Sure got the daytraders excited, they were the ones who ran it to 2 1/2. Then somebody said FIBR's a dog and they all took their 1/16 or 1/8 and ran. Oh well. It's good to see it didn't lose 2 1/2 after that.
Barb
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Osicom First To Embed Complete Network Connectivity System On A Sliver Of Silicon
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 5, 1998
New Product Helps OEMs Slash Time-to-Market and Unit Costs
of Connecting Products to Ethernet and Internet
Osicom Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:FIBR), today announced its
NET+ARM(tm) product line, the industry's first complete network
connectivity system-on-silicon that will change how OEMs
network-enable their products. NET+ARM is an embedded connectivity
system that allows engineers to add Ethernet and Internet connections
to their products. Unlike other connectivity approaches, NET+ARM
consolidates all the hardware and software subsystems onto a single
chip. This helps OEMs shave six months off time-to-market, cut unit
costs by 50 percent, and simplify design when network-enabling their
products. As a result, a much larger number of OEMs in non-computer
industries will now choose to network-enable their products. This,
in turn, will spawn a new generation of devices and systems that are
connected to Ethernet and Internet.
Examples of new generation devices and systems in non-computer
industries that will become network-enabled include industrial
controls, medical devices, point-of-sale devices, building controls,
automatic identification products, digital video cameras, inexpensive
distributed displays and other low-cost computing devices.
To remain competitive, these manufacturers are increasingly
compelled to connect their products to Ethernet and Internet. For
example, manufacturers that deal with information and control need to
form stronger links with their customers as new competitors enter
into their markets. These manufacturers also need to significantly
reduce their field sales and support costs. Network-enabling their
products can help achieve these objectives; however, the high cost
and complexity of designing networking into their products has been a
barrier. NET+ARM lowers this barrier and enables OEMs to
network-enable their products quickly and cost-effectively.
NET+ARM's hardware and software subsystems combine the power of
Advanced Risc Machines Ltd.'s (ARM's) 32-bit RISC processor, Atmel
Corporation's core logic, Integrated Systems, Inc.'s (ISI's) pSOS
real-time operating system (RTOS), and Osicom's complete networking
and web-enabling software. Specifically, the software includes
10/100BaseT Ethernet and Internet protocols, HTTP and FTP client and
server, web browser, mail servers, and a host of drivers and
interfaces onto a single chip.
The number of industries that can potentially benefit from
NET+ARM is impressive. According to Automation Research Corporation
(ARC), a leading industrial automation market analysis and consulting
firm, Ethernet is expected to be an important emerging technology for
industrial automation users for the next several years. "NET+ARM's
ability to simplify connectivity between industrial automation
equipment to Ethernet and Internet has the potential to alter the
market's landscape. The fact that it also helps to drastically
reduce unit costs will further accelerate its integration into
factory floor applications," said Rich Mullen, senior analyst at
ARC.
"Over the next five years, anything to do with information,
control or measurement, such as printers, industrial controls,
building controls, medical devices, point-of-sale devices, automatic
identification products, and other Internet devices like cameras will
be Ethernet/Internet connected," predicts Osicom's Embedded
Solutions Division president Cornelius "Pete" Peterson. "The
printer and print server markets, where Osicom is already a leader,
have long enjoyed the benefits of moving in this direction by
embedding Ethernet and Internet printing. With NET+ARM, we are now
leveraging our expertise and experience to network-enable entirely
new product categories in a myriad of other industries."
Carl Schlachte, vice president of business development for ARM
agrees, "NET+ARM represents an important next step in the silicon
integration business. Osicom's networking software and silicon
integration coupled with the power of the ARM processor and Atmel's
core logic have combined to make one standard system-on-silicon
product. We think this technology will significantly increase the
number of companies that choose to network-enable their products."
"NET+ARM represents a bold new direction in system-on-silicon
technology, far surpassing today's standards," concurs Jeff Katz,
senior vice president of marketing, Atmel Corporation. "Companies in
diverse industries with a wide range of applications will benefit
from the ability to easily network their products. And, because all
of the hardware and networking software resides on one chip,
companies where networking is not a core competency, but crucial to
success, will gain significant business advantages."
NET+ARM Applications
Current printer and print server manufacturers that have
incorporated Osicom's leading technology into their products include
Adobe, Brother, Kyocera, Minolta, NEC, PCPI, Peerless, Sharp, Xerox,
Xionics and many others. The Osicom products supported in the future
by these and many other customers will be based on the NET+ARM
technology. Additionally, many of these customers are currently
designing the NET+ARM into their new products as a standard printer
offering.
Outside of the printer business, Lantronix is among the first
manufacturers to incorporate NET+ARM into their products. "We've
selected NET+ARM for our data communications and networking product
lines because it offered us the highest performance improvement and
most cost reduction of all alternative approaches," said Brad
Freeburg, president of Lantronix. "Secondly, Osicom has a long-term
product strategy that closely fits our future needs."
Some of the unusual applications of NET+ARM include low-cost
digital video cameras, inexpensive distributed displays, networked
exercise and recreation equipment. PicoStar, LLC of Palo Alto, CA, a
technology company which develops small computing devices on the net,
has already designed NET+ARM into digital video cameras. Says Tom
Gilley, chief executive officer of PicoStar, "Sure, we can use
existing approaches to network-enable our products, but Osicom's
NET+ARM offers a tightly integrated single-chip networking solution
that will significantly reduce our cost, size, and power
consumption." Gilley continues, "The key to our success in using
NET+ARM is Osicom's outstanding technical support."
Pricing and Delivery
NET+ARM is available in two models. NET+ARM NCC includes full
NOS support (Novell, TCP/IP, Apple, Windows, Internet, and much more)
and full print/imaging server applications. NET+ARM pSOS includes
TCP and Internet networking for other embedded network applications.
NET+ARM NCC is priced at $40 in quantities of 20,000, and NET+ARM
pSOS is priced at $30 also in quantities of 20,000.
More About NET+ARM
Hardware Subsystems
-- ARM7TDMI Full 32-Bit RISC Processor with 15 MIPS Performance
-- Integral 10/100 Ethernet MAC
-- Memory Controller (Including DRAM Refresh Logic)
-- 10 Channel DMA Controller
-- 2 Serial Ports
-- 4 IEEE 1284 Parallel Ports
-- Bus Controller
-- Timers and Clock Generator
-- General Purpose I/O
-- Low Power 3.3v Operation
-- 208-Pin Plastic Quad Flat Pack
Software Subsystems
-- ISI's Industry-Leading pSOS Real Time Executive RTOS and
Complete Drivers
-- Network Protocols
- TCP
- UDP
- RARP
- ICMP
-- Network Applications
- Web Server: HTTP
- Internet Mail: POP3, SMTP
- Data Transfer: FTP
- Management: SNMP, HTTP
- Installation: Bootp, DHCP
- Communications (Optional): PPP, JetSend
- Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) to All Functions
- Flash Download
Development Kits
The NET+ARM Development Kit provides all the support, development
tools, and documentation for hardware design and networking software.
ISI's pRISM+ graphical development environment provides tools for
application-centered development and analysis.
About Osicom Technologies, Inc.
Osicom is an innovative leader in wireless-enabled networking(tm)
and photonic networking. The company allows businesses to connect
through wire-line, fiber and wireless technologies, thereby expanding
the reach of conventional networking. Osicom offers wireless-enabled
solutions for LAN, WAN and broadband networks with products that
include hubs and switches, routers, remote access servers, network
print servers, PC and workstation adapter cards, video switches and
multiplexers. Osicom markets and sells its products and services
through a broad array of channels including worldwide distributors,
Value Added Resellers, OEMs, carriers, and government integrators.
The company has over 1000 employees worldwide and is headquartered in
Santa Monica, California.
For additional company, product and financial information visit
the Osicom World Wide Web site, osicom.com or contact the
Embedded Systems Division directly at www.digprod.com or 888-638-2764
or 781-647-1234.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the
matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements
in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results
may differ materially due to a variety of factors, including without
limitation the company's ability to develop, produce, and market
products that incorporate new technology on a timely basis, that are
priced competitively and achieve significant market acceptance;
higher expenses associated with the development and marketing of new
products; changes in product mix; risks of dependence on third-party
component suppliers; inventory risks due to shifts in market demand;
the presence of competitors with broader product lines and greater
financial resources; intellectual property rights and litigation;
needs for liquidity; and the other risks detailed from time to time
in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
-0-
All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
CONTACT:
Boston Communications Osicom Technologies, Inc.
Public Relations Marketing Consultant
Constantine Theodoropolous Nita DeGraan
617-912-1100 781-647-1234
ctheo@bcomm.com ndegraan@digprod.com |
