Product category:
Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: Tao Group | Subject: Advanced polyphonic ringtone engine
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 27 October 2003
Engine rings the changes for handset
sound
Tao Group has developed an advanced polyphonic ringtone engine for Windows Mobile-based smartphones.
Tao Group has developed an advanced polyphonic ringtone engine for Windows Mobile-based smartphones Based around Tao's Intent sound system, the licensable ringtone engine comprises the most comprehensive suite of integrated audio technologies available to date for deployment on mobile phones
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 22 Apr 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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Easy for smartphone manufacturers to deploy, the ringtone engine allows consumers and content authors to get really creative with sound on mobile phones.
It plays current popular polyphonic midi ringtone formats, including "true tones", as well as MOD files and the powerful new open SKM format which uniquely supports both midi and audio samples in Ogg Vorbis and other compressed audio formats.
In addition, the ringtone engine facilitates the incredibly rich sonic and audio experiences available through advanced software synthesis, vector audio and generative music techniques.
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"For mobile end-users, ringtones and sounds represent a way to personalise mobile phones as well as enhance the overall phone experience", said Mark Spain, Director of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft Corp.
"Tao's advanced polyphonic ringtone engine illustrates the ability of Windows Mobile software for smartphones to support powerful and creative solutions that enable compelling scenarios for developer and consumers in the areas of entertainment, creativity, personalisation and multimedia".
Alan Welsman, Global Head of Games at Orange commented: "This development is not only great for ringtones, but as a suite of audio technologies, it is delivering very exciting possibilities for use by developers in creating games for the Orange SPV".
The high performance midi synthesiser at the heart of the ringtone engine delivers superb quality polyphony ringtones in a wide range of popular formats.
A modular design approach means that plugins and codecs can be added as required.
Ogg Vorbis or MP3 codecs, for example, allow "true tones" to be played as samples or streams, such as the recent release of wildlife sounds from the British Library archives for use as ringtones, or music or voice recordings.
Other licensable "plugin" components such as synthesisers, effects, 3D audio, music engines and visualisers make the ringtone engine a powerful addition to a mobile phone, providing new ways to differentiate phones and allow greater personalisation.
For example, the BAFTA award winning SSEYO Koan generative music engine enables "live tones", whereby ringtones can be different every time they are played.
Tim Cole, SSEYO cofounder and now Audio Products Manager at Tao Group said: "Consumers are becoming increasing sophisticated in their demand for personalised audio on their mobile phones.
We believe that our ringtone engine delivers just the kind of world-leading innovation and entertainment potential that consumers, operators, manufacturers and developers are looking for".
The Intent sound system and various ringtone solutions can be deployed as compact stand-alone products, or as part of a more comprehensive integrated intent deployment including, for example, Tao's world leading MIDP2 and PersonalJava solutions.
The open and flexible modular approach of intent gives manufacturers the freedom to select the components they want, improving the nimbleness of manufacturers to respond to market changes and so reducing time to market.
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