SiRFstarIII Runs Hard and Fast on GPS Signals to Make Life Easy for LBS Users; Speed and Sensitivity Breakthroughs Highlight Third-Generation GPS Architecture.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

3GSM World Congress 2004

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 17, 2004

SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., a leading supplier of GPS semiconductor and software solutions, today announced its flagship SiRFstarIII(TM) architecture, representing a significant increase in GPS performance, and enhancing the user experience for location based services (LBS). With its rapid time-to-first-fix and high sensitivity, the SiRFstarIII architecture is designed to meet the rigorous demands of wireless and handheld LBS applications, and provides superior location performance, both indoors and out, for 2G, 2.5G, 3G asynchronous networks.

SiRFstarIII will be on display with a variety of other new SiRF offerings (see press release entitled, SiRF Breaks Key Barriers to GPS-enable Mobile Wireless Devices) at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France, Feb. 23 - 26, in Hall 4, Booth K17.

The SiRFstarIII architecture packs a performance punch, achieving time-to-first-fix of one second for aided starts in outdoor GSM environments and acquiring signals down to -159 dBm. This makes real-time navigation practical, including in many indoor environments, through urban canyons, and under dense foliage. Unlike the lengthy sequential search process of traditional GPS architectures, the SiRFstarIII architecture, with the equivalent of more than 200,000 correlators, enables fast and deep GPS signal search capabilities, resulting in significant improvement over today's architectures that contain a few hundred to a few thousand correlators.

"Cell phones now dazzle consumers with built-in cameras, PDA functionality and color screens. We built the SiRFstarIII architecture from the ground up to deliver the performance necessary to provide fast LBS experience to the users of these devices," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "We believe SiRFStarIII sets a high standard for consumer GPS performance, ushering in a new generation of smaller, higher performing location aware products, and enabling our customers and wireless operator partners to enhance their offerings."

SiRFstarIII is supported by SiRFLoc multimode technology (see today's press release entitled, SiRF Multimode Location Server Makes LBS Smarter), SiRF's patented location solution that allows networks to move beyond basic "find and locate" applications to support a wide range of LBS such as navigation, without excessive network bandwidth requirements. The SiRFLoc client software is designed to enable SiRFstarIII to determine position with aiding from GSM, WCDMA, CDMA, iDEN and PDC networks -- or completely autonomously -- using multiple dynamically configurable modes. By employing the mode that provides an accurate location with the appropriate level of network aiding for any given situation, SiRFLoc's multimode location technology is designed to allow carriers to offer a wide range of location-based services with minimum network loading. All SiRFLoc-enabled systems share the same client interface, enabling customers to build handsets with any SiRF product and use the same system software.

"Motorola's iDEN Subscriber Group has been in the forefront of developing GPS enabled phones through our relationship with SiRF," said Jaime A. Borras, corporate vice president of Technical Staff, Motorola iDEN Subscribers Group. "GPS is now an integral part of our platform, and we expect the SiRFstarIII architecture to significantly improve the user experience in a range of new and exciting location-based applications and services."

The first chip-set based on the SiRFstarIII architecture consists of a highly integrated baseband IC and an RF IC that together are designed to deliver a complete location engine in a very small form factor -- ideal for devices with limited onboard processing power. One of the most compact GPS solutions on the market, it is nonetheless packed with lots of functionality. Based on a 0.13 micron CMOS process, the SiRFstarIII baseband chip -- with its powerful GPS signal processor, on-chip memory, and a 50 MHz ARM7TDMI microprocessor -- is fully capable of running many OEM user applications. Packaged in a 100-pin BGA package measuring just 8 by 8 millimeters, the baseband chip also incorporates 4 megabits of flash memory to support both SiRFLoc (see below) and user application programs. The SiRFstarIII RF chip is packaged in a 32 pin QFN, and can support multiple reference frequencies to reduce costs.

In addition to the chipset, SiRFstarIII is also available in IP form for integration into high volume wireless chip-set platforms. The highly modular design of both the SiRFstarIII core IP and controlling software makes it easier than ever before to adapt these components.

About SiRF Technology

SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. develops and markets semiconductor and software products that are designed to enable location-awareness utilizing GPS and other location technologies in high-volume mobile consumer devices and commercial applications. Location-awareness refers to the ability of a device to determine and make use of information regarding its location. SiRF's technology has been integrated into mobile consumer devices, such as automobile navigation systems, mobile phones, PDAs, GPS-based peripherals, and handheld GPS navigation devices, and into commercial applications, such as asset tracking devices and fleet management systems. SiRF markets and sells its products in four target platforms: mobile phones, automotive systems, portable computing devices, and embedded consumer devices.

Editors Note: SiRF, SiRFstar, SiRF plus orbit design in purple and gold, SoftGPS are registered trademarks of SiRF Technology, Inc. SiRFstarIII, SnapLock, SnapStart, SingleSat, Foliage Lock, TricklePower, Push-to-Fix, WinSiRF, SiRFLoc, SiRFDRive, SiRFNav, SiRFXTrac, SiRFSoft, and Multimode Location Engine, are trademarks of SiRF Technology, Inc. Other trademarks are property of their respective companies.

For additional information, please visit www.sirf.com.