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Plantronics Helps Deliver the Ultimate Interactive PC Gaming Experience

Leveraging Plantronics' 39-year heritage in premium headset design and manufacturing, Microsoft will bundle a Plantronics lightweight stereo PC headset with its new interactive gaming package, Microsoft SideWinder® Game Voice. The complete package enables gamers to talk with each other through Internet or LAN connections while allowing voice control of game commands.

``We're thrilled to have been selected by Microsoft,'' said Neil Snyder, president of the Plantronics Computer Audio Systems Division. ``This effort allows us to deliver exciting new technology to a rapidly increasing number of gaming enthusiasts. The inclusion of a Plantronics stereo PC headset in the SideWinder Game Voice reflects not only Plantronics' long-standing leadership in headset technology, but the significance of the PC headset as an essential component of the gaming experience,'' Snyder added.

The SideWinder Game Voice offers gamers a new level of accuracy and realism, enabling them to talk to each other as well as guide the game. With the touch of a button, gamers can switch between chatting with each other and issuing voice commands such as ``change weapons,'' ``jam radar,'' and ``eject.''

``In designing the SideWinder Game Voice we wanted to create the ultimate interactive gaming experience,'' said Chris Bull, Lead Product Manager for SideWinder. ``The design of the Plantronics stereo PC headset, as well as its audio performance, comfort and quality manufacturing, made this the right headset for us.''

The lightweight Plantronics stereo PC headset provides full-range stereo sound and an adjustable headband for maximum comfort. Its ultra-sensitive noise-canceling microphone helps deliver the full audio spectrum of human speech, while the QuickAdjust(TM) microphone enables the user to position the microphone easily and consistently for uniform performance and higher accuracy. These features are critical to voice recognition applications such as those used in popular voice commands and control games.

Price and Availability

Microsoft's SideWinder Game Voice is expected to ship in Fall 2000. Pricing is not yet available.

About Plantronics

Plantronics introduced the first lightweight communications headset in 1962 and is recognized as the world leader in communications headsets.

A publicly held company with more than 1,800 employees, Plantronics is the leading provider of headsets to telephone companies and the business community worldwide. Plantronics headsets are also used widely in many Fortune 500 corporations and have been featured in numerous motion pictures and high-profile events, including Neil Armstrong's historic ``One small step for man'' transmission from the moon in 1969.

Plantronics launched the Computer Audio Systems Division to the public in April 1999. The division is chartered with elevating awareness and driving the direction of the PC headset industry, including research and development of new technologies for voice applications.

Plantronics, Inc. headquartered in Santa Cruz, was founded in 1961 and maintains offices in 18 countries. Plantronics products are sold and supported through a worldwide network of authorized Plantronics marketing partners. Information about the company and its products can be found at www.plantronics.com or by calling (800) 544-4660.

Contact:

     Republic Communications (Europe Middle East Africa)
     Pippa Goodman, 44-1713-795-000
     Pippa@republic-communications.co.uk
     or
     Wilson McHenry Company (North America)
     Michelle Vance, 650/356-5200
     Mvance@wmc.com