Gateway about to launch a "connected" DVD player on the market

Aside from accepting regular DVDs, the player will work with
Ethernet or 802.11b wireless home networks to fetch MP3 files or digital
photos from one or more PCs in a home. It also will allow people to find
the files they want by displaying a graphical user interface on a
television screen. They can navigate the interface using the DVD player's
remote control.

The price for the DVD player, which
Gateway claims is the first to offer the PC connection, is $249.

The company will also offer customers
help in setting up a home network, which it suggests they use to handle
the connection between the DVD player and a PC. Wireless home networks
from the company start at about $60, while wired networks start at about
$40, a company representative said.