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PRESS RELEASE
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MOBILITY ELECTRONICS, SILICON IMAGE, LSI LOGIC AND MOLEX ANNOUNCE AVAILABILITY OF POWERFUL NEW UNIVERSAL DOCKING SOLUTION
Industry Coalition Announces Availability of Standard, Low-Cost, Flexible, Leading-Edge Approach to Portable Computer Docking
Las Vegas, Calif., November 13, 2000 - Mobility Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq/NMS: MOBE), a pioneer in remote connectivity technology and products for the computer industry, Silicon Image, Inc. (Nasdaq: SIMG), a price/performance leader in high-bandwidth semiconductor solutions for mass markets, LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE: LSI), a leading supplier of communications chips and storage network solutions, and Molex Inc. (Nasdaq: MOLX and MOLXA), a global electronic components company, today announced the availability of an emerging connectivity standard called Universal Docking Solution (UDS) that makes possible the synergistic utilization of USB, Split Bridge™, Digital Visual Interface (DVI) and analog video through a single multi-functional interface.
UDS is significant because it addresses the single biggest challenge in the mobile computing industry - how to increase hardware's portability without sacrificing functionality. UDS eliminates his design tradeoff by combining leading industry connectivity technologies into a standard interface. Specifically, UDS combines USB, Split Bridge, DVI and analog connections in a way that provides a wide range of benefits to manufacturers, end users and IT managers, including lower cost, greater flexibility and broad compatibility.
"UDS is the first solution that truly solves the mobile computing industry's 'docking' problem," said Charlie Mollo, president and CEO of Mobility Electronics. "Because UDS offers so much connectivity technology in a single interface, it has the potential to liberate hardware manufacturers from traditional configurations and lead to a fundamental shift in the way computers and peripherals are designed."
UDS can replace the current array of proprietary mechanical docking connectors on the back of portable computers with a single interface, essentially enabling the conversion of mobile computers to full desktop functionality and capability. UDS also enables a new category of hardware called "hybrid" peripherals. With UDS, traditional peripherals can evolve from single-function products, like CD-RWs, into multi-functional devices incorporating features such as Ethernet, USB and monitor connectivity in addition to their core functionalities. For instance, a peripheral can combine the features of a flat panel display with the connectivity of a full port replicator, and a Zip® drive can also contain extra expansion slots for the addition of PCI sound and video cards.
"We are pleased to assume a driver role with Mobility Electronics and the other participants in making UDS a reality for mobile computing," said Steve Tirado, executive vice president of marketing and business development for Silicon Image. "By incorporating as part of its standard connection the popular DVI interconnect based on Silicon Image's PanelLink protocol, UDS will provide an ideal vehicle for expanding DVI across PC platforms and into the notebook market." Tirado added, "This could provide the impetus for notebook manufacturers to offer DVI-out capability, enabling mobile computing users to optimize their viewing experiences by hooking their laptops up to the latest digital projectors and desktop monitors."
"Hardware manufacturers are looking for connectivity technology that offers high performance and state-of-the art interoperability," said Bruce Entin, vice president and general manager of LSI Logic's Internet Computing Division. "UDS embodies each of these characteristics and will increase hardware portability without sacrificing functionality."
"This coalition has created a well thought out and demonstrable universal docking solution that the mobile computing industry has been looking for," said Gary Manchester, group product manager at Molex. "We are very excited to be part of this important program and to work with Mobility and the other partners to develop this technology into a standard for the mobile computing industry. Molex has prototype product shipping now and we are anxious to work with customers on their specific interconnect needs."
For computer manufacturers, UDS lowers the costs involved in producing a "dock-ready" system and creates a unified docking strategy across all portable computers. UDS also provides superior design flexibility, enabling a much wider variety of "docking" options for end users and providing a viable upgrade path for low-cost PCs.
Additionally, UDS gives peripheral developers, such as drive and monitor manufacturers, the ability to substantially differentiate their products with additional functionality while cost effectively addressing real end user needs. For IT managers, UDS eliminates the inventory and support hassles associated with managing a large number of proprietary docks. UDS also makes it possible for IT managers to standardize peripheral support, which can be a time-intensive task.
Major OEMs, including Innolabs and ASUS, two prominent Taiwanese manufacturers of computers and motherboards, have already signed agreements to make UDS a standard feature on new computer models. These ASUS and Innolabs computers will begin shipping in early- to mid-2001.
About Mobility Electronics, Inc.
Mobility Electronics, Inc., based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is a leading provider of remote connectivity technology and products for the computer industry. Mobility Electronics' patented Split Bridge™ technology allows the PCI bus of a computer to be extended, which has created the opportunity for development and sale of new universal docking and PCI expansion station products for portable, desktop and server computers. Mobility Electronics markets its family of EasiDock® and EasiExpansion™ universal docking and expansion solutions through an extensive network of OEM, distributor and reseller business alliances. Mobility Electronics has created significant strategic alliances with Avocent, LSI Logic, Molex, 3Com, Silicon Image, Philips Electronics and Solectron. For information on Mobility Electronics' products and services, call 480-596-0061. Visit Mobility Electronics at www.mobilityelectronics.com.
With a bi-directional bandwidth of 1.25 Gbps, Split Bridge technology provides for the extension of a host computer's PCI bus to an external docking peripheral. As a result, Split Bridge is the ideal technology for handling high-speed data transmission for devices such as drives and PCI expansion cards. Split Bridge™ technology is 100 times faster than USB and significantly faster and more fundamental than other connectivity technologies such as FireWire and USB 2.0. Mobility Electronics' Split Bridge technology won the PC Week Best New Technology Award at COMDEX Fall 1999 and received honorable mention at the March 2000 Mobile Insights conference for the Technology Achievement Innovation of the Year.
About Silicon Image, Inc.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Silicon Image, Inc. designs, develops and markets high-speed semiconductor solutions for a variety of communications applications that require cost-effective, high-bandwidth capabilities. Leveraging Silicon Image's circuit innovation at the physical layer, the company's proprietary, reduced overhead Multi-layer Serial Link (MSL™) architecture is well suited to address a number of mass markets with aggressive bandwidth price/performance requirements -including the display, storage and networking sectors.
Recognizing the need for a worldwide, open specification for a cost-effective, high-bandwidth digital display solution, Silicon Image, together with Intel, Compaq, Fujitsu, HP, IBM and NEC, formed the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG). The DDWG subsequently defined and published the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) specification based on Silicon Image's PanelLink protocol. The industry's leading DVI implementation, PanelLink provides scalable, end-to-end, all-digital connectivity between host devices and digital displays such as flat-panel monitors, projectors, high-definition TVs and digital CRTs. PanelLink has been incorporated in host systems and displays sold by all of the top 10 PC OEMs and display manufacturers, with more than 15 million units shipped to date. For more information on Silicon Image and its proven multi-layered, high-speed interconnect technology, visit www.siimage.com.
About LSI Logic Corporation
LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE: LSI), is a leading supplier of communications chips for broadband, data networking, wireless and set-top box applications. In addition, the company provides chips and boards for products that comprise the Internet infrastructure, and supplies storage network solutions for the enterprise. LSI Logic is headquartered in Milpitas, Calif. For more information about LSI Logic, visit its Web site at www.lsilogic.com.
LSI Logic's system-on-a-chip capabilities allow for the integration of its proven Gigablaze™ core and other intellectual property, providing a high-performance, highly interoperable solution. The Gigablaze core is a multi-gigabit-per-second CMOS transceiver, originally designed for use as a physical layer for high-speed protocols including Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet and Infiniband. This advanced level of integration not only delivers performance and reliability but also enables a low-cost system solution.
About Molex Incorporated
Molex Incorporated is a 62-year-old manufacturer of electronic, electrical and fiber optic interconnection products and systems; switches; value-added assemblies; and application tooling. Based in Lisle, Illinois, USA, the Company operates 52 manufacturing facilities in 19 countries and employs approximately 17,650 people. For more information about Molex, visit www.molex.com.
Split Bridge™ and EasiExpansion™ are trademarks, and EasiDock® is a registered trademark of Mobility Electronics, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This release may contain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are economic, competitive and technological factors effecting the company's operations, markets, products, services and prices, as well as other factors detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Diagrams are available upon request.
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