Virtio's Virtual Platform Family Now Supports Intel® Wireless MMX Technology for Intel® XScale Microarchitecture

Virtio's newest VPXS-WM Virtual Platform enables software developers to use Intel® Wireless MMX™instructions

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, SAN JOSE, Calif., September 10, 2002---Virtio Corporation, the creator of virtual platforms, today announced that it has expanded its Virtual Platform family with the introduction of the VPXS-WM Virtual Platform, a virtual prototyping environment that offers additional support for the Intel® XScale™ microarchitecture, and support for the newly introduced Intel® Wireless MMX™ technology. Virtio(sm) Virtual Platforms provide embedded system developers with the means to more quickly develop products early and make them readily available for when Intel XScale technology based processors are introduced.

"At Virtio, we recognize that many customers need to begin software development before they have hardware in hand. With our Virtual Platform technology, we have a unique approach and thus are enabling innovators to develop software in increasingly shorter market windows," said Shay Ben-Chorin, Virtio president and CEO. "With the VPXS-WM Virtual Platform, we are continuing to provide embedded system developers the ability to innovate software on software. This platform offers a broad access to the Intel XScale microarchitecture development platforms with Intel Wireless MMX technology."

Virtio's VPXS-WM Virtual Platform provides a software model of the Intel® PXA250 development board with the addition Intel Wireless MMX technology to support pre-silicon development of software using Intel Wireless MMX instructions. Virtio's VPXS-WM Virtual Platform provides a software-based approach for developing software applications, middleware and device drivers without the need for physical hardware. In addition, Virtio's VPXS-WM Virtual Platform enables engineers to develop applications for the Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel® PCA) and make use of the latest technology advancements.

Mark Casey, director of marketing for Intel's PCA Components Group, noted, "Virtio continues to add value to the software development community by providing a unique and innovative means to enable customers to quickly develop software applications using the Intel Wireless MMX technology in time for new processor introductions. Moreover, with two Virtio Virtual Platforms to choose from, our customers can have immediate and broader access to development platforms for their software development teams."

More about Virtio's VPXS-WM Virtual Platform

The VPXS-WM Virtual Platform offers significant technical and business advantages for embedded software development as it enables the early assessment and evaluation of software in terms of booting the operating system and running applications without requisite hardware so that any functionality issues can be readily and quickly solved. The development of application software used in wireless and handheld devices requires rapid development and deployment of these products to maximize market opportunities. Virtio's VPXS-WM Virtual Platform enables users to gain early access to Intel Wireless MMX media enhancement technology so they can address the demands of next generation handheld and wireless devices.

Virtio's VPXS-WM offers significant software development benefits by providing:

Accurate hardware behavior (binary compatible)

Complete control and visibility of both the hardware and software environments

Wide-spread access for continuous hardware/software integration

Easy electronic distribution of the software development environment to colleagues, partners and customers

Accurate model of the user interface

High performance that supports booting operating systems and running applications

Integration with industry-standard software development tools

Specific product capabilities/features include:

• Intel® PXA250 processor

• Intel® Wireless MMX technology

• SDRAM

• Boot ROM

• Intel® Flash Memory

• SRAM

• Touch Screen controller

• Audio CODEC

• LCD panel display

• Full function & Bluetooth UART serial port

• Secure digital memory or multi media port (SD/MMC port)

• I2C bus communications

• Eight 7 segment LED digits

• Eight discrete LEDs

• Eight discrete switches

• Two hexadecimal encoding switches

• Connectivity with real world:

  
  

  • PC Card slot

  • PS/2 keyboard & mouse

  • LAN - Ethernet

  • Audio Line-in and out

  • Serial Port

Pricing and Availability

Virtio's VPXS-WM Virtio Platform is priced at $1,990.00 and will be available September 2002. 30-day evaluation copies are available on the Intel PCA Solutions Catalog CD, and on both Virtio (www.virtio.com/vpxs-wm) and Intel PCA Developer Network(www.intel.com/pca/developernetwork) websites.

About Virtio

Virtio speeds the creation and distribution of software models of embedded systems for early software development. These software models, called virtual platforms, shorten the design cycle through early software development, improve product quality with early HW/SW integration and promote design collaboration via on-line access and easy electronic distribution. Virtio is based in Campbell, California in the U.S.A with development centers at Campbell and the Alba Centre, Livingston, Scotland. Additional information about Virtio is available at www.virtio.com.

Virtio is a trademark of Virtio Corp. All other brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and should be treated as such.