intent Sound System from Tao Enables Advanced Musical Functionality on Windows Mobile-Based Smartphones

Business Wire, Oct 28, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

READING, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 28, 2003

Advanced Modular Synthesizer and Audio Plug-in Framework Allows Infinite Range of Stunning Sounds and FX on Mobile Phones

Tao Group today announced innovations to its intent(R) Sound System (iSS) that will give musicians and the developer community unrivalled scope for music creativity on mobile phones. The development of an open and advanced modular synthesizer and audio plug-in framework allows the iSS to augment the standard MIDI wavetable sounds with any algorithm or third-party audio plug-in. Tao believes this development will provide the catalyst for music software developers to create compelling music applications and tools that can feature 3rd party synth modules and effects units, allowing the market for mobile audio plug-ins to grow and evolve just as it did in the desktop arena.

Additionally, in developing an open and flexible framework Tao is providing the necessary conditions for mobile network operators to actively partake in audio software download business models. Examples of products that can benefit from this framework are MIDI music sequencers, audio mixers, sound effects units, sound design applications, music players, ringtone generators and so on.

Tao's advanced modular synthesizer allows some or all of the sounds in a piece of MIDI content to be represented by a simple, compact, purely textual description using industry-standard XML network descriptions; a technique termed as "Vector Audio". The vector audio is interpreted by the various sound generators, music engines, audio effects modules and third party audio plug-ins on the intent platform, allowing MIDI music to feature custom synthesized sounds. Vector audio can have significant benefits in terms of bandwidth requirements for custom sound delivery, device storage and consumer creativity. Furthermore, synthetic sounds can be combined as required with both custom sample sounds and pre-installed MIDI wavetable data, together with optional 3rd party audio plug-ins, to suit the specific musical requirements of the content author.

Plug-ins to the framework are binary portable and can be written in any combination of C/C or other languages, and can also be written to take advantage of any platform-specific DSP capabilities.

Mark Spain, director of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. commented, "The growth in end-user demand for fun, personalized mobile content provides new opportunities for innovative software applications and services across the industry. Tao's advanced audio functionality enables a unique and rich mobile music tools and entertainment solution."

Said Tim Cole, SSEYO co-founder and now Audio Products Manager at Tao Group, "This is a time of great opportunity for the music software industry, as audio platform capabilities on networked mobile devices can at last provide what is needed to underpin whole new areas of activity and creativity. We are keen to partner with 3rd parties that can help realise the mobile music making dream."

Jeremy Silver, CEO, Sibelius Software commented: "Mobile music making is a new opportunity to enhance the experience of musicians and those who would like to be creative. We are actively exploring with Tao and intent the potential in this area and believe that consumer activity can be extended well beyond the current pedestrian interest in ringtones."

The framework unlocks enormous opportunities for the development of mobile entertainment content and services, particularly mobile gaming:

-- 3D audio spatializer plug-ins can be used to apply 3D sound

positioning for applications such as 3D gaming and in-call

sound positioning;

-- 3rd party audio visualizers can be deployed to generate

graphical representations of music;

-- 3rd party MIDI generators and harmonizers can be deployed

within the framework, such as the BAFTA award-winning SSEYO

Koan Music Engine;

-- 3rd party audio plug-in networks can be used to shape sound in

a variety of contexts, including MIDI ringtones and sound

effects for games

The unique nature of the intent multimedia platform means the iSS suite of audio solutions can be delivered across any operating system or device hardware, including the popular Window Mobile-based Smartphone. The APIs to the iSS advanced audio plug-in framework are available now for developers to review online, and APIs to the modular synthesizer framework will be added as available.

Notes to Editors

1) For information about the intent Sound System visit:

http://withintent.biz/index2.php?Cat=4&AntX=67

This site also contains a downloadable intent Sound System factsheet and a technology white paper on the intent multimedia platform.

2) For detailed developer information, including intent Sound System APIs, visit: http://www.sseyo.com/tao_group/ave/iss/api.html

3) For information about the Koan generative music software visit: http://www.sseyo.com/koan/koanVectorAudio_GenerativeMusic.html

4) For information about Windows Mobile and the Windows Mobile-based Smartphone, please visit: www.microsoft.com/smartphone