Name Change Preceeds New Product Announcements At AMX
In preparation for major market launches of a new generation of products that will combine AMX and PHAST Technology for the home and business network, AMX announced at a New York press conference that it is changing its name to Panja. Panja will take Internet content away from the PC by using Panja's technology linking home and business appliances seamlessly to Net content and services. In the same press conference, InfoSeek announced that it will partner with Panja to provide content for the service, and Cisco Systems announced that it will partner to add broadband technology. The company's Panja 1000 entertainment gateway, available in the fall, will be a new system that installs in homes and connects the Internet directly to existing stereos, TVs, and VCRs through a Panja/Cisco branded cable modem. The unit will select and decode MP3, MPEG, Real Audio, Real Video and other encoding schemes. Panja also will be delivering a set of subscription services which, when coupled with Panja 1000, or the later 2000 model, will allow consumers to harvest the Internet's digital entertainment without the need of a PC. The new subscription services include Broadband Blast, which delivers streaming Internet audio and video; IControl, allowing people to control and monitor their home through the Internet; and PanjaCast, which delivers custom information to touch-panels and keypads. In addition to John McHale, Chairman of Panja, and CEO Joe Hardt, Panja also is steered by a management team that includes Tom Hite, Vice President, General Manager of Panja's consumer/residential and the newly formed Internet Appliances groups. Randy Riebe will serve as Vice President, General Manager and head the Enterprise Division as he had with AMX. David Chisum, AMX's Chief Financial Officer, continues as Panja CFO, while Dave Benesh remains as Vice President, Operations. Recently joining the company are Charlene Rogers, Vice President of Marketing, and Gordon Stark, Vice President of Marketing Communications.