MIPS Technologies, Inc. Adds Three New Partners to the MIPS Windows CE Development Alliance.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 1999--MIPS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:MIPS) announced today that it has expanded the MIPS Windows CE Development Alliance with the addition of Integrated Device Technologies (IDT), LSI Logic and Quantum Effect Design.

The three new licensees join the growing community of MIPS(R) RISC architecture-based Microsoft Windows CE design developers, which includes Toshiba, Philips Semiconductors and NEC.

Microsoft initially wrote and developed Windows CE using MIPS-based(TM) processors to test the code. As a result, MIPS-based processors run the Windows CE operating system extremely well, which is why they have become the de facto standard for Windows CE-based devices.

MIPS Technologies' licensees have shipped the greatest number of MIPS-based(TM) processors for Windows CE and have collectively supplied the market with more than 25 innovative Windows CE-based products, ranging from PDAs to hand-held computers and from set-top boxes to smart phones.

"OEMs like the fact that the MIPS RISC architecture offers such high performance, great flexibility, and low power consumption," said Gregory Stoner, manager of the Applications Group and head of the Windows CE Development Alliance at MIPS Technologies, Inc.

"The MIPS architecture allows designers the flexibility to develop the widest range of applications to meet consumer's demand for increased functionality at an affordable price. We have been working closely with Microsoft since the inception of Windows CE and the charter of the Development Alliance has been to share this expertise among members to develop the best designs that allow OEMs to produce the most innovative and differentiated products."

Over 12 OEMs, including Casio, Sharp, Samsung, Uniden, WebTV and Vadem, have produced more than 25 Windows CE-based products that are powered by MIPS-based processors from members of the Alliance.

The leading market for Windows CE-based products is hand-held and palm-sized PCs, and MIPS Technologies has supported NEC and Philips in the development of processors that power award-winning Windows CE-based products including the Sharp Mobilon(TM), the Philips Velo(TM) and Nino(TM), the NEC MobilePro(TM), and the Casio Cassiopeia(TM).

"The Windows CE operating system is designed to support a broad range of information appliances," said Tony Barbagallo, group product manager, Windows CE, Microsoft Corp. "We value our relationship with MIPS Technologies' licensees and the OEMs designing in MIPS-based processors and believe that this Development Alliance will continue to deliver powerful optimized solutions."

The MIPS RISC architecture provides system designers with price/performance; integration and the scalability needed to build the most effective Windows CE-based device for each application. CPUs range from 50MHz 32-bit R3000-based devices up to 266MHZ 64-bit R5000 based CPUs.

In addition, the MIPS16 code compression offers a 40% reduction in code size while retaining full compatibility with existing binaries. MIPS-based implementations are available with die sizes that range from 2-sq.mm to 300-sq.mm and very low power consumption -- as low as 0.5mW/MHz, which is vital for long life in battery-powered, hand-held devices.

MIPS-based processors will achieve up to 1000 million instructions per second that is two to three times faster than any rival processors so far announced. In addition to the multiple CPU/cache/peripheral combinations possible, the MIPS architecture is supported by more than 150 software tools, including in-circuit emulators (ICE), compilers, debuggers and target resident monitors.

About MIPS Technologies, Inc.

MIPS Technologies, Inc. is the world's primary architect of embedded 32- and 64-bit RISC processors. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. It offers the only embedded 64-bit RISC architecture for emerging digital consumer, network systems, and information management applications.

The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor manufacturing companies, ASIC developers, and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies, Inc. and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products. Developers can choose from a broad menu of price/performance options that include execution units, clock speeds, instruction widths (16-, 32- or 64-bit), cache sizes, memory bandwidths, memory protection schemes, system interfaces, and on-chip system logic.

Licensees currently include: Broadcom Corporation; CommQuest (IBM); Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDT); LSI Logic Corporation; Macronix; NEC Corporation; NKK Corporation; Philips Semiconductors; Quantum Effect Design, Inc. (QED); Sony Corporation; Synova; Texas Instruments and Toshiba Corporation. Numerous companies utilize MIPS intellectual property.

MIPS Technologies, Inc. is based in Mountain View and can be reached at 650/567-5000 or http://www.mips.com.

Note to Editors: MIPS is a registered trademark, and MIPS-based is a trademark of MIPS Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. All press materials are available on the World Wide Web via: www.mips.com.