NETGEAR, Inc.†(NASDAQ:NTGR), the leading provider of networking devices that power today’s smart home and small business connectivity, has announced at the IFA trade show in Berlin, the world’s first mesh WiFi System with†Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Mesh Satellite with Built-In Amazon Alexa. Orbi Voice as part of any Orbi WiFi System creates expansive whole home WiFi coverage up to 4,500 square feet (186 square meters) or more of high-performance WiFi up to 3 Gigabits per second combined WiFi speed, along with premium audio by Harman Kardon for incredible sound in any room. With the built-in Amazon voice assistant capability fully integrated into Orbi Voice Satellite, Alexa can be asked to play music from the most popular music services as well as, set alarms, control IoT devices, check traffic, weather, sports scores, and so much more, without needing a separate Amazon Echo device.†
“The two fastest-growing consumer trends for Smart Home technology have been the popularity of the voice assistant control and the growth of WiFi mesh systems. NETGEAR, the established leader of WiFi Mesh with our award-winning Orbi Whole Home Tri-band Mesh WiFi systems and Nighthawk Mesh WiFi extenders, today, is driving the next step in innovation with by combining Alexa and a WiFi mesh satellite into a single consumer solution,” said David Henry, senior vice president of Connected Home Products for NETGEAR. “Orbi Voice is the result of combining the three key technologies used in the Smart Home environment in order to deliver both exceptional WiFi and quality sound from our audio technology partner Harman Kardon. It is also widely known that the most popular skill employed with smart speakers is to enjoy streaming music services. To address this need, we have taken our expertise in WiFi and married it with a legend in the industry, Harman Kardon, to deliver superior sound quality while aligning with the leading providers of streaming music to give our customers the best WiFi and HiFi in one package.”
Orbi Voice will delight your friends and family with superior sound clarity providing a captivating listening experience. Premium audio by Harman Kardon creates exceptionally rich, room-filling sound. A built-in four-microphone array and far-field voice recognition enables Orbi Voice to hear you from across the room. To easily adjust the volume and equalizer controls, simply use the Orbi mobile app to adjust the treble and bass emanating from the 3.5-inch front-facing woofer and 1-inch tweeter.
“Products that solve multiple consumer needs are increasingly in demand, and the exquisite sound quality of Harman Kardon elevates the dynamic Orbi Voice Smart Speaker,” added David Rogers, president of HARMAN’s Consumer Audio Business Unit. “We’re pleased to partner with NETGEAR to bring this product to consumers looking for a single device that offers tremendous audio, in addition to its voice intelligence and WiFi capabilities.”
With its sleek, modern design, Orbi Voice is the perfect smart speaker to display on a bookshelf, side table or kitchen counter, so you can listen to your favorite music and podcasts in any room, without missing a beat.† Combining a voice service, high-end audio and high-performance WiFi in one device, eliminates the clutter of three individual products to deliver the same features. With Orbi Voice, you will ask Alexa to enjoy music from the most popular music streaming providers, such as†Spotify,†Amazon Music,†Pandora,†iHeartRadio,†TuneIn,†Deezer, and other services. You can also turn to Orbi Voice and ask Alexa to paly audiobooks from Audible, podcasts, radio stations, news briefs, and more – all you have to do is ask.
The Orbi Mesh WiFi System
WiFi Systems are designed for a broad range of home environments, from apartments and lofts to single family homes and sprawling estates. The new†Orbi Tri-band Mesh WiFi System with Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Satellite (RBK50V)†delivers up to 3Gbps high-performance WiFi coverage for homes up to 4,500 square feet (418 square meters) for a nearly zero buffering and no dead zones WiFi experience.
The new Orbi System is ready right out of the box and will work with current internet service providers. Setup for an Orbi System is easy using a mobile device through the free Orbi app. It offers easy network management and helps to keep the device current with automated Orbi software updates for new features and WiFi enhancements. Through the Orbi app, set Circle Smart Parental Controls on NETGEAR to manage content and time spent online on a per-child or per-device basis. You’ll also benefit from a separate guest WiFi network and other advanced router features.
Each Orbi Voice Satellite offers two Gigabit Ethernet ports for connecting wired devices for even faster file transfers and reliable connections.
Pricing and Availability
An†Orbi Mesh WiFi System (RBK50V)†consisting of the Orbi Tri-Band WiFi Router plus one Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Satellite will be available later next month for an MSRP of $429.99 (USD) £429.99(GBP) and €499.99 (EUR).
For those who have an Orbi WiFi system, the add-on†Orbi Voice Smart Speaker and WiFi Mesh satellite (RBS40V)†by NETGEAR will be available this fall through authorized NETGEAR partners and other reseller channels, e-commerce sites, and major retailers, at an MSRP of $299.99 (USD), £279.99(GBP) and € 329.99 (EUR).
