Palmchip Introduces new ATA/133 Host and Device Subsystem Controller Cores

New High Performance Cores Reduce Total System Cost and Support M axtor's Fast Drive & Big Drive Technology

SAN JOSE, CA –July 22, 2002 -- Palmchip® Corporation, a leader in storage connectivity system-on-chip (SOC) solutions, today announced the availability of Ultra ATA/133 host (BK-3709 and BK-3710) and device (BK-3708) subsystem cores. These cores allow the connectivity between hard disk drives and the host controller in computing or peripheral applications. Both cores are compliant with Maxtor® Corporation's {NYSE: MXO) "Fast Drive" and "Big Drive" technologies, the industry's next generation ATA interface standard that breaks the 137gigabyte (GB) barrier and supports the 133 megabytes per second (MB/s) burst data transfer rate.

"Maxtor is excited to welcome Palmchip as the first semiconductor IP provider into the growing group of Fast Drive and Big Drive partners supporting the latest in Ultra ATA interface technology," said Mike Dooley, senior director of product marketing at Maxtor. " Now our customers are able to use Palmchip's new host and device subsystem cores to quickly integrate the Ultra ATA/133 standard that will accelerate their products to market and adapt to rapidly changing market conditions."  

"Maxtor continues to break capacity barriers and set new standards. Supporting their innovations with our new cores helps provide our customers with the competitive performance needed for emerging applications such as information appliances, set-top boxes, digital storage, media servers, portable communications systems and mobile instrumentation," said Jauher Zaidi, CEO of Palmchip. "In addition, we can provide complete SOC storage connectivity interface solutions for our customers that can greatly reduce the time to market "

Designed for easy integration with x86, ARM, MIPS, Power PC, ARC and Tensilica-based SOC designs, the host cores provide a complete ATA host subsystem. System OEMs and fabless semiconductor companies can use the ATA/133 core to integrate hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD and DVD-R host subsystems into an SOC and eliminate a stand-alone chip on the board, thus lowering the total system cost.

The ATA/133 host subsystem cores include all of the digital circuitry needed to provide a complete interface between a host processor system and a hard disk drive, CD-ROM, DVD and DVD-R. The core also implements PIO (programmed 110), multi-word DMA (direct memory access), and Ultra -33, -66, -100 and –133 megabyte interface circuitry. It supports up to four separate ATA/ATAPI devices and is shipped as RTL Verilog source code with documentation, synthesis scripts and test bench.

The ATA device subsystem core connects an IDE storage device to a host system with command interpretation handles by the device core in conjunction with an embedded processor. The ATA device core is used in hard disk drives as well as solid-state storage devices using DRAM, NAND or Nor Flash memory devices. The device core is designed for low-power, portable 1", 1.8" and 2.5" hard disk drive, tape drive, solid-state and Flash drives.

About Maxtor
Maxtor Corporation ( www.maxtor.com ) is one of the world's leading suppliers of information storage solutions. The company has an expansive line of storage products for desktop computers, high-performance Intel-based servers, network attached storage and consumer electronics. Maxtor has a reputation as a proven market leader built by providing consistent high- quality products, and service and support for its customers. Maxtor and its products can be found at www.maxtor.com or by calling toll-free (800) 2-MAXTOR. Maxtor is traded on the NYSE under the MXO symbol.

About Palmchip
Palmchip Corporation develops and licenses configurable storage connectivity semiconductor SOC Platforms, subsystems and IP cores for embedded SOC's used in networking and storage connectivity applications. Founded in 1996, Palmchip is a privately held company based in San Jose, California (USA), and is a member of the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance. More information can be obtained at http://www.Palmchip.com .

Palmchip, CoreFrame and the palm leaf logo are registered trademarks of Palmchip Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Maxtor and the Maxtor logo are registered trademarks of Maxtor Corporation. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

GB means 1 billion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment.

This announcement relating to Maxtor may contain forward-looking statements concerning future technology, products incorporating that technology, and Maxtor's execution. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties which could materially affect the company's results, including, but not limited to, market demand for hard disk drives, the company's ability to execute future production ramps and utilize manufacturing assets efficiently, pricing, competition, and the significant uncertainty of market acceptance of new products. These and other risk factors are contained in documents that the company files with the SEC, including the Form 10-K for fiscal 2000 and its recent 10-Qs

         
 

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