iObjects Licenses AAC For Dadioô Digital Audio Software Maker Of Audio-Specific Operating System Embraces Audio Compression Format

6-Jul-00

Dolby Laboratories has announced that Interactive Objects, Inc., (OTC.BB: OBJX) has licensed AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) and plans to integrate support for the technology in iObjectsí Dadioô digital audio operating system. Dadio is a leading software solution for the next generation of digital audio players, offering support for multiple types of music files, InterTrust (ITRU) digital rights-management technology, and removable storage media. Dadioís AAC implementation enables hardware manufacturers to create advanced portable music playback devices capable of decoding high quality music delivered via the Internet. AAC is the latest audio coder standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as part of the MPEG specification. Compared to MPEG-1 Layer 3, popularly known as MP3, AAC provides higher quality music while requiring approximately 30 percent less storage and/or bandwidth.""AAC offers superior audio quality and better compression, allowing consumers to store more music and have a better listening experience,"" said Mark Phillips, Chief Technology Officer at iObjects. ""By offering a highly optimized software implementation of MPEG-2 AAC with Dadio, OEMs can quickly incorporate support for this leading technology in the next generation of portable digital music players.""Several audio compression formats are vying to become the successor technology to MP3. Of the competing technologies, only AAC is an international standard, only AAC was cooperatively developed by the worldís leading audio compression experts, and only AAC is being licensed by Dolby Laboratories.""iObjectsí support will help accelerate the acceptance of AAC,"" said Ramzi Haidamus, Dolby Laboratoriesí Technical/Business Strategist. ""The availability of a high-quality AAC decoder implementation with Dadio will allow more OEMs to get products to market this year. We will continue to work closely with iObjects and its customers in order to realize the goal of high-quality downloadable music that is both secure and interoperable.""About iObjects Dadio Digital Audio OSDadio is a digital audio OS for portable digital music players that allows digital music file formats to be played interchangeably. In addition to its broad codec support (now including AAC), Dadio includes features such as jBox, a music Jukebox for song playback and play-list management, and dEQ, a digital equalization control system that enhances audio quality. Dadio integrates all the necessary software drivers for connecting digital audio players to PCs and other Internet music devices through a USB connection. No additional software is necessary to prepare Dadio players for music downloading. Dadio is built around a compact, embedded operating system kernel that manages media download, playback, and interaction between a playerís internal memory, storage, LCD, and data ports. Dadioís OS kernel provides sophisticated file and memory management functionality and supports multithreaded operations. Advanced memory buffering allows continuous, smooth operation with external media. This design approach makes Dadio unique in providing universal support for music file formats and removable storage solutions. It also enables an entire class of new ""concurrent"" features such as downloading music or managing play lists while listening to music. Moreover, it prevents common problems such as latency or pausing, system crashing, and it greatly improves general usability.About AACAAC is high-quality audio coding technology and the solution of choice for many broadcast and electronic music-distribution applications. AAC is compatible with all digital rights management, encryption, and watermarking solutions available today. In independent tests, the coding efficiency of AAC proved to be superior to MP3, providing higher-quality audio reproduction at lower bit rates. AAC provides up to 48 channels of audio, sample rates of up to 96kHz, and can achieve ITU-R broadcast quality at 320kbps for a 5.1-channel audio program. Developed and standardized as an ISO/IEC specification by four industry leaders (AT&T, Dolby Laboratories, Fraunhofer IIS, and Sony Corporation), AAC is supported by a growing number of hardware and software manufacturers. For more information about AAC, please visit the AAC Web site, www.aac-audio.com, or send e-mail to aacla@dolby.com.About AT&TAT&T Corp (www.att.com) is among the worldís premier voice, video and data communications companies, serving more than 80 million customers, including consumers, businesses and government. With annual revenues of more than $62 billion and 148,000 employees, AT&T provides services to customers worldwide. The company runs the worldís largest, most sophisticated communications network and has one of the largest digital wireless networks in North America. Its services are backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, which is working to create the information services and communications network of tomorrow. AT&T Labs is a leader in the development of technologies and standards for audio (http://www.research.att.com/history/soundinnovation.html), speech, video and image compression; electronic commerce and digital copyright management; search and directory services; speech processing and coding of all sorts; network architecture, design, engineering and operations; and other areas critical to the advancement of new broadband communications and Internet offerings.About Dolby LaboratoriesDolby Laboratories (www.dolby.com) is the developer of signal-processing systems used worldwide in applications that include motion picture sound, consumer entertainment products and media, broadcasting and music recording. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the privately held company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo.About Fraunhofer IISFraunhofer IIS (www.iis.fhg.de/amm) is the leading research laboratory in the area of audio coding. For more than ten years, Fraunhofer IIS has actively driven forward international standardization of several audio compression algorithms, including MPEG Layer-3 and AAC. Besides devising advanced algorithms, Fraunhofer IIS engineers focus on the effective implementation of state-of-the-art audio and video coding schemes on PCs and digital signal processors (DSPs). Fraunhofer IIS is active in international efforts focussing on methods for intellectual property management and protection, including MPEG-4 and SDMI.About InterTrust Technologies CorporationInterTrust Technologies Corporation is the leading developer of distributed digital rights management (DRM) technology. Its general-purpose DRM platform serves as a foundation for trusted e-commerce in digital information and related services. InterTrust licenses its technology as software and tools to partners whose digital commerce services and applications together form the MetaTrust Utility global commerce system. InterTrust administers the specifications for the MetaTrust Utility, ensuring the neutrality, security and interoperability of the platform and providing the root source of trust. About Interactive Objects, Inc.Interactive Objectsí (www.iobjects.com) Digital Appliance Group is a leading developer of audio solutions for portable digital appliances and the creator of Dadio, the universal software for digital audio players. iObjects provides custom software engineering, industrial design, and manufacturing services, and offers licenses of its proprietary Dadio digital audio software to leading consumer electronics, digital media, and computer software companies. IObjectsí Business Objects Group provides Web application and development services to leading portal and e-commerce Web sites. About SonySony Corporation (www.sony.com) is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, pictures, and computer entertainment operations make Sony one of the most comprehensive companies in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of over $56 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999.

Read More:
http://www.iobjects.com