NETGEAR Introduces New Solutions at Consumer Electronics Show To Enable Any Media on Any Screen, Anywhere at Any time
CES Innovations Award Double-Winner Highlights New Routers, Home Media Servers and Players, and Powerline Networking Solutions to Improve Entertainment Experience
LAS VEGAS — January 6, 2010 — NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, is introducing its newest award-winning products at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week. NETGEAR will demonstrate new solutions in the areas of wireless and mobile networking, entertainment and storage to enable consumers to maximise the enjoyment of their HD digital media, anytime, anywhere, and on any screen. NETGEAR is introducing these new products and other emerging technology solutions at two press events today in conjunction with the official opening of CES.
Continuing the NETGEAR legacy of innovation, the company is a double-honoree in the CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Award program that recognises the industry’s hottest product categories. Winners in the Home Networking category are NETGEAR Stora™ (MS2110), a home media storage server, and the NETGEAR Wireless-N 300 Router with DSL Modem – Mobile Broadband Edition (DGN2200M), which integrates 802.11n Wireless, ADSL2+ and 3G/4G/WiMAX for dual WAN capability with failover protection.
“Many of the new products introduced at CES are increasingly connected not only to the Internet, but also to each other to improve the consumer’s entertainment experience. However, for these devices to connect to each other, it’s essential to have the right network in place to deliver faster speeds over larger areas and with greater reliability,” said Patrick Lo, founder and CEO of NETGEAR. “Like plumbing and electricity, the network has become a basic, must-have utility. NETGEAR provides the essential technology for networks to run efficiently – and we do it better than anyone.”
CES conference attendees will have an opportunity to hear David Henry, NETGEAR’s senior director for home/consumer product marketing, participate in a panel session at the Digital Hollywood@CES conference. The discussion on Saturday, January 9, will center on “Inventing TV 2.0: Broadband Enriches Channelised Content; Defining the Set-Top Box, Streaming Media Adapter, Downloadable Consumer Experience.”
NEW PRODUCTS FOR MEDIA STREAMING AND STORAGE
NETGEAR offers a broad variety of products tailored to the needs of modern, digitally networked consumers. These include Internet-connected set-top boxes, home media storage servers, and various devices that connect people to the Internet and their digital media both inside and outside the home.
The centrepiece of NETGEAR’s press events at CES is the CES Innovations Award-winning NETGEAR Stora ™ (MS2110) , an easy-to-use home media storage server that provides consumers with anytime, anywhere access to their digital media on any screen. Stora enables customers to access, back up and centralise photos, music, movies and files using nearly any network device, including laptops, Macs®, PCs, smartphones, gaming consoles, networked Blu-ray™ players and HDTVs. A smooth and powerful user interface for both local and remote users unleashes home network content for use on nearly any device, at home or away. Music and photos can be shared with TVs, game consoles and even digital photo frames connected across the Internet. Full 1080p HD, Blu-ray streams can be viewed via Internet-connected set-top boxes such as NETGEAR Digital Entertainers. DLNA certification means new devices can join the party at any time. NETGEAR Stora comes with a 1 TB disk and one extra drive bay that can be used to insert an optional disk for mirroring. NETGEAR will introduce a 2 TB version of this award-winning product soon. Product details, instructional videos, photos and other information are available at http://www.netgear.com.au/au/Product/Storage/NETGEAR-Stora/MS2110 (AU) or http://www.netgear.co.nz/nz/Product/Storage/NETGEAR-Stora/MS2110 (NZ).
With the launch of the Digital Entertainer Express (EVA9100) at CES, NETGEAR is also expanding its family of award-winning digital media players, which already includes the Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150) and Digital Entertainer Live (EVA2000). The Digital Entertainer Express is a powerful and flexible digital media player that enables serious media enthusiasts to easily enjoy and seamlessly stream personal digital media collections and Internet content over home networks to HDTVs. The unique technology of the Digital Entertainer Express enables consumers to seamlessly stream M2TS via pre-buffering and play Blu-ray quality digital video up to 1080p. They can also play MP3, multichannel WAV and FLAC files and high-resolution digital photos from PCs, Macs® or Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, such as the NETGEAR Stora and ReadyNAS®. Consumers can also enjoy Internet content, such as Internet radio (over 250 stations), Flickr™, RSS feeds and videos from popular websites. (See today’s press release, “NETGEAR Expands Family of Award-Winning Digital Media Players with Introduction of Digital Entertainer Express” at http://www.netgear.com/About/PressReleases/en-US/2010/20100105d.aspx).
WIRELESS NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HOMES AND SMALL BUSINESSES
Connecting the seemingly endless variety of network-enabled devices for productivity and entertainment in the home requires a wireless network infrastructure that provides range, security, reliability, speed and stability of connections. At CES, NETGEAR is debuting three new full-featured Wireless-N routers which share many outstanding features: Live Parental Controls and content filtering to protect any device on the network; multiple SSID capability for setting up guest networks; Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI), VPN (Virtual Private Network) pass-through and Denial of Service protection; automatic Quality of Service for reliable video, voice and gaming; a broadband usage meter; and energy-saving on/off switches for both power and Wi-Fi®.
Two of the new routers are compatible with high-speed 3G/4G/WiMAX cellular networks and can be used as a primary Internet connection in situations where no connection to a DSL, cable, fibre, or satellite network exists, making them ideal for mobile professionals, emergency response teams, construction crews, satellite offices and rural locations. By plugging an external 3G/4G/WiMAX modem into the new 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Wireless-N Router (MBRN3000), customers can quickly set up a fixed or mobile Wi-Fi hotspot virtually anytime, anywhere, with the ability to share a single high-speed cellular subscription with multiple Wi-Fi enabled devices such as a PC, iPhone™, iPod Touch®, PSP®, etc.
The CES Innovations Award-winning Wireless-N 300 Router with DSL Modem – Mobile Broadband Edition (DGN2200M) offers dual Wide Area Network (WAN) options for Internet access: to a DSL network via a built-in ADSL2+ modem and to a high-speed cellular network via an external 3G/4G/WiMAX USB modem. It is the first wireless-N router in the retail market to offer customers an automatic DSL-to-3G/4G/WiMAX cellular failover feature in case of a DSL outage — ideal for small businesses that need a reliable backup Internet connection with zero downtime. See today’s press release, “NETGEAR Introduces New Wireless Routers to Connect to High-Speed 3G/4G/WiMAX Cellular Networks, with Unparalleled Features and Proven Worldwide Performance” at http://www.netgear.com/About/PressReleases/en-US/2010/20100105b.aspx.
In addition to the two new mobile broadband wireless routers, NETGEAR is launching the Wireless-N 300 Router with DSL Modem (DGN2200) for consumers and small businesses. It unites 802.11n wireless and high-speed access to DSL broadband via an integrated ADSL2+ modem. It offers the same outstanding features as the Wireless-N 300 Router with DSL Modem – Mobile Broadband Edition (DGN2200M) but does not offer a cellular connection for failover — for many customers, a DSL broadband connection is sufficient for their networking needs. The Wireless-N 300 Router with DSL Modem (DGN2200) will be available for a MSRP in the U.S. of $129. Australia and New Zealand availability and RRPs are to be confirmed. Photos and other information are at http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/WirelessNRoutersandGateways/DGN2200.aspx.
BRIDGES, SWITCHES AND EXTENDERS FOR CONNECTING NETWORK-ENABLED DEVICES
NETGEAR solves the challenge of distributing high quality, full HD throughout the home by developing products — wireless routers and bridges, powerline devices, and Ethernet switches — that provide customers with the appropriate network infrastructure. NETGEAR is the only networking company that offers the full range of in-home distribution technologies to the retail and service provider markets, including powerline, coax and wireless.
Powerline networking technology enables customers to use existing electrical power outlets to connect to the Internet rather than running unsightly Ethernet cables. In conjunction with CES, NETGEAR is expanding its award-winning family of powerline solutions with two new kits that feature up to 200 Mbps performance, ideal for supporting high-performance applications such as HD video streaming, Voice over IP (VoIP), Internet gaming, and large file transfers to networked devices. The NETGEAR Powerline 200 AV Adapter Kit (XAVB2001) is up to 50 percent smaller than competing products and utilises the latest in powerline design and technology to offer throughput and speeds up to 20 percent better than competing solutions over extended locations. Its sister product, the NETGEAR Powerline 200 AV+ Adapter Kit (XAVB2501) , offers the same performance and design benefits, but also includes a unique filtered power socket for “pass-through” capability. Both devices incorporate HomePlug AV®-certified powerline technology, so can easily and affordably extend any existing HomePlug AV network. See today’s press release, “NETGEAR Plugs Two Powerful New HomePlug AV Powerline Networking Kits into Product Line-up at the Consumer Electronics Show” at http://www.netgear.com/About/PressReleases/en-US/2010/20100105c.aspx.
This spring, NETGEAR is bringing to market its first 5-port AV switch for home networks. The new 5-port Home Theater and Gaming Network Switch (GS605AV) connects networked TVs, TiVO®, DVRs, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and cable/satellite set-top boxes to the home network and the Internet at Gigabit speeds. Capable of streaming full HD video up to 1080p, it prioritises and optimises performance of the Internet connection to enhance networked video, digital music and latency-free online gaming such as YouTube™, Hulu™, iTunes® and Xbox® . Consumers can easily assign priority to each connected device by selecting the appropriate color-coded port. Energy-efficiency features include an automatic power-down mode when ports are not in use, as well as an automatic detection of the cable length to adjust power usage. The NETGEAR 5-port Home Theater and Gaming Network Switch (GS605AV) will be available in the U.S. in March 2010 via leading retailers, direct marketers, e-commerce sites, and value-added resellers. Australia and New Zealand availability and RRPs are to be confirmed. More information is at http://www.netgear.com/Products/Switches/DesktopSwitches/GS605av.aspx.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENHANCING THE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE
At CES, NETGEAR is also demonstrating the newest and most innovative technologies that it is incorporating into new digital entertainment and connectivity products to be introduced to the market in 2010.
Enhancing SD to Near-HD
There has been an explosion in digital media, and online video viewing is more popular than ever. However, the quality of the majority of these online, user-generated videos is often sadly deficient. NETGEAR is incorporating new technologies into its products that transform standard-definition videos into near HD quality by enhancing contrasts and color, and reducing the graininess, mosquito noise and block artifacts.
Maintaining HD Quality over the Internet
A major challenge to playing HD videos from the Internet to the TV through the home router is the speed of the end-to-end broadband connection, since it is often limited and unpredictable. NETGEAR is incorporating new technology into upcoming products that can recover lost video packets that often occur over poor Internet connections, to make sure that the HD quality is retained. This technology can expand the bandwidth up to three times to support the bit streams that are needed for HD video.
Overcoming Challenges to Wireless Signal Strength
In the spring, NETGEAR will release a carrier-grade Wireless-N bridge that supercharges the existing home network to deliver multiple, jitter-free HD video and audio streams wirelessly throughout the home. The Wireless-N bridge connects to Ethernet-enabled home theatre devices such as gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, TiVo HD, Slingbox™ , Internet TVs, Apple® TV, NETGEAR Digital Entertainer products, NETGEAR Stora and more, to reliably stream HD-quality video from the network, Internet, or from an IPTV service provider. It combines 4×4 multiple-input, multiple-out (MIMO) antenna signal processing, real-time spectrum analysis and dynamic digital beamforming, in addition to using a low-interference 5GHz frequency band. It is designed to overcome the common problems of wireless signal strength and quality associated with areas of the home that are notoriously difficult to reach, often due to building construction materials such as stone or brick walls. Consumers can simply use the high performance bridge to avoid installing expensive structured wiring and running Ethernet cables.
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 27,000 retail locations around the globe, and via more than 37,000 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 or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR and http://www.facebook.com/netgear.
©2010 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo and NETGEAR Stora are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Blu-ray is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disk Alliance. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.
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, reliability, 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 36 through 50, in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal third quarter ended September 27, 2009, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 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.