Xilinx Targets Fast-Moving, Multi-Function Smart Handset Market With Industry's First Programmable Demonstration Platform

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Xilinx, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLNX) today announced an innovative demonstration platform that shows the benefits of programmable devices for the fast growing and evolving smart handset segment. Incorporating daughter cards based on the Xilinx CoolRunner(TM)-II CPLD family, this platform demonstrates a proven method for incorporating new features and providing co-processing functions to accelerate the introduction of advanced handset features faster than existing design approaches while meeting the stringent power consumption, size, and cost requirements of the consumer market. Xilinx is introducing this solution at CES 2006 in the Las Vegas Sands Convention Center. For more information visit http://www.xilinx.com/handset.

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The demonstration board, developed by iWave Technologies (http://www.iwavesystems.com), a technology oriented organization specializing in embedded hardware and software turnkey design services, features an Intel(R) XScale (PXA270) processor board with CoolRunner-II-based daughter cards and shows how designers can quickly integrate new smart handset requirements such as external memory, high resolution displays, and embedded hard disk drives. The Xilinx platform demonstrates that CPLDs can add processing power without exceeding cost and power requirements. These CoolRunner-II CPLDs are offered in multiple packages and varying densities with low power and high performance features that no other CPLD can offer.

"Handset customers are increasingly looking for ways to get products with advanced features to market faster," said Mark Casey, general manager of Intel Corporation's Applications Processors Business Unit. "This demonstration platform shows how developers can get the benefits of Intel XScale technology while using Xilinx to deliver a complete solution faster." Flexible, Low Cost Solution for Fast Growing Smart Phone Market

New applications such as music downloads, web browsing, email and digital photography will drive the market for smart phones from 22 million in 2004 to 232 million in 2008, according to ABI Research. New smart phones present excellent high-margin opportunities to handset manufacturers. However, the speed of new feature evolution, the diversity of handset voltage, I/O and clock environments, and short product life cycles present a huge challenge with current design approaches and solutions.

"The pace of new feature requirements in the smart handset market is among the fastest in all of electronics, and market variations among regions, age groups and buying demographics compound the challenge. Product developers need the ultimate in flexibility to meet such dynamic targets, but can't afford compromises in design time, costs, power or size," said Alan Varghese, Principal Analyst, Semiconductor Research at ABI Research. "With the increasingly competitive price/performance points of PLDs, their flexible nature is making programmable solutions an attractive and viable choice for consumer applications." About the Handset Demonstration Solution

The Xilinx handset platform demonstrates how developers can integrate new functions without extending design cycles and with the added benefits of low power consumption, small form factor, and low cost silicon implementations. The Intel PXA 270 XScale processor motherboard runs either Linux or WindowsCE operating system and includes external flash, a USB port, SDRAM, and Ethernet. Four CoolRunner-II daughter cards accompany the motherboard and highlight applications that co-exist with the processor. The CoolRunner-II CPLDs are offered in space saving packages such as the low cost Quad Flat No Lead (QFN) or high ball count chip scale (CP) packages and can be used for any portable implementations.

"The flexibility, price and feature advantages of our CoolRunner family are extremely compelling for cost-sensitive, advanced applications such as smart handsets devices," said David Loftus, general manager of the CPLD Division at Xilinx. "This initial demonstration board underscores our commitment to making programmable solution accessible and easy-to-use, giving developers an excellent tool for quickly bringing new products to market." About Xilinx

Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic solutions. For more information, visit http://www.xilinx.com.#0602