NETGEAR and Orb Networks Extend Digital Home to Mobile Consumers Around the World

NETGEAR and Orb Networks Extend Digital Home to Mobile Consumers Around the World

Partnership Provides Digitally Connected Home With Even More Personal Networking Flexibility; Spontaneous Access to Live TV, Music, Video, Photos Anywhere in the World

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- NETGEAR(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically advanced, branded networking products, and Orb Networks, Inc., a leading developer of streaming media software and services, are teaming to deliver a breakthrough service that provides a simple way for consumers to view, hear and control all kinds of their digital content from virtually any Internet-enabled device, anywhere in the world. Using NETGEAR's line of wireless home networking solutions and Orb's service, customers can stream their live television, music, videos, photos and other digital content to any device that can connect to the Internet such as a cell phone, PDA, or notebook from everywhere they are connected.

NETGEAR already enables consumers to bring digital content beyond their PCs to play wirelessly on stereos and televisions in their living rooms or anywhere else on the home network by utilizing the Digital Music Player (MP101) and the Digital Media Player (MP115). By teaming with Orb Networks, customers will now be able to enjoy their digital content beyond the home network, and play it on any Internet-enabled device, anywhere in the world.

Orb Networks' subscription-based media software will be included on CDs shipped with NETGEAR's routers to complete this digital connection for the consumer. In addition, consumers will be able to download the software from the Internet, with availability expected in early 2005. All the user needs to do is install the software and within minutes they will be able to stream their digital home media to their Internet-enabled devices across the globe. Orb's service is available starting at just $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year for the first user. Additional users per account (up to five) start at $3.99 per month/per user or $29.99 per year/per user.

Consumers are accumulating a vast array of content as is evident by the rapid growth in nearly all digital media markets. One of the challenges people face is figuring out a fast and easy solution to access their digital content which is stored on their home PC and from a mobile device or location outside the home. The partnership between Orb Networks and NETGEAR gives consumers an extremely flexible solution to extend the digitally connected home. NETGEAR's ultra-fast wireless routers provide users a simple, yet powerful and reliable way to stream digital content outside the home wherever there is Internet access.

"NETGEAR prides itself on driving the adoption of home networking by bringing the most innovative solutions to the connected home," said Vivek Pathela, senior director of product management and marketing for consumer & residential products. "In step with proving the best possible networking and internet connectivity solutions, NETGEAR also wants to deliver the latest digital entertainment services that can take advantage of our super-fast wireless networking. Consumers want constant and spontaneous access to their digital content everywhere and that is exactly what Orb and NETGEAR are delivering."

Orb Networks new technology is based upon its elegant, robust and scalable Orb Architecture. A user simply opens a Web browser on any device, logs-in and selects what they want to view or hear from their personal library. Orb's technology takes care of the rest. Orb's technology determines the best format, codec, bit rate, display capabilities, and network bandwidth available for a particular cell phone, PDA or laptop to view or hear the content. The media is streamed securely and directly from the user's home PC to the user's device to provide fast mobile media access.

"The driving force behind wireless technology is the content you can access," said James Behrens, CEO, Orb Networks. "Before now, the options for consumers to be connected to their digital media were very limited. Today, the possibilities are limitless. With robust networking products from NETGEAR combined with Orb's streaming media solutions, consumers never have to be away from the digital content they care about most. Together, these solutions provide streaming access to their digital media wherever they may be."

In a separate press release issued yesterday, Orb Networks introduced Orb Media 1.0 at the 2005 International CES tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada. Orb's first product introduction marks a breakthrough in streaming digital media services. Using any Web browser, Orb provides a simple, intuitive interface to the user's content located on their home PC or on the Internet allowing users to create their own "personal media portal." Users can now see their home videos, listen to their favorite songs, or watch live TV on virtually any of their Internet-connected devices. By removing the complexity and limitations of many of today's digital entertainment products and services, Orb's software architecture leverages the best features of today's popular standards while abiding by current digital rights management solutions.

About Orb Networks, Inc.

Orb Networks delivers powerful mobile services for the fast growing wireless industry. Orb Networks is the first developer of streaming media software and services giving people spontaneous access to digital home media -- any kind, at any time, from any location in the world. The groundbreaking Orb Architecture allows users to access music, live television, videos, photos and other digital content from any device that can connect to the Internet, such as a cell phone, PDA, or notebook. Orb Networks develops, licenses and markets its services in partnership with leading content providers/creators, wireless carriers, electronic distributors and consumer electronic companies. As an active participant in the issues affecting digital media, Orb Networks is a member of both the Digital Media Association (DiMA) and the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Orb Networks is a privately held company located in Union City, Calif. For more information about Orb Networks, please visit http://www.orb.com/ .

NOTE: Orb and the Orb logo are trademarks of Orb Networks, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

About NETGEAR(R), Inc.

NETGEAR(R) designs technologically advanced, branded networking products that address the specific needs of small and medium business and home users. The company's suite of over 100 products enables users to share Internet access, peripherals, files, digital multimedia content and applications among multiple personal computers and other Internet-enabled devices. NETGEAR is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.netgear.com or call 408-907-8000.

NOTE: 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.

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 the NETGEAR and Orb Networks business relationship, and use of NETGEAR products with Orb software and the expected performance characteristics, specifications, availability, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses and user feedback 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 and the Orb software may not met the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers, the performance of NETGEAR's products and the Orb software may be adversely affected by real world conditions, the ability of NETGEAR to successfully incorporate the Orb technology into its products and timely release such products for general availability, 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 "Risk Factors Affecting Future Results," pages 15 through 22, in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended October 3, 2004, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 17, 2004. 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.


Source: NETGEAR, Inc.

CONTACT: Jeff Urquhart of Voce Communications, Inc., +1-650-228-5181, or
jurquhart@vocecomm.com; or Doug Hagan of NETGEAR Inc., +1-408-907-8053, or
doug.hagan@netgear.com

Web site: http://www.netgear.com/

Web site: http://www.orb.com/


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