TELECOMS & MOBILE
Geo brings audio, video to new Intel chip
16-01-2001
by Aoidin Scully
Israel-based video solution provider, Geo Interactive, has announced that it will co-operate with Intel to enable video and audio for Intel's new Xscale chip.
The Intel Xscale microarchitecture, introduced in July as a successor to the StrongARM chip, maintains low power consumption while providing high performance. Geo has developed an optimised video code of its patented Emblaze Wireless client technology for the Xsclae, which will enable streaming of MPEG-4 video over all generations of mobile networks (2G, 2.5G and 3G) and over IP networks.
"The Xscale has much improved power management features. It is targeted directly at mobile devices. Our technology enables video and audio for such devices. The release means that Geo and Intel will actually co-operate to optimise our technology for audio and video to work with the Xscale chip," said Eli Reifman, Chief Executive Officer of Geo.
Geo claims the new microarchitecture will provide significant new user benefits for the rapidly growing mobile wireless device marketplace.
The Xscale chip's ability to provide longer battery life, and higher processing power, means it's better suited to support the delivery of multimedia content, such as news and sports highlights, live remote monitoring and surveillance and gaming.
"Leading companies like Geo demonstrate the commitment of the industry to the Intel Xscale microarchitecture. Geo's Emblaze technology, using the Xscale microarchitecture and the Intel Integrated Performance Primitives, will offer wireless device manufacturers new capabilities," said Mark Casey, Director of Marketing for Intel's Handheld Computing Division.
The Intel Integrated Performance Primitives are a software library consisting of highly optimised functions for the development of advanced multimedia applications. The library includes core functionality for complex signal processing, image manipulation, matrix math operations, and key building blocks for enhanced multimedia functions such as MP3, MPEG4, and H.263.
Last November, Geo signed an agreement with Hollywood.com, on-line entertainment portal, for the distribution and delivery of video clips over GSM and CDMA wireless networks using Emblaze. In October, Geo, with Samsung, unveiled a commercial MPEG4 streaming video mobile phone based on the Emblaze A2 video ASIC chip.
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