Silicon Valley Tech Company Marks Debut of New Product by Gifting SXSW Festival Goers with 15,000 Fresh Pears

AUSTIN, Texas, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Peel, a Silicon Valley startup, has created a new device that personalizes the home media viewing experience. Following in the tradition of innovative companies that have shaped the face of their brands through non-traditional launches at South By Southwest, Peel celebrated the public debut of its personalized TV interface at the annual music, film and interactive festival held annually in Austin, Tex. Models commissioned by the company handed out over 15,000 fresh, Peel branded, pears to South by Southwest festival goers during the week-long event, which lasts through March 20th.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110321/NY68879 )

Shaped like a pear, Peel's universal remote is capable of seamlessly controlling the user's entire entertainment system.  What's more – implementation is virtually foolproof.  By setting up Peel's "fruit", connecting it to Wi-Fi and downloading the free application, Peel turns Apple products like the iPhone or iPad into control systems that manage TVs, DVD/Blu-ray players and more. The Peel universal control is now available at Apple Stores nationwide.

"We certainly couldn't afford to give away actual units to every festival attendee," said Peel's Vice President of Marketing, Alec Marshall.  "But we did want to do something that was creative and out-of-the-box.  We're confident that impressing the shape, feel and look of our product upon the crowd at South by Southwest will be impactful – particularly because innovative products are welcomed and appreciated in this environment."  

The Peel Universal Remote is more than just that — it designs a personal programming package based on the viewer's TV preferences.  As you watch, Peel fine-tunes your TV recommendations based on your likes, dislikes and social interactions.

The Peel "fruit" is designed to fit neatly into living room decor, and its wireless technology means no more aiming at the system – control simply just happens, from anywhere in the house.  Users can find programming, search and automatically switch channels and inputs, and adjust volume even when they are out of the viewing room.

Peel universal control features:

• Seamless control of entire home entertainment systems: TV, Blu-ray and DVD players, Apple TV, Roku, stereos and more
• No cords, dongles or cables – powered by a single C battery
• Easy 5-minute setup – simply plug in and follow instructions on Peel app

The free Peel app is available for download at the Apple App Store and available at Apple Stores nationwide and online for $99.

About Peel

Peel was founded around passion for making the home entertainment experience friendlier. Combining program discovery, simple and seamless universal control and shared entertainment experiences steps beyond simple remote controls and changes the TV landscape. Founded in 2009, award-winning Peel received Series A financing from Redpoint Ventures, known for its successful endeavors in consumer entertainment and interactive media including Netflix and Tivo. For more information visit http://www.Peel.com.

For regular Peel updates follow us at http://www.Twitter.com/PeelTV, become a Fan on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/PeelTV or visit http://www.Peel.com.

SOURCE Peel