Insyde Technology: News: Press Releases: SystemSoft Announces Support For National Semiconductor's Mobile System Solution

SystemSoft Announces Support For National Semiconductor's Mobile System Solution

NATICK, Mass. - January 27, 1997 - SystemSoft Corp. (NASDAQ: SYSF) today announced that its MobilePRO( family of system level BIOS, power management, keyboard controller (KeyPro), and system control software now offers support for National Semiconductor's Mobile System Solution, a comprehensive control logic solution for mobile computers. The combination of National Semiconductor's Mobile System Solution with SystemSoft's MobilePRO provides original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) a complete, integrated solution that enables lower overall system costs, simplified system design and reduced time to market.

Announced today, National's Mobile System Solution consists of three new integrated circuits and one existing controller. The PC87550 PCI System Controller (North Bridge), the PC87560 PCI System I/O Controller (South Bridge) and the PC87570 Keyboard and Power Management Controller have been combined with the PT80C525 (Nile II) Advanced PCI-to-PCI Bridge Interface Controller to offer complete, flexible control of all functions within the mobile PC environment, from keyboard and real-time clock to system I/O, memory and hot docking.

"SystemSoft's expertise in system-level software is instrumental in helping National provide a highly integrated, complete chipset solution to our mobile systems customers," said Michael Maia, director of Marketing, National Semiconductor. "MobilePRO BIOS is an ideal companion to National's North/South Bridge and integrated keyboard and power management architecture."

SystemSoft's MobilePRO system-level software provides the industry's broadest support for portable computing chipset solutions. In addition to National Semiconductor, the MobilePRO modular suite of BIOS and power management software system-level software supports all of the mobile PC industry's most advanced chipset solutions, including the latest from Intel, OPTi , AMD, ACC Micro, ITE, and VLSI. MobilePRO is the industry's leading BIOS software, licensed by OEMs including Compaq, Digital Equipment, Gateway 2000, and Hewlett-Packard.

"MobilePRO has long been the BIOS of choice for the leaders in mobile computing, such as Compaq, Digital Equipment and Hewlett-Packard," said Jonathan Joseph, senior vice president of SystemSoft's Platform Product Group. "National's Mobile System Solution offers high levels of integration and performance, superior design flexibility and extensive power management capabilities. By supporting National's Mobile System Solution, SystemSoft continues to provide a complete and robust solution for mobile computing manufacturers."

The MobilePRO suite includes a core BIOS, value added BIOS layers, power management software and easily customizable system control utilities that enable desktop-like functionality on portable computers. The software includes structured source code that streamlines customization engineers' processes for implementing OEM-specific features into the software and provides sophisticated design flexibility. SystemSoft's MobilePRO BIOS for National's Mobile System Solution supports both hot and cold docking on National's Nile and Nile II controllers. Hot docking allows users to insert or remove a powered-on portable computer into a docking station without the risk of system damage or data loss.

SystemSoft's KeyPro for National's PC87570 supports advanced features such as simultaneous devices (e.g., internal/external mice; external keyboard), and the ability to hot plug and hot swap devices. In addition, SystemSoft's KeyPro for the PC87570 can be built directly into the system ROM or as a separate module. By building directly into the system ROM the overall BIOS footprint is reduced and BIOS updates are simplified, since only the BIOS ROM needs to be flashed.

National Semiconductor Corporation produces analog and mixed-signal silicon solutions for the information highway, communications, consumer and industrial markets. National Semiconductor is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has 19,000 employees worldwide. In fiscal 1996, the company reported sales of $2.6 billion. Additional information is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.national.com.

SystemSoft is the pioneer in system-level software, connectivity, and problem-resolution technologies. SystemSoft's software products now include Universal Serial Bus firmware and software, SystemWizard™ call-avoidance software, CardWizard™ PC Card software, Plug-and-Play software, ACPI firmware ROM and development tools, power-management software, and BIOS. SystemSoft licenses its products primarily to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), including manufacturers of PCs, and independent software and hardware vendors. Its customers include Acer, Apple Computer, AST Computer, Compaq, Dell Computer Corp., Digital Equipment Corporation, Gateway 2000, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, NEC, and Toshiba. Based in Natick, Mass., SystemSoft employs more than 250 at its headquarters and in offices in Boulder, Colo.; Santa Clara, Calif.; Oxnard, Calif.; Yokohama, Japan; and Taipei, Taiwan.