TOSHIBA/KINGSTON DELIVER SO-RIMM MODULE PROTOTYPES TO RAMBUS.

Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. (TAEC) and Kingston(R) Technology Co. have delivered Toshiba's first Rambus(R) small form factor SO-RIMM(TM) module prototypes for mobile systems to Rambus Inc.

The prototype 64 megabyte (MB) RDRAM(R) SO-RIMM modules were displayed in Rambus' exhibit at the Intel Developers' Forum in Palm Springs.

Toshiba and Kingston Technology are partnering to design, manufacture, and deliver leading-edge Rambus RIMM(TM) and SO-RIMM modules to PC OEMs planning shipment of systems using the high-speed Rambus memory architecture.

The 160-pin SO-RIMM modules will enable mobile computers to achieve a peak bandwidth of 1.6 gigabytes (GB) per second from a single device, double that of today's PC100 SO-DIMMs, thus dramatically increasing system performance. The SO-RIMM modules are the same physical size as the JEDEC-standard SO-DIMM modules widely used in notebook computers.

"We are pleased to partner with industry leaders like Intel Corporation, Rambus Inc. and Kingston Technology Company to provide enabling components at this initial stage of SO-RIMM module development," said Jamie Stitt, business development manager, Memory Business Unit, TAEC. "Together, we will closely support our PC OEM customers during the qualification stages between now and when the first notebook computers using the Rambus memory architecture begin to ship next year." "These initial prototypes use our 72 megabit (Mb) RDRAMs, while our 128/144 Mb RDRAMs complete qualification testing. Toshiba will provide low power solutions using our 128/144 Mb RDRAMs by the time customer samples and volume production are required, thereby maximizing a mobile computer's battery life," Stitt continued.

"The power consumption of the Rambus SO-RIMM module specification is well within the 1.3 watts specified by Intel's Mobile Guidelines 2000," said Allen Roberts, vice president and general manager of Rambus's memory division. "Toshiba's current RDRAM is already very close to meeting the low power bin specs required, well ahead of development schedules needed to provide samples to PC OEMs later this year."

Rambus SO-RIMM modules can support up to eight devices, which at 128Mb densities will allow a capacity range of 16MB to 128MB. With three SO-RIMM modules in a system, the maximum system capacity using 128Mb RDRAMs is 384MB. Depending on the application workload, the Rambus mobile system will require one-half the power of a comparable PC100 SDRAM system, according to the Rambus specification.

Under a manufacturing partnership announced last fall by Toshiba and Kingston Technology for Rambus memory products, including RIMM(TM) modules, SO-RIMM modules, and RIMM Continuity modules, Kingston Technology provides Toshiba with global just-in-time manufacturing, testing and order fulfillment services to support Toshiba's OEM customers.

"We have already built, tested and shipped thousands of 600MHz and 800MHz RIMM modules for Toshiba. Our manufacturing capability for RIMM and SO-RIMM modules is already in place at all our manufacturing centers," said Al Soni, vice president and general manager, Services Division, Kingston. "Kingston's standard Rambus module testing process includes 100 percent testing of each module's I/O interface at 600MHz or 800MHz on the Hewlett-Packard(TM) HP83000 F1300 tester, and 100 percent testing of every RDRAM core on our HP83000 F330 tester. This complete testing methodology allows Kingston to deliver premium products to Toshiba," added Soni.

Toshiba produced the Rambus devices used on the SO-RIMM module prototypes at its Yokkaichi fab in Japan. The Rambus DRAMs were shipped directly to Kingston's Americas Manufacturing Center in California to complete the module manufacturing process. Kingston's Asia-Pacific Manufacturing Center in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and European Manufacturing Center in Dublin, Ireland will also provide Toshiba with support for its Rambus RIMM and SO-RIMM module programs. Customer samples of a complete family of Toshiba SO-RIMM modules ranging in density from 32MB to 128MB will be available in the third quarter of 1999.

About Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc.

Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. (TAEC) is the North American design, manufacturing, marketing and sales arm of Toshiba Corp., a global technology innovator. TAEC is recognized as a leading supplier of semiconductor, electronic component and storage solutions. The company delivers technology solutions that enable OEMs to develop advanced integrated products for the computing, networking, communications and digital consumer markets. In fact, its technology offerings account for more than 30 percent of the total possible components used in desktop and portable computers. By continuing to develop leading-edge solutions that cost-effectively meet the emerging needs of the design engineering community, TAEC keeps its customers in touch with tomorrow. For additional information, visit TAEC's Web site at, http://www.toshiba.com/taec.

About Kingston Technology Co.

Kingston Technology is the world's largest independent manufacturer of memory products for servers, workstations, desktops, portables, and electronic devices. Kingston Technology Services Division is one of the fastest growing contract manufacturers to global Semiconductor Manufacturers and PC OEMs. Kingston has ISO-certified manufacturing centers in the United States (ISO 9001), Ireland (ISO 9002), and Taiwan (ISO 9002). In August of 1996, Kingston became part of the SOFTBANK Corp. SOFTBANK Corp. is the world's largest publisher of computer-related magazines and the world's largest producer of technology-related trade shows and expositions.

For more information, call 800/879-4963.