Tao's intent(TM), Java(TM) Technology Edition Now a Sun Authorized Virtual Machine

[<eugene.leitl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(((Here's some marketing crap I keep being spammed with from Tao
  Group. I hope they all die of gangrena, and smell horribly)))

From: "Bill Blunn" <bill@tao-group.com>

High performance, memory efficient solution for running Java(TM)
technology based media content across consumer digital appliances.

JavaOne(SM) Conference, San Francisco, Ca. June 6th 2000 -- Tao Group
today announced that its multimedia system for enhancing Java(TM)
technology based applications, the intent, Java Technology Edition, has
been awarded Sun Authorized Virtual Machine status by passing Sun's
comprehensive PersonalJava(TM) test suites.

Over several years intent has been developed by Tao's engineering team
for use in connected devices in home and mobile networks. The emphasis
has been on creating an open, comprehensive, customizable, compact, fast
and binary portable multimedia solution incorporating advanced
capability in streaming audio and video. At its heart is Tao's Sun
Authorized Virtual Machine and libraries. Today, the software is being
deployed in a broad range of markets including digital games, home
networking, digital television, automotive and phones.

"Tao's commitment to compatibility is key to furthering the adoption of
the Java platform in growing markets such as consumer digital
appliances," said Curtis Sasaki, director of product marketing, Consumer
Technologies, Sun Microsystems. "Tao's compatible virtual machine and
libraries offer an impressive array of graphics capabilities to
manufacturers developing devices requiring rich content for consumers."

Bill McEwen, President of Amiga stated that "Amiga continues to support
the world's most sophisticated, multimedia engineering and artistic
community. The New Amiga platform is built around the intent foundation
because only intent provides the infrastructure needed to meet our
market's expectations. Amiga will be a repository for a vast amount of
high value, intent-based multimedia content and we see compliant
Java-language applications running on Tao-based engines as a fundamental
component in making Amiga the de facto standard."

"intent's advanced multimedia technologies in association with Java
technology gives Tao a unique and strong position in the consumer
market," stated Hiro Uchida, General Manager of Strategic Venture
Management Group, Sony Corporation.

"There is a growing market demand for Java applications running on ARM®
core-based devices," said Andrew Cummins, Java Program Manager, ARM.
"Tao's solution for the ARM architecture provides our silicon and
systems partners with a highly effective multimedia component for the
next-generation of Java enabled devices targeting a wide range of
applications including automotive, digital television and mobile
communications solutions."

Ray Burgess, Corporate Vice President of Motorola noted "Java technology
is fast becoming a requirement in the imaging and entertainment world.
However, size and power limitations have often limited the experience of
using Java software in consumer products. Tao's fully compliant,
accelerated Java engine will help us break through this limitation and
opens up a whole range of new opportunities for networked Java devices."

Mike Foss, Executive Manager for Hitachi Semiconductor, commented, "Our
support for Tao goes back some years. We are pleased that Tao's
multimedia Java technology support on the SH family of microprocessors
is both compliant and so exciting."

Takeshi Shibamoto, Associate Director of Victor Co. of Japan [JVC],
remarked "I am delighted to see that Tao's wonderful technology is now
fully branded. We have been working with the team at Tao for some years
and are pleased that our belief in this world-class software has been
fully justified. I expect that Tao's software will have a major presence
in the consumer and professional space for many years."

Hiroshi Saito, Director and General Manager at Fujitsu Aichi Engineering
stated that "Fujitsu AEL strongly endorses Tao's technology because its
Java and multimedia simply make it the best in its class."

"Cadence Design Services and Tao are working closely together to bring
integrated technology and design service solutions, leveraging Tao's
intent JTE (Java Technology Edition) product, to the global embedded
market" said Brent Hudson, vice president and general manager of
Cadence's Wireless and Multimedia Design Group. "intent combines superb
performance with small memory footprint, and is ideally suited to the
rapidly growing digital TV market, an area in which we have built
significant expertise, and where Java compliance is a vital component."

"It's so good to be able to talk about a breakthrough technology that
really does provide what the market needs and also actually exists,"
said Tetsuya Hikino, Managing Director, NEC Electronics (UK) Limited,
"the capabilities of Tao's software are stunning and I'm sure it will
proliferate globally in Multimedia and Internet-based devices."

According to Huw Price-Stephens, Technical Director at Yes Television, a
leading provider of interactive television products and services, "Java
compliance is a critical requirement to enable broadcasters and content
providers to guarantee interoperability across multiple platforms. Yes
Television is a strong supporter of Java technology and is pleased to be
able to take advantage of Tao's unique and compliant JVM
implementation."

Martyn Gilbert, Chief Executive of Amino Communications said, "While
Amino's hardware developments have revolutionized the way that custom
Internet appliances are now being created, Tao has achieved much the
same with its software media capabilities. We've looked at the market
very closely to make sure that we offer our customers the very best from
top to bottom, and Tao is so far advanced beyond any competition that it
requires a double take just to believe it!"

"This announcement further establishes Java technology as the
development platform of choice for smart devices," stated Jaison
Dolvane, President and CEO of Espial. "Tao and Espial have been working
together to provide a superior and comprehensive smart-device solution,
complete with multimedia capabilities, the Java language, a universal
service-management platform, core Internet applications and development
tools. Combined with Tao's superior multimedia and Java virtual machine
technologies, Espial will soon provide its customers with complete and
robust solutions for the TV, wireless, auto, gaming and
Internet-appliance markets."

"By combining high performance with a small memory footprint, intent
addresses the demanding requirements of next-generation appliances based
on the QNX® 4 Realtime OS," said Linda Campbell, vice president of
strategic alliances at QNX Software Systems. "Together, QNX and intent
offer developers a solution that is at once reliable, open, and
media-rich."

Mr. Norizaku Suzuki, President of ASCII Corporation in Japan said,
"ASCII helped sponsor this program and we've watched it develop with
great admiration. Tao's technology has so much value-add that's critical
to the consumer electronics manufacturers, broadcasters, operators and
consumers, and we believe the mass proliferation of intent is
inevitable."

Yasuhiro Kawashima, President of WebLogic, said, "We and Tao are looking
to further differentiate the wonderful intent Java multimedia products
with the introduction of WebLogic's value-added, hardware acceleration.
An inexpensive, super-fast and Java-compliant multimedia solution is
something everyone should be happy about."

"We have had nothing but complete support from Sun. Its openness is
refreshing," said Francis Charig, Chairman of Tao Group. "I think the
model that they have developed, which encourages companies like Tao to
add value to their standard offerings, is very successful. Tao has been
able to add technologies to help with the binary portability, to advance
memory usage, to bring in new, high value, garbage collection techniques
and customization and many unique features while maintaining the
critical compatibility to the Java specification. Most significant
though is that we are driving forward the digital appliance market
utilizing high performance, multimedia Java based applications."

Notes to Editors

About Tao

The Tao Group is an intellectual property generator and software
organization specializing in technologies for home and mobile networks.
Incorporated in 1992, the Company provides leading edge products for the
emerging, fast growth markets of intelligent consumer devices. The
company's philosophy is based on providing powerful frameworks for use
right across the range of networked appliances from smart phones to
digital television, into which Tao's clients can build in their own
branding and incorporate their own added value. Motorola and Sony are
shareholders in Tao Group. Its customers include blue chip technology
corporations across North America, Japan and Europe, and the intent
toolkit is the applications foundation layer for the New Amiga.
Headquartered in Reading, England, with offices in Tokyo and California,
Tao has a high value, global patent portfolio and is the recipient of
multiple industry awards, both for its technologies and for the rate of
corporate growth.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun Logo, Java, and PersonalJava are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the
United States and other countries.

intent(TM) is a trademark of Tao Group Limited.