ELAN and DLO Partnership to Provide In-Home and Portable Music Solutions

September 15, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Technology News
DENVER, CO -— CEDIA Booth #159 — ELAN Home Systems, a leading manufacturer of award-winning Multi-Room audio/video and home control systems, today announced that the company has entered into a product development partnership with Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), a leading innovator of digital device and computer accessories. The announcement was made by Paul Starkey, ELAN’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Under the agreement, ELAN and DLO have joined forces to develop, and bring to market, an exciting new ELAN “lifestyle interface” that directly addresses consumer desires for easy access to their music collections in and away from their homes, regardless of format.

Toward this end, ELAN and DLO are focusing on the popular iPod® portable digital music player and its seamless integration into ELAN in-home music distribution systems.

“Our dealers and their clients are dealing with the reality that people are mobile with their music today and that iTunes is very popular,” stated Mr. Starkey. “Meanwhile, they have legacy collections based on CDs and MP3 formats. The combination of DLO’s HomeDock Deluxe™ technology, ELAN whole-house integration, and our VIA!dj Digital Music Server, gives the end user what they are asking for - seamless access to all their music regardless of where it came from or where they want to listen to it. Key features of the interface, such as serial and plug-in IR control, combines with ELAN’s ability to route audio and video for shared use around the house with VIA! Touch Panels.”

“DLO is excited to partner with Elan Home Systems,” says Mike Woods, Director of Business Development at DLO. “The iPod® should be part of every audio/video installation and we are pleased to provide ELAN with the technology to enhance the music lover’s experience.”

Two award-winning ELAN product lines, VIA!®dj Digital Music Servers and VIA!® Touch Panels, are key to this integration. ELAN’s family of VIA!®dj Digital Music Servers are digital audio storage and music management systems that give users instant access to all their music from any VIA!® Touch Panel in the home. Three models, with hard drive storage capabilities ranging from 3500 hours to nearly 9000 hours of digitally recorded music, are available. VIA!®djs, as well as other audio, video, lighting, security and temperature control systems, are controlled by ELAN full color VIA!® Touch Panels located in the home. VIA!® Touch Panels are available in in-wall, tabletop and wireless formats. The interface developed by DLO, in conjunction with these two ELAN products, will provide consumers with the best of both worlds – the ability to control and access iPod-stored music from anywhere in the home, and the capability to transfer home-based music collections to the iPod®.

About Digital Lifestyle Outfitters:
Founded in 2001, Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO) began by producing the world’s first iPod sport case. Soon ideas began flowing well beyond iPod cases. Revolutionary ideas included the amazing DLO TransPod® - the best all-in-one car solution for the iPod. More recently DLO introduced the DLO iBoom®, the first truly portable, usable boombox for the iPod. DLO now produces an entire line of digital device and computer accessories that are sold around the world. DLO products cover everything from cases and cables to remotes and speaker systems. With thousands of amazing digital cameras, music players and laptop computers changing the way we live, the digital revolution is at hand - and DLO is leading the way outfitting your digital lifestyle.

About ELAN Home Systems:
ELAN Home Systems is a leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video and home automation systems. Based in Lexington, KY, the company’s systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use “whole house” experience. The company’s unique products provide complete lifestyle, feature-rich solutions, yet can be configured to fit the specific needs of every homeowner. ELAN products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select dealers and distributors throughout the United States, Canada and 58 countries worldwide. To learn more, visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

ELAN is a trademark of ELAN Home Systems, LLC, Lexington, KY. VIA! is a registered trademark of ELAN Home Systems, LLC. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Press Contacts:

Steven Style or Justin Kroesser
The Steven Style Group
New York, NY
t) 212-465-1290
f) 212-465-1299
e) stevens@stylegroup.com
justink@stylegroup.com

Cat Fowler
ELAN Home Systems
Lexington, KY
t) 859-269-7760 x161
f) 859-268-2132
e) cfowler@elanhomesystems.com

Brian Baucom
Director of Marketing
Digital Lifestyle Outfitters
Charleston, SC
t) 843-577-7067 x2207
f) 843-577-6196
e) brian@dlo.com