Bigfoot Networks Adds Killer NIC Technology To Alienware Laptops

Bigfoot Networks has quietly gone from a niche startup that only targeted hardcore gamers, to a company that seems to be cracking into new parterships all the time. They've already managed to get their products into mainboards and GPUs, and now they're taking them to the most sophisticated spot yet: Alienware notebooks. Bigfoot's "Killer" line of networking gear is famous for one thing in particular: prioritizing bandwidth usage in order to reduce jitter and make online gameplay smoother compared to standard, non-optimized NICs. They've managed to do a swell job with it, and reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

Now, those buying an Alienware will be able to get that same technology right inside their laptop. The Wireless-N 1103 network adapter will now be listed as an option on the Alienware M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x. Neither company has come clean with a price, but having smoother gameplay is apt to convince gamers to pony up either way.

ALIENWARE ADDS BIGFOOT NETWORKS KILLER™ WIRELESS-N TECHNOLOGY ACROSS FULL LINE OF GAMING LAPTOPS

Alienware Enhances Gaming Laptop Line with Integrated Killer Wireless-N 1103 Networking for Breakthrough Wi-Fi® Speed, Intelligence and Control

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – July 11, 2011 – Bigfoot Networks, the technology company behind the Killer™ line of high-performance networking products, today announced that Dell Computer Corporation is adding Killer™ Wireless-N 1103 high-performance network adapters as a option to all four of its latest gaming laptop PCs, including the Alienware M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x (NASDAQ: DELL).

Building on Bigfoot Networks' history of high-performance, low-latency desktop PC networking, Killer Wireless-N 1103 adapters deliver superior wireless networking Speed with data rates up to 450Mbps . Bigfoot Networks' exclusive Advanced Stream Detect™ technology provides network Intelligence by automatically classifying and prioritizing latency-sensitive network traffic such as online games, HD video, voice and audio. Control comes courtesy of Bigfoot Networks' exclusive Visual Bandwidth Control™ application, which lets users easily manage their precious bandwidth and tune upload and download allocations for each online application. As a result, users experience optimized gaming performance, fewer video interruptions and crystal-clear audio and video conferencing.

Key Killer Wireless-N 1103 features include:
• Advanced Stream Detect™ – Automatically classifies and prioritizes online games, HD video and high-quality audio for fewer interruptions and a better online experience.
• Visual Bandwidth Control™ – Enables users to see which applications are hogging bandwidth and tune allocations for each so they don't interfere with online games, video or multimedia applications, allowing users to do more online tasks simultaneously.
• PC Monitor™ – Monitor and manage wireless laptop PC health and performance with graphical displays and detailed logging via an intuitive user interface.
• Cutting-Edge 11n Performance – Up to 5X better latency than leading competitors and enhanced rate-over-range performance, with 3-stream MIMO enabling industry-leading data rates of up to 450Mbps for higher data throughput over longer distances.

"We are excited to be partnering with Bigfoot Networks in being the first company to offer its high-performance Killer Wireless-N 1103 network adapters across our entire line of high-performance gaming laptops," said Frank Azor, Alienware Product Planning Director. "With impressive online networking performance enhancements and Bigfoot's exclusive Advanced Stream Detect™ technology, these new Killer Wireless-based gaming laptops will ensure our customers have the ultimate online gaming and HD video streaming experience."

"As all entertainment tends toward digital delivery – games, movies, music, video, even books – PC enthusiasts need more network power than ever before," said Michael Howse, CEO of Bigfoot Networks. "Alienware knows you don't want to compromise your media experience just because you're mobile. That's why they've turned to Bigfoot Networks for a high-performance, intelligent wireless solution you can take wherever you go."