Access to Deliver JV-Lite2, a Sun-Authorized Compatible Java Virtual Machine With Optional Integrated Internet Browser for Embedded Devices.

Business Editors and High Tech Writers

MILPITAS, Calif./TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2000

Access Co. Ltd. announced an agreement with Sun Microsystems to establish Access as a provider of an authorized Java(TM) compatible Virtual Machine (VM). Access will develop JV-Lite2, an implementation of Sun's Java platform for embedded devices that is fully compliant and meets the requirements of the Java compatibility test suite.

JV-Lite2 will include an optional integrated Internet browser for applications such as portable telephones, digital television, and personal digital assistants. Access estimates that it has over 80 percent of the embedded browser market for Internet appliances in Japan, and Access is a growing presence in the worldwide embedded software market.

"We are pleased to welcome Access as an important, compatible Virtual Machine provider committed to expanding Java technology into embedded markets with compatible Java technology implementations," said Curtis Sasaki, Director, Product Marketing, Sun Microsystems. "With its strong presence in Japan, Access expects to help accelerate the deployment of network appliances and consumer embedded devices."

While other companies have announced plans to test and certify their VMs, none includes the optional full software support for Internet access available with Access' highly efficient NetFront or Compact NetFront browsers. Applications embedding Access' NetFront browser include digital televisions, set top boxes, web phones, game machines and word processors.

Access' Compact NetFront browser is embedded into three of the four top NTT DoCoMo's i-Mode Internet phones in Japan. i-Mode phone uses Access' Compact NetFront browser to let users send and receive emails, browse the Internet and do e-commerce such as banking. NTT DoCoMo has shipped more than two million i-Mode cellular phones in the eight months between the phone's debut in February 1999 and October 1999.

"This process of certification will allow us to assure our many customers that our JV-Lite2 VM is fully compliant," stated Toru Arakawa, CEO and president of Access. "With JV-Lite2 integrated with NetFront and Compact NetFront browsers, Access is in an excellent position to bring Java applications such as consumer games, personal digital assistants, digital television sets, smart phones, and automobile navigation systems to the mass consumer market, especially to our well-established, existing customer base."

The goal of the agreement is to expand the market for Java technologies by making Access' Virtual Machine compliant with the Java platform and test suites. To accelerate compatibility, Access has licensed and is integrating Sun's PersonalJava(TM) and EmbeddedJava(TM) environments. Additionally, Access will license Sun's Java Technology Compatibility Kit to ensure full compatibility verification. Access intends to support a compatible version of the K Virtual Machine and associated profiles for specific applications in JV-Lite2, once the specifications have been defined.

The key difference between JV-Lite and JV-Lite2 is that JV-Lite2's VM will be fully Java technology-compliant. JV-Lite, first shipped to customers in 1997, is a very popular clean-room implementation (all original code) of the Java Virtual Machine based on the public Java Virtual Machine specifications. Twelve OEMs currently license JV-Lite and more than 2 million copies have been shipped for devices such as game machines, Intranet terminals, Palm-sized PCs with Windows CE, and other embedded/consumer devices. With minimal class library and a compact VM implementation optimized for digital consumer embedded systems, JV-Lite can be embedded and run with a minimum of 512KB ROM and 512KB RAM. This makes JV-Lite ideal for applications such as vending machines, electric metering devices, and other simple information appliances.

JV-Lite operates in resource-constrained environments on a wide variety of embedded CPUs, such as ARM cores, Hitachi's SuperH series, IBM/Motorola's PowerPC, MIPS Cores, and Mitsubishi's M32R/D series. JV-Lite runs on various RTOS including ITRON, Linux, OS-9, pSOSystem, VxWorks, Windows CE, and others.

Access Co. Ltd., is headquartered in Tokyo Japan, with Access Systems America, a US subsidiary, in Milpitas, Calif. Access is the top provider of embedded software solutions for information appliances in Japan, and its software powers a wide variety of Internet appliances including: i-Mode phones for NTT DoCoMo; Sega's Dreamcast(TM) home game machines; Internet TV from Sharp and Mitsubishi; the Mulco(TM) set top box from NEC; integrated word processors from Casio, Fujitsu, NEC and Sharp; personal digital assistants from Casio, Fujitsu and Sharp; intranet terminals from Epson, Komatsu and Okamura; and network adapters and print servers. Over four million software licenses have been shipped and adopted by more than 30 major consumer appliance makers. More information is available at http://www.access.co.jp/english/top/top.htm and http://www.access-us-inc.com/.

JV-Lite is a trademark and NetFront is a registered trademark of Access Co., Ltd in Japan. All other brands or products are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, EmbeddedJava and PersonalJava are all trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and in all other countries.