CSR Launches Two New ROM Based Products -- the Next Step in the Evolution of Bluetooth Silicon; Tailoring a Bluetooth Solution for Mobile Handsets, Headsets and PDAs.

Business Editors, Technology Writers

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2002

CSR (Cambridge Silicon Radio) has launched a new series of BlueCore2, its world-leading single-chip Bluetooth solution, for low cost, high-volume applications. BlueCore2-ROM and BlueCore2-Audio offer the smallest size and fewest external components of any Bluetooth solution to date and are CSR's first Bluetooth devices, which do not need external non-volatile memory.

BlueCore2-ROM and BlueCore2-Audio are now fully qualified with samples available and will be shipping in volume from Q4 2002.

BlueCore2-ROM is focused on mobile handset applications with features aimed at ease of integration, co-existence, power saving and reducing size. BlueCore2-Audio is biased towards the headset and audio markets with all the features of ROM plus a high-quality audio CODEC. This will allow designers greater freedom in producing smaller, lighter and more ergonomically designed products.

CSR's BlueCore2-ROM requires less external components than previous BlueCore designs with integrated loop filter components and linear voltage regulator. BlueCore2-Audio also incorporates a 15bit linear CODEC including microphone amplifiers and speaker drivers. So with a low component count and a small footprint of as little as 64mm2 for the total Bluetooth solution, this allows CSR to target high-volume, cost sensitive applications for Bluetooth such as mobile handsets, headsets and PDAs.

Eric Janson, vice president CSR North America commented, "BlueCore2-ROM and Audio validates the idea that combining both RF and baseband on the same silicon gives lower overall costs. The Bluetooth standard has now reached an adequate level of maturity, that it's no longer a risk to place the code into ROM."

Janson continued, "We have already qualified these products between -40 C to +105 C which makes them suitable for all market segment requirements. These new devices address specific requirements requested by our customers."

The maturity of a Bluetooth IC's firmware has an enormous impact on the quality and usability of the final product, so for a product to be both successful and cost effective it is important that the Bluetooth firmware be well tested and mature. CSR has participated in every industry Unplugfest to check for interoperability between different manufacturers of Bluetooth devices and ensure compatibility. CSR's BlueCore firmware offers the richest functionality available and enables 57 percent of Bluetooth v1.1 qualified products on the market backing up CSR's claim of truly market- and Bluetooth SIG-tested firmware.

Supplied in a small BGA, 6x6mm package, BlueCore2-ROM and Audio are implemented in a 0.18-micron CMOS process, which has a proven track record with BlueCore2-External that has been in mass production since Q4 2001.

CSR was first company to market with its single-chip BlueCore and has continued to lead the market on price, size and availability. CSR has already secured hundreds of design wins from leading companies such as Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, Compaq, IBM, Fujitsu, LG, ALPS, TDK, 3Com, Mitsumi, Siemens and Motorola. These new additions to the BlueCore2 family are expected to enhance CSR's leadership position.

About CSR

CSR (Cambridge Silicon Radio) specializes in providing single-chip radio devices to the global market for short-range wireless communications, including Bluetooth(TM). The company's mission is to create the most highly integrated radio devices available, fabricated using standard CMOS technology, to provide its customers with the lowest cost of ownership of high quality digital radio.

CSR was the first company in the world to offer a true single-chip Bluetooth solution with BlueCore, a fully integrated 2.4 GHz radio, baseband and microcontroller. In Q4 2001 CSR released BlueCore2, its second generation family, and offers developed hardware/software bundles for each of the fastest growing Bluetooth applications markets. Users can combine the chips with the CSR Bluetooth software stack to provide a fully compliant solution for data and voice communications or, used with an upper layer host software stack, CSR is able to offer a complete Bluetooth end-to-end solution.

CSR has a growing list of major international companies including Microsoft Corp., Samsung, Sony, Compaq, IBM, Fujitsu, LG, ALPS, TDK, 3Com, Mitsumi, Siemens and Motorola, who have already used CSR's BlueCore in the development of a range of Bluetooth products. In fact, up to the end of 2001, 70% of available pre-qualified modules, as listed on the qualified products page of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) web site, feature BlueCore and it is in 57% of all qualified Bluetooth v 1.1 enabled end product designs.

CSR is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with offices in Richardson, Texas; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore and Aalborg, Denmark.

More information about CSR can be found on the web site at www.csr.com.