Cool impromptu interview with Creative’s marketing folks by Gaming Shogun. Unfortunately, I think the guy from Creative confused some folks when he said compression technology. This product uses Avnera’s chipset and wireless audio protocol. I can firmly state that this is uncompressed audio. It is full bandwidth, 48 KHz stereo to the headphones, and wideband 16 KHz on the voice back-channel. As he said, the protocol is full duplex. I’ve read some interesting threads around the internet about this interview, and gamers have every reason to be skeptical with all the noise out there in the market, in general. But I am pretty confident the audio quality of this headset will impress even the most difficult-to-please.

More on this in the coming… however here are some links about Creative’s new entrant into the wireless PC headset today at CES.

• CNET Video
• Gizmodo

Recognized along with other notable products from Blackberry and Nokia, as well as mobile software from Google and Sling Media, it’s humbling and pleasing to note that a product enabled by Avnera’s chips was keeping such good company.  And I quote:

FreeTalk Wireless Stereo Headset: This one continues to perform and make my entire PC audio experience - media players, SlingPlayer, Skype calls more enjoyable.

Skype Journal, itself, was recently recognized as one of the Top-25 VoIP blogs on the web.  Jim Courtney was keeping good company himself with the likes of Pulver and Malik.

Thanks Jim.

Engadget jumps to lots of conclusions in this recent post about the FCC’s outing of Creative’s wireless stereo headset. I think the guys over there are digging for a scoop where maybe there isn’t one. The LTB reference is unfounded, and the code name “Tag Heuer” is more likely just that, an internally used code-name for the project, rather than a co-branding strategy with the watchmaker.

The graphic shown on Engadget is pulled from the draft user manual. I am hypothesizing that this is a draft because it in no way reflects the aesthetics of Creative’s printed literature. Something I’d imagine they’d want to match.

But enough about Engadget’s take…

Either way, it should be getting more clear that this is a practical, and exciting new product segment. Gamers, VoIPers, Slingboxers, and Slackers rejoice. I would think all you college freshman out there should be jumping all over this. If your dorm experience is anything like mine was, this is the perfect tool to drown out your room-mate’s classic rock, or your neighbor’s obsession with Erasure, and let you study/sleep/procrastinate in your own world.

In my trolling for product chatter related to Avnera, I found myself at one of my favorite corporate-sponsored blogs, Skype Gear, Skype’s own blog on hardware, which merely mentioned the FREETALK wireless stereo headset.  But alas, no review yet… we’re looking forward to it when it hits.

What peeked my interest was their mention of the 3 Skypephone.  I think we’re heading where I hope we’re heading.  More bandwidth for IP-only traffic on my handset, please.

Jim Courtney at Skype Journal put the FREETALK through the paces, and offered his first impressions… and I quote:

Today is my day of liberation!… Beethoven’s 9th has finished now; the pianissimo phrases were soft, the chorale fortes did not distort; you could clearly hear every word of the chorus in the fourth movement. On finishing the first draft of this post I received a Skype call, answered the front doorbell and let the dog back in at the back door, all while continuing the conversation. At US$79 or £50, this is probably the one most useful new technology hardware item for everyone on your gift list with either a Windows or Mac PC.

Read the full article here.

Very good sign. The FREETALK Wireless Stereo Headset has been on sale since before Thanksgiving, but is finally in stock! It is already listed as a bestseller which is no suprise to me, since my prototype set has been a trustworthy travel companion for over 8 months now.

• For any business traveller who uses Skype, watches Slingbox, or listens to music in their hotel room… the FREETALK rocks.
• For any college student who does it all on the PC… the FREETALK rocks.
• For any players of World of Warcraft… the FREETALK rocks.
• And shhh… because it’s a standard USB Audio device, for any users of Google Talk, Ventrilo, AIM, Live Messenger… the FREETALK rocks.

I am biased to be sure… one because I am modestly vested in the success of this product category, but also because I love this product.

Here is a quick troubleshooting guide for new users, from an early adopter of this unit…

1. Those who may find the ear-cups not sitting just right, try twisting the wire portions of the band to get the right angle to match your ear. I did that 8 months ago, and it works like a charm. I’d have designed the headband a little different for fit, myself, but I guess it does kinda look different and cool enough…. my only gripe.
2. Mac users, after you plug in the first time, you may need to go to audio control panel to manually select the USB Audio device. Successive uses, should automatically switch to the headset.
3. To mute the microphone, simply tilt the microphone boom all the way up, you will feel a slight detent when the boom is all the way up. To un-mute the microphone, simply swing the mic back down. This muting takes place completely in the headset, so you will not see it reflected on-screen in the Skype call window
4. In order to make the Skype call answer button work, for Windows version, you must enable hotkeys…
   1. Go to Tools > Options > Advanced > Hotkeys
   2. Check “Enable keyboard shortcuts”
   3. Check “Answer Call”
   4. Make sure Answer Call hotkey is set to “Alt-PgUp” (which is the default on most installs of Skype).

Enjoy! Comments welcome here. I am happy to add to the troubleshooting guide if needed.

SkypeJournal’s recent series on Skype’s forward moving strategies included a discussion on the relevance of hardware. Well this Christmas, a piece of hardware near and dear to my heart will be ready to ship. I’ve written about the FREETALK in another post, so no need to repeat.

The nicest thing about this device… it is a very simple and elegant hardware solution that imporves the way *current* Skype users experience voice chat.

The reason I believe in the FREETALK headset so much, is that it is geared for the hear-and-now. It does not distract Skype-users from the now — it does not promise a usage model that is not mature, and similarly it does not try to attach legacy behaviors to a modern experience, which Skype is rightfully so.

Many other types of Skype hardware — which you will see sold on Skype.com — come in the form of gear that is trying to bring Skype to Skype-non-users by appealing to lagcy usage models. The most popular tactic is to make the hardware look like a old-fashioned desk-telephone, and allow the user to use simple number-dialing to place calles on the skype network. To me, this is a hard sell. If this usage model is so important, then the user won’t value the new features… and then you gotta sell on lower cost, and even that’s a pretty complicated message to convey. To realize the added value of Skype, you gotta teach people about then new features. People who are willing and able to grok this, are already more attached to their PCs, anyways.

The other way Skype is trying to branch out via hardware is by hopping onto other broadband enabled platforms… wi-fi phones or 3G mobiles. Today, that too is cumbersome at best. Perhaps Android has ways of addressing this, but today, Skype on a 3G handset only competes against the entrenched telephony service. If a user runs Skype on their mobile phone, first of all, it’s a rare breed who can connect all the dots, and even then it’s a niche long-distance, world traveller scenario that can realize any real benefit.

I’m rambling a bit… the key is, the FREETALK leaves all these wish-ware devices for the early-early adopters. The FREETALK is hear to help last year’s early adopters of Skype, break away from their desktop, and roam free about the house while using their favorite VoIP service that has become part of their connected repertoire.

They’ll also find it a damn good PC accessory.

Finally. Our first wireless stereo headset! It is available just in time for the holidays. If you use Skype more than 5 times a week, this headset will be your new best friend, I can guarantee it. I’ve been carrying my proto with me for the better part of this year, and it’s held up relatively well in my bag, taking many beatings. It sounds great, and works flawlessly. The range on FREETALK’s version is just over 35 feet. It will best the two other cordless options shown on this page. They are both based on Bluetooth… stop yawning, you’ll want to hear this.

People often ask how we compare to Bluetooth… often phrased as, “why wouldn’t I just use Bluetooth?” The few (powerful) reasons are:

1. FREETALK requires no driver installations. Freetalk is plug & play. Plug it in, wait for Mac OS or Windows to recognize it, and about 20 seconds later you are off to the races.
2. FREETALK achieves better than 30 feet of range. Our system’s wireless audio coding gives you a few more meters than BT can at the same transmit power. Just try it. You’ll get 35-40 feet in most conditions, and up to 60 feet in very clean RF interference & obstacle environments.
3. FREETALK gives you high fidelity stereo audio & wideband voice!!! The Freetalk headset natively supports 48 kHz uncompressed stereo audio to the headset, and 16 kHz wideband voice from the headset’s mic…. wait for it… at the same time. Boom. (Gamers rejoice - use it for World of Warcraft, Ventrillo, you name it) You have to hear it to believe it. With BT, you’re required to use a different profile (A2DP), which does not support simultanous usage of the microphone, AND it compresses the hell out of the audio using a very crude compression scheme called SBC (sub-band coding). About as clean as 96 kbps mp3 in best cases.
4. FREETALK costs less. Don’t even get me started.

Anyways, let’s hear about what you think. Check it out, and report back here. I’m pretty sure you’ll be asking straight-away, “why hasn’t this existed before?”

HONG KONG — So for those who can put 2 and 2 and 4 together, it may not come as a suprise that I work for a company called Avnera. I’ve not mentioned it before since we’ve been in “stealth” mode, which has its advantages, no doubt. But it’s also a good thing when the story does get out, and that has begun as we issue our first press release and make some early product announcements with some of our early customers… customers whose products have been much discussed here at Alive Matters. Namely the RF-WHTIB from Rocketfish and the AWD210 from Acoustic Research.

Here’s a list of public information and press coverage of our company and products:

• Official company press release
• “Wireless audio from startup eliminates media room snakes” by Mike Rogoway, The Oregonian
• “Wireless audio wit..out th.. dr..o..p out” by Chris Nuttal, Financial Times
• “Beyond Bluetooth: Manpreet Khaira’s new company cuts the cables” by Aliza Earnshaw, Portland Business Journal
• “Startup tries proprietary path to wireless HiFi” by R. Colin Johnson, EETimes
• “Wireless Speakers: Sound at last?” by Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com
• Photo full-monty on CNET
• Coverage of coverage: “Stirring the wireless stew” on Interconnects
• Coverage of coverage: “Avnera comes out of stealth mode” on OregonStartups
• Coverage of coverage: “Avnera’s backers include new Oregon VC fund” on The Silicon Forest Blog

Additional coverage will be seeping out over the coming days, and most folks around Avnera are happy to be able to tell their families what the late hours have been about for the past 3.5 years.

It’s kinda funny to read how our meticulously crafted and technically-precise pitch has been interpreted and relayed to the masses. The craft of stroytelling and reporting is one I’ve grown up understanding from my father, who was a journalist by training and throughout most his life, lived with the spirit of storytelling. But as a technically-minded, detail-oriented person — who from day two has been continuously tasked with helping craft our “story” — to see what happens as the meat passes through a writer/critic’s gray-matter is a minor roller coaster. But overall, I am gratified that the core of our message has penetrated through. Our technology comes from a fundamentally sound, grounds-up systems-based approach to problem solving, and delivers a wireless audio solution that is robust and easy to use, and probably most important, affordable enough to enable true, mass-market applications. Premium performance, at mainstream prices. That’s why we’ve been able to raise $40+ Million, all on a positive-slope valuation curve, and enable a diversified set of early customer applications. There are still kinks in these muscles as we continue to “get warm”, and there will be growing pains, as anyone with startup experience knows, but it’s been an exciting adventure for a gadget guy who definitely shares the meaty grin of one of our founders, Chris O’Connor (pictured in today’s local rag, captured at the right).

Personally, I look forward to being able to share more about our progress and our technology. If detailed answers are what you seek, or if you wish to design with Avnera, contact corporate via the web. If you’re an interested tech-geek or general consumer, chime in on threads here at Alive Matters, if it’s fit to print, and I don’t smell a rat, you’ll get the most accurate take on matters that I am at liberty to discuss. And again, this blog is not officially affiliated with Avnera, and it will always be my intention to blog what I can and should. And it follows, that whatever opinions I express are strictly my own.

The covers have been taken off our first two product lines, but there is much more to come, so stay tuned…