CSR BlueCore selected for Wi-Gear iMuffs

Cements CSR's leadership of burgeoning Bluetooth stereo headset market

Cambridge, UK - November 10, 2005 - CSR plc (LSE: CSR.L), has further cemented its position as the preferred supplier of Bluetooth silicon to the Bluetooth stereo headset market. Wi-Gear Inc. is the latest company introducing Bluetooth stereo headphones for use with both mobile phones and music players, to select BlueCore3-Multimedia (BC3-MM). The new iMuffs stereo headset is designed with iPod users in mind, offering complementary styling and excellent audio performance. The headset, with integrated microphone for handsfree calling, is available now worldwide.

The iMuffs use BlueCore3-Multimedia (BC3-MM) with an enhanced digital signal processor (DSP) to simultaneously connect to both a mobile handset and iPod via the supplied Bluetooth adaptor. BC3-MM supports the advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP) and audio visual remote control profile (AVRCP) which allow the wearer to control playback of their music via the ergonomic headset controls. The wearer will never need to worry about missing a call while listening to music. The headset will automatically stop the music playback to alert the user to an incoming call. The user then decides to accept or reject the call with a touch of a button on the headset and once the call is finished, music playback will automatically resume.

In addition, BC3-MM offers market-leading energy efficiency by using the enhanced DSP which greatly reduces the power consumption of headphones generally using half the power of alternative solutions based on general purpose RISC microprocessors, this allows companies to use smaller and lighter batteries while maintaining the same extended battery life demanded by their customers or like the Wi-Gear iMuffs get nearly twice the battery life of other competitive products.

Luke D'Arcy, product marketing manager, CSR commented, "Consumer demand for high-quality Bluetooth stereo headsets has been building for a while but it is only recently that products have started to come to the market. The ability to control music playback and voice calls from multiple sources simultaneously, on the same device, was an important breakthrough. Wi-Gear has implemented this advanced functionality in an attractive design which is sure to appeal to the discerning consumer market."