Zoombak LLC, a Liberty Media company, unveiled its advanced GPS locators and related services for pets and autos at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show for attending members of the media and consumer electronics industry.
     Zoombak (North Hall #4433) is demonstrating one of the first Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) devices designed specifically for use by everyday consumers. With a starting price of $199 and employing both satellite-enabled GPS and mobile phone networks, Zoombak is providing consumers with the fastest and most accurate location technology commercially available for locating their pets and cars.
     The Zoombak locator is a rechargeable, light-weight water-resistant device (2.5oz) that is easily attached to a dog collar or can be outfitted to almost any vehicle in minutes. Registering and managing the device on Zoombak.com, the company’s secure portal website.
     Zoombak’s Advanced GPS locators make on-demand location requests easy; users can simply log onto Zoombak.com, send a text message or email from their mobile phone (coming soon) or contact customer care for live location support.
     “The Zoombak locator is the most advanced, versatile and affordable solution for consumers who want to easily find their loved ones and bring them home safely,” said Simon Buckingham, CEO at Zoombak. “Thanks to its nationwide coverage, its ease-of-use, unlimited number of on-demand locates and our 24/7 commitment to addressing consumer needs, Zoombak is the best locator solution on the market today.”
     According to the latest data available from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, every 26.4 seconds a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States. Zoombak’s on-demand location-finding capabilities gives parents of teenaged drivers or those with elderly drivers in the family, the comfort of knowing where they are when their loved ones are on the road.
     A recent US National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy survey found that a family pet is lost every two seconds, resulting in more than 10 million pets going missing each year. Zoombak helps owners to locate their pets in real time, whenever they wish, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, virtually anywhere within the United States.
     Zoombak LLC, develops leading edge solutions that keep consumers connected to their families, pets and possessions. The company is led by a team of veteran executives with extensive wireless, sales and marketing, business development and operational expertise working together to put safety on the map. With offices in the United States and England, Zoombak is a privately held subsidiary of Liberty Media. Liberty Media owns interests in a broad range of electronic retailing, media, communications and entertainment businesses including QVC, Provide Commerce, IAC/InterActiveCorp, Expedia, Starz Entertainment, News Corporation and the Atlanta Braves.

SMSC’s MOST networking solution adopted in Volvo V70 & C70 platforms

     SMSC’s Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) oPHY networking technology has been selected as part of the infotainment system by Volvo for its V70 and C70 platforms.
     MOST is used today in over 50 car models for various worldwide manufacturers and serves as the communication backbone for their information and entertainment equipment.
     “The Volvo wins represent a key development for our business as this early adopter of the MOST technology has now broadly rolled it out across its volume models,” said Dr. Christian Thiel, VP and managing director of SMSC’s automotive group.
     MOST multimedia technology enables the networking of feature-rich infotainment systems in automobiles by providing the means to distribute multimedia entertainment functions among the various control devices around the car.
     For example, a CD changer, radio, global positioning system, mobile telephone and DVD player can be established in an efficient ring network and can send crisp, static-free audio signals digitally to the amplifier by utilizing the MOST network.
     Since introducing its first MOST solution in 2001, SMSC’s networking technology has evolved to address increasing bandwidth needs for consumer applications in the car, starting at 25 Mbps, and now provides up to 150 Mbps of speed for applications such as high definition video and multi-channel surround sound.
     MOST is a de facto industry standard for high bandwidth automotive multimedia networking deployed by virtually every major European automobile manufacturer and, more recently, by Asia manufacturers.
     SMSC is a member of the steering committee of the MOST Cooperation, an association of several carmakers and their premier suppliers working to establish and refine a common standard for the evolving requirements of automotive multimedia networking.
     Leveraging substantial intellectual property, integration expertise and a comprehensive global infrastructure, SMSC solves design challenges and delivers performance, space, cost and time to market advantages to its customers.
     SMSC’s application focus targets key vertical markets including consumer electronics, automotive infotainment, PC and industrial applications.
     The company has developed leadership positions in its select markets by providing application specific solutions such as mixed-signal embedded controllers, non-PCI Ethernet, ARCNET, MOST and Hi-Speed USB.
     SMSC is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York with operations in North America, Asia and Europe. Engineering design centers are located in Arizona, New York, Texas and Karlsruhe, Germany. Additional information is available at www.smsc.com.