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To: 2MAR$ who wrote (29)	6/19/2000 3:20:00 AM
From: 2MAR$	Respond to of 38

New AMD Duron Processor Enables Superior PC Solutions for Value Conscious Business and Home Users Business Editors/High-Tech Writers SUNNYVALE, Calif--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2000-- Systems featuring the AMD Duron processor planned to be available worldwide from Compaq, Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, IBM, NEC, Systemax and others AMD today introduced the new AMD Duron(TM) processor, delivering industry-leading performance for businesses and consumers in the value PC space, characterized by systems that typically sell for less than $1,000. The AMD Duron processor is available today at speed grades of 700MHz, 650MHz, and 600MHz. The AMD Duron processor provides up to 25 percent more performance on many industry leading benchmarks than an Intel Celeron processor at the same clock speed. Leading computer manufacturers worldwide have announced plans to offer AMD Duron processor-based systems, including Compaq, Fujitsu-Siemens, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM, NEC, Systemax and others. AMD Duron processor-based systems are ideal for applications commonly used by value-conscious users, including word processing, sending or receiving e-mails, managing personal finances, surfing the Internet and running edutainment products. "With the AMD Duron processor in the value space and the AMD Athlon(TM) processor in the performance space, AMD now offers superior solutions, top to bottom, across all desktop system price points. Regardless of how much business and home users want to spend, at any given system price point, they will get a better PC with an AMD processor-based system," said Hector Ruiz, president and chief operating officer of AMD. "During the past year, thanks to strong execution and its overall processor portfolio, AMD grew its unit share of the microprocessor market noticeably. AMD looks to continue its success with the AMD Duron processor," said George Iwanyc, principal analyst at Dataquest. "The AMD Duron(TM) processor is an innovative processor designed for the value PC market. With the AMD Duron processor, computer users will get a PC capable of running today's applications with ease, and with enough power to run the applications of tomorrow," said Brett Faulk, director of Retail Desktop Product Marketing at Compaq. "With the AMD Duron processor, value PC purchasers will receive a no-compromise chip, offering the ultimate combination of capability, durability and value in low-cost systems," said Dick Grote, R&D Manager for HP's home products division. "IBM is committed to providing high-quality computing solutions for individual customers," said Tom Tobul, worldwide manager desktop product marketing. "With the new AMD Duron processor, IBM expects to continue to build on the success we have had with past AMD processors." "We recognize the AMD Duron processor is a superior product with its innovative processor core design and affordability," said Koichi Inoue, general manager, Desktop Products Division, Personal Systems Business Group, Fujitsu Ltd. About the AMD Duron(TM) Processor The AMD Duron processor is a derivative of the award-winning AMD Athlon processor and is designed to provide an optimized solution for value conscious business and home users. Employing an innovative design, the AMD Duron processor features a sophisticated cache architecture with 192KB of total on-chip cache; a high-speed 200MHz front-side bus, and a superscalar floating point unit with enhanced 3DNow!(TM) technology. The AMD Duron processor offers value conscious buyers access to technology and performance that stands out among other processors in its class. It reflects AMD's 30 years of design and manufacturing expertise and sales of more than 125 million PC processors. AMD Duron processors are manufactured on AMD's 0.18 micron process technology in Fab 25, Austin, Texas. Pricing The 700MHz, 650MHz, and 600MHz AMD Duron processors are priced at $192, $154, and $112, respectively, each in 1,000-unit quantities. About AMD AMD is a global supplier of integrated circuits for the personal and networked computer and communications markets with manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. AMD produces microprocessors, flash memory devices, and support circuitry for communications and networking applications. Founded in 1969 and based in Sunnyvale, California, AMD had revenues of $2.9 billion in 1999. (NYSE:AMD). Visit AMD on the Web For more information about the new AMD Duron processor, please visit our virtual pressroom at amd.com. Additional press releases and information about AMD and its products are available at: amd.com Note to Editors: Additional information will be available on Monday morning. David Somo, vice president of marketing for AMD's Computation Products Group, will lead a teleconference. Opening remarks will be followed by a moderated question-and-answer period. 8 a.m. US PDT Domestic 1-800-834-5978 International 1-212-346-6516 Audio replay information: A replay will be available beginning at 11 a.m. US PDT, June 19 and will run until 11 a.m. US PDT, June 26. Domestic -- 1-800-633-8284 International -- 1-858-812-6440 Reservation No. 15577465 B-roll footage: B-roll featuring interviews with David Somo, Vice President of Marketing for AMD's Computation Products Group, pictures of the AMD Duron chip and AMD corporate views will be available on Monday morning at the following times and coordinates: 0930-1000 EST Telstar 4, Transponder 6, Audio 6.2/6.8 (C-band) 1230-1300 EST Telstar 4, Transponder 6, Audio 6.2/6.8 (C-band) Any inquiries should be directed to Bulletin International at (212) 899-5450. Cautionary Statement This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates" or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Forward looking statements in this release include the risk that AMD will not be able to produce the AMD Duron processor in the volumes and speed grades required by customers on a timely bases, that the AMD Duron processor will not achieve customer and market acceptance, that third parties may not provide timely chipset and motherboard support for the AMD Duron processor and that OEM partner systems incorporating the AMD Duron processor may not be released on schedule or at all. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the Company's filings with the United States Securities Exchange Commission. AMD, the AMD logo, AMD Athlon, AMD Duron, 3DNow! and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other product names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies. --30--jb/sf* CONTACT: AMD Public Relations Karen Rodgers, 512/602-4643 karen.rodgers@amd.com or Drew Prairie, 512/602-4425 drew.prairie@amd.com or Toni Beckham, 408/749-3127 (Investor Relations) KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL ASIA PACIFIC INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS HARDWARE PRODUCT Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page. URL: businesswire.com * end of story *

To: 2MAR$ who wrote (29)	6/23/2000 12:39:00 AM
From: 2MAR$	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 38

6/22....Patent Settlement Sends Rambus Stock Soaring By Eric Auchard NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rambus Inc. (NasdaqNM:RMBS - news) on Thursday said computer memory supplier Hitachi Ltd. (6501.T) had agreed to a patent licensing deal, settling patent litigation between the two and putting added pressure on other chip makers to strike similar royalty deals with Rambus. News of the deal sent Rambus shares soaring 43 percent to as high as 138-3/4 in furious after-hours trading on Thursday, up from a close of 97-1/8 in regular session trading on the Nasdaq stock market, adding to a 4-1/2 point gain on the day. The agreement settles patent infringement suits filed by Rambus against Hitachi in U.S., German and international courts and sets the stage for Rambus to reach patent royalty settlements with other chip makers, a Rambus executive said. Speak your mind Discuss this story with other people. [Start a Conversation] (Requires Yahoo! Messenger) ``We are hoping that other companies will follow,'' Avo Kanadjian, Rambus' vice president of worldwide marketing, told Reuters in a phone interview following the announcement. He said other chip makers had initiated patent royalty talks with Rambus when they learned of the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company's suit against Hitachi and studied Rambus' patent claims. He declined to name the companies involved. Last week, one of those companies, Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) was the first company to break ranks and settle with Rambus. Rambus stock has rocketed since Friday when the company announced that Toshiba had agreed to license its technology. Shares have gained roughly 133 percent in value in the past week and now trade above their all-time high of 117-3/4, set in March. ``The Rambus patent is very, very strong. We think other companies are going to follow, and make it difficult for other companies to resist,'' ING Barings analyst Peter Wolff said. Wolff said the cost of the royalty payments by Hitachi and other chip makers would likely be passed through to customers and that the impact would not fall disproportionately on any one company. ``As long as all the manufacturers are given equal treatment, then it's not a factor for any one firm,'' Wolff said. Rambus designs, but does not actually build, memory chips. Rather, it licenses its technology to chip makers for use in their own memory products. Rambus counts 95 U.S. and foreign patents issued to over 30 semiconductor companies. As part of the deal announced Thursday, Hitachi agreed to pay Rambus an up-front settlement fee, as well as quarterly royalty payments, Rambus said. Further financial terms were not disclosed. The license agreement involves patents for fundamental aspects of high-speed memory interfaces invented by Rambus that are now being implemented in Hitachi's rival memory products. Hitachi makes both Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) and Double Data Rate (DDR) Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR SDRAM). These memory technologies are offered by Intel Corp. (NasdaqNM:INTC - news), VIA Technologies (2388.TW) and other chipmakers to multiply the speed at which computers and other electronic devices handle data calculations. In a statement, Rambus said the Hitachi deal would make royalty rates for DDR SDRAM and related controller devices greater than the Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM) rates, which Rambus sees as a rival product. ``Since DDR was really invented by Rambus, we feel a higher royalty is justified,'' he said. Kanadjian said that Hitachi's existing (single data rate) SDRAM would be charged a lower royalty rate because Rambus does not see that product as competitive with its own double data rate RDRAM. Other memory makers that support DDR SDRAM include Micron Technology Inc. (NYSE:MU - news), Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (05930.KS), Hyundai Corp. (11760.KS), Infineon Technologies AG (IFXGn.DE) (NYSE:IFX - news), NEC Corp. (6701.T), Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.T) and Nan Ya Technology Corp., a unit of Formosa Plastics (1301.TW). Without naming names, Kanadjian stressed that not just memory but also makers of the controllers that interface with memory chips could be affected by his company's patent claims, including dozens of the industry's largest chip makers. Industry analysts project that Rambus-based memory now represents 10 percent of the worldwide memory market. By 2002, that percentage should grow to around 40 percent, according to forecasts, as the market transitions from the current SDRAM standard to the faster RDRAM-based memory.