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CSR, the world leader in Bluetooth technology, today announced that O2’s latest product, the Xda Atom, features CSR’s BlueCore3 silicon and Bluetooth version 1.2 software stack. In designing the Xda Atom, O2 used CSR BlueCore3 technology to bring robust, power-efficient Bluetooth wireless connectivity to complement the handset’s wide range of multimedia and mobile office features. The new tri-band PDA-phone with GPRS/EDGE functionality went on sale in Asia Pacific in December.

Billed as the smallest multimedia PDA-phone available, the Xda Atom offers the best and latest in mobile entertainment, connectivity and productivity. It features O2 MediaPlus, the first media centre designed for a PDA-phone that gives customers easy-to-use, single screen access to music, video and photo functions and libraries. The Xda Atom is also the first PDA-phone to feature an FM radio tuner and an upgraded 2.0 Mega Pixel camera with an LED strobe flash that supports video capture.

In order to provide users with the most flexible wireless experience possible, the Xda Atom offers both Wireless LAN and Bluetooth wireless connectivity so customers can hop online at any hotspot or enjoy music wirelessly via Bluetooth headsets. To offer users this rich multimedia experience with seamless connectivity, O2 chose to go with a Bluetooth solution that offers advanced coexistence with IEEE802.11, allowing for both wireless technologies to operate in close proximity without signal interference.

The use of CSR’s BlueCore3 technology and Bluetooth version 1.2 software stack brings critical Bluetooth wireless connectivity to the Xda Atom allowing users to talk handsfree using a mono headset or transfer music, photo files and video clips between the handset and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. BlueCore3 also supports advanced co-existence techniques such as adaptive frequency hopping (AFH), to ensure there is no interference with the other RF components of the handset.

AFH (adaptive frequency hopping ) identifies "bad" channels where there are either other wireless devices interfering with the Bluetooth signal or where the Bluetooth signal is interfering with another device. The AFH-enabled Bluetooth device will then communicate with other devices within its Piconet, to share details of any identified bad channels. The devices then switch to alternative available "good" channels, away from the areas of interference, thus having no impact on the bandwidth used.

Nils Wallnas, VP Product and Service for O2 Asia Pacific commented, "For the Xda Atom, we needed our Bluetooth partner to supply a complete silicon and software product which could co-exist with the its radio function and ensure that there would be no issue of signal stability. CSR engineers worked with us to provide exactly that, allowing us to minimise our design cycle and release the product in time for Christmas."

John Halksworth, Product Marketing Manager for CSR commented, "Mobile phone manufacturers will increasingly seek to integrate multiple radios into their handsets. Wi-Fi devices demonstrate the first move towards this trend and it is therefore increasingly critical that the Bluetooth radio within the handset offers robust connectivity without interfering with the other radio signals." He continued, "By adopting the advanced coexistence methods introduced by v1.2 of the Bluetooth specification, we have ensured that BlueCore offers the highest levels of coexistence available without sacrificing key features such as low power consumption."

About CSR

CSR plc is the leading global provider of Bluetooth technology and has developed expertise in other single-chip wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developed hardware/software solutions for Bluetooth based around BlueCore, a fully integrated 2.4 GHz radio, baseband and microcontroller. YCMP

CSR has now launched its fifth generation BlueCore suite and is in volume manufacture of its fourth generation BlueCore devices. BlueCore4 supports the Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) standard, which was ratified at the end of 2004. BlueCore4 remains the only EDR silicon to be shipping in volume today. In November 2004 CSR launched UniFi, the first single chip 802.11a/b/g embedded solution specifically targeting the mobile phone and consumer electronics markets.

BlueCore features in over 50 per cent of all Bluetooth devices shipped and over 60 per cent of all qualified Bluetooth enabled products and modules listed on the Bluetooth website with industry leaders including Nokia, Dell, Panasonic, Sharp, Motorola, IBM, Apple, NEC, Toshiba, RIM and Sony using BlueCore devices in their range of Bluetooth products.

In March 2005, CSR acquired Clarity Technologies Inc., for its Clear Voice Capture (CVC) technology that enhances the audio performance of any voice-based product or system. Applications for CVC include wireless headsets, handsets and automotive hands free systems.

In August 2005, CSR completed the acquisition of UbiNetics’ software business, providing a strong R&D team to accelerate its existing software development in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and UWB. The UbiNetics team gives CSR the capacity to extend its offering to mobile handset customers.

CSR has its headquarters and offices in Cambridge, UK, and offices in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, France, Denmark, Sweden and both Texas and Detroit in the USA.

More information can be found at http://www.csr.com and the partner web site http://www.btdesigner.com

More information about Bluetooth technology can be found on the SIG web site at http://www.bluetooth.com

More information about the Xda Atom from O2 can be found at SeeMightyAtom.com

O2 and the O2 logo are registered trade marks of the O2 group of companies.