ActiveMania and Microsoft launch innovative Windows Vista based 'ActiSuite' Connected Home Entertainment solution

The launch follows ActiveMania's recent appointed by Microsoft as a 'Gold Certified' partner.

ActiveMania's Connected Home Solution is the first to run over Windows Vista operating system in the Middle East and caters to the residential, retail and real estate sectors. Through ActiSuite, users are able to watch live TV & movies, listen to music, browse the internet, check their mail, shop and purchase items online, follow local and international news, search for information, play games, and connect with someone via video and voice conferencing, all from their TV sets using a remote control or wireless peripherals.

"Our aim is to provide users with a simple enough interface, based on the Microsoft Windows Vista OS, giving them access within their homes as well as their communities to a shared hub of content, utilities, and services that will drastically maximize their experience and improve quality of life"

said Dr. Gaby Kassab, ActiveMania's Chief Managing Consultant.

Through Microsoft's Vista capabilities, the ActiSuite Connected Home services and interactive content are easily accessible through one TV interface and accessible on many devices, such as Ultra Mobile PCs, Set-Top Boxes, PDAs, Mobile Phones, Portable Media Centers, and other wireless devices. ActiSuite Connected Home Solution builds on the ActiSuite Digital Home Framework as an artificial intelligence engine enabling centralized control and inter-middleware scenarios.

"ActiveMania's solution is one of the first provided over the Windows Vista platform in the Middle East. It is simple to use, localized for different users from different nationalities - which is key in the Gulf region - and takes advantage of the new Media Center features within both Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows Vista Home Premium," said Adriana Rangel, Microsoft's Windows Client Business Lead for the Gulf.

Recently appointed as a Gold Partner for Microsoft, ActiveMania is the leading provider of Digital Home, Interactive TV and Digital Content in the Middle East and Europe, and plans to penetrate strongly within North America through strategic alliances. Through extensive R&D, live demos and pilot projects, ActiveMania will continuously improve and upgrade its digital solutions features and enrich its content library in order to penetrate the global market and spur the deployment of new and state-of-the-art digital entertainment solutions.