News:
Monday July 6, 8:59 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Diamond Multimedia Launches New Business Unit to
Develop Home Networking Solutions
Diamond to Add Wireless Networking, SOHO Routing and XDSL Products
to Award-Winning Communications Solutions
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 6, 1998-- Diamond Multimedia Systems Inc.
(NASDAQ:DIMD - news), a leader in interactive multimedia acceleration, today announced
formation of the company's new home networking business unit focused on providing
state-of-the-art technology that will enable consumers to easily network PCs in the home or small
office.
This new business unit will be developing solutions in new product categories, including wireless
LAN and home gateway/router, that are complementary to the company's analog and DSL modem
technologies.
''Our new home networking business unit will be developing a variety of new connectivity and
communications products targeted at the home consumer and SOHO markets,'' said Jim Cady, vice
president and general manager of Diamond Multimedia's Communications Division.
''These product categories will expand Diamond's product offerings beyond our existing Supra
modem brand. We are excited about using our existing channels and shelf space to tap the potential
of the home networking market.''
Households with Multiple PCs are Increasing
According to Dataquest, a leading industry research firm, more than 15 million homes currently have
two or more PCs, and the number is expected to more than double in the next two years. With
state-of-the-art home networking technology, PC home users can share Internet access, share
peripherals such as printers, scanners and digital cameras and participate in multi-player games.
Industry observers foresee the home networking and home connectivity market reaching several
billion dollars in size within the next five years.
''This is a major market opportunity for Diamond and we plan to be a major player,'' said Bill
Schroeder, president and CEO of Diamond Multimedia.
''We are actively working with several industry partners to ensure that we have a winning home
networking product line. This is as an ideal way to leverage our modem brand, market share,
communications technology, channels and support infrastructures.''
The new home networking business unit is based at Diamond Multimedia's Communications
Division, located in Vancouver, Wash. Diamond anticipates the home networking business unit's first
product announcements to be made, and first customer shipments to begin, later in the third quarter
of 1998.
About Diamond Multimedia
Diamond Multimedia is driving the interactive multimedia market by providing advanced solutions for
home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and
experience compelling new media content from their desktops and through the Internet.
Diamond accelerates multimedia from the Internet to the hard drive with products that include the
Stealth and Viper(R) series of media accelerators, the Monster series of entertainment 3-D and
sound accelerators, the Fire series of professional 3-D and SCSI accelerators, and the Supra(R)
series of modems.
Diamond's co |
