CES 2009: Netgear Shows Entertainment, Storage Devices

By Colleen Bohen -- TWICE, January 8, 2009

Vivek Pathela, VP and general manager of Netgear’s home and consumer products division during the company’s press conference.

Las Vegas — Netgear is showing a collection of new networking devices, entertainment-related products and storage solutions here at International CES.

“Home networking and wireless Internet long ago passed from being a luxury and have become an integral part of any home, just like television and electricity. Console and PC online gaming, broadband video streaming and Internet voice services are among the applications that are driving the development of home networking products to deliver faster speeds over greater distances,” said Patrick Lo, founder/CEO of Netgear in a release. “And while the TV continues to be the centerpiece of the home, around which the family gathers, in the last two years a growing number of people [have begun] sourcing the content they watch from the Internet, truly a radical shift in behavior.”

To recognize that change, Lo said Netgear has developed new products “that will make it easier to enjoy Internet video — and other digital content such as photos, music and games — to the TV in the living room, and to share, store and manage content that’s available on the home network.”

Netgear is launching its next generation of wireless routers, each of which it said will meet the needs of different customer segments. Its new routers include the RangeMax dual band wireless-N gigabit router (WNDR3700), the RangeMax dual band wireless-N modem router (DGND3300) and the 3G Mobile Broadband wireless router (MBR624GU). All three devices will be available in the first quarter at respective suggested retail prices of $179, $169 and $129. Each are backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support.

According to the company, the new wireless router and modem offer high speeds, range, security and energy efficiency for consumers looking to upgrade their networks to take advantage of the “growing number of bandwidth-hungry applications, online gaming and high-definition video streaming.” It said the 3G Mobile Broadband wireless router is targeted at people interested in sharing their 3G broadband Internet access while on the go.

Also new this year will be Netgear’s introduction of a network-based parental-control service for select wireless-N routers and gateways, which it will bow in partnership with OpenDNS. The service will allow parents to restrict access to certain Web sites, filter inappropriate content and establish time limits for Internet use. It is said to save the user from having to install and manage traditional parental control software applications on each computer, instead this service would allow the parent to set the controls once on the router and protect all the PCs attached to the home network.

On the entertainment side, Netgear is unveiling its Internet TV player (ITV2000), a plug-and-play Internet set-top device designed to make it easier for users to view Internet video on their TV without the use of a PC. It is expected to be available this summer at a suggested $199.

Also new on the entertainment side is the Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150), a digital media player featuring an integrated 500GB hard drive that can be upgraded to provide even more storage. The company said the device will allow the user to play “Blu-ray quality” video. It will be available in February for $399.

Finally, on the storage side, Netgear is introducing its ReadyNAS Pro Pioneer Edition (RNDP600E), the newest member of its ReadyNAS line.

For more information, visit Netgear’s booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall 3, booth # 30769.