Automotive Mobile Audio Video

AMD (NYSE:AMD) and M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. (Nasdaq:FLSH) have entered into a strategic agreement to jointly develop sophisticated high-density flash data storage solutions for the rapidly growing mobile data storage market.

Building on AMD's strength in manufacturing, packaging and flash technology; and M-Systems' award-winning DiskOnChip technology, this collaboration is intended to create embedded data storage products optimized for high-performance mobile and other applications.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop and market flash data storage solutions. The combination of AMD's advanced low power flash with M-Systems' widely supported and easy-to-use TrueFFS (True Flash File System) technology is expected to create solutions which offer high-performance, small form-factors and an extremely cost-effective interface.

This suite of products will be designed to offer the functionality and ease-of-use of a hard drive, with the superior speed, performance, low power consumption and reliability of AMD's Flash memory.

Cellular telephones, wireless devices, hand-held PCs, automotive PCs and other mobile products that need to quickly store and retrieve large amounts of data, can greatly benefit from the small form factor and cost-effective interface of the solutions the two companies plan to develop. Offering integrated security features with extensive data storage capabilities, these products will be designed for mobile-commerce applications such as the secure digital music initiative.

"AMD believes that there is a burgeoning market for high-capacity embedded data storage devices in advanced portable products," said Walid Maghribi, AMD's senior vice president and president of the company's Memory Group.

"The growing need for small, low-power, rugged and secure storage solutions that are capable of holding large quantities of data, audio and video files, represents a tremendous opportunity for flash memory. AMD has partnered with M-Systems to develop this new flash-based data storage solution to address the mobile market's unique needs."

"We chose to adopt M-Systems' DiskOnChip technology because of its combination of the TrueFFS software, a unique controller with highly integrated security features, and their ability to provide a comprehensive solution," added Maghribi.

"We are elated to enter into a partnership with AMD, a company that has earned the reputation for delivering extremely reliable flash memory products to the market," said Dov Moran, president and CEO of M-Systems. "AMD's expertise in flash memory and knowledge of the mobile market space, coupled with M-Systems' ability to offer an extremely reliable high-capacity storage solution to applications demanding very high performance, makes this partnership ideal for this venture."

M-Systems' TrueFFS is a patented Flash file system and set of technologies that performs full read/write hard disk emulation with an unmatched level of reliability and performance. TrueFFS works in all major operating system environments, including Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows CE, Windows NT, Windows NT Embedded, Windows95/8, DOS, BE, Linux and other leading operating systems.

With combined TrueFFS and DiskOnChip flash disk technologies, M-Systems' DiskOnChip family of Flash disk products have a burst read/write speed of up to 20 Megabytes per second, an endurance of one million write/erase cycles, advanced error correction/error detection, and are the most reliable Flash disk solutions in the market.

M-Systems' DiskOnChip is currently available in 32-pin DIP, 144-pin DIMM or 48-pin TSOP form factors with capacities ranging from 8 MB to 288 MB. This unique product adds flexibility, minimizes integration efforts, reduces engineering costs and shortens time-to-market. M-Systems' DiskOnChip features high reliability, low power consumption and small size.

Lowrance Electronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:LEIX) announced today that its new iWay 500C Automotive GPS won the Best New Mobile Electronics Entertainment Product for 2005 at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) 2004 Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world.

The SEMA selection committee presented the award to Lowrance's Chief Executive Officer, Darrell Lowrance. The judges based their decision on the following categories: innovation; technical achievement; quality; workmanship, and consumer appeal. According to the selection committee, the iWay 500C excelled in each of the categories over all other competitive entries and deserved the highest acclaim.

"We are thrilled and honored to receive this award for the iWay 500C, which is yet another example of the leading-edge GPS products recently developed and introduced by our Company," said Darrell Lowrance. "The iWay 500C commenced shipping last month, right on schedule, and is targeted to the large automotive 'turn-by-turn' market, which we believe represents a significant growth opportunity for Lowrance Electronics."

The iWay 500C, which retails for under $1,000, is a versatile, portable, on-dash automotive GPS that uniquely adds MP3 player functions to precision, auto-routing, turn-by-turn navigation with visual and voice prompts. The sizeable, 5-inch diagonal color TFT touch-screen display features Lowrance proprietary technologies allowing superb viewing, even in direct sunlight. The iWay 500C includes an internal 20GB hard drive, 10GB of which is available for high-detail mapping coverage of the continental U.S., Canada and Europe, and 10GB of free space reserved for MP3 music storage. An internal USB port allows for future map updates from a PC, while the unit comes complete with a full complement of accessories, including two portable mounting fixtures, power-audio-PC cables and adapters, protective cover, and special screen cleaning cloth.

About Lowrance Electronics

Lowrance Electronics, Inc. (www.Lowrance.com) designs, manufactures and markets SONAR and GPS products, digital mapping systems and other accessories under the brand names "Lowrance(R)" and "Eagle(R)" Electronics, "Lowrance Automotive(TM)" and "Lowrance Avionics(R)". These products are used in the following primary product markets: marine, general consumer (which includes outdoor recreational use and vehicular navigational systems for aftermarket automobile, RV and commercial markets) and aviation.

This press release may include certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond management's control, including factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While the Company makes these statements and projections in good faith, neither the Company nor its management can guarantee that anticipated future results will be achieved The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information or events.

A study recently released by an economic think tank concluded that on balance, when one large company acquires or merges with another, it's a good thing for the companies and the industries they serve.

Had the authors of that study looked for a real-world example to illustrate that conclusion, they probably couldn't do much better than Bosch Rexroth Corp.

Established in mid-2001 after Rexroth was acquired by Bosch Automation Technology, a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH, the company hit the ground running as one of the leading players in the mobile and industrial hydraulics industries. Now, a little more than a year after its founding, Bosch Rexroth has set a goal to establish itself as "the Drive & Control Company" for the global hydraulics and factory automation marketplace. While such strategies are often little more than corporatespeak, in this case, there seems little doubt that the organization has the pieces in place to fulfill that mission.

"Drive & Control is more than a slogan or positioning line," said Robert L. Rickert, president and CEO of the Hoffman Estates, Ill.-headquartered company. "It is a statement about who we are and the unique capabilities and values we bring to various markets. It is the distillation of a comprehensive business strategy."

That strategy was distilled from the strengths and expertise each company brought with it. Bosch Automation Technology was a leading supplier of industrial hydraulic, pneumatic, electric drive pneumatic and motion control systems for factory automation applications. Rexroth was part of German industrial giant Mannesmann AG specializing in a range of hydraulic and gear-drive technology. Rexroth was generally considered one of the first tier global hydraulic suppliers.

But things began to become unsettled in 2000 when Mannesmann AG was acquired by English telecommumcations giant Vodafone. The acquisition left Rexroth, along with several other Mannesmann holdings, as square industrial pegs in round telecommumcations holes. "We were very satisfied being part of Mannesmann, being part of the engineering group we were in," said Rickert. "But it became obvious that Mannesmann was headed in a different direction that didn't include its engineering group anymore."

There was some consideration of spinning the Rexroth operations off as a separate company, but the prospects seemed uncertain, especially since it would take place at the height of the dot-coin boom, when heavy industry was viewed by many as "old economy." Eventually Mannesmann began to entertain offers for Rexroth and there were as many as three major suitors. But it was evident early on that Bosch appeared to be the best fit.

"I think these were two companies that knew each other extremely well before the merger took place," said Rickert. "When you looked at the companies, they were very complementary. And when you look at the product lines, the markets served, it very much appeared to be two halves of a whole."

Ken Hank, executive vice president of Bosch Rexroth's mobile hydraulics operations agreed, calling it, "a very nice marriage from the mobile perspective.

"Although Bosch AT was not very big in mobile hydraulics, there were a couple of areas that they specialized in that are important to our future," Hank said. "For example, they have an excellent gear pump line and gear pumps were an area where we had not been very active. In addition, Bosch specialized in a couple of areas, ag equipment with draft control and also in industrial lift trucks with control valve technology that has basically married up to ours so there was no overlap."

The acquisition was finalized in May of 2001 and from its inception, Bosch Rexroth is a significant player consisting of six business units -- Mobile Hydraulics, Industrial Hydraulics, Electric Drives and Controls, Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies, Pneumatics and Service Automation -- serving customers in 80 countries. In the U.S. alone, the company employs nearly 2200 people and operates six regional centers/sales offices, nine manufacturing and assembly facilities and several applications and R&D centers. U.S. revenues in 2001 totaled $567 million.

Looking at the mobile business, Bosch Rexroth has an extremely broad portfolio which includes axial piston pumps and motors; radial piston motors; gear pumps and gear motors; directional control valves; and electro-hydraulic control systems. The company also produces pumps for diesel engine fuel injection systems, as well as Lohmann brand gear drives, which are typically teamed with hydraulic pumps in drive system packages.

"The fact that Rexroth was acquired by Bosch is probably the best thing that could possibly have happened to Rexroth," said Hank. "First, Bosch is a very financially stable company. Secondly, it is not a public company so its strategy is not driven by short sighted goals like so many of today's public companies.

"But most importantly when Bosch acquired Rexroth, they brought to the table their research and development capability and their electronics. There are more than 1500 scientists and technicians working in the research and development center in Germany, to which we now have access. This is mostly in the area of electronics and materials and this is mostly automotive driven, but they're on the cutting edge of technology. That's available to us now and it's a tremendous advantage."

Diagnosing, servicing and repairing vehicles just got easier and more efficient thanks to a revolutionary new product introduced by Mobile Productivity, Inc. (MPi). The Advanced Repair Guidance Information System (ARGIS(TM)) will allow the automotive industry to reliably service increasingly complicated vehicles in a cost-effective and high-quality manner.

ARGIS(TM) is the culmination of more than a decade of research around the productivity issues facing service and repair technicians. It combines next-generation diagnostic and technician support tools with a process-driven inspection system to help modern service centers more efficiently diagnose vehicles.

Among the time-saving features offered by ARGIS(TM) are:

--  Knowledge Streaming(TM)
--  Advanced user interface
--  Mobility and connectivity
--  Tool consolidation
--  Event capture/solutions ranking
--  Outside system integration
   

An attractive benefit to service centers is that ARGIS(TM) offers features that enable the repair shop to generate greater sales volume by identifying additional needed maintenance and repair services and presenting them to the customer in a highly professional manner.

Brent Brown, President of the Brent Brown Auto Group in Provo, Utah, was one of the first to use ARGIS(TM) in his dealerships. The results, he says, have been impressive for both the customer and the business.

"Through the use of this product (ARGIS(TM)), I project that over the next 12 months, my dealership will generate an additional $100,000 in gross profit to help offset my declining warranty sales."

Brown claims ARGIS(TM) creates a process that increases quality and reduces "comebacks." He says it has reduced preparation time for service technicians by 80 percent and improved overall technician productivity by 37 percent.

"Studies have shown that technicians who use our system fix vehicles better and faster," says MPi CEO and President Les Silver, who is a former founder and CEO of Newgen Results Corporation. "The patent-pending Knowledge Streaming(TM) technologies are at the core of ARGIS(TM). These create a 'knowledge infusion' process which increases quality and reduces 'comebacks.'"

Technicians use a wireless tablet PC in the repair bay to interface with the ARGIS Vehicle Maintenance (ARGIS/VM(TM)) solution, which marries diagnostic information from an automobile's onboard diagnostic system with customized and highly structured repair information based on content received from each manufacturer.

In addition to ARGIS/VM(TM), a solution called ARGIS Quick Service (ARGIS/QS(TM)) develops a comprehensive report called "Know Your Vehicle(TM)," which combines information obtained from physical inspection, scheduled maintenance recommendations, missed maintenance activities, recall notices and technical support bulletins.

The Know Your Vehicle(TM) report generated by ARGIS/QS(TM) is a detailed printout showing the customer what is wrong with their vehicle, listing scheduled maintenance procedures and showing the cost of needed and potential repairs. The report also tells service technicians how to correct the problems, reducing time needed to look up information in manuals, etc.

"Our studies show that between 20 and 25 percent of the consumers bringing their cars in for service will have this inspection performed and will purchase, on average, over $300 in additional needed services," Silver said.

Silver says the end result of using ARGIS/VM and ARGIS/QS is that a service center's productivity, quality and merchandising needs are greatly enhanced, which leads to happier customers and technicians.

About Mobile Productivity, Inc.

Mobile Productivity, Inc. provides the automotive industry a highly innovative and proprietary diagnostic, repair information and service merchandising solution. MPi's Advanced Repair Guidance Information System (ARGIS(TM)) enables modern service centers to increase efficiencies and profits by streamlining the method technician's diagnosis vehicle repairs by utilizing a customized repair information system that is easy to use and effectively contributes to customer service merchandising. MPi is backed by Warburg Pincus, a global leader among the top private equity and venture capital firms. Since 1971, Warburg Pincus has invested more than $16 billion in 480 companies in 30 countries. Throughout its 35-year history in private equity, the firm has invested at all stages of a company's life cycle, from founding start-ups and providing growth capital to leading restructurings, recapitalizations and buy-outs.

Mobile Entertainment, Navigation, Telematics and Automotive Maintenance Management Key Applications

Xybernaut(R) Corporation (NASDAQ:XYBR) and Stargate Mobile LLC today announced a partnership relationship under which Xybernaut mobile/wireless computing technologies and Stargate integration and solution expertise will be combined into a single solution for a variety of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and after-market applications within the automotive industry.

Under the relationship, Stargate has joined Team Xybernaut(TM) as a systems integrator and solution provider working with Xybernaut in the automotive sectors. Both companies have been working together for more than six months to develop and deploy the integrated computing platforms.

The mobile/wireless solutions are initially being offered on the Xybernaut Atigo(R) computers. The complete turnkey systems consist of the Xybernaut Atigo computer running two specific platforms - information and entertainment - that were specifically designed for use in automotive applications utilizing wireless networking capabilities for transferring data and Internet access.

"The mobility and full computing power afforded by the joint Xybernaut-Stargate solutions offer auto enthusiasts a unique option for OEM or after-market upgrades," said Brad Chitty, executive vice president, Business Development, for Xybernaut. "In recent years, automotive upgrades have become one of the largest consumer electronics markets in the U.S. and abroad. Though music and video applications were the initial focus, full computing capabilities are a natural next step. We're confident an automated Internet-based whole-vehicle computing solution serves the broadest array of applications."

Xybernaut and Stargate will be displaying these technologies together this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas from January 6 - 10 in Booth # 6717 (located in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center). Several vehicles will be configured with the joint Xybernaut-Stargate technologies to demonstrate the information and entertainment components such as telematics (GPS/GIS), navigation, OBDII, computing capabilities, MP3s/music, DVD/video and other capabilities.

Initial customers using the joint solution include Decoma, General Motors, Hummer, and Daimler/Chrysler.

On display at the CES event will be a GMC Yukon XL 2005, Joe Gibbs Special Edition 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche and a 2005 Hummer H2. In October of 2004, Decoma presented the new Chrysler 300c at the SEMA 2004 Exposition will all the Xybernaut-Stargate components. That vehicle was chosen as the winner of The Best Interior Design and Theme award from Chrysler.

"Stargate is truly pleased to bring such fine products and talent together in order to offer a 'life-moving' experience for consumers in the mobile world with live in today," stated John Cooper, president, Stargate Mobile LLC. "With the flexibility and portability of the Atigo, our customers have full mobile computing both inside the vehicle or away from the vehicle if they chose to 'undock' the Atigo and take it with them."

Both companies are leaders in their respective markets -- Xybernaut in mobile, wireless and wearable computing and Stargate with automotive applications and solutions. For more information related to Stargate,

About Xybernaut

Xybernaut Corporation is the leading provider of wearable/ mobile computing hardware, software and services, bringing communications and full-function computing power in a hands-free design to people when and where they need it. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, Xybernaut has offices and subsidiaries in Europe (Germany) and Asia (China, Japan and Korea). .

Xybernaut, the Xybernaut logo and Mobile Assistant(R) V (MA(R) V) and Atigo(R) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Xybernaut Corporation in the USA and other countries. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of, their respective owners.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "plan," "confident that," "believe," "scheduled," "expect," or "intend to," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, the availability of components and successful production of the Company's products, general acceptance of the Company's products and technologies, competitive factors, timing, and other risks described in the Company's SEC reports and filings.

Atwood Mobile Products, a division of DURA Automotive Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:DRRA), today announced it received the Indiana Child Safety Advocate Award in the business category from the Automotive Safety Program for Atwood's outstanding dedication to the advancement of child safety. This prestigious award honors Atwood's involvement with local safety teams that educate parents on the importance of using car seats and assist parents to correctly install them.

"It was only natural for us to use our expertise to educate the public on the correct use of child restraints since one of our products lines is seating for recreational and conversion vehicles," said Bob Pickering, president of Atwood Mobile Products. "We're honored to receive this recognition of our efforts to promote child safety."

The award exemplifies Atwood's and DURA's continued support of the SAFE KIDS Coalition, an initiative sponsored by the Automotive Safety Program that is dedicated to raising awareness that preventable injuries are a leading public health threat to children today. Statistics show that 529 children under five years old were killed in motor vehicle accidents(a) in 2000, highlighting the need to properly install and use child safety seats.

As part of the SAFE KIDS program, Atwood personnel attended a 32-hour standardized training program under the auspices of the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration to become certified CPS (Child Passenger Safety) technicians. Following certification, Atwood employees volunteered as CPS technicians to check child car seats for correct installation, educate parents and provide car seat recall information.

DURA Automotive Systems Inc., with factories, customer service and technology centers located in over 14 countries, designs, engineers and produces seating control systems and hardware for both automotive and recreational vehicle industries. As the world production leader of All Belts to Seats (ABTS) technology, a patented seat system that allows integration of seatbelts directly into seat structures, the company is committed to not only marketing safe products, but also to helping educate consumers as to their proper installation, fitting and maintenance.

DURA Automotive Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:DRRA) is the world's largest independent designer and manufacturer of driver control systems and a leading global supplier of seating control systems, engineered assemblies, door modules, and glass systems for the global automotive industry. The company is also a leading supplier of similar products to the North American recreation vehicle and mass transit market. DURA supplies every North American, European and Japanese original equipment manufacturer. DURA's operating headquarters is in Rochester Hills, Mich., and its corporate office is in Minneapolis, Minn.

If the future of off-highway power-trains is electronic control, which it certainly seems to be, and if the future of off-highway hydraulics will revolve around complete systems, then CAN-bus controllers are the right candidates to pull all the discrete components together as a true system.

CAN, or controller area network, systems were originally developed for use in the automotive world and have begun to find their way to the heavy-duty markets. With an international standard bus system for mobile applications, ISO 11898 in-place, there will be more, not fewer CAN-bus-controlled hydraulic systems in the future.

The Flo Draulic Group is marketing a CAN-bus system as a programmable controller that operates independently as a measuring, driving or controlling device for sensor-actuator management for off-highway hydraulic systems.

Targeted specifically at the off-highway equipment markets, especially agriculural, material handing, construction equipment, community/highway service and other various special vehicles, the ESX system is designed as a controller for the complete electrohydraulic system. This controller system works independently as a measuring, driving or controlling device for sensor-actuator management and is capable of executing a number of separate or related tasks in real time.

The heart of the system is an Infineon C167CR 16-bit, 20 MHz processor, with a CAN 2.0B interface, standard and extended formats, in low- or high-speed interfaces to 1 Mbit/sec. The processor has flash memory to 512 Kbytes, RAM to 256 Kbytes and EEPROM to 8 Kbytes. An RS232 interface is used that is programmable to a maximum 19200 baud rate. There are eight analog inputs, 16 digital/rpm inputs and 12 pulse width modulation (PWM)/digital outputs - eight at 4.0 amps, and four at 2.5 amps.

The ESX system was specifically designed for off-highway operating environments and can function from -40[degrees]F to + 187[degrees]F. The company said all inputs and outputs are protected against short circuit to ground or to voltage overload and have a built-in diagnostic capability.

Proportional valves can be driven without amplifiers or controller cards. The system can be programmed with PWM output with internal current measurement.

The controller is housed in a cast aluminum housing with a Gore-Tex breathing filter to provide a high degree of immunity from electromagnetic disturbances, moisture and also to protect against mechanical stresses. The standard controller housing has an IP65 rating, with IP67 available as an option.

Programming of the system can be done in high level "C" language or using an PLC graphical user interface (IEC 1131-3) with the following choice of languages: function block diagram; ladder diagram; instruction list; structured text; and sequential function chart. The function library, with ready-to-use function components, makes it possible to quickly program application software.

One of the keys to the ESX system said Bill Mauceri, vice president of Flo Draulic Inc, Norcross, Ga., is that all input and output channels of the controller are self-diagnostic and programmable by the end user. The system can detect short, or open circuits and a continuous internal diagnosis can be performed. A safety relay provides another means of switching off the digital and PWM outputs. The company also offers a line of software tools to read the error buffer, system diagnostics, visualization, and maintenance or repair services.

With the CAN interface, a number of ESX controllers can be integrated into a CAN network. Expansion of the ESX system can be accomplished via the two standard internal interfaces and various other modules to provide up to 12 additional input or output ports. This allows the system to be designed for specific customer applications.

Flo Draulic said using the ESX controllers can reduce costs for the lifetime of the machine, from production to service, while at the same time increasing the equipment's functionality.

Six months ago, when we last examined enterprise resource planning (ERP), we discovered that it was expanding beyond its conventional ERP roots--"expanding its footprint," the pundits would say--to include customer relationship management (CRM), product lifecycle management (PLM), supply chain management (SCM), and other three-letter acronymic initiatives. Nowadays, this expansion is not just the province of mega-ERP systems aimed at the automotive Tier 1 suppliers. Even the breadth of capabilities in mid-market ERP systems is broadening.

Why? One answer, from Gary Flum, general manager of automotive for QAD (Carpinteria, CA), is: "The abdication of responsibility by the OEMs--the responsibility of program management, sourcing, and engineering, planning, and supply information--things like that--are entirely new and being pushed down the automotive supply chain."

So these new requirements beget more sophisticated software functionality.

QAD is complementing traditional electronic data interchange (EDI) with a variety of Internet-based systems. For instance, QAD eQ is an order management hub--really a private, Internet-based trading exchange--with links directly to QAD's ERP system, MFG/PRO. Through this hub, you can make the sales, purchase, and replenishment orders issued by MFG/PRO, even advance ship notices (ASN), available to your entire supply chain.

The latest version of eQ includes eQ Replenishment, which lets real-time consumption about material usage drive the flow of material through production to customer sites. This means customer usage--not the receipt of purchase orders, not mm/max economic order quantities--is driving replenishment. Similarly, real downstream demand, not forecasts, triggers production and procurement processes. In short, this is automated "pull" capabilities leading toward real-time vendor managed inventory and kanban processing.

QAD also has MFGx.net, a manufacturing-based network already integrated into QAD. MFGx.net includes hosted Internet application services such as basic alert-based PLM and QAD's Supply Visualization (SV). SV lets suppliers see all the information regarding the items they supply to you and that you have authorized them to see. SV gets this information for inventory, purchase orders, supplier schedules, and receipts from a customer's ERP system using an XML interface called "the poller," which sends the ERP information to the SV web server. Suppliers can also load information for shipping forecasts and ASNs directly into SV, as well as export information from SV to their external systems. Suppliers without EDI can import their shipping forecasts and ASNs into SV using spreadsheet. The result of this, ideally, is streamlined material replenishment up and down the supply chain.

NEW YORK & ALISO VIEJO, Calif. -- PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE: PRM), the country's leading targeted media company, and Amp'd Mobile, the first fully integrated 3G youth-oriented mobile entertainment company, today announced an agreement to create exclusive content for 3G mobile devices using nine of PRIMEDIA's action sports and automotive enthusiast titles. The offering will allow Amp'd Mobile users access to video games, video clips, and more, anytime, anywhere, through the carrier's 3G-optimized mobile phones.

Amp'd Mobile will provide customers access to live video feeds, unique ring tones, photographs and compelling editorial content from PRIMEDIA's leading action sports brands, including Snowboarder, Surfer, Skateboarder, Bike, Surfing, Powder, Climbing as well as Import Tuner, a leading title in PRIMEDIA's International Automotive Group. In addition, Amp'd will offer access to PRIMEDIA's recently launched WaveWatch site, a free, real-time, Web-based surf camera and surf condition forecasting network.

"Bringing our content to life through innovative applications of new technology is central to our strategy of extending our brands to serve our readers' interests in an on-demand world," said Don Meek, president of PRIMEDIA's Action Sports Group.

"Working with PRIMEDIA to bring exclusive anytime, anywhere content from the world's best enthusiast brands will help make Amp'd Mobile the must-have wireless service," said Peter Adderton, CEO and founder, Amp'd Mobile. "These brands are a perfect fit for our active customer target. Being able to deliver exclusive video clips, live feeds and forecasts from the leading surfers, snowboarders, skateboarders and car enthusiasts will show how far 3G and wireless content has come."

Amp'd will also deliver branded mobile video games for each PRIMEDIA title on an exclusive basis, beginning with Snowboarder and Import Tuner. Amp'd Mobile is working alongside the editors and gaming developers to create "Snowboarder 3D featuring Travis Rice" and "Asphalt: Import Tuner Edition." The games, scheduled for launch later this year, will provide users a "console-like" gaming experience and incorporate the expertise of the titles' editors, the renowned enthusiasts in their respective markets.

Snowboarder 3D featuring Travis Rice provides users with the ultimate snowboard experience in mobile, by combining cutting-edge graphics and lifelike snowboarding action and tricks from Travis Rice, an Amp'd team rider, as well as five other professional snowboarders.

Asphalt: Import Tuner Edition showcases the hottest 3D racing action complete with road blocks, police and helicopter chases. The game uses several dream cars, tricked out with the latest parts and innovations from the pages of Import Tuner.

These first two games will utilize Amp'd Mobile's deployment of BREW 3.1, a tool that enables video clip integration within games, as well as on-the-fly download of new game levels and assets, such as cars, gear and characters. Amp'd Mobile will leverage 3G EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) offering broadband wireless network as well as traditional wireless phone services. A fresh user interface and fully customizable experience is designed specifically for the 18- to 35-year-old target gaming audience.

The full line-up of exclusive games, videos and other offerings will be announced later this year.

About PRIMEDIA Enterprises

PRIMEDIA Enterprises is the worldwide brand licensing division for PRIMEDIA's 250 publications, having established brand extension programs for titles such as Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Lowrider, Super Street, Import Tuner, In-Fisherman, and Creating Keepsakes. PRIMEDIA Enterprises extends the company's brands into consumer product categories such as apparel, accessories, toys, interactive games, automotive accessories and equipment, books, and calendars, as well as service licensing and promotions. Internationally, PRIMEDIA's content and brands are licensed in more than a dozen countries around the world.

About PRIMEDIA

PRIMEDIA (PRM) is the leading targeted media company in the United States. With 2004 revenue of $1.3 billion, our properties comprise more than 200 brands that connect buyers and sellers in more markets than any other media company through our print publications, Web sites, events, newsletters and video programs in four business segments: Enthusiast Media, Consumer Guides, Business Information, and Education. PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Media includes more than 120 consumer magazines, with well-known brands such as Motor Trend, Automobile, Creating Keepsakes, In-Fisherman, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile and Surfer. PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides is the #1 publisher and distributor of free consumer guides, with Apartment Guide, Auto Guide and New Home Guide. PRIMEDIA Business Information has more than 60 publications in 18 market sectors. PRIMEDIA Education includes Channel One and other educational products.

The year's dramatic turns in the global economy and geopolitics were echoed in the PC industry. Here are some of the good and bad events that crossed that smaller stage.

The Good

Intel makes waves: After being slapped upside the head by Transmeta Corp. a few years ago, Intel Corp. came back with a bang in 2003. It released its first processor designed from the ground up for mobility—the Pentium M—as well as the Centrino technology bundle, which took the laptop space by storm. One of the biggest beneficiaries of Intel's Centrino was HP's tablet computer, which originally boasted a compelling design but was hampered by horribly slow performance.

X marks the SPOT: Microsoft's SPOT (Smart Personal Objects Technology)-based watches arrived in beta form in 2003, and mine is now wedded to my wrist. The devices automatically update to reflect the local time and receive inbound messages on helpful information such as weather and stocks.

Cheap wireless networking: The mobile workforce has long dreamed of a low-cost wireless network for their laptops. A number of vendors launched a nationwide initiative to drive wireless technology everywhere, but it took T-Mobile to provide both Wi-Fi and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) data at affordable rates. A lthough it isn't broadband yet, cheap wireless networking took a giant leap forward in 2003.

Apple unleashes "Panther": Speaking of steps forward, Apple Computer Inc. finally gave in and made a solid effort to make its operating system compatible with the Microsoft-dominated world, with the release of its "Panther" OS. Now mobile Apple users can access some of the same resources us Windows folks have had for years and maybe get off the euthanasia list maintained by their local IT departments.

My first Ferrari: While I've secretly lusted after Apple laptops, Acer Inc. stole my heart this year with its new laptop co-branded with Ferrari. Sporting the Ferrari horse on its hot-red lid and a mobile Athlon XP chip inside, this is one sweet box. Yes, I have PC envy (and am seeking counseling for it).

IBM's T-40 keeps going … and going: IBM released its new T-40 series, which can get up to seven hours of battery life, allowing many of us to leave the power brick at home. Now if it only looked like the Acer. ...

New class of power notebooks: When I think "performance product," I envision the new class of power notebooks with desktop chips and 17-inch panoramic screens. I'm writing this column with Gateway's model now, and it not only makes me much more productive, but I can play a decent game of Unreal on it. It even has health benefits: It has done wonders for my biceps. My only regret is that no one is yet making one with either the new Extreme Edition Pentium 4 or the Athlon 64 FX. (OK, so maybe that would be over the top, but it would still be cool.)

AMD's 64-bit move: Speaking of the Athlon 64, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. stepped out from behind Intel in 2003 and made the bold move of going to 64 bits on the desktop. Intel came back with what amounted to a workstation chip at one-third the price, and the two companies are now competing heavily in the performance space. There is something to be said for competition, and the performance user clearly won this battle.

Is that a computer in your pocket, or. ... ? Some of you (wimps!) would rather not use your laptops to build upper-body strength, and one of my pet projects has been to help launch a new class of pocket computers. Several companies made progress this year with modular computers: Antelope Technologies started shipping its product; OQO received a second round of funding; and thanks to their efforts, the promise of a full-boat Windows PC we can put in our shirt pockets by Christmas 2004 just got much better.

Desktop blades: The other brand-new technology to hit the market in 2003 was desktop blades. With reliability and security that rival servers and no heat or noise on the desktop, these blades favored companies like IBM and Hewlett-Packard. HP left IBM in the dust getting its version of the product out first, but Clear Cube is the old hand in this space.

The other Mini that made a splash in '03: Another new form factor was the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX motherboard. Showing up in desktops about the size of paperback books and becoming a favorite for creative new desktop PC designs, automotive use and even robots, this was the most interesting part of Comdex Las Vegas 2003.

The USB dongle that could change the world: Speaking of good things in small packages, there was nothing smaller than Forward Solutions' MiGo portable USB storage device, which allows you to take much of your PC's personality with you on a little USB dongle. The idea of storing your files and settings on a device you could put on a keychain boggles the mind and inspired me to paint an alternative future where we wouldn't even have to carry laptops anymore.

In celebration of the union of the automotive and music worlds, Al & Ed's Autosound, Southern California's largest mobile electronics and communications specialist, and the Petersen Automotive Museum (Petersen), one of the world's largest and most innovative automotive museums, have joined to present an educational program dedicated to automotive customization and car sound systems. The event, entitled "Xtreme Your Ride: Customizing Car Sounds," will be held as part of Petersen's ongoing educational programs on Thursday, June 22nd, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Participants will learn from the industry's leading authority on the aftermarket market, Mr. Mobile Electronics, also known as John Haynes, the chief technology buyer at Al & Ed's Autosound, about the history, evolution and advancement of car sound systems, as well as see a vivid display of contemporary vehicles with elaborate customizations and experience today's cutting edge options available.

Event Details:
Thursday, June 22, 2006, 7 PM - 9 PM
Petersen Automotive Museum 2nd floor Racing Corridor
6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax), Los Angeles, Ca 90036

"John and Al & Ed's Autosound are legendary leaders in the aftermarket business and an obvious choice to be a part of our ongoing educational programming here at Petersen," said Yunju Ray, Education Manager at the Petersen Museum. "As the originator of industry from their historical development of the first FM stereos and cassette decks for cars and the first automobile alarms, Al & Ed's Autosound has first-hand knowledge of how the industry has progressed over the past 50 years."

"The incorporation, and now customization, of audio equipment into automobiles has truly been a match made in heaven since Al Brotzky and Ed Ziontz pioneered the aftermarket industry back in the early 1950's," said Haynes. "Today's automotive market is defined by car customization and sound and video enhancements, especially in Southern California. Car manufacturers, dealerships and aftermarket chains are giving the consumer boundless options for personalization."

Educational programs are free for Petersen Automotive Museum members and is included in the general admission for non-members: adults $10, seniors & students $5, children $3, and children under 5, free. Tickets include admission to 2nd floor galleries. For information or reservations, call 323-964-6347.

About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, a pioneer in automotive education, and one of the nation's largest and preeminent automotive museums. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles. Admission prices are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students with ID, and $3 for children ages 5 to 12. Museum members and children under five are admitted free. Covered parking is available for $6.00 per car. Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For general Museum information, call (323) 930-CARS or visit the Museum's web site address at www.petersen.org.

About Al & Ed's Autosound

Founded in 1954, Al & Ed's Autosound has grown to become the largest mobile electronics and communications specialist with more than 24 Southern California stores. As a recognized leader in the mobile electronics industry, Al & Ed's Autosound has been an instrumental partner in the pioneering of innovations such as FM radio for cars, cassette players for cars and the first car alarms, and is viewed within the mobile electronics industry as a barometer for the industry in Southern California.

I attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas each January, not to escape New Hampshire winters, but to spot trends that might influence the OEM market for electronics. The mobile electronics after-market, smaller and much more flexible than the OEM market for auto electronics, can respond to consumer demand years faster. Usually at CES, one or two hot new mobile electronics aftermarket products stand out. Over the last three years, aftermarket suppliers have ballyhooed satellite radio, HD radio (formerly known as BOO for in-band-on-channel radio), video entertainment systems and surround sound.

At CES 2003, nothing much was new. Like last year, navigation and telematics were nowhere in sight. A special telematics exhibition and conference sponsored by Telematics Update drew little enthusiasm. Satellite radio broadcasters XM Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio each put on large, noisy exhibits, though sales have not yet hit it big enough to say for certain that the satellite radio business will be a success. The coldest product during 2002, according to several top after-market executives, was multi-disc CD changers, which until last year had been selling quite well.

Today the fastest-growing mobile electronics product in the U.S. aftermarket is rear-seat video entertainment. U.S. mobile video factory sales grew 62 percent in 2002, to roughly $419 million, according to CEA market research. Mobile video, or rearseat entertainment systems, include standalone monitors, overhead and seat-back monitors, overhead consoles, video cassette players, DVD players and TV tuners. Rear-seat entertainment is also cooking on the OEM side of the business. According to the January 16 Wall Street Journal, eight 2003 vehicle models in the U.S. come with standard DVD players, plus the feature is available as an option on 70 models.

Satellite Radio Poised for Growth

It has taken 13 years and billions of dollars for the two satellite radio broadcasters to get up and running. From the time they began operating through mid-year 2002, XM Radio raised a total of $1.5 billion in equity and debt, while Sirius raised $1.89 billion. That money has largely been spent. Because expenses are high and sales have not yet blossomed enough to produce profits, both companies have been strapped for cash, especially Sirius.

Sirius says it picked up a total of 30,000 subscribers as of year-end 2002, while XM Radio, which had been carefully watching the recent Christmas selling season, signed up 145,000 new subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2002, bringing the total number of XM subscribers by year-end 2002 to 347,000. A large part of XM's Christmas sales can be attributed to SkyFi, a new portable satellite radio from Delphi that can be used in the car or in the home. Delphi built 100,000 SkyFi radios in the latter part of 2002, 97,000 of which were sold to consumers before yearend 2002. Each radio sale brings in an XM Radio subscription, and XM now says it expects to have one million subscribers by the end of 2003.

On January 13, 2003, Sirius, which otherwise would run out of cash at the end of the second quarter 2003, filed an application to voluntarily exchange all debt securities, worth about $696 million, for common stock priced at $1.28 per share. On January 17, 2003, Sirius stock was trading at $1.37 per share, significantly down from a 52-week high of $8.14 per share. According to a company press release, Sirius will file a pre-packaged bankruptcy plan as a failback position should it fail to convert the required number of bond holders during the recapitalization process. We should know by mid-2003 whether Sirius will be able to recapitalize voluntarily or, f that fails, do so through bankruptcy proceedings.

Cellular phone coverage can be spotty. There are areas in every city and state where there is no cellular coverage, or where it is temporarily overloaded (a condition known as "surge"). And if your cell phone doesn't work, chances are good that your onboard telematics system won't work either.

Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) has a solution for this. Use a satellite system to back up "terrestrial" cellular systems so that mobile phones and telematics will work everywhere, all the time and in every situation.

The company will create ubiquitous coverage, which is especially important in emergency situations. BSS senior vice president of programs, Charles Toups, recently sat down with Automotive Industries to talk about ubiquity and surge and how Boeing can help the auto industry.

Q. What Is Boeing's plan for telematics?

A. Boeing is planning to enter the automotive telematics industry. We believe we have a lot to offer by bringing satellite capability to augment the terrestrial systems. OnStar operates off a terrestrial system today, and we believe that satellites would be an excellent complement to that because they provide ubiquitous coverage, say across the U.S. or, in fact, all of North America. With just two satellites you can provide full coverage over that area, from the top of Canada to the bottom of Mexico, and complement terrestrial systems. Obviously, it would be very expensive to build a terrestrial system to cover everywhere. They tend to be concentrated in urban areas.

Q. Can you provide full coverage and surge capability?

A. Yes. Say you have an area where, maybe it's 5:00 p.m. rush hour, or maybe it's a big sporting event, and the terrestrial systems supporting that area are overwhelmed--which seems to happen to me a fair amount when I'm trying to use my cell phone. When the terrestrial system gets overloaded, you can have a satellite system that's smart enough that the telematics unit in the automobile is able to uplink to the satellite and get out Let's say a very critical situation--an airbag opens--you need to get a critical message out You can design a system that's smart enough to know how best to get that message up and out, whether it's in a dense urban area that's overloaded or you're in the middle of nowhere. You have assured connectivity. OnStar is an example of a terrestrial system that I think is really coming on--have that in my wife's car, and I'm glad she has it The more robust that system is, the more value it is to the consumer.

Q. Does anything change for the customer? Or Is it transparent to the customer?

A. OnStar can continue to evolve in terms of what applications and services they provide, and we can evolve right along with them. I certainly believe that some other companies are looking at how and when to enter this. It's a $4.2 billion market

Our notion is to complement the folks that are out there. We're not trying to create our own telematics system. We're trying to create a system that complements and enhances connectivity of existing systems, be it OnStar or anyone else who wants to develop services to put in automobiles or trucking fleets or whatever they want to do. We're not trying to build a company where we're selling directly to the consumer.

Q. What are other applications?

A. Another application, jumping way to a different place, and one that's very interesting, is homeland security. You start thinking about what kind of information first responders would want in the event of a mass disaster or terrorist attack. You see the potential for buying these services or maybe adapting the system to work specifically for homeland security. That is a big potential area where we have a lot of creative minds thinking about the best way to help defend our country, to protect people.

Q. Do you need OEMs, telecommunications companies, etc. to buy in and invest up front before you can launch this?

A. We are talking to numerous telcos and auto companies, including GM. We do have a relationship there, since we've worked with various parts of GM through the years. We're really at the formative stages as to whether it would go with one or a group. On the car side, look at XM and SIRIUS satellite radio--which is one-way communication--as a successful model. One of them teamed up with GM, the other with Ford, Chrysler and some others. I do believe in the long run that this will be in just about every make and model.

Q. Does your business case say, "We need X dollars," and it doesn't matter so much how much you get from whom?

A. Right. Let's say one car company or one telco does want to do the whole deal with us, I think the others will say, "we've got to do this, too, somehow." I think the right answer is going to be several groups coming together to launch this system. It won't be every single one, but probably groups.

Q. Do you see suppliers getting on board?

A. Yes. Especially the ones who build components for onboard telematics. It gives them a competitive advantage for this killer application. It allows them to build many, many boxes for many, many cars, and they will then have set the standard. Companies like Yazaki, Motorola, who make a lot of controllers, for example, and auto electronics suppliers.

The expectations of both drivers and passengers for electronic entertainment, communications and information have escalated since the introduction of the pioneering first practical auto radio, the Motorola branded AM car radio introduced in the 1930s by Galvin Manufacturing (who later changed their name to Motorola).

The latest cars, SUVs and trucks offer stock and premium entertainment packages beyond our wildest visions. DVD video with multiple fold fold-down LCD panel displays with fiber optic interconnection, navigation systems, Satellite/HD radio, mobile video and, THX surround sound.

Next generation electronic features and functionality will lend themselves to OEM equipped vehicles as designers struggle with size and weight reduction, long-term stability, environmental robustness, integration into larger assemblies and subsystems and the occasional request for cost down.

The Final Frontier

Interior space continues to get scarce and autosound aftermarket installers this year are confronted with a number of vehicles with none of the usual odd corners to install amplifiers, subwoofers and other electronic boxes. But while the OE interior engineers get to the scene first, the land grab is just as intense. While dashboard space is being eaten up by climate controls, air conditioning, air bags, navigation displays and so on, audio engineers are finding innovative technology in both audio electronics and speakers that provide significant space savings.

Until Panasonic introduced the first in-dash receiver utilizing high-power switching amplifiers this year (MXE CQ-C9800U CD receiver, 60Wx 4). the commonmost head end units was were limited in fewer than 20 watts per channel (with Alpine's V-Drive the former champion, at 26W x 4). Additional power and channels required amplifiers under the seat, built onto the speakers, or crammed into some other available space.

Higher power, in-dash head-end units have three significant implications for OEM designers. The Panasonic head unit offers more real power then many outboard amplifiers. A big impact is the space and heat savings. With the extra space created by getting rid of the heat sinks, OEMs can add better digital signal processors and bigger LCD monitors.

Switching amps allow for more channels in the head unit. Some OEMs are already looking at six channels for in-car-theater, but what about eight or 12 channels? With the horsepower in the DSP, active crossovers can be used to amplify each speaker driver separately while still fitting into a normal, single-DIN package.

The Panasonic uses the Tripath 60 W x 4-channel module, which features a built in DC-DC converter as well as Class T operation. "Class T" is Tripath's name for their low distortion, hall range sophisticated variation of Class D switching amplifier technology which is used by Panasonic and quite a few others, mostly in home theater and large screen TVs. Other vendors for switching amplifier ICs include Texas Instruments, and Apogee and ST.

Class AB amplifiers are by far the most common car amp design. Switching amplifiers (Class D) boast higher efficiency (some approaching 90 percent), produce less heat, and draw less current than traditional Class AB designs. Because they produce much less heat, Class D amplifiers can be housed in a much smaller chassis than a Class AB with the same power output.

For example, Tripath's newest module is 4 x 100W and would be generating about 400W of heat if it were an AB amplifier. Adding the signal output power and the heat together, it's pulling 800W from the battery. Changing to a switching amp, that same 800W from the battery can deliver 720W to the speakers, creating a 4 x 180W amplifier without pulling any more power, and only generating 80W of heat. Or in the case of the Tripath module, 400W of audio and about 40W of heat.

As miniaturization and density increase, satellite radio, communication systems such as on-Star and equivalents, and the hands-free cell-phones can be integrated into the head-end unit.

Signal Processing

With the newfound space in the head unit we now have more room for signal processing. The most basic signal processing is already in the head-end unit and can take the form of tone controls like bass and treble, and other functions to balance the sound from front to back or side to side. More sophisticated spatial signal processing is offered from SRS Labs like their Focus, which can bring the sound from your ankles (where the car door speakers are) to in front of you. THX, who originally developed standards for movie theaters and expanded to home theater, now has standards for autosound surround sound. Surround sound makes sense for cars as most vehicles already have speakers positioned in the front, sides and rear.

One of the most promising new signal processing techniques is MaxxBass. MaxxBass can provide a "virtual" subwoofer without the extra amp and subwoofer.

MaxxBass is an algorithm that utilizes the psychoacoustic "Phenomenon of the Missing Fundamental" to extended perceived bass frequency response by up to 1.5 octaves. In auto sound, MaxxBass enables door-mounted woofers that typically drop off below 80-100 Hz to sound like they can play down to 40-50Hz, giving consumers a subwoofer sound without the cost, size, power and weight previously required. This bass processing delivers more perceived bass while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of damaging speakers and amplifiers as woofer excursion requirements are reduced. Reduced displacement in woofers cone for a given apparent volume also translates to reduced woofer depth.

Serial EEPROM devices cover densities from 1-64 K and are offered in 3 interface protocols: I2C, Microwire, and SPI. Devices are fabricated on 0.35 micron process technology at SMIC. Units suit automotive temperature range of -40 to +125[degrees]C, reduce standby power by 25%, and increase maximum speed for SPI devices to 10 MHz. Applications include remote control door locks, power seats and mirrors with memory, radios, odometers, and alarm systems.

RoHS Compliant versions

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 29 -- Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISSI), a leader in advanced memory solutions, today announced a complete line of serial EEPROM devices for the automotive market. This new product offering covers densities from 1K to 64K and is offered in all three popular interface protocols: I2C, Microwire and SPI. These newly designed devices are fabricated on 0.35 micron process technology at SMIC. In addition to the automotive temperature range of -40 to +125 C, this new technology reduces standby power by 25% and increases the maximum speed for the SPI devices to 10Mhz.

These devices are widely used in a broad range of automotive applications where unique or user defined codes need to be stored. Applications include remote control door locks, power seats and mirrors with memory, radios, odometers, and alarm systems.

"These new designs, using advanced EEPROM process technology, allow for long term support for these EEPROM devices and demonstrate ISSI's commitment to the automotive market," said Sanjiv Asthana, vice president of sales and marketing for ISSI.

Operating from 2.5V to 5.5V, ISSI's new EEPROMs are available in 1K, 2K, 4K, 8K and 16K densities. The I2C and SPI devices are also offered in 32K and 64K densities.

Packaging and Availability

These automotive grade EEPROMs are available in 150 mil JEDEC 8-pin SOIC, 8-pin TSSOP, and 8-pin DIP packages. RoHS compliant versions are available. Samples of the 2K, 4K, 8K, and 16K can be requested now. Samples of the 1K, 32K and 64K devices will be available in Q2 of 2005.

About the Company

ISSI is a fabless semiconductor company that designs and markets high performance integrated circuits for the following key markets: (i) digital consumer electronics, (ii) networking, (iii) mobile communications and (iv) automotive electronics. The Company's primary products are high speed and low power SRAM and low and medium density DRAM. The Company also designs and markets EEPROM, SmartCards and is developing selected non-memory products focused on its key markets.