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EchoStar Corporation: EchoStar's SlingLoaded(TM) 922 HD DVR Wins CNET'S 'Best of CES' Award for Hottest Home Video Product at 2

^{Published on 2009-01-13 12:11:44, Last Modified on 2009-01-13 12:13:05 - Market Wire}
 

LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - January 13, 2009) - EchoStar Technologies L.L.C. and Sling Media, Inc., wholly owned subsidiaries of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: [ SATS ]), today announced that the companies won a "Best of CES" award from the editors of CNET ([ www.CNET.com ]) for the EchoStar SlingLoaded™ 922 HD DVR, the world's first high definition digital video recorder that incorporates Sling Media's patented placeshifting technology.

Produced and judged by editors from CNET ([ www.cnet.com ]), the winners of the "Best of CES" awards were announced Saturday, Jan. 10, at the 2009 International CES in Las Vegas. CNET editors received and reviewed hundreds of entries.

The EchoStar 922 is an entertainment centerpiece combining the best of video and IP technologies into a capacitive-touch set-top box. By integrating Sling Media's Slingbox technology, the EchoStar 922 lets TV aficionados watch and control their favorite TV shows and sporting events from anywhere in the world via a broadband Internet connection on their laptop or mobile phone. Accessing multiple video sources, viewers will never run out of shows to watch. The EchoStar 922 features a massive 1 terabyte hard drive for up to 1,000 hours of storage and supports external hard drives.

The EchoStar 922 is a revolutionary departure from the traditional cable or satellite set-top box. Its touchpad remote control, which eliminates half the buttons of a standard remote control, gives users cursor-like navigation on their TV screen. With a slide of the thumb, viewers experience scroll-over activation of widget-like tiles and pop-up menus, all selectable by an underside index finger trigger.

The new user interface goes beyond traditional text-based user interfaces by using movie poster graphics, tiles or widget-based menus, and cursor-type navigation for a powerful yet simplified user experience that is highly adaptable to future applications.

"We're pleased to receive the coveted 'Best of CES' Award from CNET, one of the most respected sources for news and reviews of consumer electronics," said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies. "Our engineers have created one of the most powerful set-top boxes ever made, with the ability to watch television and other media anywhere in the home or anyplace in the world."

EchoStar will deliver the EchoStar 922 to its first operator, DISH Network, in spring 2009 as the HD DuoDVR™ SlingLoaded™ ViP® 922, furnishing satellite TV customers with a break-through TV experience.

Selected by CNET's unbiased expert editors, winners are recognized as having the hottest products in their respective technology categories for their unmatched innovation and creativity, and their ability to excite consumers and help them explore a world gone digital. CNET editors reviewed hundreds of entries, as well as scoured the 2009 International CES show floor for products to consider for the prestigious award.

"Each year at the show, CNET editors scour the show floor to determine the top technologies that will set the trends for the coming year," said Scott Ard, vice president of content at CNET. "Chosen from hundreds of products at the 2009 International CES, EchoStar demonstrates the innovation and creativity to be awarded our 'Best of CES' award within the home video industry."

The ten categories include car tech; cell phones and smart phones; computers and hardware; digital photo and video; gaming; GPS; home audio; home video; MP3 and portable video players; and televisions. A video of the winners and finalists showcasing their technologies can be found at [ http://www.cnet.com/ces ].

About EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.

EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: [ SATS ]), spans 25 years of delivering innovations in TV entertainment, advanced set-top boxes, and end-to-end video delivery systems. EchoStar designs and engineers products for satellite, IPTV, cable, terrestrial, and consumer electronics markets worldwide by combining engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and service into one company. With more than 2,000 professional employees worldwide, EchoStar provides customers with competitive business strategies, practices, and reduced product and operational costs. Visit [ www.echostar.com ].

About Sling Media

Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: [ SATS ]), is a leading digital lifestyle company offering consumer services and products that are a natural extension of today's digital way of life. Sling Media's product family includes the internationally acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox™ that allows consumers to watch and control their living room television shows at any time, from any location, using PCs, Macs, PDAs and smartphones and the revolutionary new SlingCatcher™, a universal media player that seamlessly delivers broadcast TV, Internet video and personal content to the TV. Sling Media is also the company behind the video entertainment web site, Sling.com, offering consumers a wide variety of popular TV shows, movies and other entertainment free for viewing online or on the TV using SlingCatcher. For more information on Sling Media, the Slingbox or the SlingCatcher, visit [ www.slingmedia.com ]. To watch your favorite TV shows and movies, check out [ www.sling.com ].

For images of the 922 and its award winning remote control and user interface, please visit: [ http://www.slingmedia.com/go/press-downloads ].