Virgin Digital Announces Exclusive Partnership With Orb Networks to Develop Virgin Digital Connector

Virgin Digital Announces Exclusive Partnership With Orb Networks to Develop Virgin Digital Connector

Partnership Will Enable Access and Control of Music Through Millions of Portable Devices

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Digital, the digital entertainment platform of the Virgin Group Ltd., announced today an exclusive partnership with Orb Networks, Inc., a developer of award winning media-delivery software and services.

The partnership between Virgin Digital and Orb supports the joint development of Virgin Digital Connector, a set of media access technologies designed to fulfill the need for consumers to legally enjoy their music anytime, anywhere, without the restrictions of incompatible devices or audio formats.

The Virgin Digital Connector technologies will enable users to securely access their music, whether a stored file or a stream, through any web-enabled devices such as cell phones, PCs, or PDAs, anytime, anywhere.

"Mobile access and control will be the key ingredients in consumers' interaction with content, and we are really excited to break through the single-platform approach and give users their music within a frictionless ecosystem," said Zack Zalon, President of Virgin Digital. "Virgin Digital Connector will change the conversation about mobile entertainment: it's not just about memory on the devices, it's not just about purchasing over-the-air, and it's not just about another proprietary platform. Instead it's about accessing, streaming, and enjoying music wherever you are."

Furthermore, this partnership will expand Virgin Digital's consumer service offerings and support Orb's initiatives to deliver focused consumer applications with powerful user benefits.

"We are ecstatic about the deal and the value it offers to consumers, not just in the US, but on a global scale," said Jim Behrens, CEO of Orb Networks. "It validates our approach to allowing users to access their personal media and we are excited to work with Virgin Digital, the first true music company to offer a digital music solution that meets mobile consumers' needs."

With over 2 million tracks from more than 15,000 record labels, Virgin Digital is the deepest online catalog of digital music. The Virgin Digital solution features a pay as you go music download store (tracks at .99 and Albums from $9.99), an unlimited streaming and downloading subscription (from $7.99 per month), free premium radio stations, and free robust CD ripping and burning and portable device loading tools that are both powerful and easy-to-use.

About Virgin Digital

Virgin Digital, the digital entertainment platform of the Virgin Group Ltd., is a leading digital music and media software and services company offering the most comprehensive digital music services available. Virgin Digital is responsible for leveraging new technologies and combining them with Virgin's unrivaled heritage in music to build innovative large scale digital consumer offerings. Virgin Digital delivers media and music services for passionate music lovers that is exciting, fun. Virgin Digital is the first music company to deliver music fans an authentic digital entertainment experience, featuring a pay as you go download store, an unlimited streaming and downloading music subscription, commercial free digital radio, CD ripping and burning & portable device management tools, and the most robust customer service functions ever found in a music service.

About Orb Networks, Inc.

Orb Networks is the first developer of streaming media software and services giving people free spontaneous access to digital home media -- any kind, at any time, from any location in the world. The groundbreaking Orb Architecture allows users to access music, live television, videos, photos and other digital content from any device that can connect to the Internet, such as a cell phone, PDA, or notebook. Orb Networks develops, licenses and markets its services in partnership with leading content providers/creators, wireless carriers, electronic distributors and consumer electronic companies. As an active participant in the issues affecting digital media, Orb Networks is a member of the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Orb Networks is a privately held company located in Emeryville, Calif. For more information about Orb Networks, please visit http://www.orb.com/

MEDIA CONTACTS: Karen DeMarco / Ayn Allen mPRm Public Relations for Virgin Digital 323.933.3399 kdemarco@mprm.com / aallen@mprm.com

Debbie Degutis Orb Networks 510.903.0930 debbie@orb.com

Source: Virgin Digital

CONTACT: Karen DeMarco, kdemarco@mprm.com, or Ayn Allen, aallen@mprm.com, both of mPRm Public Relations, +1-323-933-3399, for Virgin Digital; or Debbie Degutis of Orb Networks, +1-510-903-0930, debbie@orb.com

Web site: http://www.virgindigital.com/

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