Pioneer Sweeps CNET Best of CES Awards at 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show

LONG BEACH, Calif.--Jan. 1, 20062, 2006--Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announced that it is the proud recipient of three CNET Best of CES 2006 Awards. Pioneer took top honors in the Home Video and Car Technology categories with the Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1, one of the world's first Blu-ray Disc players and the Pioneer AVIC-Z1, an intelligent hard-drive based navigation system that delivers information, entertainment and convenience to driving commuters. Additionally, the Pioneer Inno won the "People's Voice" category for its ability to play live satellite radio "on the go" and both MP3 and WMA music files.

"We are entering a new era in home and mobile entertainment and Pioneer is poised to deliver the next generation of consumer electronics with the debut of some of the hottest products at CES 2006," said Amy Friend, vice president of corporate communications at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "Pioneer has a reputation for providing best in class technology and we are thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to quality and innovation with this prestigious award from CNET."

The Best of CES Awards were produced and judged by CNET, which announced the winners Saturday, January 7, at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Selected by CNET's unbiased, expert editors, winners were recognized as the hottest products in their respective technology categories for their unmatched innovation and creativity, and their ability to excite consumers and make their way into everyday life. CNET's editors received and reviewed hundreds of entries, and combed the CES show floor for products to consider for the prestigious award. CNET's online community of tech enthusiasts voted for the People's Voice winner. Videos of the winners and finalists showcasing their technologies can be found at http://ces.cnet.com.

The Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1 is one of the world's first Blu-ray Disc players, marking an innovation in home entertainment that allows consumers to experience the ultimate in high-definition home theater. Blu-ray Discs have the capacity to store up to 50 gigabytes of information on a single disc to meet consumers growing demand for high definition content. The increased disc capacity will enable movie studios to include a complete high definition movie on a single disc with more features than currently available on DVD including interactive features. The BDP-HD1 delivers 1920 x 1080p output, the highest of the three high definition signals and its advanced networking capabilities allow consumers to enjoy high definition video and multi-channel audio content directly through the player rather than a computer.

Pioneer's AVIC-Z1 is a robust all-in-one navigation system that utilizes a 30-gigabyte hard drive to deliver information, entertainment and convenience to drivers. The highly intelligent system features smart routing, enhanced text-to-speech voice guidance, sophisticated voice recognition, traffic information and Bluetooth capability making it the most dynamic route guidance system in the market. The system stores nearly 11 million points of interest (POI) organized in more than 248 categories while optional XM NavTraffic service provides 24-hour traffic updates to help consumers route around traffic incidents while on the road.

The Pioneer Inno offers the long-awaited combination of MP3 and live XM Satellite Radio reception in a sleek, handheld device. The Inno plays both MP3 and WMA music files as well as live satellite radio "on the go" and features a time-shifting memory mode for storage and playback of XM content. The Inno also allows users to "bookmark" songs heard on XM, connect the Inno to a personal computer, and instantly purchase the songs from the XM + Napster online service.

"By winning three CNET Best of CES Awards, Pioneer has set a standard within their respective sectors for others to follow," said Brian Cooley, editor at large at CNET.com. "Each year at CES, CNET scours the show floor to bring extensive coverage to our passionate community of consumers, who look to our editors for the best new products at the show, and Pioneer has without doubt some of the hottest products at CES 2006."

Additionally, the AVIC-Z1 and the Pioneer BDR-101A, the industry's first PC-based Blu-ray Disc drive, were selected as honorees in their respective categories for a prestigious 2006 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award. The Innovations awards are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, independent engineers and members of the trade press.

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets. The company focuses on four core business domains including DVD, display technologies, Digital Network Entertainment(TM) and components.