NETGEAR® Skype WiFi Phone receives 'Breakthrough Award' from POPULAR MECHANICS magazine in the U.S

The world's first publicly announced and shipped WiFi phone certified by Skype was honored for its innovation and excellence in both design and engineering - one of the freshest technologies for 2006. The phone was recently launched in the Middle East.

'NETGEAR's technology provides consumers simple, innovative, reliable and stylish networking products to greatly enhance their experience using the Internet,' said Ahmad Zeidan, Channel Sales Manager, NETGEAR Middle East. 'Our pioneering Skype WiFi Phone embodies NETGEAR's commitment to its customers, and we're extremely proud to have won praise for delivering a breakthrough in communications with excellence in both design and engineering.'

POPULAR MECHANICS covers how today's technologies affect the things men are most interested in, including consumer electronics. The magazine's second annual Breakthrough Awards were created to celebrate and distinguish ideas and inventions that are changing and expanding the possibilities in the realms of science, technology and exploration.

NETGEAR's Skype WiFi Phone (SPH101) was selected as a groundbreaking product by POPULAR MECHANICS - with the potential to improve the lives of its core readership - on the basis of reviews conducted by POPULAR MECHANICS editors, industry experts, scientists, engineers, authors, and other academics.

Said James Meigs, POPULAR MECHANICS' editor-in-chief, 'We spend much of the year evaluating and reporting on hundreds of new and emerging technologies. The Breakthrough Product Awards highlight winning technology solutions that promise to empower our savvy readership by saving them money, and injecting a healthy dose of fun and adventure into their everyday lives. We're very pleased to include NETGEAR's Skype WiFi Phone among this year's cutting-edge products that have raised the bar in terms of design and engineering.'

NETGEAR's Skype WiFi Phone (SPH101) is the first publicly announced and shipped mobile device certified to make Skype Internet calling over WiFi a reality for the more than 113 million registered Skype users across the globe. The NETGEAR Skype WiFi Phone (SPH101) enables customers to call anyone on Skype, anywhere in the world for free, with no PC required.

Skype is the world's fastest-growing Internet communication offering, enabling unlimited free voice and video communication between Skype users. Skype is available in 27 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. NETGEAR began shipping the phone in August. It is available via NETGEAR, Skype and leading online retailers.

'With the number of Skype users in the Middle East witnessing a steady increase, we expect a major demand for our WiFi Phones in the coming months, which will enable us to gain the leadership position in this market, just as we have in markets across Europe and other parts of the world,' concluded Zeidan.