[General Topics] 27:
New Widcomm Bluetooth stack brings audio and video enhancements

Broadcom Corporation announced the Widcomm BTW 4.0, a new release of its Bluetooth software, with enhanced security and adding advanced audio/video (A/V) capabilities to the industry's most widely adopted Bluetooth software. The new software was tested and qualified for native support and seamless operation with Microsoft's recently announced Service Pack 2 upgrade for the Windows XP operating system (Windows XP SP2).

Wireless, high quality stereo audio headsets and speakers enabled by the new WIDCOMM BTW (Bluetooth for Windows) 4.0 software is a new application expected to drive widespread Bluetooth adoption for consumers over the coming years. A/V enhancements built into BTW 4.0 software will bring a new level of audio quality to wireless headsets, enabling a generation of products capable of delivering CD-like stereo sound without the need for wires. The same A/V Bluetooth profile support can be expected to appear in upcoming consumer electronics products like MP3 players, cellular phones, PDAs, and other appliances.

The company sees wireless headsets or speakers enabled with this technology streaming high quality sound while also performing remote control functions such as pausing or stopping play, and selecting tracks. In addition, consumers can utilise wireless speakers, enabling enhanced sound and audio distribution for DVD and CD playback.

Broadcom's WIDCOMM BTW 4.0 incorporates the latest software "profiles," which ensure a common set of features between two Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth profiles are developed and standardized through the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). BTW 4.0 features many of the latest profiles, which provide advanced multimedia capabilities including:

GAVDP -- Generic Audio Video Distribution Profile

A2DP -- Advanced Audio Distribution Profile

AVRCP -- Audio Video Remote Control Profile

BTW 4.0 also supports the Basic Imaging Profile, which provides the ability to "push" and "pull" images wirelessly between a mobile phone or digital camera and a PC.

"BTW 4.0 answers two distinct needs in the Bluetooth space: enhanced security, and the ability to effectively stream high-quality audio to wireless headphones or speakers. It is changing the dynamics of how consumers will experience multimedia content on their PCs," said Ron Wong, Senior Product Line Manager for Broadcom's Bluetooth software products. "Broadcom's unique ability to design and deliver all the critical technology pieces for next-generation wireless electronic devices enables our partners to bring products to market quickly and with features that hold great appeal for consumer markets."

PC OEMs are already shipping Bluetooth in a large number of their commercial notebook PCs and are expecting continuous growth and accelerated adoption into 2005. With this rapid adoption, large enterprises have expressed growing concerns over security and software virus spreads. The new WIDCOMM BTW4.0 software incorporates enhanced security capability to help address these concerns

The software is currently shipping to Broadcom's early access partners.

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