Press Release
QSound Headphone Technology Featured in Cirrus Logic's Popular MaverickT Processor Line
New Licensing Agreement provides MP3, PDA, Digital Car Audio, Internet Jukebox and Portable eBook Manufacturers the Ability to Incorporate QSound's Headphone Technology Into Their Products
CALGARY, AB - March 20, 2001 - QSound Labs, Inc.
(NASDAQ: QSND), a prominent supplier of audio software solutions today
announced that Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRUS) has included QSound's
headphone enhancement technology in its Maverick line of embedded
processors. Maverick semiconductors became the leading Internet audio
chips in 2000 and run a wide variety of Internet entertainment devices
including Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Internet TVs, eBooks,
network-based home audio players, digital car audio players and portable
Internet audio players.
OEMs licensing this feature will also have the ability to offer QMax™,
QSound's latest Internet audio effects software to their customers. QMax
is a universal, stand-alone software application, based on QHD™; QSound's
"High Definition Audio for the Internet". QHD is an industry-leading suite
of audio tools, designed specifically to enhance and improve Internet
audio and most notably incorporated into iQfx™2 for Real Networks'
RealPlayer® & RealPlayer Plus®.
"Because of our leadership position in Internet audio, customers have come
to expect audio innovations from Maverick chips," said Matthew Perry, Vice
President and General Manager of Cirrus Logic's Embedded Processors
Division. "QSound Labs' headphone enhancement technology gives us yet
another way to improve audio and fulfil the Maverick technology promise."
"This agreement with Cirrus Logic will allow OEMs to offer enhanced audio,
even for low-end headphones, to their customers," stated David Gallagher,
QSound's President and CEO. "Maverick's comprehensive feature set combined
with strong market growth for Internet devices makes this an exciting
opportunity for QSound Labs."
Cirrus Maverick processors have quickly become a force in the portable
Internet audio marketplace selling over a million chips within the first
six months of their introduction in March of 2000. Industry leading
products currently using the Maverick processor include SONICblue's Rio™
600, 800 and Volt™, Creative's Nomad® II, Nomad II MG and Nomad Jukebox,
Compaq's iPaq™, Intel's Pocket Concert™, Nike's PSA Play, Dell's™ Digital
Audio Receiver, AudioShock's ™ Virtual jukebox and eHome's Internet TV.
About Cirrus Logic:
Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog and DSP chip
solutions for Internet entertainment electronics. Building on its global
market share leadership in audio integrated circuits and its rich
mixed-signal patent portfolio, the company targets high-volume audio,
storage and communications applications. Cirrus Logic sells its products
under the Crystal®, Maverick™ and 3Ci™ brands as well as its own name.
Founded in 1984 in Silicon Valley, Cirrus Logic operates from headquarters
in Austin, Texas and major sites located in Fremont, California and
Broomfield, Colorado as well as offices in Europe, Japan and Asia. More
information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.
This release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Act of 1995 concerning, among other things, marketing of, and
opportunities for, the Company's products, and future financial results.
Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risk
and uncertainties, which could cause actual results, performance or
achievements of the Company, or industry results to differ materially from
those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the
Company's ability to carry out its business strategy and marketing plans,
including availability of sufficient resources for the Company to do so
timely and cost effectively, consumer acceptance of the Company's
products, dependence on the performance of third parties who have licensed
or agreed to market the Company's technologies, dependence on intellectual
property, uncertainties relating to product development and commercial
introduction, rapid technological change and competition, continued growth
of the Internet, general economic and business conditions and other risks
which may be detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking
statements are based on the current expectations, projections and opinions
of the Company's management, and the Company undertakes no obligation to
publicly release the results of any revisions to such forward-looking
statements which may be made, for example to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.