Pure bursts onto US scene with five internet radios

By Darren Murph

posted January 5th 2010 8:00AM

Pure's always had a knack for crafting elegant, oftentimes unorthodox looking radios. Problem is (at least for you Yanks), they've been marketed and sold exclusively across the pond. In our humble opinion, there's no better time to change that than here at the International Consumer Electronics Show, and sure enough, Pure is making itself known on the US radar with five distinct WiFi radios. Up first is the flagship product shown above (dubbed the Sensia), which boasts a 5.7-inch touchscreen, an oval enclosure and access to the Pure Lounge -- a nifty little portal that taps into internet radio stations, Twitter and Facebook. You'll also find an auxiliary input jack and a $349 price tag, which is only topped in this lineup by the $449 Sirocco 550. Said system is much like a mini boombox, complete with the typical WiFi radio capabilities, a USB socket, iPhone / iPod compatibility, a CD player and an SD expansion slot. Moving on, there's the $139 Siesta Flow alarm clock radio, the $249 Oasis Flow -- which just so happens to be both rugged and waterproof -- and the $229 Evoke Flow that originally surfaced back in 2008. Details on actual US availability is expected to come later, though the full press releases can be found after the break right this very moment.

PURE bursts onto US scene with five internet radios

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PURE LAUNCHES RANGE OF DIGITAL RADIOS FOR THE CONNECTED CONSUMER

Global Leader Enters North American Market With Products That Define the Future of Radio

CES 2010, Las Vegas, January 5, 2010 – PURE (South Hall 2, Booth #36604), the global leader in digital and internet-connected radios has entered the US market with a product family that defines the future of radio by transforming how consumers access and interact with digital content.

To date, the internet radios available to US consumers have been single-function products that do not offer anything beyond a passive connection between the device and Web-based radio content. PURE's products offer consumers a sleek, intuitive interface to experience and navigate their way through the vast quantity of available online content, their personal digital music collection and interactive web-based applications such as Facebook© and Twitter©.

Headlining the US product family is Sensia™, a unique, beautifully designed high-powered connected audio system that features a 5.7-inch color touchscreen. Sensia and the other radios being launched, including Evoke FlowTM, Sirocco 550TM, Siesta Flow TM and Oasis FlowTM, fill a major void in the consumer electronics landscape: digital audio systems that combine state-of-the-art design with quality and usability, bringing internet-connected radio home to a mainstream audience.

PURE's digital and internet-connected range of radios work together with PURE's proprietary radio and media portal, the PURE Lounge (www.thelounge.com) to enable flow of information between the radio, the portal and the broadcaster. While the radios and the PURE Lounge can function completely independently, when combined they really enhance the user-experience allowing the organization of favorite stations into shared folders and automatically synchronizing content choices on both the radio and the portal.

The PURE Lounge also contains content unique to PURE such as PURE Sounds™, a library of over 100 sounds designed to allow the listener to set the perfect mood or even help their child go to sleep. Further unique and premium content on The PURE Lounge will be available soon. New features and services on PURE's digital and internet-connected range of radios will be made available through automatic software upgrades.

The PURE products being introduced to the US market include:
• Sensia (MSRP $349): The first digital and internet-connected radio to feature a large high-resolution color touchscreen, Sensia is the centerpiece of the connected home. Stereo sound, an input for iPod/MP3 players and access to applications such as Facebook and Twitter, offers consumers the ability to access and control all of their digital content from one central interface.
• EVOKE Flow (MSRP $229): The award-winning EVOKE Flow was the first truly 'connected' portable radio. Wireless and powerful, EVOKE Flow gives consumers access to digital content from almost anywhere.
• Siesta Flow (MSRP $139): PURE reinvents the alarm clock with the Siesta Flow, bringing the power of the internet to the bedside. Touch sensitive controls, up to 365 alarm settings and a USB PowerPort™, which provides power for USB accessories, help bring the clock radio into the 21st century.
• Oasis Flow (MSRP $249): Rugged, weatherproof and exceedingly durable, the Oasis Flow combines internet connectivity with maximum portability. Expelling the notion that durability compromises performance, the Oasis Flow is the perfect radio for anyone who works or plays in or outdoors.
• Sirocco 550 (MSRP $449): A complete digital sound system, the Sirocco 550 combines access to internet content with the ability to play digital music from portable iPod and iPhone devices, USB memory drives, SD memory cards and CDs. Powerful enough to be a primary stereo system yet compact enough for bedrooms and small rooms, Sirocco 550 is a stylish way to enjoy all the choices and quality of digital and internet-connected radio in a convenient, micro sized format.

"PURE has pioneered digital and internet-connected radio worldwide and is bringing state of the art design, world leading technology and an award-winning product family to North America," said Charles Bellfield, general manager for PURE North America. "Our mission is connecting consumers to the digital and internet-connected audio and social media content of their choice. With products like Sensia we've moved beyond audio and are now able to address the connected lifestyle in a market that has been starved of innovation, distinctive design, high quality and great value."

Pricing and availability
Full product specs and pricing details can be found at www.pure.com/ces2010. PURE products will be sold through online channels initially such as www.PURE.com, with further retail plans and expected availability to be announced later in 2010.

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PURE, THE GLOBAL LEADER IN DIGITAL RADIO, ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN LAUNCH AT CES 2010
PURE North America to be headed up by Charles Bellfield, a 15-year veteran of interactive entertainment

CES 2010, Las Vegas, January 5, 2010 – PURE, (South Hall 2, Booth #36604), the global leader in digital and internet-connected radios, announces the creation of its US commercial operation to deliver its family of products to North American consumers in 2010.

The range of digital and internet-connected radios available to the US market will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from January 7-10, 2010.
The commercial operation will be headed up by Charles Bellfield, an industry veteran who most recently served as general manager of 3DV Systems Inc (prior to the sale of its assets to Microsoft) and formally as vice-president at SEGA of America Inc, Capcom Entertainment Inc and Codemasters Software Ltd.
A division of Imagination Technologies PLC, PURE has already expanded into a number of other territories and is the leading provider of digital and internet-connected radios in many countries including United Kingdom, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway and Australia.
"PURE has already proven to be the industry leader in digital and internet-connected radio around the world," said Charles Bellfield, general manager, PURE North America. "The North American consumer market can be high-reward but challenging. However, with our strong and growing product family, proven track record, user experience-focused design and extensive engineering and technical capabilities, we are extremely confident we'll lead here too."
Paul Smith, general manager of PURE says: "The North American consumer expects the best in terms of value, features, design and quality. PURE has done more to innovate in the digital radio and internet-connected market than any other brand worldwide and we are confident that with our design and engineering expertise, we will deliver those aspects within this new and exciting connected audio space."

About Imagination Technologies
Imagination Technologies Group plc (FTSE:IMG) – a leader in semiconductor System on Chip Intellectual Property (SoC IP) – creates and licenses market-leading embedded graphics, video and display accelerators, multi-threaded processors and multi-standard receiver technologies. These IP solutions are complemented by dynamic and extensive developer and middleware ecosystems. Target markets include digital radio and audio; mobile phone multimedia; car navigation & driver information; personal navigation; UMPC and Mobile Internet Device (MID); digital TV & set top box; and mobile TV. Its licensees include leading semiconductor and consumer electronics companies. Imagination has corporate headquarters in the United Kingdom, with sales and R&D offices worldwide. See: www.imgtec.com.