Wednesday, January 9 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Session A - DH13: Networking the Digital Home and the Residential Gateway - The TV Hub, Computer Hub,Telecommunications Hub This session will address the key concepts in establishing the home as a media center by focusing on three primary technologies as the core home-media hubs: the telecommunications, the computer and the television. These are the concepts behind the idea of "technology convergence." While each technology will not move forward along a completely distinct road or even make irrelevant the other, there are fundamentally different mind-sets and market strategies at work in each which we will explore. Which will be the most practical approach to creating the home network? Will it be wireless or will all new homes be built with crawl spaces for wiring behind walls or in the ceiling? These are the "crude" questions for our industry experts who are in the forefront of developing never-endingly "elegant" solutions. Ken Soohoo, CEO, Planetweb Ned Hayes, President and Chief Executive Officer, DIRECTV Broadband Nick Chakalos, Director of Business Development, Ucentric Systems Bob Bennett, Vice President, Wireless Networking Division, Cirrus Logic Robert Perry, Vice-President, Marketing, Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics Keith Laepple, Group Manager, Evangelism, eHome, Microsoft Corp. Bill Sheppard, Business Development Manager, Sun Microsystems Robert Ferrari, Evangelist of Emerging Technologies, Moderator Keith Laepple, Group Manager, Evangelism, Microsoft eHome Division: Mr. Laepple has responsibility for developing technical strategies for home networking and consumer platforms. He works to develop partnerships and relationships within the industry, and is an industry spokesperson on home networking. Before assuming this role at Microsoft, he was technical evangelist for the company’s Windows embedded platforms and Windows consumer hardware platforms. He was a program manager in graphics and communications for Windows 95, and a program manager in graphics and power management for Windows 3.1. Mr. Laepple holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech. He is an experienced speaker at industry events, most recently at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, and at the Embedded Microprocessor Forum. Ken Soohoo, Co-Founder, President and CEO, has led the technical evolution of Planetweb since its founding in 1996. Under Soohoo's leadership, Planetweb has grown from a small team of software developers delivering their first product in the fall of 1996 to over 4 million units shipped today. From cornerstone partnerships in the gaming market with Sega and the Japanese version of the PlayStation® 2, Ken is bringing his software and engineering expertise to the forefront by delivering Planetweb technology to the market. Planetweb has secured strategic partnerships with DVD chipmakers including C-Cube, National Semiconductor, LuxSonor, VM Labs and Zoran. Planetweb is also creating unions with various device manufacturers, ISPs, and content and service providers to deliver a complete enhanced entertainment experience for consumers. With a background in software engineering and programming, Ken has held key executive positions with Planetweb, Inc., Digital Pictures, Inc., and engineering positions with Momenta Corporation and Atari. Before co-founding Planetweb in March of 1996, Mr. Soohoo was vice president of engineering at Digital Pictures, Inc. where he led the company's program to develop games for 32-bit video game consoles. Prior to Digital Pictures, Mr. Soohoo held engineering positions with Momenta Corporation and Atari. Mr. Soohoo is personally credited with developing nine video game titles and currently holds several patents in the area of Digital Video Editing. Mr. Soohoo's career is built upon his vision of bringing Internet access to the masses through consumer electronic devices such as gaming consoles, iDVD players and set-top boxes. Mr. Soohoo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Bob Bennett, Vice President, Wireless Networking Division, Cirrus Logic: Before founding ShareWave which was recently acquired by Cirrus Logic, Bennett was the marketing director for Intel Corporation's line of branded processor products. Bennett was responsible for all aspects of marketing associated with these products, including strategic planning, product management, consumer promotions, and channel programs. Prior to joining Intel in 1991, he worked as a product manager with Hewlett-Packard's Information Networks Division and as a consultant with Andersen Consulting. Bennett earned a bachelor's degree in economics with honors from Stanford University and a master's degree in management with distinction from Northwestern's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Ned Hayes, President and Chief Executive Officer, DIRECTV Broadband, Inc.: With the closing of the acquisition of Telocity by HUGHES Electronics Corporation/ DIRECTV in early April 2001, Ned Hayes became President and Chief Executive Officer of the newly created subsidiary, DIRECTV Broadband, Inc. Ned brings twenty years of financial management and business decision support experience to the enterprise. Ned joined Telocity as the company's first Chief Financial Officer and held that position from January 2000 through April 2001. During that time he played a crucial role as the management took the company public, operated the company as a publicly traded entity on the NASDAQ and, in seeking subsequent rounds of financing, entered into the acquisition transaction with HUGHES. Ned joined Telocity from Lucent Technologies, where he was Financial Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Global Service Provider Business - Lucent's sales, marketing and execution arm. This division was responsible for supplying incumbent and emerging telecommunication and data networking carriers around the globe, generating approximately $20 billion in annual sales. Prior to joining Lucent, Ned held senior financial management positions with such diverse multinationals as Unisys Corporation, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), and Credit Suisse First Boston. He received his undergraduate degree from Colgate University and conducted his graduate studies in Accounting and Finance at New York University's Graduate School of Business. Nick Chakalos, Director of Business Development, Ucentric: As Director of Business Development at Ucentric Systems, Nicholas T. Chakalos is responsible for establishing and managing relationships with Ucentric's hardware manufacturer, service provider and technology partners. Chakalos brings more than a decade of business development experience in technology, Internet and consumer electronics companies to Ucentric. At IBM Microelectronics, Chakalos managed the worldwide strategic marketing and business development of silicon and embedded software for digital cable and satellite set top boxes. He also served as product manager of the embedded Internet solutions for cable, wireless, office equipment and telecommunications market segments at Spyglass. Previously, Chakalos directed product management activities for a line of interactive services and Internet appliances at Philips Electronics. He began his career at Texas Instruments where he managed a line of products for the telecommunications market. Also, Chakalos has consulted to CableLabs and consumer electronics companies on architectures to deliver new consumer services. Chakalos earned a B.A. and a B.E. in Engineering from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Babson College. Bob Ferrari is a highly visible and respected 12 year industry veteran of emerging technology sectors, such as electronics, communications, and internet appliances ( IAs). As a pioneer and evangelist of emerging technologies and internet based devices, Bob offers a wealth of experience, insight, contacts and relationships within emerging sectors. His extensive executive background includes management, strategic planning, corporate development, sales, marketing, and communications. He has been fortunate to serve and steer the strategic direction of global public companies like Philips Electronics and a range of start-up companies. Bob’s core management and business foundation was developed when he held a broad range of executive positions, such as Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Philips Electronics - a global leader in electronics and information appliance solutions. His tenure in the start-up sector includes executive roles at technology start-ups such as Merinta Inc, where he serves as Chief Strategy Officer, overseeing corporate development, Sales and Marketing. He also held executive positions at the Internet Appliance Network, and ZipLink Inc, as well as founding and managing Global Resources & Associates Inc - a management consulting group. Beyond his management obligations, Bob contributes his personal time and effort to evangelizing the internet appliance sector by participating in industry associations and events. His involvement includes Director of Corporate Development for i-Appliance Association( www.i-appliance.org) ; Advisory Committee for Penton Media’s Electronics Group/Internet Device Builders Conference( www.idevicebuilder.com) ; and Advisory Board of NetAppliance Conference (www.netapplianceconference.com). He routinely appears at industry events as keynote speaker, presenter, panelist and chairperson.