Agilent Technologies Introduces Industry's Smallest Fast Infrared Transceiver for Mobile Phones, PDAs, Digital Cameras.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 2003

Compact Device Offers High Transmission Speed

for Transferring Megapixel Images, MP3 Files

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced the industry's smallest fast infrared (FIR) transceiver for mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and digital cameras. With a height of only 2.5 mm, the Agilent HSDL-3220 features the lowest profile of any medium infrared (MIR) or FIR transceiver on the market, providing mobile phone manufacturers greater flexibility when designing clamshell and ultra-slim handsets.

"As consumer demand increases for the newer megapixel camera phones, handset manufacturers need IR transceivers that support higher transmission speeds, extend battery life, and are compact enough to fit in constrained spaces," said Kee Hane Ngoh, operations manager of Agilent's Infrared Products Operation. "Our new transceiver meets these requirements. Its ability to quickly transfer high-resolution photos or MP3 files at four megabits per second is increasing the popularity of wireless infrared transfers."

The HSDL-3220 transceiver supports the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) low power specification and operates at transmission speeds ranging from 9.6 kb/s to 4.0 Mb/s. It is capable of operating with logic levels as low as 1.8V and from power sources ranging from 2.7V to 3.6V. This allows the transceiver to work with today's low-power microprocessor chipsets and ASICs that operate at 1.8V or greater signal levels, and in mobile products operating from a single lithium-ion cell. The device consumes only 70 uA in shutdown mode.

The HSDL-3220 IrDA-compatible IR transceiver can offer improved performance and increased battery life in applications ranging from PDAs and mobile phones to digital still and video cameras and medical data-collection devices. Its small footprint package -- 2.5 mm (height) by 8 mm (width) by 3 mm (depth) -- is pin-compatible with the Agilent HSDL-3211 1.15 Mb/s MIR transceiver, making it easy to update existing handheld device form-factors with higher performance infrared connectivity. The new transceiver module is IEC 825-1 Class 1 eye safe.

The HSDL-3220 also supports infrared financial management (IrFM) and other data transfers with a link distance of up to 50 cm. The IrFM point-and-pay profile is designed to enable users to perform wireless financial transactions between a mobile device such as a cellular phone or PDA and a point-of-sale terminal or ATM equipped with an IR port. It supports the use of most financial instruments, including credit and debit cards, and provides digital receipts.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Agilent HSDL-3220 infrared transceiver is priced under $2.00 each in moderate volumes and is available now through Agilent's direct sales channel and worldwide distribution partners.

Further information on Agilent's IR transceivers is available at www.agilent.com/view/ir.

Agilent's Mobile Appliance Solutions

Agilent is a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for today's highly integrated, feature-rich mobile handsets. In addition to infrared transceivers for transmitting data, Agilent provides CMOS imaging solutions that enable camera phones, RF components that help shrink handset size and save battery life, surface mount LEDs that provide backlighting styling options, and ambient light photo sensors that save battery life by controlling backlighting. No other component vendor offers all of these solutions for mobile appliances.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 29,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

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