Actel Lets Customers "Try Before They Buy" with New Web-Based IP Core Evaluation Program

Designers Can Review Actel's Broad Selection of IP and Access Free IP Evaluations at Their Own Convenience

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 25, 2004 - Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today unveiled its new Web-based intellectual property (IP) evaluation program, which allows customers to access and download free evaluation versions of cores from Actel's broad IP portfolio, including cores from CompanionCore partner, Memec Design, via Actel's Web site. With no restriction on the number of cores that can be downloaded, Actel's IP evaluation program provides field-programmable gate array (FPGA) users the freedom to quickly and easily access and evaluate which IP cores work best in their design before purchasing. Actel's Web-based program is available at the user's convenience, enabling evaluation of IP cores earlier in the design process, thereby reducing risk and helping designers get their FPGA-based products to market faster. Customers interested in Actel's IP cores can find detailed information and access downloads at http://www.actel.com/products/ip.

"Designers are in a constant battle against the clock, and Actel's IP evaluation program is designed with this in mind," said Yankin Tanurhan, senior director, applications and IP solutions at Actel. "Instead of spending time negotiating contracts for access to an IP core, our customers can quickly and conveniently download and evaluate all the IP they need, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, from the comfort and security of their office or lab anywhere in the world."

"Memec Design's primary goals are to shorten design time and increase the competitive positions of customers within their industries. As such, we are excited to be Actel's first CompanionCore partner to participate in its IP evaluation program," said Randy Rhodes, director of Memec Design. "Actel has tapped the flexibility and convenience of the Internet to bring the try-before-you-buy concept to customers - a concept that leads to significant savings in both time and money."

After completing a short online registration form, designers are granted access to all cores available for download via Actel's IP evaluation program. Currently, Actel has more than 20 proprietary IP cores, called DirectCores, available for free evaluation. Actel's DirectCore portfolio includes a broad array of popular industry cores for a variety of functions, including communications, memory control, processing, bus interface and encryption, which are optimized for use in Actel's flash- and antifuse-based FPGAs. Additionally, 10 cores from Actel's CompanionCore partner, Memec Design, are also available for free download, including UART, CAN and other interface cores. Customers can look forward to sampling additional IP as Actel expands the program to include cores from additional CompanionCore partners.

Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore Solutions

Actel offers its own system-level IP solutions, called DirectCores, specifically designed and optimized for use with Actel devices. The company also offers third-party IP blocks, called CompanionCores, which have been tested and verified in Actel FPGAs. Covering applications ranging from embedded systems to consumer and communications, the cores offered include bus interfaces, communication controllers and interfaces, processors and peripherals, encryption, memory controllers as well as multimedia and error correction. Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore products offer seamless implementation through Actel's suite of internal and third-party EDA development tools, documentation, and quality service and support, streamlining the design process, enabling faster time-to-market and minimizing design costs and risks. For a complete list and technical details for all of Actel's DirectCores and CompanionCores, visit the IP section on the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/index.html.

About Actel

Actel Corporation is a supplier of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools, and design services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application- specific integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant markets. Founded in 1985, Actel employs more than 500 people worldwide. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL and is headquartered at 2061 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA, 94043-4655. Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet: http://www.actel.com.

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