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Internet TV taking off in the Middle East

The Middle East is set to embrace internet-connected TV over the next 3 years with the announcement of a new device to enable televisions to connect to the internet to stream international and local video straight to the living room.

Netgear are behind this new broadband router, cashing in on the nearly 50 million internet users in the region. The idea is to allow users to view streaming content in full screen on their TV screens from a variety of sources. Web video sites such as YouTube should be catered for, along with broadcasts from European and American markets. The device connects directly to the television set and provides functionality to search for and view content available on the internet, whilst also providing a method to view locally-stored content accessibly via a flash drive.

With the popularity of internet streaming video reaching ever higher levels, this device is well placed to take advantage of the burgeoning market and consumer demand. Netgear estimates that the market will reach a total of 1 million users by 2011, and hopes that this figure will turn out to be conservative due to the increasing numbers of users being hooked up to broadband connections in the Middle East.