Advanced Audio Technologies Coupled with Intelligent Wireless
   Speaker and Smart Voice Communication Technologies Bridge the
   Multiple Worlds of PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, Android Phones
             and Tablets with a Simple Elegant Device

SINGAPORE, May 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Technology Ltd
today announced the Sound BlasterAxx(TM), a whole new generation of
Sound Blaster and a new genre of audio device that the world has not
seen before. Specially designed and engineered to meet the audacious
demand for simplicity and coolness by a whole new generation of
networked mobile device users, the Sound BlasterAxx shifts to a new
paradigm of literally producing great sound and becoming a great
listener of sound while keeping everything amazingly simple. The sound
produced by the flagship Sound BlasterAxx, a unique one-piece elegantly
designed hexagonal device, simply blows people away, and yet
mind-bogglingly, no power adapter is required.

Besides seamlessly supporting PCs and Macs, the Sound BlasterAxx is
also designed to work intelligently with smart devices including the
iPhone, iPad, Android phones and Android tablets, providing the best of
all worlds. The Sound BlasterAxx leverages Creative's vast audio
engineering expertise to provide best-in-class audio playback for
music, movies, games and voice communications. To support the
intelligent audio applications on these smart mobile devices, the Sound
BlasterAxx also features advanced Bluetooth wireless audio connectivity
and a high-quality dual-microphone array.

"After selling 400 Million Sound Blasters, I was staring at a
mega-irony that few realized -- they all don't make sound! It was
probably due to the hassle of installing Sound Blaster inside the PC;
can you imagine the horror if one needs to further install some
speakers inside? Today we face a whole new generation of users, who
have busy and fast-paced lifestyles. They demand elegant, simple and
hassle-free solutions. My ultimate challenge was how to design a whole
new Sound Blaster for them. Sound BlasterAxx ushers in a whole new
generation of Sound Blaster and marks a paradigm shift for the brand --
for the first time ever, we have created a Sound Blaster that not only
produces awesome audio, it actually listens to you and your audio
environment. This paradigm shift unlocks a whole new world of useful
and exciting applications," said Creative Chairman and CEO Sim Wong
Hoo, creator of the Sound Blaster.

"Sound BlasterAxx provides absolute freedom, total control and
convenience from just a touch on their mobile devices, enabling users
to completely customize their listening experience for music, movies
and games. We have designed it to also deliver stunning voice quality
with smartphone and Skype hands-free calls through adaptive
communication technologies that can cancel ambient noise and focusing
the microphone-array for accurate voice pick-up. If you like, you may
even change your voice when calling others," continued Sim. "Plus it's
amazingly simple to use! Installation is as easy as inserting a USB
dongle -- just simply insert-and-go, nothing else! And it requires
virtually no power -- in fact, I've banned the unwieldy power adapter
together with its cable and plugs! This not only saves money for the
users, it's a small but meaningful contribution towards saving the
environment. Audio has never been so simple, so elegant, so fun, so
engaging, so dramatic and so magical..."

The Sound BlasterAxx stands above the rest in appearance as well as
performance. Elegantly designed in the form of a hexagonal tower with
backlit capacitive touch controls, it allows users to access key
functions at a touch. The Sound BlasterAxx utilizes a unique
patent-pending "stacked stereo" speaker design that incorporates
two-speaker drivers angled to provide stereo separation. When combined
with SBX Pro Studio Surround technology, it delivers awesome
room-filling sound from a compact one-piece device powered by only the
tiny USB current. Specialized circuitry enables very low power
consumption but large amplified power output from a PC or Mac USB
connection. This all-in-one design eliminates the need for a
two-speaker system with all the messy wiring, microphones and wires,
and the unwieldy power adaptors along with their plugs and cables.

The Sound BlasterAxx also works standalone when used with mobile
devices. It can then be powered by any certified simple USB power
adaptor.

The Sound BlasterAxx is powered by the new SB-Axx1(TM) (Sound Blaster
"Axxelerated" multi-core audio processor chip) which inherited all the
desired features and technologies of the legendary Sound Blaster
series, and boosted by an array of additional technologies and features
to tackle the challenges of the new market defined by the new mobile
networked generation. This means that for the first time, a single
audio enhancement solution bridges every major audio and communication
platform and network; for example the PC world, Mac world, Mobile
world, Tablet world, the Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth, the PSTN system, the
LAN, the WAN, etc. Each of these worlds has its own unique complex
requirements.

Since the SB-Axx1(TM) chip is so powerful, flexible and programmable,
it is able to adapt quickly and seamlessly to any new audio scenario in
these multi-faceted and connected worlds.

With an astounding suite of audio technologies in the SB-Axx1 chip,
Sound BlasterAxx delivers dramatic enhancements to two of our
fundamental daily activities in the intricate new world of audio:
LISTENING and TALKING. These technologies include:

SBX Pro Studio(TM) enhances the world of LISTENING with Awesome
Playback:

The fully customizable SBX Pro Studio(TM) set of technologies
dramatically improves audio playback for music, movies and games --
delivering unprecedented levels of personal audio realism from a
compact one-piece device.


  --  SBX Crystalizer(TM) - Enhances audio for music and movies by restoring
      details in the high and low frequencies
  --  SBX Surround(TM) - Delivers an immersive personal surround sound
      experience
  --  SBX Smart Volume(TM) - Solves the problem of abrupt volume level changes
      in music, movies and games by intelligently applying gain and
      attenuation to deliver consistent volume levels; includes Night Mode(TM)
      to reduce the impact of explosions and bursts of sound so as not to
      disturb others after hours
  --  SBX Dialog Plus(TM) - Enhances the intricacy of the human voice in
      movies and games, allowing the listener to hear the dialog clearly
  --  SBX Bass(TM) - Fills in the missing low frequency tones and gives that
      'extra punch' for a better entertainment experience




CrystalVoice(TM) Technology enhances the world of TALKING and
Communication with crystal-clear hands-free voice and video conference
calls:

The Sound BlasterAxx design also integrates a high-quality
dual-microphone array which leverages SBX CrystalVoice(TM) technology
to dramatically improve voice quality for hands-free phone calls or
video-conferencing calls. Voice Focus ensures precisely targeted voice
pick-up, while Noise Reduction enables clear conversations without
background noise interference. Smart Volume gives users the freedom to
walk around a room during phone conversations while the listener
experiences clear, consistent volume levels.


  --  Acoustic Echo Cancellation - Eliminates the echoes in a hands-free
      conference call
  --  Noise Reduction - Enables the person speaking to be heard clearly over
      background noise by constantly monitoring the environment, eliminating
      unwanted noise that interferes with the conversation
  --  Smart Volume - Automatically adjusts the loudness of a voice to maintain
      a consistent volume level. This makes it convenient for the speaker to
      converse normally, regardless of whether the speaker is close to, or far
      away from the microphone
  --  Voice Focus -- Envelopes the user in an audio shield that blocks out
      unwanted voices or noises, enabling only the user's voice to be heard
      clearly
  --  VoiceFX(TM) - Enables the alteration of the user's voice with a variety
      of effects: create interesting accents, or enable someone to sound like
      a completely different person, such as changing one's voice from male to
      female, or monster, or robot, and much more




The whole suite of technologies on the Sound BlasterAxx can be
controlled from the PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets.
Sound BlasterAxx Control Panel lets users fully customize and control
their audio experience from a PC or Mac. The Creative Central app lets
users do the same from an iPhone, iPad, Android phone and tablet --
with a newfound wireless convenience.

In a nutshell, Sound BlasterAxx makes the two fundamental activities of
TALKING and LISTENING simple again.

About the Sound BlasterAxx Series

The Sound BlasterAxx will be introduced in three models: the SBX 20 and
SBX 10, which are Bluetooth wireless-enabled, and the SBX 8, which will
connect to a PC or Mac via USB for use on a desktop.

Sound BlasterAxx SBX 20

Premium Wireless Sound BlasterAxx for Smart Devices


  --  Works wirelessly with Bluetooth-enabled devices
  --  Application support for iOS, Android, PC and Mac
  --  Innovative acoustic ID utilizes a stacked stereo design that directs
      sound to fill the room
  --  Voice Focus with dual-microphone array
  --  Premium speakerphone encompassing noise reduction and voice focusing
      technologies to improve communications
  --  Hardware-accelerated SBX Pro Studio and CrystalVoice technology
  --  Control buttons embedded in a backlit touch-sensitive panel
  --  Aux-In connectivity for wired connection to audio playback devices
  --  410 x 91 mm form factor




Sound BlasterAxx is also available in the following models:

Sound BlasterAxx SBX 10

Best-in-Class Wireless Sound BlasterAxx for Smart Devices, PC and Mac


  --  This model incorporates all functions of the SBX 20, except it is
      smaller in size




Sound BlasterAxx SBX 8

Ultra-portable Sound BlasterAxx for PC and Mac


  --  Smaller in size than the SBX 10 and is designed to be the perfect
      companion for PC and Mac




Pricing and Availability

The Sound BlasterAxx SBX 20, priced at US$199.99, will be available in
Aug 2012. The Sound BlasterAxx SBX 10, priced at US$149.99, and the
Sound BlasterAxx SBX 8, priced at US$99.99 will be available in July
2012.

For more information about the Sound BlasterAxx, visit
soundblaster.com.

Phil O'Shaughnessy

VP Corporate Communications

Creative Labs, Inc.

408-546-6773

poshaughnessy@creative.com

Creative is a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products.
Famous for its Sound Blaster(R) sound cards and for launching the
multimedia revolution, Creative is now driving digital entertainment on
the PC platform with products like its highly acclaimed ZEN(R) MP3 and
portable media players. Creative's innovative hardware, proprietary
technology, applications and services leverage the Internet, enabling
consumers to experience high-quality digital entertainment - anytime,
anywhere.

This information was brought to you by Cision
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The following files are available for download:


  [Image]       PS-SBX20 Front               
  [Image]       PS-SBX20 Touch Controls