AMD and Transmeta Announce Cooperation On Future Microprocessor Standards.Business Editors & High-Tech Writers SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2001 Transmeta Licenses Two Next-Generation AMD (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, www.amd.com) A major manufacturer of semiconductor devices including x86-compatible CPUs, embedded processors, flash memories, programmable logic devices and networking chips. Technologies: x86-64(tm) and HyperTransport(tm) Technologies AMD (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AMD) and Transmeta Corporation (Nasdaq:TMTA TMTA Transmeta (stock symbol) TMTA Texas Music Teachers Association TMTA Tennessee Mathematics Teachers Association TMTA Truro Morlaix Twinning Association (UK) ) today announced that they have signed licensing agreements that promote industry standards for next generation microprocessors. Specifically, Transmeta has licensed AMD's x86-64(tm) technology and AMD's HyperTransport(tm) interconnect technology for their future x86 processors and technology initiatives. HyperTransport interconnect technology is an innovative solution that moves information faster, enabling the chips inside of PCs, networking and communications devices to communicate with each other up to 48 times faster than with existing technologies. AMD's x86-64 technology is a straightforward approach to 64-bit computing. It builds upon the x86 instruction set, and seamlessly integrates into the current 32-bit computing and support environment. Compatible with today's 32-bit computing environment, AMD's x86-64 technology approach will enable enterprises to transition to 64-bit environments while preserving the billions of dollars in 32-bit hardware and software investments. "AMD's x86-64 instruction extensions provide the best upward compatible See forward compatible. path for adding 64-bit address capabilities to the x86 instruction set for the PC industry, and we applaud AMD for taking leadership on this issue," said David R. Ditzel, vice-chairman and chief technology officer of Transmeta Corporation. "We also believe that the HyperTransport interconnect technology is the right choice for the next generation input/output bus standard. By cooperating together on these technologies, customers will be the winners," added Doug Laird, executive vice president of product development of Transmeta. "Cooperative alliances such as the one we are announcing today with Transmeta yield tremendous benefits for the entire industry," said Fred Weber Fred Weber can be:
"Transmeta's move to license AMD's x86-64 technology will simplify the lives of software developers, and increases the likelihood that the x86-64 architecture will attract the software support it needs for market success," observed Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64 in Saratoga, Calif. "Similarly, Transmeta's decision to adopt AMD's HyperTransport technology adds to the momentum building behind that standard, and expands the market for HyperTransport-based I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output controllers." About AMD's x86-64(tm) Technology The x86-64 technology approach to 64-bit computing builds upon the x86 instruction set, one of the industry's most proven and widely supported technologies. Old PC applications will continue to run without a performance impact and new applications can take advantage of the larger address space. AMD x86-64 technology is designed to support applications that address memories as large as 2 to the 64th power, such as high performance servers, database management systems, and CAD tools. The x86-64 technology seamlessly integrates into the current computing and support environment, and is designed to enable enterprises to deploy high performance 64-bit capable systems that build upon the billions of dollars already invested in 32-bit software. AMD enhanced the current x86 instruction set by introducing two major features: a 64-bit extension called long mode, and register extensions. Long mode consists of two sub-modes: 64-bit mode, and compatibility mode A feature of a computer or operating system that allows it to run programs written for a different system. Programs often run slower in compatibility mode. . 64-bit mode supports new 64-bit code through the addition of eight general-purpose registers and widens them all along with the instruction pointer See program counter and instruction register. . It also adds eight 128-bit floating point registers. Compatibility mode supports existing 16-bit and 32-bit applications under a 64-bit operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. . In addition to long mode, the architecture also supports a pure x86 legacy mode, which preserves binary compatibility See binary compatible. with existing 16-bit and 32-bit applications and operating systems Operating systems can be categorized by technology, ownership, licensing, working state, usage, and by many other characteristics. In practice, many of these groupings may overlap. . About HyperTransport(tm) Technology HyperTransport interconnect technology is a new high-speed, high-performance, point-to-point link for integrated circuits Integrated circuits Miniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. . It was developed to enable the chips inside of PCs, networking and communications devices to communicate with each other up to 48 times faster than with existing technologies. Compared with existing system interconnects that typically provide bandwidth up to 266MB/sec, HyperTransport technology's bandwidth of 12.8GB/sec represents up to a 48-fold increase in data throughput. HyperTransport technology provides an extremely fast connection that complements externally visible bus standards like the Peripheral Component Interconnect See PCI. (hardware) Peripheral Component Interconnect - (PCI) A standard for connecting peripherals to a personal computer, designed by Intel and released around Autumn 1993. PCI is supported by most major manufacturers including Apple Computer. (PCI (1) (Payment Card Industry) See PCI DSS. (2) (Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). ), as well as emerging technologies like InfiniBand and 10Gb Ethernet. The HyperTransport connection is designed to provide the bandwidth that the new InfiniBand and 10Gb Ethernet standards require to communicate with memory and system components inside of next-generation servers and devices that may power the backbone infrastructure of the telecom industry. About AMD AMD is a global supplier of integrated circuits for the personal and networked computer and communications markets with manufacturing facilities in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , Europe, Japan and Asia. AMD, a Fortune 500 and Standard & Poor's 500 company, produces microprocessors, flash memory devices, and support circuitry for communications and networking applications. Founded in 1969 and based in Sunnyvale, Calif., AMD had revenues of $4.6 billion in 2000. (NYSE:AMD) About x86-64.org Additional information on the x86-64 instruction set is available at www.x86-64.org. Visit AMD on the Web For more AMD news and product information, please visit our virtual pressroom at www.amd.com/news/virtualpress/index.html. Additional press releases are available at www.amd.com/news/news.html. About Transmeta Corporation Transmeta is a publicly traded company publicly traded company A company whose shares of common stock are held by the public and are available for purchase by investors. The shares of publicly traded firms are bought and sold on the organized exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. (Nasdaq:TMTA) located in Santa Clara Santa Clara, city, Cuba Santa Clara (sän`tä klä`rä), city (1994 est. pop. 217,000), capital of Villa Clara prov., central Cuba. , Calif. Transmeta develops and sells software-based microprocessors and develops additional hardware and software technologies that enable computer manufacturers to build computers that simultaneously offer long battery life, high performance and x86 compatibility. Transmeta's family of Crusoe microprocessors is targeted at the notebook and Internet appliance segments of the mobile Internet computer market, as well as ultra-dense servers. For more information visit Transmeta on the Web at www.transmeta.com. Cautionary Statement This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates" or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the filings of the companies with the United States Securities Exchange Commission. AMD, the AMD logo, and combinations thereof, and HyperTransport and x86-64 are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Other product names used in this publication are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies. Transmeta, the Transmeta logo, and combinations thereof, Crusoe, LongRun and Code Morphing are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Transmeta Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. |
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