Akimbo Selects Intel Set-Top Box Reference Design for Akimbo Player.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NAB2004

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2004

Akimbo Systems, the company that in June will launch the nation's largest video-on-demand service for television today revealed details about the Akimbo Player, the initial platform for the Akimbo Service. Akimbo chose the Intel(R) 815 Digital Set Top Box Reference Design to create a sleek set-top box that will receive, store and play high-quality video sent from the Akimbo Service. The Intel 815 reference design was selected by Akimbo because its low-cost software-centric architecture allows for unlimited flexibility with respect to advanced media formats, software enhancements, and upgrades to future services.

"Akimbo is a perfect realization of Intel's vision of the digital home, where consumers will be able to enjoy all kinds of content at any time, anywhere, on many kinds of devices," said Glenda M. Dorchak Vice President, Desktop Platforms Group and General Manager, Consumer Electronics Group at Intel. "Akimbo is creating new and stimulating experiences for consumers, who will now have access to vast libraries of video content on their TVs, delivered in a more individualized manner than has ever been possible before."

"Intel provided the best reference design choice for the Akimbo Player since the Intel 815 platform allows us to quickly produce the Akimbo Player," said Josh Goldman, chief executive officer of Akimbo. "With a secure and consumer friendly set-top box that easily connects to the TV and the Internet, we can deliver our revolutionary service to consumers who are eager for more choice in television programming."

The Akimbo Service will feature more than 20,000 hours of video in 50 categories including independent films, foreign language, news, health and fitness, sports, children and education. The Akimbo Service automatically delivers an onscreen program guide filled with video previews and editorial information and providing viewer options like parental controls. From the guide, Akimbo subscribers choose which programming they would like to download to the Akimbo Player for later viewing. Then, each time Akimbo subscribers turn on the TV, they will have up to 200 hours of fresh video, previews and editorial information waiting for them.

NAB2004 will take place April 17 to 22, in Las Vegas. It is the world's largest electronic media show covering the development, delivery and management of professional video and audio content across all media. Akimbo will host private demonstrations of the Akimbo Service at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Availability and Pricing

The Akimbo Player is expected to start at $199. The monthly subscription to the Akimbo Service will be $9.99. The Akimbo Service and the Akimbo Player will soon be available for order from Akimbo's Web site at www.akimbo.com. The Akimbo Player is expected to be in retail stores nationwide in late 2004.

About Akimbo

Akimbo is the first company to deliver DVD-quality video-on-demand to any television via a broadband-Internet connection. The Akimbo Service with the Akimbo Player lets consumers choose from thousands of hours of programs specifically suited to their tastes, so they can watch them whenever they choose. By partnering with Akimbo, video providers gain a new opportunity to cost-effectively reach targeted audiences with content ranging from special interest to broad appeal, without building new infrastructure. Akimbo partners with leading providers of specialty video to deliver more than 50 categories of unique entertainment, including film, comedy, music, health and fitness, sports, education, youth, foreign language, and cooking. With offices in Los Angeles and San Mateo, Calif., Akimbo is a privately held company funded by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Sprout Group and Zone Ventures. The company is founded and managed by executives from ReplayTV, Macromedia, CNET Networks, mySimon, Microsoft and Apple. For more information, visit www.akimbo.com