MontaVista Reveals Embedded Linux Strategy for Consumer Electronic Devices; Specialized Product and Broad Partner Ecosystem Enables Custom Device Solutions.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

2003 International CES

Booth# 35179

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2003

MontaVista Software Inc., the company powering the embedded revolution, today announced a new push into the consumer electronics market with the introduction of the MontaVista(TM) Linux(R) Consumer Electronics Edition 3.0, and the unveiling of an extensive ecosystem of strategic semiconductor, software application and middleware partners for complementary device solutions. This push represents a new aggressive strategy that will offer software developers a rich development environment especially optimized for Consumer Electronics. The company will also make available its rich Java development environment and state-of-the-art graphics tools to complete its strategic focus on meeting the needs of the Consumer Electronics market.

"Consumer electronics products are evolving from simple, single function appliances into complex, network-connected devices," said Stephen Balacco, embedded systems analyst at Venture Development Corporation. "The expanded functionality of these products will increasingly require high performance hardware and a 32-bit robust multitasking operating system, such as Linux. Companies developing new consumer devices will benefit from MontaVista Linux Consumer Electronics Edition and the extensive MontaVista partner ecosystem inhabited by companies providing complementary components and solutions for next-generation consumer electronics products."

As part of its comprehensive consumer electronics strategy, MontaVista today announced MontaVista(TM) Linux(R) Consumer Electronics Edition 3.0 (CEE) -- the first Linux operating system and cross-development environment specifically designed for consumer electronics applications. This new product -- also part of the well known MontaVista Linux family of products -- enhances Linux with dynamic power management, rich consumer-focused networking support and consumer-grade reliability.

MontaVista Software is demonstrating a range of cutting-edge consumer products built on MontaVista Linux, from the world's leading Consumer Electronics companies in booth # 35179, in the Embedded Technologies Pavilion at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Jan 9-12, 2003 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Broad and Robust Ecosystem

MontaVista Software is partnering with a broad array of semiconductor, software application, middleware, and systems integration companies to provide solutions for device manufacturers in key markets including mobile and wireless, television and home entertainment, and automotive telematics.

For example, CEE will initially support the TI's OMAP1510 and OMAP5910 processors and the IBM PowerPC 405LP processor with support for additional processing platforms to be added in the future. In addition, CEE will provide the foundation of solution stacks from software partners in key consumer electronics markets. The MontaVista Partner program already includes companies such as:

-- Access, Opera Software, Espial, Phoenix Technologies, Websoft International and Zentek for device web browsers

-- BMR and MasterIA for Chinese fonts and input

-- CodeHost with rich printing support

-- Hughes Software Systems for VoIP and SIP stacks

-- IBM for end-to-end device management and enterprise connectivity

-- InterVideo for Linux-based DVD playing software

-- IP Infusion for routing protocol stacks

-- Liberate for Digital TV middleware

-- Macrovision for digital rights and license management

-- MasterIA for Korean fonts and input

-- Movial for rich embedded Instant Communication software

-- Omron Software for Japanese input

-- Open Interface for certified Bluetooth stacks

-- ProSyst for its open and scalable service delivery platform

-- Solid Information Technology and PointBase for embedded databases

-- Tao Group for multimedia engines

Dozens of additional partnerships will be announced over the coming months that will enrich the ecosystem and continue to allow developers to choose from a wide array of components that have been validated with MontaVista Linux.

"These extensive collaborative efforts offer OEMs complete hardware/software solutions, which will both speed time-to-market and lower total development costs for the next generation of consumer and home electronics devices," said Sheila Baker, vice president, Marketing, MontaVista Software. "These partnerships will help consumer electronics companies leverage a wealth of applications and meet the high productivity and low power requirements of new consumer devices with more complex functionality."

More than 100 consumer electronics device companies are already using MontaVista Linux, developing products as varied as cell phones, PDAs, set-top boxes, Internet radios, residential gateways, automotive telematics and Karaoke machines. MontaVista Software's current consumer electronics customer list includes Sony, Panasonic (Matsushita), NEC, and Toshiba America. Companies like Holland-based Zintec Holding and Araneo in Israel have also chosen MontaVista Linux for their digital television market products.

Important Consumer Electronics Developer Needs - Java and Graphics

To address the growing demand for embedded Java, MontaVista Software offers a Java runtime environment that addresses the needs of today's embedded applications. MontaVista provides a complete embedded Java developer's package fully certified to the J2ME standard across all architectures supported by MontaVista Linux, delivering industry-leading features and performance to meet the requirements for Java enabled embedded systems. The single Java implementation delivered by MontaVista Software is based on the well-known WebSphere Studio products from IBM.

Designing graphics for the variety of embedded devices requires powerful tools, flexible graphics functionality and close integration with the architecture and platform being used. To address the growing demand by developers of consumer devices, MontaVista delivers a full graphics environment with state-of-the-art graphics tools and libraries to enable developers to create graphics solutions for a wide variety of products. Built with the best open source technology available today, MontaVista Graphics combines a diverse set of components into a single, fully tested and supported graphics development toolkit. MontaVista Software also offers Qt/Embedded built, tested and supported specifically for MontaVista Linux Professional Edition. Based on the popular Qt API Qt/Embedded provides a small-footprint implementation designed to meet the needs of the next generation of consumer devices.

About MontaVista Software

MontaVista Software is a leading global supplier of systems software for intelligent connected devices and associated infrastructure. MontaVista powers the embedded revolution by providing GNU/Linux-based open-source software solutions. Founded in 1999 by real-time operating system (RTOS) pioneer James Ready, MontaVista offers a family of products under the MontaVista Linux umbrella that address broad-based software developer needs encompassing applications ranging from communications infrastructure to consumer electronics. Multiple Editions of MontaVista Linux are available -- including Professional, Consumer Electronics and Carrier Grade -- along with complementary technology products providing powerful Java and graphics development capabilities.

Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Sunnyvale, Calif., MontaVista Software is a privately held company funded by leading investors such as Alloy Ventures, US Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, WR Hambrecht + Co., IBM, Intel Capital, Sony, Panasonic (Matsushita), Toshiba America and Yamaha Corporation. For more information about MontaVista Software, please visit http://www.mvista.com.

Note to Editors: Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. MontaVista is a trademark of MontaVista Software Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.