BIOS: Technology Means Business

Amidst the myriad consumer electronics brands - new and old - exhibiting at next year’s CES, Commodore International roars into the future from its storied past to unveil its first US domestic product offerings for B2B and B2C segments.

One of personal computing’s pioneers, the resurgent Commodore brand will showcase the Commodore Multimedia Tower, Commodore MediaBox and the Commodore Navigator at next year’s convention.

‘We are excited to be launching our initial offerings at next year’s CES,’ stated Ben van Wijhe, President & CEO, Commodore International Corp. ‘We expect our Tower, MediaBox and Navigator to both advance and uphold the world-class quality of yesteryear’s Commodore products. Never before has a brand come out of hibernation and truly reinvented itself to position competitively in an ever-evolving digital media marketplace.’

The Commodore brand will debut at the 2006 International CES with the Multimedia Tower. Forging digital music, mobile phone ringtones, games and wallpapers, this single store-friendly kiosk makes it possible for customers to walk up and download different types of legal digital media to portable devices.

Designed to be housed in retail environments, the media dispenser calls upon a database of music media featuring libraries from major music labels to bring an ‘unparalleled list’ of top titles accessible via an easy-to-navigate user interface. The integrated card reader allows the user to complete their transaction and start enjoying their media. Available in a single stand-alone unit or a special wall unit with three or more dispensers, the Multimedia Tower is compatible with most mobile phones and MP3 players worldwide.

Commodore’s MediaBox is a complete all-in-one home entertainment set. The device is not only a hard disk recorder but features such options as playing videos, music and photos on television. The unit also enables you to use a wide range of services via television, including but not limited to music downloads, ringtones, games, video on demand and photo printing service.

The MediaBox is equipped with a digital TV tuner that can record programs on its 80GB hard disk drive. Its Internet connection allows you to watch thousands of video streams, including thematic channels, sports, events, concerts and movie trailers. The remote MediaBox server updates weekly with new content streams.

Finally, Commodore’s Navigator is a multifunctional portable GPS device running on the Windows CE platform. The Navigator not only keeps one from getting lost but it also keeps one entertained en route, thanks to a 20GB hard disk drive and multiple functionality that includes loading, storing and playing a variety of audio and video files. Claiming to be both reliable and easy to operate, its 3.6-inch touchscreen operates in either day or night mode and uses both 2D and 3D images to tell you where you are and how to get where you’re going. Readouts show current location, distance to destination, speed, estimated time of arrival and what to do next to make it all happen.

Instructions are given vocally in your choice of 18 different languages, using speakers or headset. You can choose between car and cycling mode to find the most efficient route for your situation. As a music and video device, the Navigator looks like the perfect travelling companion. It is capable of MP3 decoding and plays both MP3 and WMA audio files. The device is also DRM9 compatible for the legal downloading of music files and it plays both MPEG and DivX video files.

In case you’re too young to remember, Commodore was originally founded as the first company that offered an affordable home computer to the masses. It first launched the $300 VIC 20 colour computer in 1981 and the Commodore 64, the best-selling computer in history, just one year later. In 1985, Commodore bought Amiga and introduced the world’s first multimedia computer, the amazing Amiga 1000. In addition to its staple of video games, the Commodore 64 and Amiga 1000 set the standard for cost-conscious computing throughout the 1980s.

For more information on Commodore products and downloads, go to www.commodoreworld.com.