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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Feb. 2, 2005 - EchoStar
Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and
its DISH Network™ satellite TV service announced
today that it has partnered with The Sharper
Image to bring the nation's first interactive
shopping channel to DISH Network's interactive
TV line-up. Beginning in February, viewers will
enjoy the convenience of shopping and purchasing
selected Sharper Image products from the comfort
of their homes, using just their TV remote.
Viewers can now access an interactive Sharper
Image catalog through DISH Home, located at
Channel 100 and, similar to online shopping,
DISH Network customers can choose the items that
they wish to buy and pay for them with secure
credit-card ordering.
"The possibilities are endless with DISH
Network's interactive TV channels," said Susan
Arnold, vice president of Programming for DISH
Network. "The Sharper Image ITV channel is a
natural addition to DISH Network's growing suite
of 26 interactive TV channels, allowing more
than 10 million DISH Network customers to choose
new ways to enhance their home entertainment
experience."
The Sharper Image channel allows viewers to
browse through select featured best-selling
products, visit customer service, see their
order history, view products in their shopping
basket and, with a phone-line connection to
their receiver, make their purchase.
DISH Network is the largest U.S. provider of
ITV channels and the world leader in the number
of ITV-enabled homes, with more than 10 million
subscribers who have ITV-enabled satellite TV
receivers.
"We believe this new technology for
interactive TV shopping is exciting and
completely consistent with our brand image,"
said Roger Bensinger, senior vice president of
Marketing at The Sharper Image. "Our
sophisticated customers look forward to
discovering innovative ways to purchase products
from their favorite stores and The Sharper Image
looks forward to reaching new customers through
this new interactive TV venue."
The Sharper Image is powered by OpenTV's ITV
middleware technology. DISH Network customers
with the following OpenTV-enabled receivers can
use their remote controls to access DISH Home,
interactive TV : Model 3900, Model 4900, DISH
111, DISH 301, DISH 501, DISH 508, DISH Player-DVR
510 and DISH Player-DVR 522.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:
DISH) serves more than 11 million satellite TV
customers through its DISH Network , the fastest
growing U.S. provider of advanced digital
television services in the last four years. DISH
Network offers hundreds of video and audio
channels, Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and
international programming, together with
professional installation and 24-hour customer
service. DISH Network ranks No. 1 in Customer
Satisfaction among Cable/Satellite TV
Subscribers by J.D. Power and Associates. Visit
EchoStar's DISH Network at www.dishnetwork.com
or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
About Sharper Image
Sharper Image is a specialty retailer that is
nationally and internationally renowned as a
leading source of new, innovative, high-quality
products that make life better and more
enjoyable. A significant and growing proportion
of sales are of proprietary products created by
the Company's product development group, Sharper
Image Design. The Company's principal selling
channels include 177 Sharper Image specialty
stores throughout the United States; the
award-winning Sharper Image monthly catalog with
annual circulation in excess of 85 million; and
its primary Website,
http://www.sharperimage.com. The Company also
sells its products through its own online
auction Website and an online Outlet store to
help manage refurbished and close-out inventory;
both sites are accessed from the home page of
sharperimage.com. The Company also has
business-to-business sales teams for marketing
its exclusive and proprietary products for
corporate incentive and reward programs and
wholesale to selected U.S. and international
retailers. |