Thursday February 18, 9:01 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Tanisys Technology, Inc.
Tanisys Announces First Affordable Rambus Module Tester
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanisys Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: TNSU - news), a leading supplier of memory test equipment under its DarkHorse® Systems brand, announced today the industry's first affordable tester for 800MHz Rambus® RIMM(TM) memory modules.
Tanisys believes its new DarkHorse SIGMA-3 Model 800 tester will become the volume leader for memory modules utilizing Rambus' RDRAM® devices, which are broadly perceived as the standard of the future. Rambus technology delivers 1.6 gigabytes per second of peak bandwidth from a single device, the computer industry's highest level of DRAM performance to date.
Available in configurations testing from one to eight RIMM modules at a time, the DarkHorse SIGMA-3 Model 800 is priced from $225,000 to $995,000. The new system is the first to test RIMM modules at 800MHz using the technology that future personal computer (PC) products will use to interface to the Rambus memory subsystem.
''Intel, Compaq and Dell already have committed to support the Rambus architecture in future products,'' said Chuck Comiso, Tanisys CEO and President. ''Tanisys believes the PC market is standardizing on Rambus memory for the next generation and PCs use most of the world's DRAM. The Model 800 will continue our track record as the leading supplier of production test systems for memory modules. The SIGMA-3 Model 800 also enables the licensed Rambus semiconductor partners in our C.L.A.S.S. manufacturing services business to benefit from our test expertise.''
''The DarkHorse SIGMA-3 Model 800 is a welcome addition to enabling technologies, helping make Rambus technology the standard, mainstream memory,'' said Allen Roberts, Vice President and General Manager of the Memory Technology Division at Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq: RMBS - news). ''Our work with Tanisys to assure the DarkHorse tester meets customers needs is key for the industry, given the widespread acceptance of DarkHorse testers among semiconductor and module companies.''
''Rambus technology provides the memory bandwidth needed for future Compaq AlphaServer enterprise computing systems,'' said Jesse Lipcon, Compaq's Vice President and General Manager, High Performance Server Division. ''With major DRAM vendors supporting Rambus technology and affordable testers available from suppliers like Tanisys, customers will benefit from the economies of a wide source of supply.''
''The DarkHorse tester matches the 28 Ohm impedance and the RAC-based architecture of the PC using the 800 Mhz memory,'' said Victor de Dios, of Research firm de Dios and Associates. ''This makes the SIGMA-3 Model 800 the tester which most closely emulates the PC operation for testing RIMM modules.''
''Lead time is a key advantage for DarkHorse as the SIGMA-3 Model 800 is available in about four weeks as compared to the leading component testers that can take several months,'' said Sherry Garber, Senior Vice President of Semico Research, a semiconductor market and engineering research firm. ''DarkHorse Testers have solid acceptance among the module manufacturers and their large installed base should make upgrades to Rambus capability very popular.''
''The SIGMA-3 Model 800 is a viable solution for testing RIMM modules at a lower cost and in production volume by being able to test up to a million modules per month at a price of less than one million dollars,'' said Mario Morales, Director of Semiconductor Research at IDC.
''A key benefit of the SIGMA-3 Model 800 is the ability for module manufacturers to enter the RIMM business for a capital investment of $225,000,'' said Steve Cullen, Analyst at In-Stat. ''The DarkHorse tester enables many of the twenty-four licensed RIMM module suppliers to participate in the early phase of the transition to RDRAM and the tester expands to support more capacity as needed.''
''The Model 800 migrates the SIGMA-3 architecture to 800MHz Rambus memory with consistent programming and operation interfaces,'' said Dr. Joe Klein, Vice President of Engineering for Tanisys. ''This permits the same platform to support EDO, SDRAM and RDRAM with future upgrade capabilities.''
The SIGMA-3 Model 800 is the industry's first affordable tester for 800MHz Rambus® RIMM(TM) memory modules. Featuring highly accurate testing at full operating speed, the Model 800 is the ideal tester for companies which manufacture, market, or integrate the RIMM modules used in next generation computer systems. DarkHorse also provides a full line of automation equipment for depaneling, handling, labeling, and other operations. For more information on the DarkHorse line of tester and automation equipment, visit DarkHorse's web site at darkhorsesystems.com or send an EMAIL to Sales@darkhorsesystems.com.
Tanisys Technology, Inc. is a leading provider of customer-driven, quality computer products, as well as technical and logistical services to the electronics industry. Its outsourcing services include production order management and fulfillment. Tanisys products include the market-leading DarkHorse memory testers (SIGMA-3, SIGMA-2, SYNC-LC and SIGMA-LC), memory modules and Tanisys Touch patented touch technology. For more information, visit Tanisys Technology's web site at tanisys.com.
Rambus Inc., based in Mountain View, California, develops and markets high-speed, chip-to-chip interface technology that enables semiconductor memory devices to keep pace with faster generations of processors and controllers. 800MHz Rambus technology will enable the DRAM industry's highest level of performance to date -- 1.6 gigabytes per second of peak bandwidth from a single device -- and will span multiple generations of DRAM devices (through 1-gigabit densities). Currently, 15 DRAM manufacturers (which supply more than 95% of the world's DRAM market) are committed to deliver RDRAM products and 24 module suppliers are licensed to offer 800MHz Rambus RIMM modules. Rambus and RDRAM are registered trademarks of Rambus Inc. RIMM is a trademark of Rambus Inc.
This press release includes statements that may constitute ''forward- looking'' statements, usually containing the words ''believe'', ''estimate'', ''project'', ''expect'' or similar expressions. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, continued acceptance of the Company's products in the marketplace, competitive factors, new products and technological changes, product prices and raw material costs, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward- looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.
For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations:
Joe Davis, Chief Financial Officer at 512-335-4440 or via e-mail at
InvestorRelations@tanisys.com
or
Richard West, CFA, RJ Falkner & Company, Inc., Investor Relations at
800-377-9893
Press Contacts: Elizabeth Constabile at 847-291-1616 (ext. 278) or Linda Muskin at (ext. 275)
or via e-mail at elizabeth@sspr.com |
