ALPINE UNVEILS INDUSTRY-FIRST GLIDETOUCH TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA CONNECTIVITY WITH 2005 SWINGFACE CD HEAD UNITS

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 6, 2005 -- Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. today introduced its new line up of 2005 SwingFace™ in-dash CD receivers featuring an industry first for user control with the introduction of their proprietary GlideTouch™ technology. The new receivers combine this new Human-to-Machine Interface (HMI) with superior options for digital media performance.

GlideTouch is a revolutionary change to the standard head unit interface bringing PC “touch pad” technology to in-dash units for faster and easier navigation through large digital media content like MP3/WMA on CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW, iPod and Satellite Radio. Marrying a linear layout touch pad with new on-screen graphical icons improves the unit’s at-a-glance usability.

GlideTouch is a small horizontal strip located on the lower front of the in-dash head unit replacing traditional preset buttons. Fashioned similarly to a silicon rubber touch pad on a laptop computer, it recognizes the pressure and speed of the user’s fingertip to provide an easy interface with sources. Users slide their finger across the slim bar and press directly on the bar to make a selection, in the same manner as making a selection with a preset button.

Alpine’s top-of-the-line SwingFace CD head units are the CDA-9855, CDA-9853 and CDA-9851. The SwingFace units feature a detachable front panel that swings down for access to the CD loading slot. The CDA-9855 comes with multicolor RGB illumination and a premium BioLite™ display, providing a much wider viewing angle than conventional displays and outstanding visibility, even in harsh daylight. The new GlideTouch technology is available on both the CDA-9855 and CDA-9853. All Alpine 2005 head unit power ratings are compliant to the CEA-2006 power specification.

All the SwingFace head units are compatible with today’s digital music files. For satellite radio fans, Alpine lets consumers choose between Sirius or XM Satellite Radio service; all Ai-NET head units work with either product. The new 2005 Alpine Ai-NET head units display the word “XM” or “Sirius” as a source on the faceplate, depending on the provider chosen by the consumer.

The SwingFace units represent the second generation of Alpine head units that are Ready for iPod. With the KCA-420i Interface Adapter for iPod ($100), users can control iPod playback using the head unit's front panel buttons or remote and view song information (playlist, artist, album and/or song name) on the display. The iPod is recognized as a dedicated source on the head units. On the CDA-9855, the iPod, and other audio sources, are represented via easily recognizable icons on the display.

Alpine's SwingFace units also all have built-in MP3/WMA playback featuring a 32-bit processor-driven transport to ensure highest quality playback of files recorded on today's ultra-fast computers.

To make navigating through large iPod/MP3/WMA libraries easier, Alpine's head units feature a simplified user interface called Quick Search™ that enables users to navigate through playlists, folders, files and channels with simple, easy-to-use controls. Alpine's exclusive MediaXpander™ technology restores lost detail to compressed digital media, bringing essence and life back to the music as the artist had originally intended.

Additionally, the SwingFace units are compatible with steering wheel remote controls, making it possible for consumers to connect with some of their favorite in-vehicle conveniences. A separate vehicle-specific interface box, made by third-party manufacturers, is required.

“Alpine’s 2005 SwingFace units are ready for anything: satellite radio, iPod or steering wheel remote use,” said Stephen Witt, vice president of brand marketing for Alpine Electronics. “Consumers will benefit from the flexibility and personalization that these units offer.”

The 2005 SwingFace units are customizable with Alpine's exclusive i-Personalize™ menu key. With i-Personalize, users can modify the head unit's Bass Engine™ sound tuning, RGB lighting, amplifier control and other set up features through one button on the receiver's face. i-Personalize enables drivers to select from 512 color options for the LED illumination, allowing them to match their head unit lighting to the dash or even to their mood.

The CDA-9855 and CDA-9853 models also feature Alpine’s exclusive Amplifier Link™ technology, which enables drivers to control up to eight 4-channel or mono amplifiers directly through the head unit. Using the KCE-511M Amplifier Link interface box ($50), amplifier status, such as temperature, voltage and fan indications, can be displayed on the head unit.

The 2005 Alpine SwingFace head units are available through authorized Alpine Electronics dealers.

The CDA-9855 and CDA-9853 models also feature Alpine’s exclusive Amplifier Link™ technology, which enables drivers to control up to eight 4-channel or mono amplifiers directly through the head unit. Using the KCE-511M Amplifier Link interface box ($50), amplifier status, such as temperature, voltage and fan indications, can be displayed on the head unit.

-marc