Douglas, Thanks. What about that Seagate. They own a good chunk of VRTS, they buy Xiotech and look at their move at the other end of the line.............
Seagate Makes Investment in Metabyte Networks, Licenses Its MbTV Software Suite
to Develop New Consumer Electronic Devices [CUBE involvement??]
Seagate Continues to Execute Its Consumer Solutions Strategy by Investing In Leading
Developer of Personalized Television Products and Licensing Software
For Consumer Electronics Devices
SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Seagate Technology Inc. (NYSE:
SEG), the world's #1 disc drive supplier for the consumer and personal video recorder
(PVR) market, announced today a minority investment in Metabyte Networks, a leading
developer of personalized television products, and a licensing agreement to utilize its
MbTV(TM) software suite. MbTV software is used in consumer electronics devices,
enabling these devices to learn viewers' television viewing tastes, create viewer profiles,
and deliver television content tailored to the preferences of the viewer. SeaStream(TM),
the open standard created by Seagate, is integrated into MbTV in order to control the
disc drive recording device, optimizing the delivery of video streams and managing
acoustic and power levels. Seagate's investment in Metabyte Networks and licensing of
its MbTV software suite is a result of the two companies' co-development relationship
over the past year and their mutual goals in the consumer electronics market.
"As Seagate continues to execute against its consumer strategy, we will invest in
companies like Metabyte Networks that will help advance Seagate's leadership in the
consumer electronics market," said Seagate President and Chief Executive Officer Steve
Luczo. "By licensing their MbTV software suite, Seagate becomes the first disc drive
supplier to have this unique software that enables personalized television products.
Without pre-disclosing competitive information, we plan to fully utilize this technology in
order to increase our marketshare leadership in the PVR marketplace."
"Metabyte Networks is pleased that Seagate is expanding its relationship with MbTV,"
said Manu Mehta, president and CEO of Metabyte Networks, Inc. "With Seagate
joining us as a strategic partner, we can provide today's busy television viewers with a
resource that saves them time and increases their enjoyment of watching television."
Hard disc drives in home electronics can deliver entirely new levels of ease-of-use to the
consumer. Much of the difficult configuration and management required by such home
electronics as VCRs is automated through products using SeaStream-enabled hard
drives to record programming. Viewers also benefit when using home electronics with
SeaStream technology by being able to simultaneously manage multiple streams of
audio, video, and Internet content as well as adapt the operating characteristics of the
home entertainment device to its environment. A single SeaStream-enabled home
entertainment device could simultaneously record several channels of television
programming, play a movie, download CD-quality music from the Internet, and host a
game of "Star Wars(TM) Episode I Racer" on a video game console.
MbTV's unique technology automatically learns its viewers' television watching tastes
without any user intervention and creates personalized profiles that can be used to
provide a variety of services. It can automatically recommend, record and delete
desirable programs based on viewers' television watching tastes on a one way
broadcast stream. The artificial intelligence built into MbTV automatically identifies
multiple viewers in a household without requiring them to log in. MbTV does not
manage a viewer's privacy, but protects their privacy 100%, as it does not require any
data to be transmitted from the viewer's home.
Seagate Technology, Inc. is a leading provider of technology and products enabling
people to store, access, and manage information. The Company is committed to
providing best-in-class products to help people get information when, where and how
they want it. Seagate is the world's largest manufacturer of disc drives, magnetic discs
and read-write heads, an innovator in tape drives, and a leading developer of Business
Intelligence software. Seagate can be found around the globe and at
seagate.com . For automated news, stock and financial information by
phone, dial toll-free 877-SEG-NYSE. Outside the U.S. and Canada, dial
760-704-4368.
Metabyte Networks, Inc. develops software for personalized television products
ranging from digital VCRs to targeted advertising, personalized TV portals and
personalized data broadcasting. MbTV integrates with the existing infrastructure and its
business model complements, not competes with the MSOs. Thompson and others are
investors in Metabyte Networks, Inc. Metabyte has strategic partnerships with
C-Cube Microsystems, and offers its MbTV products for Microsoft TV, the
client software member of the Microsoft TV Platform Adaptation Kit
(Microsoft TVPAK).
This press release includes forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the
"safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to,
decreased product demand and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's
Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Actual results may differ materially from
management expectations.
NOTE: Seagate and Seagate Technology are registered trademarks of Seagate
Technology, Inc. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Seagate Technology, Inc.
CO: Seagate Technology, Inc.; Metabyte Networks, Inc. |
