NETGEAR Introduces Digital Entertainer Live, Compact All-in-One Set-top Box for Playing Home Media and Streaming Internet Video on HDTVs
NEWS RELEASE
NETGEAR
Introduces Digital Entertainer Live, Compact All-in-One Set-top Box for Playing
Home Media and Streaming Internet Video on HDTVs
Plays Movies, Videos, Music and Photos from USB Drives, Computers
and Network Attached Storage;
Accesses YouTube, International IPTV channels and more
SYDNEY, Australia — September 9, 2009 — NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM:
NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking
solutions, today launched the newest Internet-connected set-top box in its popular
“Digital Entertainer” videos and a wide
range of other Internet content on big-screen TVs. Rather than having to watch
downloaded movies and online videos on small computer screens, families can now
enjoy media collections stored on USB storage devices, computers and network
storage directly on their HDTVs, from the comfort of their couch.Ôproduct
family. The new Digital Entertainer Live (EVA2000) is an easy-to-use and
affordable Internet set-top box that enables viewers to play their digital
media collections, YouTube
In addition to personal media collections and YouTube, consumers can now easily
browse, download and play content from a wide variety of Internet sources and
international IPTV specialty channels. The Digital Entertainer Live incorporates
all of these functions into a single compact player, an advantage for cluttered
home entertainment cabinets.
“People are amassing a huge amount of their own downloaded and personal digital
music, photos, and videos, as well as consuming more and more Internet video.
Some people have even maxed out their personal computers with content,
requiring external storage,” said Ryan Parker, NETGEAR's managing director of
Australia and New Zealand. “According to comScore’s Video Metrix service,
between January 2007 and July 2009, there was a 331 percent jump in the number
of minutes of video watched per average viewer per month. It went from 2 hours,
31 minutes to 8 hours, 20 minutes.”
He added, “The vast majority of people are still watching these videos on small
computer screens. The EVA2000 frees this content from the confines of a
computer screen and makes it easy to share with family and friends on an HDTV.
YouTube, the second largest search engine in the world, BBC, for those expats
feeling a bit homesick, and on-demand movies can now all be watched on the big
screen at home. NETGEAR is offering an affordable, content-rich, and
easy-to-set-up and -use solution that bridges this gap and enables people to
fully enjoy their home media collections and online video from popular Internet
sites on the best screen in their home — their big-screen TVs.”
The Digital Entertainer Live — Product Features
The Digital Entertainer Live is a compact, “plug in and go” home media player
with a simple remote control that enables consumers to easily access their
digital movies, videos, music and photos directly from their USB storage
devices and watch them on their TV. Users need only plug a USB hard drive
containing digital media content into one of two USB 2.0 ports on the Digital
Entertainer Live and connect the Digital Entertainer Live to their HDTV using
an HDMI or composite cable. The Digital Entertainer Live also features regular
RCA jacks for connecting to older analog TVs.
Furthermore, with its integrated network port, the Digital Entertainer Live
easily makes an Ethernet wired connection to the Internet and the home network,
enabling access to digital media content stored on computers and network
storage devices in the home network, as well as Internet content over the web.
If consumers do not have an Ethernet connection available near their TV, they
can use the optional Digital Entertainer Live Wireless USB Adapter (EVAW111)
that connects the Digital Entertainer Live to the Internet and the home network
via Wi-Fi®. Alternatively, they can use existing electrical power outlets and a
powerline device, such as NETGEAR’s Home Theater Internet Connection Kit
(XAVB1004), to connect the Digital Entertainer Live to the Internet and the
home network.
By connecting the Digital Entertainer Live to a broadband Internet connection,
consumers enjoy the full YouTube experience — searching, browsing and watching
millions of videos with access to subscriptions, playlists, country selections,
categories and channels — all without the need for a computer. Instead of
huddling around a small computer screen to watch the latest funny video,
consumers can now show it on their TV for everyone to enjoy.
To widen the search for Internet video content, the Digital Entertainer Live is
shipped with a built-in Internet video search engine that can locate videos on
the entire worldwide web. The Digital Entertainer Live performs dynamic keyword
searches of more than a hundred thousand websites for Internet videos without
needing a computer. The search feature yields dynamic results with each letter
inputted and automatically categorises popular subjects into easy-to-find
folders.
The Digital Entertainer Live also supports pay-per-view movies on-demand, where
users can buy or rent hundreds of newly released movies as soon as they are
available on DVD and watch them in minutes. Consumers no longer have to wait
for the mail or drive to the nearest rental store. They simply browse all the
movies on their TV and download them to a USB storage device using their
Digital Entertainer Live and Roxio/CinemaNow account.
Additionally, the Digital Entertainer Live includes a free trial of VuNowTM, which provides access to hundreds of
other Internet videos, live Internet TV and live Internet radio streamed from
popular sites from around the world, such as Bloomberg, CNN Video, C-SPAN,
ESPN, Germany’s 2DF, Al Jazeera, BBC Worldwide, China’s CCTV, Germany’s DWTV,
Euronews, EuroSport, France 24, France’s Orange Sport, Germany’s RTL, and Sky
News. The Digital Entertainer Live also comes with a free trial of PlayOnTM software.
By running this optional software on a computer also connected to the Internet
and home network, users enjoy hit TV shows and movies from popular Internet
video services such as Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, BBC iPlayer, CBS, NFL,
the Australian Broadcasting Corp. and more, wherever the service is normally
available via the Internet.
Pricing and Availability
Backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support, the NETGEAR Digital
Entertainer Live (EVA2000) will be available in Australia by mid-October
through leading retailers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers at an
MSRP of $249.99.
Product details, instructional videos and other information are at http://www.delive.netgear.com.
Product photos can be downloaded from: http://www.netgear.com/Products/Entertainment/DigitalMediaPlayers/EVA2000.aspx
- Ends -
About NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) designs innovative, branded technology solutions that
address the specific networking, storage, and security needs of Small- to
Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) and home users. The company offers an end-to-end
networking product portfolio to enable users to share Internet access,
peripherals, files, multimedia content, and applications among multiple
computers and other Internet-enabled devices. Products are built on a variety
of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus
on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 29,000 retail
locations around the globe, and via more than 41,000 value-added resellers. The
company’s headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25
countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available at
http://www.netgear.com.au
or by calling +61 2 8117 6800. Follow NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR
and http://www.facebook.com/netgear.
Media Contacts:
Stephanie Ryan | Spectrum Communications | +61 2 9954 3299 | stephanier@spectrumcomms.com.au
Richelle Gillett | Spectrum Communications | +61 2 9954 3299 | richelleg@spectrumcomms.com.au
©2009 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR and
the NETGEAR logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in
the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names
are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.
Note: Actual data throughput will vary from maximum signal rates stipulated.
Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network
traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower
actual data throughput rate.
VuNow service will be free for trial period and thereafter subject to paid
annual subscriptions. The term of the trial period may be found at the Digital
Entertainer Live product site located within www.netgear.com/vunow. The VuNow
service will be subject to acceptance of the terms of the VuNow service and
license agreement.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995 for NETGEAR, Inc.:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements
concerning NETGEAR’s business and the expected performance characteristics,
specifications, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback
and market position of NETGEAR’s products and technology are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on
management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price,
performance and ease of use of NETGEAR’s products may not meet the price,
performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may
be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products
may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new
viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of
security features in NETGEAR’s products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and
sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products;
and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further
information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its
business are detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and
uncertainties listed in the section entitled “Part II - Item 1A. Risk Factors,”
pages 35 through 49, in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal second quarter ended June 28, 2009, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on August 6, 2009. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to
release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained
herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect
the occurrence of unanticipated events.
