Phoenix Technologies' PC Card Manager Plus delivers easy-to-use PCMCIA power management control with NoteBIOS 4.0; Phoenix forges new ground in PCMCIA power management with icon-based firmware that allows users to modify system power management while they work

Business Wire, April 17, 1995

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 1995--Phoenix NoteBIOS(TM) 4.0 firmware for portable PCs introduced today by Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTEC) features a breakthrough in power management capabilities for PCMCIA.

Phoenix's PCMCIA software solution works in cooperation with Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0 PC Card Manager Plus(TM) (PCM ) to tightly integrate peripherals on portable PCs. NoteBIOS 4.0 features the innovative Phoenix PowerPanel(TM), an icon-based toolbar that allows users to easily modify power management support to extend battery life. Future enhancements of Phoenix PowerPanel will streamline the system interface and provide users even easier access to the power management behavior of their portable PCs.

Power Management for Humans

PhoenixCard Manager Plus (PCM ), with its unique firmware architecture, integrates with Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0 to provide a complete PCMCIA power management solution that is a fundamental advancement in ease-of-use. Until now, the exploding market of portable PC users have been unable to take advantage of current complex power management configurations.

As part of its charter to improve PCMCIA ease-of-use, Phoenix has enhanced its PowerPanel to include additional icons for PCM which will allow users, for the first time, to manipulate power management behavior with the simple click of an icon. Such minor tasks as turning power off to an unused PC Card slot, which once required manipulation of system settings in a character-based set-up utility and then required rebooting the system, will soon have a click-on icon to perform this function.

Power Profiles

The increased functionality offered by Phoenix PowerPanel enhancements satisfies a growing demand by portable system users for improvements in functionality. "PC Cards left in a PCMCIA slot, for example, could notably decrease battery life," said Portia Issacson of Dream IT. "Phoenix PowerPanel answers this critical demand for easy-to-use PCMCIA power management control to maximize energy efficiency."

As part of Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0, Phoenix PowerPanel today allows users to switch between different Power Profiles. A Power Profile goes beyond today's Power Management Setup options and establishes a complete power management recipe for a given task. A Power Profile called "Presentation," for example, may be used when giving an overhead presetation from a laptop. The "Presentation" Power Profile would keep power management engaged but eliminate traditional screen blanking. Additional Power Profiles such as "Airplane," "Communications" and "Word Processing" can also be initiated with a simple click on the PowerPanel toolbar. This type of contact-sensitive power management is unique to Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0.

"The combination of Phoenix PCM with NoteBIOS 4.0's object-oriented power management engine and Phoenix PowerPanel allows us to fully leverage our experience in all three elements for the first time in the PC industry," said Howard Cohen, Phoenix vice president of Portable Systems.

Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0 featuring PowerPanel is now available worldwide through Phoenix's engineering service centers. The first notebook PCs to use Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0 will be available this quarter.

The enhancements to Phoenix PowerPanel which include additional icons for PCM are available now to OEM customers during the first half of 1995.

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is the leading supplier of system-level software to PC manufacturers worldwide and an emerging supplier of Phoenix-brand software to PC users. Its system-level software products such as PhoenixBIOS, power management, PCMCIA and Plug and Play technology, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, and reduce product development time and internal engineering costs. Capitalizing on its unique industry position and resources, Phoenix is creating an expanding family of software products for end users that will make their PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com.

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Editor's Note: PhoenixBIOS(TM), NoteBIOS(TM), Phoenix Save to Disk(TM), Phoenix PowerPanel(TM), Phoenix MultiKey(TM), PhoenixCard Manager Plus(TM) and Phoenix BIOScope(TM) are registered trademarks of Phoenix Technologies Ltd. DOS(TM) and Windows 95(TM) are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. OS/2 is a registered trademark of International Business Corporation.

CONTACT: Phoenix Technologies

Margaret Kahnke, 714/440-8052

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The Benjamin Group, Inc.

Elizabeth Deans, 714/753-0755

Gary Quackenbush, 408/559-6090

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Vector Communications

Peter Hayward, 44-442-877-167 (Europe)

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Martina, Brembeck, Agentur Bauer

Agentur Bauer, 49-89-5-70-37-07 (Europe)