Sept. 13, 2010 18:00 UTC

element14 Invites Electronics Enthusiasts to Get Their “Mod” on With Launch of “The Ben Heck Show” Online TV Series

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- element14, a collaborative social community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, today announced the launch of “The Ben Heck Show,” an informative and entertaining new online television series dedicated to the science, art and mindset of system and hardware modders. Hosted by Benjamin J. Heckendorn, a.k.a. Ben Heck, widely regarded as one of the most talented and innovative game console modders, “The Ben Heck Show” is a bi-weekly online television series that spotlights Ben’s modifications of popular electronic devices.

This press release has an accompanying Smart Marketing Page providing further details about the organization, products and services introduced below. You can access the Smart Marketing Page via the following link: http://www.businesswire.com/smp/The_Ben_Heck_Show/.

Sponsored exclusively by element14 and produced by leading Internet TV network Revision3, the show educates viewers on the underlying technology powering each of Ben's featured projects, offering his unique insight regarding hardware modification techniques, tools and design tips. Supporting the design and electronics community is at the heart of the show, and viewers are encouraged to send Ben their ideas for future modding projects at www.element14.com/TBHS. They can also visit element14 to build their own project, using each show’s project parts list. All parts are available at the element14 electronics store.

“The team at element14 and I understand the passion that motivates and excites the growing modder universe. ‘The Ben Heck Show’ is committed to providing these creative electronics enthusiasts and design engineers with a TV show that’s every bit as spellbinding for them as the Super Bowl is to a football fan,” said Ben Heck. “Anyone who is even the slightest bit technologically curious will enjoy the show and walk away from each episode a little savvier about the technology they use every day.”

Each episode highlights projects inspired by the modder community, ranging from mods for a particular need to gadgets that help electronic enthusiasts work and play faster. Ben kicks off the first show with a mission to modify a game controller for an avid gamer with a disability and begins building one of his signature Microsoft® Xbox 360 Laptops.

“Sponsoring Ben’s show provides element14 with another venue for building and uniting the large and active modding community,” said Alisha Mowbray, Senior Vice President of Marketing, element14. “In addition to professional engineers and hard-core electronics enthusiasts, everyone from first year engineering students to recent modding converts to electronics garage enthusiasts will be engaged by the humor and technical content of the show.”

Electronics enthusiasts can also join the dedicated “Ben Heck Show” group on element14 to participate in ongoing discussions regarding the show or post videos of their own mods. In addition, viewers are invited to register for a chance to win one of Ben’s renowned Xbox 360 laptops built on “The Ben Heck Show.” More information about the show and a download of the first episode is available 24/7 at www.element14.com/TBHS.

About element14

element14 is the first collaborative community, research portal and store for design engineers and enthusiasts. The website provides product data, design tools, technology information and top brand components to seamlessly facilitate the design process; users can consult industry experts and collaborate with peers around the globe. element14 is sponsored by Premier Farnell plc (LSE: pfl), a leader in multi-channel distribution and specialty services for electronic design engineers, trading throughout the Americas (Newark), Europe/India/Australia/New Zealand (Farnell) and China and Hong Kong (Premier Electronics). The company has group sales of £795.3m and over 4,100 employees globally.

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Source: element14

Smart Multimedia Gallery

"The Ben Heck Show," sponsored by element14, is an informative and entertaining new online television series dedicated to the science, art and mindset of system and hardware modders.

Ben Heck hosts new show for gamers and techies, sponsored by element14. (Photo: Business Wire)

Ben's show highlights projects inspired by the modder community. (Photo: Business Wire)

Ben's signature Microsoft(R) Xbox 360 Laptop, which he will be building throughout the online TV series. (Photo: Business Wire)

(Graphic: Business Wire)

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