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Intersil's PRISM Wireless LAN Technology Provides Roaming Connectivity for ViA's New PC Stick
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 2001--Intersil Corporation (Nasdaq:ISIL), the world's leading developer of silicon technology for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), and ViA, Inc., a leader in the design and production of body-worn mobile computers, today announced that Intersil's small form factor PRISM(R) 2.5 wireless LAN chip set and reference design with USB interface successfully provided wireless network connectivity for ViA's new "PC Stick" wearable PC.
ViA recently introduced its new body-worn PC, code named PC Stick. The PC Stick, a full-function PC about the size of a TV remote control weighs as little as 20 ounces and runs standard Microsoft operating systems such as Windows 98 or Windows 2000 and uses Transmeta's 600 and 800 MHz Crusoe processors. Intersil's PRISM 2.5 WLAN technology adds wireless connectivity through the USB on the PC Stick.
"ViA is an excellent example of manufacturers developing innovative products that are enhanced with wireless connectivity," said Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager of Intersil's Wireless Networking Business Unit. "ViA's new body-worn PC Stick offering full function PC operation, combined with PRISM 2.5, enables truly mobile productivity.
User interfaces for the PC Stick include stationary and hand-held touch displays, wireless and USB devices, voice input and virtual and physical keyboard and mouse devices. The drive towards the convergence of computing and telephony will be realized as ViA integrates its computing and Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) capabilities.
"Intersil's PRISM 2.5 wireless LAN reference design represents a major piece of the puzzle for truly mobile PC computing experience using our body-worn PC Stick," said David Carroll, ViA, Inc. founder and chairman. "The PRISM 2.5 radio module receives its power through the USB connection and offers both small size and high-speed performance. We think it's a perfect companion for our PC Stick, providing our customers the freedom of staying connected while roaming."
About PRISM 2.5 WLAN Reference Design
The PRISM 2.5 Reference Design (ISL37300U) provides all of the technical information necessary for the manufacture of a complete WLAN adaptor in the form of a small mini-USB card that measures approximately 2-1/3 x 1-1/2 inches. Such cards are also ideal for embedded WLAN applications. In addition, many companies are adopting USB interfaces for embedded cards. The PRISM 2.5 chip set's ISL3873B integrated Base Band Processor and Medium Access Controller (BBP/MAC) allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to easily develop wireless LAN-capable products that connect to the host device using a USB connection. This solution delivers full 11 megabit-per-second (Mbps) data rates and fully complies with the IEEE 802.11b standard, making it eligible for Wi-Fi(TM) certification.
About ViA Inc.
ViA, Inc. is a leader in the design and production of body-worn mobile computers. The company's patented form factors and interfaces provide customers with robust, comfortable, hands-free mobile PC solutions. ViA's customers include industry leaders within various vertical markets including transportation, field service, retail and manufacturing. In 2000, ViA, Inc. was named Minnesota's Fastest Growing Technology Company by Deloitte & Touche's "Fast 50" Program and 82nd Fastest Growing Technology company in the U.S. by Deloitte & Touche's "Fast 500" Program for U.S. technology companies. ViA, incorporated in 1993, is privately held and operates in Burnsville, Minnesota. Additional information on the company is available on the Internet at http://www.via-pc.com.
The Global Wireless Market Embraces PRISM WLAN Technology
"Intersil is the number one manufacturer of wireless LAN chipsets and has been a driving force behind the success of WLAN today," said a May 2001 WLAN report from Cahners In-Stat Group. Since introducing the PRISM WLAN chip set in 1996, over 50 of the industry-leading companies including Actiontec, Alcatel, Cisco, Compaq, 3Com, Dell, D-Link, Linksys, Nokia, Nortel, Samsung, Scientific-Atlanta, Siemens, SOHOware, Sony, SpectraLink, Symbol and Zoom have incorporated PRISM chips in more than 100 product designs. PRISM technology is designed to comply with the IEEE's 802.11 global standard, and Intersil is a founding sponsor of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), whose Wi-Fi(TM) brand is a mark of compatibility for 802.11-based systems.
About Intersil
Intersil is a leading supplier of semiconductors, reference designs and software for wireless access and communications analog markets. Intersil applies analog, mixed-signal and radio frequency (RF) expertise to products that enable wireless access to broadband media; provide reliable power management for PCs, files servers and portable information appliances; and convert analog and digital signals in cellular and Internet infrastructure. For more information about Intersil, visit the company's Internet homepage at http://www.intersil.com.
CONTACT: Intersil Corporation, Palm Bay, Fla.
Ron Paciello, 321/724-7184
E-Mail: rpaciell@intersil.com
or
Ketchum, Pittsburgh
Doug Colafella, 412/456-3525
E-Mail: doug.colafella@ketchum.com
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