MIPS Technologies and Lineo Announce Agreement to Expand Acceptance Of Linux(R) in Embedded Markets

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Lineo(TM), Inc., the leading developer of embedded Linux® system software(TM), today announced an agreement with MIPS Technologies, Inc. aimed at expanding market acceptance of Linux in embedded systems by providing embedded Linux support for the MIPS architecture.

As a result of this cooperative agreement, Lineo will optimize Embedix(TM), Lineo's line of embedded Linux system software, for MIPS Technologies' MIPS32(TM) and MIPS64(TM) processor architectures and compatible embedded processor cores. Lineo will work to ensure that the related layers, operating system and tools of Embedix will support the MIPS Technologies processor architectures. This will give MIPS Technologies licensees and their customers a full-featured, highly optimized embedded Linux solution. Additionally, Lineo joined the MIPS® Alliance Program.

``With this agreement, MIPS Technologies and Lineo are positioned to drive growth in the embedded device market,'' said Bryan Sparks, CEO of Lineo, Inc. ``We see tremendous demand for embedded Linux, a low cost, highly reliable and well-supported operating system in embedded applications using MIPS-based processors.''

``Our customers and licensees include some of the world's leading digital consumer, handheld PCs and communications and networking systems makers,'' said Brian Knowles, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies. ``Linux is becoming a more attractive option for them because it is robust and low cost. Lineo will help make this powerful operating system more readily available for developers of MIPS-based systems.''

The MIPS Alliance Program consists of premier third-party development tool and application vendors who have ported their specific value-added tools and/or applications to MIPS Technologies processors. ``This program gives users of the advanced MIPS32(TM) and MIPS64(TM) processor architectures and the processors that conform with those architectures, the development tools and software environments they need to create high performance, state-of-the-art embedded systems in record time,'' said Mark Otto, MIPS Alliance Program manager at MIPS Technologies.

About MIPS Technologies, Inc.

MIPS Technologies, Inc. is one of the world's primary architects of embedded 32- and 64-bit RISC processors. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor companies, ASIC developers, and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies, Inc. and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products.

Licensees currently include: Alchemy Microprocessor Design Group (Cadence); ATI Technologies Inc.; Broadcom Corporation; Centillium Communications, Inc.; Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.; CommQuest (IBM); ESS Technology, Inc.; Excess Bandwidth Corporation; General Instrument Corporation; Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDT); Lara Networks, Inc.; LSI Logic Corporation; Macronix; Metalink Ltd.; NEC Corporation; NKK Corporation; Philips Semiconductors; Quantum Effect Devices, Inc. (QED); Sandcraft, Inc.; SiByte, Inc.; Sony Corporation; Synova; Texas Instruments Incorporated; Toshiba Corporation; and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Numerous companies utilize MIPS-based intellectual property. MIPS Technologies, Inc. is based in Mountain View, California, and can be reached at 650-567-5000 or http://www.mips.com.

About Lineo, Inc.

Lineo(TM), Inc., the leading developer of embedded Linux® system software(TM), develops, markets and sells embedded Linux system software and applications that provide OEMs and consumers with simple, low-cost software for interacting with the Internet via embedded devices. Lineo owns the Embedix(TM) product family including Embedix Linux, Embedix SDK and Embedix Browser. Visit Lineo, Inc. at www.lineo.com. For more information, contact Lineo, Inc. via e-mail: info@lineo.com or telephone: (801) 426-5001.

MIPS is a registered trademark and MIPS32, MIPS64 and MIPS-based are trademarks of MIPS Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. All press materials are available on the World Wide Web via: http://www.mips.com.

Lineo and Embedix are trademarks of Lineo, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark owned by Linus Torvalds. All other products, services, companies and publications are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.