CES 2017 Press Center For High-End Audio By Enjoy the Music.com
Linkplay Makes It Easier to Build Wi-Fi Speakers With Amazon Alexa

  What is Linkplay? They create the Wi-Fi ecosystem that links content streaming partners to audio brands. They also provide a complete Wi-Fi audio solution that includes, software, Wi-Fi modules and content integration in one central app so you can focus on building the latest innovative Wi-Fi enabled speakers for your consumers. The DAC chip currently supported via firmware the Wolfson WM8918 / WM8960 for 24-bit/96kHz sound quality.

Linkplay is excited to introduce "Powered by Linkplay," a turn-key audio solution that comes with an Alexa Voice Service (AVS) integration. With "Powered by Linkplay," OEMs now have a quick and cost-effective way to launch Wi-Fi speaker products with Amazon Alexa.

Linkplay Technology, a leading Wi-Fi audio solution provider, is proud to be one of the first audio platforms approved for integration with Alexa Voice Service for hands-free voice recognition capabilities with its Wi-Fi audio platform. The smart audio solution provides AVS integration, global streaming music content integration, app and cloud development, and multi-room speaker capabilities.

The initial product incorporating the hands-free technology is Linkplay customer, Omaker with the WoW portable speaker. It is one of five Powered by Linkplay AVS certified speakers being demonstrated at CES Unveiled and in suite 30-121 in the Venetian Hotel, during CES January 5-8, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV. WoW will be available exclusively through Amazon.com starting in mid-to-late January.

"We are thrilled to be one of the first companies approved for integration with AVS for both push to talk and hands-free voice recognition speaker technology, enabling our customers to launch products more quickly, at a fraction of the cost," said Jade Wu, chief business officer, Linkplay. "Alexa Voice Service is creating a new category within the speaker industry and we are capitalizing on that innovation, bringing this solution to numerous manufacturers and ODMs."

To bring this solution to life, Linkplay utilized Conexant's 2 microphone solution with Sensory's Alexa wake word technology. The integration with AVS makes it simple, cost effective, and fast for speaker manufacturers and ODMS to bring devices with hands-free capabilities to their customers. Optimizing far field technology, the Alexa wake word can be activated from several meters away, anywhere in the room - even if the music is playing or people are talking.

How it Works
Linkplay makes it possible for speakers to be wireless and hands-free with consumers simply asking Alexa, through multiple Wi-Fi speakers, to play their favorite music, turn on the lights in the living room, provide news, traffic and weather reports, set alarms, and even order food.

As it relates to music specifically, Linkplay's hardware and software speaker solution provides access to millions of songs through services such as Amazon Music, Audible, TuneIn and iHeartRadio, Spotify, TIDAL, Napster, and many others and operates with AirPlay, DLNA, Spotify Connect, and QPlay protocols, making it seamless for companies to bring music to their devices.

Specializing in interruption-free music streaming from any iOS or Android device to speakers over a Wi-Fi network, Linkplay's solution eliminates the need to connect a phone to the speakers, allowing users to stream music without interference from calls or texts.

In addition, Linkplay's features include a holistic audio package with customized hardware, firmware, mobile app and cloud server for OTA and Amazon Alexa (with wake-up mode). Also, the platform offers multi-channel wireless stereo pairing, as well as left and right channel playback on two or more Wi-Fi speakers simultaneously. The multi-source functionality supports audio streaming from the cloud, NAS, local music (from phone or tablet), USB disk/TF card or third party app and offers support for AUX-in, SD/USB, and Bluetooth re-transmission to multi-room via Wi-Fi.

Where to Experience WoW
Media may drop by CES Unveiled, table 129 on January 3rd at the Mandalay Bay Hotel or schedule a meeting in our suite at the Venetian Hotel to receive a demonstration.

About Linkplay
Linkplay Technology, headquartered in Silicon Valley, CA, was founded by a global team of hardware and software engineers, business executives, and wireless audio experts. Linkplay's patent-pending technology is a turn-key Wi-Fi audio platform with global streaming music content integration, app and cloud development for speaker brands and ODMs. Technology partners include original design manufacturers (ODMs), component suppliers and key technology investors.

The built-in Alexa experience allows customers to ask Alexa for weather reports, traffic updates, Flash Briefings, and to play their favorite music. Linkplay also gives manufacturers the ability to offer end users access to a range of streaming music providers, including Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify, TIDAL, Napster, and more. Best of all, "Powered by Linkplay" makes it easy to pair multiple speakers together to play music throughout the home.

OEMs that use the Linkplay audio solution to power their speaker products also gain access to thousands of Alexa skills, new features and capabilities through regular AVS API updates, and smart home controls with partners such as Philips Hue, Belkin Wemo, SmartThings, Insteon, and Wink.

LinkPlay Wireless Smart Audio Module (A28) Features
2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n with highly optimized Wi-Fiperformance
10/100Mbps Ethernet
Internet audio streaming via Apple AirPlay or DLNA
Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Tidal, Tune in and many more ...
TCP/IP/UDP/HTTP/UPNP protocol
Play-list with M3U, M3U8, WPL,ASX, PLS formats
MP3/WMA/AAC/AAC+/ALAC/FLAC/APE/WAV etc. audio formats
STA/AP/AP Client mode
Ethernet, UART and USB2.0 interfaces
Digital audio input and output via I2S interface
Built-in web server to easily configure the module
Support remote control of module via WLAN
Online firmware upgrade
Module configuration via iOS or AndroidAPP
Wi-Fi UART pass-through or self-defined MCU/UART interface
Multi-room audio (a.k.a, party mode) and multi-channel audio with time synchronization
Support most popular streaming services around the world
Provide iOS, Android and PC SDK and applications to work with the module

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