Gateway Announces Media Center PC
Reprinted from a Gateway press release:
Leading the way in providing comprehensive digital media solutions, Gateway, Inc. (NYSE: GTW) today announced the Gateway(R) Media Center PC, featuring the new Gateway 42-inch plasma TV and digital display. In addition, the company announced its plans to unveil a Gateway Tablet PC later this year.
Based on Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, the Gateway Media Center PC brings together a host of digital media experiences on one platform, including TV viewing, television recording, digital music, digital video, digital photography and DVD. A significant advancement for the digital media enthusiast at home, the Gateway Media Center PC is also ideal in schools as an integrated and cost-effective solution for delivering educational content to large groups of students.
“We’ve made substantial progress during the last year in transforming Gateway into the industry’s leading provider of digital media products,” said Greg van den Dries, Gateway’s senior vice president of digital solutions. “The Gateway Media Center PC with our plasma TV and digital display is the latest example of our ability to provide complete solutions that make it easier to take advantage of digital media applications in the home and the classroom.”
The Gateway Media Center PC integrates the functionality of a PC with a complete range of TV, stereo and digital media applications. Its TV tuner and hardware encoder enable customers to view and record programs from multiple sources including antennae, cable and satellite. In addition, its optional
DVD recorder/player allows customers to watch movies and educational films, burn home movies and presentations, and record music CDs. Its Sound Blaster Audigy solution transmits a high-quality signal to existing home entertainment systems and its TV-out function allows images to be viewed on a television or traditional PC monitor. All of these capabilities are managed by a remote controller so customers can use the Gateway Media Center PC from the comfort of their couch or the back of a classroom.
“Gateway has established its stores as the destination point for consumers looking to learn more about cutting-edge digital media solutions such as the Gateway Media Center PC powered by Windows XP Media Center Edition,” said Mike Toutonghi, vice president and distinguished engineer for the Windows eHome Division at Microsoft Corp. “We expect Gateway’s new Media Center PC with 42-inch plasma TV and digital display to draw a lot of attention and interest from digital media enthusiasts and people who want more from their home PC. We’re thrilled that Gateway is teaming with Microsoft to bring an integrated digital media experience to more customers.”
The user-friendly operating system makes it easy to switch back and forth between TV, music, photos, video and DVD. In K-12 schools and colleges, teachers can start a class with an educational video, lecture students from a PowerPoint presentation and finish with a slide show of historical photos — all from the same platform. Digital media enthusiasts will enjoy having all of their PC files, music, videos, photos and favorite TV programs stored in one location where they can view it on the best display in the home — their existing television or Gateway’s 42-inch plasma TV and digital display.
“Shattuck-St. Mary’s is known throughout the Midwest as a leader in integrating technology into the educational experience,” said Dennis Brown, headmaster, Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minn. “The Gateway Media Center PC with plasma display takes the traditional media resource center and
puts it in the classroom where more students can access the technology. We look forward to using it for presentations, viewing educational programming and teaching our students.”
The Gateway Media Center PC is also perfect for cost-conscious students in dorm rooms and people with limited space who want to combine their PC and home electronics components into one system in one room. When combined with a 17-inch LCD display, the Gateway Media Center PC starts at just $1,599. This
configuration includes 2.0GHz Pentium 4 processor, 256MB PC2700 (333MHz memory), CDRW/DVD combo drive, IR remote and receiver, TV tuner, 128MB NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440G AGP video controller, 60GB 7200RPM hard drive and 17-inch LCD display.
Gateway also offers the Gateway Media Center PC in several configurations with Gateway’s 42-inch plasma TV and digital display, with prices starting at $3,999. The $3,999 configuration includes the 42-inch plasma, 2.0GHz Pentium 4 processor, 256MB PC2700 (333MHz memory), CDRW/DVD combo drive, IR remote and receiver, TV tuner, 128MB NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440G AGP video controller and 60GB 7200RPM hard drive. For customers needing a more robust solution, the $4,399 configuration features a faster 2.4GHz processor, a larger 120GB 7200RPM hard drive, DVD-R/CD-RW drive with Movie Creator VCD/DVD, and wireless keyboard and mouse. These products will be available on Nov. 22 through all Gateway sales channels including its nationwide network of retail stores.
Today, Gateway also announced its plans to unveil a Gateway Tablet PC. The company will team with Motion Computing to deliver an innovative pen-based computing product in an ultra-mobile form factor for business professionals and enthusiasts. Details about the Gateway Tablet PC will be announced in December. For more information about the Gateway Media Center PC, call 1-800-221-9616, visit http://www.gateway.com or come into one of the Gateway(R) stores nationwide.