news release

 

Contacts:                                                                                                       

Media Relations:                                            Investor Relations:               

Blanc & Otus                                                    Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC          

Syreeta Mussante                                             Erica  Mannion

415-856-5148                                                 415-399-9345

Smussante@blancandotus.com                         investors@phoenix.com

           

Phoenix Technologies Partners with InterActual® to Provide FirstView Connect^TM for Next-Generation Enhanced DVDs

 

Phoenix Provides Innovative Multi-Media Internet Connectivity and Browser Technology for Advanced Class of Consumer Devices

 

SAN JOSE, Calif., September 25, 2002 – Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTEC), a global leader in device-enabling and management software products for connected digital devices, today announced a strategic partnership with InterActual Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of products and services for combining DVD with the Internet, to raise the bar on Internet browser capabilities for consumer devices. Phoenix will combine InterActual’s Media Services with FirstView Connect^TM, enabling Enhanced DVD playback on next-generation consumer electronics devices.

 

Enhanced DVDs add vibrant new layers to the users’ entertainment experience by blending additional dynamic on-disc and online DVD features with the original DVD movie. A demonstration of the enhanced DVD experience, made possible by Phoenix and InterActual’s technologies, can be viewed at InterActual’s suite at the Digital Hollywood conference (www.digitalhollywood.com), Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel, Rodeo Room, September 24-25.

 

“We are pleased to collaborate with Phoenix to enable visionary interactive and online features on next generation consumer electronics devices,” said Todd Collart, President and CEO of InterActual. “Phoenix’s expertise in consumer device architecture and compatibility makes them a valuable partner for delivering new innovative features that meet the basic functionality discussed by the DVD Forum, as well as additional proprietary features that further enhance the consumer’s entertainment experience.”

 

Albert E. Sisto, Chairman, President and CEO of Phoenix, said, “Phoenix is the leading name in PC BIOS support, and now we’re building our reputation in a new class of connected consumer devices. With FirstView Connect, we’re entering the forefront of a new technology convergence by providing advanced connectivity and a micro-browser with a very small software footprint. This iDVD solution, delivered with InterActual’s visionary technology, is just one of many initiatives we will be announcing that leverage the Internet to improve the users’ leisure experience.”

 

Through a new convergence of several technologies, users will enjoy rich, interactive, multi-media with Internet connectivity and browser technology for digital players and other connected digital devices. They will be able to access special on-disc and online features in real time on devices with enhanced features such as searchable video, updated commentaries, links to other Web sites, and capabilities formerly available only on PCs.

 

FirstView Connect offers instant-on technology, allowing digital devices to take advantage of technology such as PersonalJava, Macromedia Flash, MPEG2, and MPEG4 as well as sophisticated security software technology. It also offers a full browser-like user experience with powerful features. OEMs can quickly implement low-cost browser-based solutions on a wide variety of devices and add features by way of flexible plug-in architecture. FirstView Connect complements other applications, allowing full control of the browser from another application.

 

FirstView Connect Features

 

• Enablement for an advanced class of connected digital devices such as set-top boxes, Enhanced DVD players, and Internet, Web and email terminals.
• Instant-on/ -off in x86 hardware environments for appliance-like user experience
• Capability for OEMs to develop low-cost devices with a small form factor
• Customizable user interface
• Small code size and runtime environment for minimum footprint
• Extensive APIs for platform portability, easy integration and feature-set flexibility
• Best-in-class client-side reformatting, allowing display of HTML Web pages on standard TV screen
• Broad support for Internet technologies, including HTML 3.2, PersonalJava 3.1, and Macromedia Flash 4, MPEG2, and MPEG4
• Multi-threaded embedded kernel for a robust, self-healing platform

 

About Phoenix

Phoenix Technologies (Nasdaq: PTEC); Founded in 1979, Phoenix is a global leader in device-enabling and management software products for PCs and other connected digital devices. Its FirstWare^TM family of “instant on” software activates, secures, connects, and recovers digital devices and is designed into millions of industry standard desktop, notebook, server, and information appliance systems sold annually. This enables Phoenix customers - specifiers, developers, and manufacturers of user-driven microprocessor systems - to reduce costs and provide high value-added features to their customers. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Phoenix Technologies has offices worldwide. For more information about Phoenix Technologies, visit our Web site at http://www.phoenix.com/.

Phoenix and Phoenix Technologies are registered trademarks of Phoenix Technologies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners