Intrinsyc and MontaVista Announce Alliance for Embedded Linux Solutions

Business Wire, August 10, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

LinuxWorld Conference & Expo

Booth Number 208

VANCOUVER, British Columbia and SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2000--

Intrinsyc Alliance with MontaVista Strengthens

Embedded Linux-Based Solutions; Speeds Time to Market

Intrinsyc Software, Inc. (CDNX:ICS), today announced a strategic alliance with MontaVista Software Inc. that will combine research, engineering and marketing expertise to better meet the growing demand among Original Equipment Manufacturers for innovative Linux-based embedded systems. The agreement brings together Intrinsyc, a key provider of embedded solutions and services used to create Internet devices, and MontaVista Software, Inc. the developer of the Hard Hat(TM) Linux(R) operating system for embedded applications.

As part of the alliance, Intrinsyc and MontaVista will work together to address the requirements of emerging embedded applications, Internet devices, and mobile appliances, while optimizing their respective product offerings to ensure interoperability. The alliance will offer OEMs solutions to meet the demands of the rapidly growing Internet appliance market.

According to a recent IDC report, the worldwide market for information appliances will exceed 89 million units, or $17.8 billion, in 2004, up from a market of 11 million units and $2.4 billion in 1999.

The collaboration of Hard Hat Linux, along with technologies such as Intrinsyc's CerfBoard, offer robust underlying software and hardware architecture for embedded applications. CerfBoard for Linux, Intrinsyc's latest Internet appliance reference platform based on the StrongARM 1110 microprocessor, is a key example of a ready reference design that aids in rapid deployment for OEMs. This alliance targets information/navigation systems, smart phones, handhelds, and emerging wireless and Internet devices. MontaVista and Intrinsyc will work together to co-market their combined solutions.

"Intrinsyc's alliance with MontaVista gives OEMs a tailored solution to quickly access the opportunities of embedded technology," said Derek Spratt, president and CEO of Intrinsyc. "This agreement with MontaVista, combined with the recent development of Intrinsyc's CerfBoard for Linux, offers our customers additional versatility while continuing to extend our software solutions to other platforms. With MontaVista's Hard Hat Linux, our OEM CerfBoard customers can now benefit from a rich embedded Linux design environment and outstanding technical support options."

"This alliance offers combined hardware and software solutions that significantly decrease product time-to-market." said Kent McMullen, vice president of Marketing for MontaVista. "With this partnership, both companies will push forward as leading technology and software enablers of Internet appliances and devices. In addition, bundling Intrinsyc's technologies with the Hard Hat distribution will open up new opportunities for easily deploying Linux-based devices in Windows-centric environments such as industrial automation and handheld markets."

See MontaVista's HardHat Linux running on Intrinsyc's CerfBoard at Linux World 2000 (booth number 208) from August 15-17 in San Jose, Calif. For further information, please contact 408/209-5181.

About Intrinsyc Software

Recently identified as one of the fastest growing companies in Canada by Profit Magazine, Intrinsyc provides highly engineered products and solutions that help its clients develop smart, Internet-ready products. The company is a leader in the emerging Information Appliance and Internet Device market that specializes in the embedded computers controlling common products such as home security systems, vending machines and factory floor controllers. Intrinsyc sells its Internet-enabled technologies to leading Fortune 500 companies in growing global markets such as mobile computing, industrial automation, and point-of-sale. These customers use Intrinsyc's unique expertise to create Internet Devices or Information Appliances, link these devices to other levels of a company's business systems, and remotely manage large networks of devices. Based in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, Intrinsyc is committed to offering efficient, reliable and secure embedded solutions to its customers.

About MontaVista Software, Inc.

MontaVista Software Inc., delivers open-source software solutions for the worldwide embedded software market. MontaVista's principal offering is the Linux operating system tailored for embedded software applications. MontaVista products include Hard Hat Linux, a standard off-the-shelf binary distribution of Linux for x86, PowerPC, StrongARM, MIPS and other microprocessor architectures. Hard Hat Linux offers developers a mix of open source and standard APIs, as well as unique open source solutions for embedded design including the MontaVista real-time scheduler and Hard Hat Net CompactPCI back-plane networking. Hard Hat Linux is supported by a comprehensive tool suite including optimizing compilers for C, C and other languages; high-level language debuggers; and performance monitoring tools. The company's Subscription Plans also provide Linux support, porting and customization services to customers worldwide. MontaVista headquarters are in Sunnyvale, Calif., in the heart of the Silicon Valley. http://www.mvista.com.