Netgear and Orb Networks Team Up for Digital Mobility

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.orb.com/aboutUs/press,19' target='_blank'>http://www.orb.com/aboutUs/press,19</a><br /><br /></div><i>"NETGEAR, 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. "</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050106-Orb.jpg" /><br /><br />Netgear and Orb Networks have teamed up to deliver a streaming service for mobile users. This partnership can now enable users of Netgear's wireless digital solutions to extend these wireless streaming capabilities outside of the home network and instead make use of them on any internet-enabled device - Pocket PCs included! Orb Networks claims that they are able to analyse the state of the remote connection to determine the most optimal service available for the user. Streaming is done over a secure connection. You don't have to be a Netgear user to take advantage of this service though. Other partnerships with <a href="http://www.orb.com/aboutUs/press,17">Pinnacle Systems</a> and <a href="http://www.orb.com/aboutUs/press,16">Creative</a> have also been forged, yet anyone can test the service out. Simply register at <a href="http://www.orb.com/">Orb Networks</a> for a taste of it. Note that it's still a new concept so I'd expect more "open" support in coming months. With this year's CES now up and running, this technology is being heavily promoted at the show. Expect other innovative concepts to follow. ;-)

[PoweriPaq]

Can't this be done the same way with Windows Media Encoder 9.0 and stream a recorded WMV or live TV, and Radio? I don't understand why you would want to stream photos on your pocket pc when you can have photos on your SD or CF card and much faster to access.

I don't see the practicallity of this. I went to their website to give it a try, but it only works with Windows Media Center OS. I don't think there's a lot of people out there that uses Windows Media Center OS.

[snap]

I'm in what's probably a fairly small group that has a Media Center PC and mobile devices with Windows Mobile 10. I've been trying out Orb and overall its pretty interesting. Watching live cable television on a mobile device is pretty cool. Services and/or systems(see slingbox) like this also essentially give you a portable music player player that's as "big" as your PC hard drive is. As higher-speed wireless networks become even more pervasive, things are going to get even better (but you be surprised how well TV streams at under 100Kbs).

[Darius Wey]

I don't see the practicallity of this. I went to their website to give it a try, but it only works with Windows Media Center OS. I don't think there's a lot of people out there that uses Windows Media Center OS.

As I said, it's still very much a new service being offered by Orb. If you watched Gates' CES Keynote speech, you will agree that connectivity is a big thing these days, and will certainly continue well into the future. Orb is hoping to unify devices out there and achieve mass connectivity thus making access of services on-the-go an easy task, not an arduous one. Whilst there are other services out there that offer streaming solutions (as you suggested), this is just another service that does the job, and in a sense, may simplify it for the new user.