CSR Makes It Cheaper to Get an MP3

CSR, a provider of personal wireless technologies, announced today the launch of BlueCore Player, a low-cost Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player with voice controls.

BlueCore Player is based off CSR’s BlueCore5-Multimedia Silicon, and integrates Sensory’s fifth-generation speech recognition software FluentSoft to implement voice controls. Because Bluetooth devices are too small for graphical interfaces and because large buttons are often unwieldy and cumbersome, the use of voice controls is expected to make BlueCore particularly user-friendly.

"Bluetooth mono and stereo headsets are decreasing in size," Anthony Murray, senior vice president of CSR’s Wireless Audio Strategic Business Unit, said in a press release.  "And speech recognition overcomes the challenges faced by a more limited user interface. Sensory announced in September that it will provide CSR with speech recognition chips and software for their Bluetooth devices. 

Bluetooth has, according to Tracy Hopkins, vice president of CSR’s Consumer Business Unit, become a marketing draw for MP3 players. And according to Sensory CEO Todd Mozer, speech recognition relieves certain constraints in form factor and user interface.  "Our FluentSoft Bluetooth Suite ported to the popular BlueCore5-Multimedia unleashes designers’ creativity to add custom features, and deliver a user experience that was not possible before," he said. 

Besides FluentSoft’s speaker-independent voice controls, BlueCore Player also includes Sensory’s SX speech synthesis, which enables real-time voice prompts and confirmations, answers to status queries (such as network connectivity or battery power) and provides help guidance on operating the device.

Ultimately, the cheap, easy adaptable BlueCore Player is geared towards designers that want to quickly productize a cheap, reliable Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player.