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The Broadnow TV tuner is the first product in Matsushitas new category of Broadband TVs that will allow consumers to experience high-quality video, music and other content distributed through broadband networks such as fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and ADSL, with remote control of video recording via email. MontaVista Software will be displaying the Panasonic Broadnow at its booth (# 2210) at the Embedded Systems Conference, April 23-25, 2003, in San Francisco, at the Moscone Center.
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With the rapidly growing use of ADSL and other broadband services, especially in Japan, new broadband content services and new categories of information appliances such as Matsushitas Broadnow TV tuner are emerging in consumer markets, offering consumers new entertainment options in their homes. Consumers in Japan, for example, will now be able to use a convenient remote control unit to easily navigate and select broadband broadcasting program guides from the On TV Japan BB service for video content or iM Radio service for radio programs. Broadnow incorporates a tuner for the reception of TV broadcasting services and a hard drive, enabling time-shift viewing and use of electronic program guides. Broadnow can be connected to the Internet 24 hours a day so owners can select and record TV programs any time through their mobile phone. This function is called preprogrammed recording by e-mail.
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Broadnow, essentially an advanced Set-top Box (STB), can be connected to a broadband router, hub, or TV broadcasting antenna. It includes an electronic TV program guide using the G-GUIDE mode for analog broadcasting, which enables simple recording of TV programs. TV programs can be recorded to Broadnows internal hard disk drive and retrieved with ease through a simple and intuitive on-screen menu.
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We are delighted that MontaVista Linux was chosen by one of the world leading electronics manufacturers, Panasonic, and is being used in Broadnow, one of the most advanced consumer electronics products in the world, said Hitoshi Arima, vice president, Japan Sales, MontaVista Software, Inc. Linux in consumer electronics has tremendous momentum and MontaVista Software enables companies like Panasonic to bring complex, breakthrough consumer products to market extremely rapidly. Our focus on market needs combined with rapid, continuous development leveraging the Open Source community is helping us to achieve our aim of making MontaVista Linux the de facto open standard for embedded development.
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About MontaVista Linux Consumer Electronics Edition
Last month, MontaVista Software released MontaVista Linux® Consumer Electronics Edition 3.0 (CEE) the first quality Linux operating system and cross-development environment specifically designed for consumer electronics applications such as mobile phones, digital televisions, set-top boxes and automotive telematics. CEE enhances Linux with dynamic power management, rich consumer-focused networking support and consumer-grade reliability. It is designed specifically to address the needs of consumer electronics device manufacturers.
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Surging Industry Adoption
Hundreds of consumer electronics products are already in development using MontaVista Linux, including mobile phones, PDAs, advanced remote controls, high definition televisions (HDTV), PVRs, set-top boxes, digital receivers, automotive telematics, musical instruments, gaming machines and karaoke systems. Recently, Sony and NEC released new consumer products built on MontaVista Linux. Several leading manufacturers such as Motorola are also currently building next generation mobile phones based on MontaVista Linux. Companies such as Netherlands-based Zintec Holding and Araneo in Israel have chosen MontaVista Linux for their digital television market products. Several MontaVista customers have already started development of devices based on MontaVista Linux Consumer Electronics Edition 3.0.
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Availability
The new Broadband TV tuner is available now exclusively in the Japanese market through PanaSense a Web-based shopping site run by Matsushita Network Marketing Co., Ltd. MontaVista Linux Consumer Electronics Edition is available from MontaVista Software and the companys sales and distribution channels worldwide. It is offered as a product subscription, providing customers with the MontaVista Linux kernel, utilities, development tools, software updates, access to the MontaVista Zone and full technical support.
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About MontaVista Software
MontaVista Software is a leading global supplier of systems software for intelligent connected devices and associated infrastructure. MontaVista powers the embedded revolution by providing GNU/Linux-based open-source software solutions. Founded in 1999 by real-time operating system (RTOS) pioneer James Ready, MontaVista offers a family of products under the MontaVista Linux umbrella that address broad-based software developer needs encompassing applications ranging from communications infrastructure to consumer electronics. Multiple editions of MontaVista Linux are available including Professional, Consumer Electronics and Carrier Grade along with complementary technology products providing powerful Java and graphics development capabilities.
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Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Sunnyvale, Calif., MontaVista Software is a privately held company funded by leading investors such as Alloy Ventures, US Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, WR Hambrecht + Co., IBM, Intel Capital, Sony, Panasonic (Matsushita), Toshiba America and Yamaha Corporation. For more information about MontaVista Software, please visit http://www.mvista.com.
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MontaVista is a registered trademark of MontaVista Software, Inc., MontaVista Software is a trademark of MontaVista Software, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. The registered trademark Linux is used pursuant to a sublicense from the Linux Mark Institute, the exclusive licensee of Linus Torvalds owner of the mark on a world-wide basis. All other names mentioned herein are trademarks, registered trademarks, and service marks of their respective owners.
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Contacts:
Joe Samagond,
Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications,
MontaVista Software, Inc.,
Phone: (408) 328-9234,
E-mail: jsamagond@mvista.com
Patricia Colby,
PR Strategy and Business Development,
Pacifico, Inc.,
Phone: (408) 293 8600 x340,
E-mail: pcolby@pacifico.com
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Link: mvista.com
Category:
- Linux
