carolina, Ireland, the Philippines, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Analog Devices' stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the company is included in the S&P 500 Index.

SoundMAX is a registered trademark and Cadenza is a trademark of Analog Devices Inc. Superbeam is a trademark of Andrea Electronics. Microsoft, NetMeeting and Windows are registered trademarks and DirectX is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. (1) "Microsoft Office XP Licenses Exceed 60 Million Mark," (May 13, 2002) from www.microsoft.com.

SOURCE: Analog Devices, Inc