MVIS Blog News Scan 9/9/2004

Microvision Receives Add-on Head-up Display Contract from a Major European Tier 1 Automotive Supplier

New development contracts awarded in Q3 total over $600,000



BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2004--Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq:MVIS - News), today announced that it has been contracted by one of Europe's leading Tier 1 automotive suppliers to deliver an advanced prototype of its MicroHUD head-up display system. The award is in addition to the contract that was recently announced with Volkswagen of America Electronics Research Laboratory. The two companies are collaborating with Microvision to develop a compact head-up display that meets the size and performance specifications for future car generations.



Microvision also announced three additional new contract awards including a contract to develop a voice-enabled version of its Nomad system; a phase one research contract from the Army, relating to the development a full color portable head mounted display utilizing phosphor-based photo luminescent materials; and a modification to an existing contract with the U.S. military. Together, the value of contracts awarded during the quarter total more than $600,000.



"We started the third quarter with a $4.9 million backlog of development contracts and we are making steady progress toward our goal of new contract bookings of up to $3 million for the second half of 2004," said Rick Rutkowski, Microvision CEO. "We continue to be successful in securing support from very high quality prospective partners and customers for the development of a variety of potential future products including automotive head-up displays, laser print engines, 2D bar code scanners and electronic viewfinders for digital cameras. Each of these efforts leverages Microvision's unique expertise, and our investment, in proprietary optical microscanning technology to address what we believe are very real needs in very significant markets."

QUALCOMM to Acquire Display Technology Innovator Iridigm

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM - News), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Iridigm Display Corporation, a privately held display technology company, which will become a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM upon completion of the transaction. QUALCOMM will pay approximately $170 million in cash for the approximate 86 percent of Iridigm that it does not already own. Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and certain other closing conditions.



Iridigm's patented iMoD(TM) technology, based on a Micro-Electro- Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) structure combined with thin film optics, is a breakthrough in display technology that promises substantial performance, power consumption and cost benefits as compared to alternative display technologies. It delivers vivid and realistic display image quality that can withstand extreme temperatures and be viewed in any environment, including bright sunlight. Displays have become a key driver of the overall power consumption of wireless devices, with the increasing use of vibrant color screens and multimedia applications that generate rapidly changing images. The iMoD solution offers significantly lower power consumption than existing display solutions, thereby extending battery life of wireless devices.



"The convergence of consumer electronics products, including cameras, MP3 players, camcorders, GPS receivers and game consoles, into wireless devices is driving the increased adoption of 3G CDMA," said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, executive vice president and president of QUALCOMM Wireless & Internet Group. "Our acquisition of Iridigm will accelerate the time to market for the iMoD technology, which fits QUALCOMM's overall strategy of rapidly increasing the capability of wireless devices while driving down cost, size and power consumption."



"Joining a wireless leader such as QUALCOMM provides a superb opportunity to advance our technology and extend its global reach," said Mark Miles, co-founder of Iridigm. "The synergies between Iridigm and QUALCOMM make this acquisition a logical fit for both companies, and we're excited to join QUALCOMM in advancing display capabilities for the wireless industry."



Iridigm Display Corporation produces revolutionary reflective displays for a variety of mobile device applications. Iridigm has created the iMoD Matrix(TM) component, a reflective flat panel color display technology based on MEMS and thin film optics. The bright, reflective nature of the iMoD Matrix makes a display as easy to read as a glossy magazine. High image quality combined with inherent high resolution and ultra low power consumption makes it ideal for mobile applications of all types. Iridigm is a privately held company headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. Additional information on Iridigm can be found at www.iridigm.com

(Jeez, I hope we don't get bought out.)



Intel Unveils Plan for 'planetary-scale overlay of computational service', next-generation Internet

In a speech today at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Pat Gelsinger said that by adding an overlay network of computational services to the Internet -- made up of computing and storage resources -- the industry could bring greater intelligence into and across the network core. This would transform the Internet from a data transmission pipe into a vast platform for hosting a wide array of services available to the world's six billion inhabitants. Gelsinger referred to this approach as the ability to provide planetary-scale services.



"A planetary-scale overlay of computational services would open the Internet up to a new era of innovation while complementing other Internet initiatives," Gelsinger added. "It would provide a platform on which Web services can run and a way to connect grid computing sites and utility data centers. It sits above the new physical infrastructure supplied by Internet 2 and above the networking layer where IPv6 functions, adding a new stratum of higher-level functionality to the Internet."



In an example of how pervasive Internet technology will become, Gelsinger described a joint research project occurring this summer between Intel and BP, one of the world's largest petroleum and petrochemicals companies. Using a wireless sensor network, the companies are providing continuous vibration monitoring of the engines on one of BP's crude oil tankers, the Loch Rannoch, off the Shetland Islands in northern Scotland. Wireless sensor networks, radio frequency ID and other smart tags are examples of how companies will use the Internet and millions of new low-cost devices to help run their factories, manage their entire supply-chains, and collaborate globally. This will drive the need for greater capacity and increased reliability as businesses come to rely on this influx of information to manage both day-to-day activities and develop long-term business strategies.



To bring the Internet to billions of new users, industry researchers are proposing a new generation of low-cost, battery-operated devices for use in regions where people cannot afford a traditional computer and lack reliable connectivity and power. Gelsinger described how planetary-scale services could help these users by supporting new kinds of device connectivity and in-network storage that would mitigate disruptions and delays in transactions. Another intelligence service would be transcoding, the capability for the network to dynamically convert content to a form appropriate to various devices.

Intel Executives Outline Imperatives For All-Day Mobile Computing

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, SAN FRANCISCO, 9 September, 2004 - Intel Corporation executives today outlined four imperatives for bringing all-day, anytime and anywhere wireless mobile PC computing closer to reality. These imperatives include new mobile PC platform capabilities, industry collaboration to drive all-day battery life, optimising software applications for mobile computing, and the evolution of one smart, mobile, modular networking infrastructure.

Intel also unveiled new details of forthcoming Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology products, including its Sonoma platform and next generation platform, codenamed "Napa."



"Let's not forget that to be truly mobile, we have to focus on removing plugs too, and Intel is working with the industry on a platform approach to achieve the goal of eight-hour battery life by 2010," said Anand Chandrasekher, vice president and general manager of Intel's Mobile Platforms Group. "The industry is already addressing some of these challenges via the Mobile PC Extended Battery Life Working Group and today's release of ACPI specification v.3.0, but further industry cooperation and work is needed."



All Software Mobile Optimised Intel's mobilised platform effort allows end users to fully take advantage of their mobile life and work styles. Today, more than 250 software applications have been mobile optimised including major enterprise applications such as SAP*, PeopleSoft*, SAS* and UGS-PLM*.



"Over the next decade, we see the network evolving to one network architecture based on standard building blocks, protocols, and application frameworks - a network that is modular, untethered, all-broadband and packet-based, which will deliver multi-media services to a variety of smart, mobile clients," said Bubb. "Intel is playing a major role by delivering the modular building blocks enabling this transformation, and by driving adoption of standards such as Carrier Grade Linux and AdvancedTCA™."



Intel is also driving progress in the rapidly growing wireless ecosystem. As wireless services have become more and more prevalent in our lives, service providers continue to look to new technologies such as WiMAX to build out wireless broadband networks and look to Intel for the latest improvements in ease-of-use and technologies.