IMETA Inc. (www.ximeta.com), the creator of Network Direct Attached Storage™ (NDAS™) technology, today announced that it has entered into strategic partnerships with Sigma Designs (Nasdaq:SIGM), a leader in digital media processing for consumer appliances, and Syabas Technology, a leading middleware provider for broadband set-top boxes. Together, the companies will offer Consumer Electronics manufacturers fully integrated, NDAS-compatible network storage capabilities that can be featured in designs for new multimedia players and set-top boxes. The integrated NDAS technology makes possible what was never before possible -- sharing a central storage unit with multiple media devices throughout the home, without the assistance of a PC.

The convergence of the computer and consumer electronics industries is rapidly coming to a head. As digital entertainment technology becomes a staple in living rooms, new products are being designed to free consumers from the tethers of the electrical cord and enable the enjoyment of digital content from any device -- be it a computer, laptop, TV, audio player or set-top box -- anywhere in the home. With NDAS, consumers will be able to store their digital content on a centralized network attached storage unit and have the flexibility to access that content through any NDAS-compatible multimedia player, such as a PC, laptop or other networked device.

"XIMETA's NDAS device driver will operate compatibly with Sigma's video processing chipsets enabling any media device using Sigma's reference design to directly access the shared storage on the NDAS unit. Sigma's market leading digital media processors are sought out as premium solutions for enabling video-on-demand in the new generation of interactive set-top appliances. Offering high-quality video decoders and advanced video client players, Sigma's technology can be found in over 40 products from set-top box manufacturers, including such leaders as Samsung, LG Electronics, and Fujitsu-Siemens. Additionally, NDAS drivers will be compatible with Syabas' myiBox solution, which enables people to enjoy their PC based music, movie and photo files in the comfort of their living rooms from an ordinary TV or high-definition TV (HDTV). This compatibility will enable Syabas middleware integrators to utilize XIMETA's storage directly over the network without the requirement of a PC.

I-O Data, Japan's leading manufacturer of high-quality computer peripheral and interface products, is the first company to utilize NDAS-enabled Sigma chipsets and Syabas middleware in its digital media entertainment product line. For more information, please visit here.

"As people take the digital plunge, they're expecting to be able to enjoy their content from any device they have in the living room and around the house," said Edward Park, CEO of XIMETA. "By working with Sigma and Syabas, we are able to accelerate the rate in which device manufacturers will be able to offer their customers flexible and easy to use storage that they can share between their entertainment appliances."

For further information on XIMETA's NDAS technology, please visit here.