Combination of extensive hardware and BIOS expertise ensures rapid time to market for the new breed of quieter, low power and smaller information and entertainment systems

Taipei, Taiwan and Bellevue, Wash., 24 April 2003 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced the strategic alliance with General Software, Inc., a leading supplier of x86 embedded firmware, to further the design and development of embedded products based on the x86 platform. Together, the companies provide embedded manufacturers out of the box compatibility for quiet, efficient native x86 embedded home and business PC and digital media systems of all kinds.

Combining VIA’s highly integrated native x86 embedded hardware products, including the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX series of small form factor, highly integrated mainboards, the low power VIA C3™ E-series processor and the fanless VIA Eden Platform with General Software’s Embedded BIOS™ provides a flexible yet powerful hardware and software foundation for embedded developers to build the emerging new home entertainment products such as set top boxes, game consoles, personal video recorders and home servers, and commercial applications such as thin clients, POS terminals and routers.

“VIA’s embedded technologies such as the Eden Platform and the EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard series are cost effective and highly popular with x86 embedded manufacturers,” said Matthew Schiltz, General Software president and CEO. “It was a natural choice to develop our Embedded BIOS Support Modules for VIA’s platforms and jointly pursue business opportunities calling for this unbeatable combination of hardware and BIOS solutions for the embedded space.”

“Today’s small form factor devices need to be able to run the full spectrum of productivity, multimedia, and Internet applications, including digital audio, digital video, and digital imaging,” said Paul Hsu, Executive Assistant to the President, CPU Business Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “General Software’s feature-rich Embedded BIOS provides an excellent complement to our broad range of embedded silicon building blocks and platform solutions and provides system builders with a head start in product development.”

General Software’s Embedded BIOS addresses the entire lifecycle of embedded products, from board bring-up, configuration prototyping, testing with system diagnostics, and product manufacturing to in-field diagnostics and software reload, and supports the full spectrum of Windows, Linux, and real-time operating systems. Features include an integrated debugger; console redirection; highly configurable POST; manufacturing mode; ROM, RAM, and Flash file systems; support for a host of industry initiatives; and much more.

The fanless VIA Eden Platform is a low power, high performance, and highly integrated x86 platform that provides the most flexible, compatible, and cost-effective solution for building the emerging new generation of connected digital information and entertainment devices. It combines a proven ultra low power sixth generation processor core with a choice of a variety of highly integrated North Bridge and South Bridge chips, as well as a broad spectrum of expansion options for enhanced communications, connectivity, and multimedia functions.



About General Software, Inc.

General Software provides superior enabling firmware and world-class support for OEM manufacturers of telecommunications, data communications, consumer electronics, dedicated servers, and other specialized computing devices. General Software’s well-architected and reliable firmware products reduce risk, speed development, and address embedded OEM product lifecycle needs. For more information about General Software and its embedded firmware, visit http://www.gensw.com, e-mail product_info@gensw.com, or contact Leslie O’Brien at 800-850-5755 or 425-576-8300.

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc. is a leading innovator and developer of PC core logic chipsets, microprocessors, and multimedia, optical storage, communication and networking chips. VIA delivers value to the PC industry by designing, marketing, and selling high-performance VIA Apollo core logic chipsets for the full range of PC platforms, and cost-effective VIA C3™ processors for Value PCs and Internet Appliances, as well as developing complete solutions for the PC platform through its VPSD Business Unit. Its customers include the world's top OEMs, mainboard manufacturers, and system integrators. VIA is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, at the center of the Greater China high-tech manufacturing engine, and has branch offices in the US, China and Europe. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE2388), and achieved annual revenues of nearly US$1 billion in 2001. Additional information can be found at http://www.via.com.tw.