All items in category Industry News
Fraunhofer’s xHE-AAC Audio Codec Software Extends Native AAC Support In Android P For Better Quality At Low Bitrates
by Joao Martins

Fraunhofer’s xHE-AAC Audio Codec Software Extends Native AAC Support In Android P For Better Quality At Low Bitrates

With the release of the Android P beta 3 preview, Fraunhofer IIS announces a new version of the popular FDK library which has been a part of Android since 2012. The FDK2 version will bring several new technologies to Android OEMs, service providers and developers, including xHE-AAC for video and music delivery down to 12kbit/s for stereo sound and MPEG-D DRC dynamic range control for better listening in noisy environments. An important update for a very fragmented platform.
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Sennheiser Wireless Now Dante Domain Manager Ready
by audioXpress Staff

Sennheiser Wireless Now Dante Domain Manager Ready

At InfoComm 2018, Sennheiser has announced that its industry-standard wireless microphone systems such as the new evolution wireless G4, SpeechLine Digital Wireless, Digital 6000 and Digital 9000 are now compatible with Audinate’s Dante Domain Manager (DDM) for a fully integrated audio networking solution. The upgrade is provided free of charge via firmware updates to Sennheiser’s SL DI 4 XLR Dante interface, the EM 6000 DANTE microphone receiver and EM 9046 DAN Dante card for the Digital 9000 wireless microphone system.
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Avid Delivers Live Immersive Audio Solutions for Avid Venue S6L at InfoComm 2018
by audioXpress Staff

Avid Delivers Live Immersive Audio Solutions for Avid Venue S6L at InfoComm 2018

At InfoComm 2018, the immersive audio, 3D audio, spatial audio demonstrations - call it what you will - where certainly one of the highlights. At the Las Vegas show, Avid announced that development partners Flux::, d&b audiotechnik, and L-Acoustics have each integrated their immersive sound processing solutions with the company's Venue S6L live sound system. All were part of the demonstrations, which obviously demand a tight integration with mixing automation.
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Alexa and Amazon Echo Are Now Available in France
by audioXpress Staff

Alexa and Amazon Echo Are Now Available in France

Amazon announced that Alexa and Echo are now available in France and speaking French. Additionally, developers around the world have created skills and Alexa-enabled devices for French users, including leading brands like Marmiton, franceinfo, Netatmo, Legrand, La Fourchette, Philips Hue, Uber, Domino’s Pizza, TP-Link and more. Device makers like Boulanger, Sowee, Harman Kardon, Sonos, Ultimate Ears, Netgem, Archos and more are also introducing Alexa-enabled devices for French-speaking users.
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HyperX Ships 5 Million Gaming Headsets - Fortnite and Esports Popularity Drives Gaming Headset Growth
by audioXpress Staff

HyperX Ships 5 Million Gaming Headsets - Fortnite and Esports Popularity Drives Gaming Headset Growth

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, announced it has shipped 5 million gaming headsets. The milestone was reached thanks to the growing popularity of recent video games like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) and an expansion of eSports, a multiplayer form of organized competitions. While the gaming headset market continues to grow at a rapid pace, HyperX continues to gain market share. HyperX gaming headsets are worn by gamers globally, including first-time players and "professional" gamers.
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Apple Announces New Software Updates and Confirms Dolby Atmos Support on Apple TV 4K
by audioXpress Staff

Apple Announces New Software Updates and Confirms Dolby Atmos Support on Apple TV 4K

During its WWDC 2018 keynote presentation in San Jose, CA, Apple announced a whole new generation of operating system updates for its platforms, with iOS 12, macOS 10.14 Mojave, tvOS 12, and watchOS 5. Among the many new technologies and functionalities, Apple confirmed that its Apple TV 4K hardware platform will get Dolby Atmos immersive audio support. Apple announced enhancements to its FaceTime communication solution, now allowing Group FaceTime, for up to 32 iPhone, iPad and Mac owners to participate in a video conference call simultaneously.
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Yandex and Fraunhofer IIS Team Up To Bring Russian-Speaking Smart Speaker To Market
by audioXpress Staff

Yandex and Fraunhofer IIS Team Up To Bring Russian-Speaking Smart Speaker To Market

Yandex, a Russian technology company that builds intelligent products and services powered by machine learning, has incorporated Fraunhofer’s upHear Voice Quality Enhancement technology into its first smart speaker, enabling the device to accurately hear voice commands issued from anywhere in a room. This is the first smart speaker powered by Alice, the first virtual assistant designed to serve the needs of Russian users, which was initially offered in Yandex’s iOS and Android apps.
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IFA 2018 Set for Growth Connecting the Global Technology Ecosystem
by audioXpress Staff

IFA 2018 Set for Growth Connecting the Global Technology Ecosystem

IFA is the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. It will take place at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds (ExpoCenter City) from 31 August to 5 September 2018. Alongside the event, IFA Global Markets will take place from 2 to 5 September at Station Berlin, bringing together buyers and OEMs / ODMs at Europe’s largest sourcing show for the electronics sector. IFA NEXT, the innovation platform, will feature a much greater display area, theme days, and an even higher international attendance.
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USB-IF Publishes HID Standard for Braille Displays
by audioXpress Staff

USB-IF Publishes HID Standard for Braille Displays

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, announced a USB HID (Human Interface Device) standard for braille displays, representing a collaborative step toward greater technological accessibility for people who are blind or have low vision. The announcement of the new standard was the result of a collaboration effort between Apple and Microsoft, and will improve accessibility for blind or low-vision users across different operating systems and hardware.
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EBU and Fraunhofer IIS Conducted Live MPEG-H Audio Production Trial at Eurovision Song Contest 2018
by audioXpress Staff

EBU and Fraunhofer IIS Conducted Live MPEG-H Audio Production Trial at Eurovision Song Contest 2018

The European Broadcasting Union EBU and Fraunhofer IIS have successfully conducted the first trial for live production of immersive and interactive sound using the MPEG-H TV Audio System at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Lisbon, Portugal. For the trial, the Fraunhofer sound engineers installed a height dimension to the impressive microphone setup in the Altice Arena, enabling them to produce an immersive and personalized audio mix live. Broadcasters and sound experts present at the venue could experience the enveloping and interactive MPEG-H sound.
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