ATI Employs Simplex's VoltageStorm(TM) SoC to Ensure Success Of the Nintendo(R) GameCube(TM) Graphics Chip

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplex Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLX - news), a leading provider of software and services for the design and verification of integrated circuits (ICs), today announced that ATI Technologies Inc. (Toronto: ATY - news; Nasdaq: ATYT - news), a world leader in the supply of graphics, video and multimedia solutions, employed Simplex's VoltageStorm(TM) SoC power grid analysis product to help ensure the success of ATI's 51-million-transistor graphics chip-powering Nintendo® GameCube(TM).

"Voltage drop has become an increasingly critical issue for our advanced graphics chips as we target ever-deeper, deep-submicron process technologies," said Greg Buchner, vice president of engineering at ATI Technologies Inc. "The production-proven power grid analysis provided by Simplex's VoltageStorm SoC gave us confidence in the power integrity of ATI's graphics chip for Nintendo GameCube. Because of our experience using the Simplex tool on this critical chip, we are now incorporating VoltageStorm SoC into our standard design flow."

Until the advent of deep-submicron (DSM) process technologies, IR (voltage) drop was considered a second- or third-order effect. Today's high-performance SoC designs, with their increasing chip size and number of integrated IP blocks, as well as decreasing power supply voltages, are at increased risk for IR drop-related failures due to the unpredictable flow of power in and around embedded blocks. Accordingly, SoC designers require verification tools with an embedded transistor-level engine for accuracy combined with automated, hierarchical model generation to break the barriers to first-silicon success for DSM designs.

"Simplex's mission is to enable our customers' success," said Jim Bailey, general manager of Simplex's SoC verification business. "We are very pleased to be able to partner with a company like ATI to provide the products they need to address critical DSM issues for their leading-edge, high-volume designs."

About ATI

Founded in 1985, ATI Technologies Inc. is a world leader in the supply of graphics, video and multimedia solutions for the personal computer and Mac platforms. The pioneer, innovator and market leader in the graphics industry, ATI provides cutting-edge technologies for the PC, workstation, set-top box, game console and other consumer appliances markets. The company has more than 1,900 employees supporting customers from its headquarters in Markham, Ontario, Canada, as well as from offices in Barbados, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the United States. ATI common shares trade on Nasdaq (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).

About Simplex

Simplex Solutions, Inc. provides software and services for the design and verification of integrated circuits (ICs) to enable its communications, computer and consumer-products customers to achieve first-time production success and rapid delivery of complex systems-on-chip. Simplex's customers use its products and services prior to manufacture to design and verify ICs to help ensure that they will perform as intended, taking into account the complex effects of DSM semiconductor physics. Simplex can be reached at 408-617-6100 or on the web at www.simplex.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, information regarding ATI benefiting from the use of VoltageStorm SoC and ATI's incorporation of the product in its standard design flow) that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the results of Simplex to differ materially from management's current expectations.

Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors including, among others: future strategic decisions made by Simplex and/or ATI; competitive developments; demand for advanced semiconductor chips and the verification software that supports their production; and the rapid pace of technological change in the semiconductor industry. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described in Simplex's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Simplex assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this release.

NOTE: Simplex Solutions, the Simplex logo, and VoltageStorm are trademarks of Simplex Solutions Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this press release are the properties of their respective owners.