Press Releases

VIA Technologies Standardizes on BIOS Software from Phoenix Technologies

SAN JOSE, Calif., February 11, 2002 -- Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTEC), a global leader in device-enabling and management software products for connected digital devices, today announced that it has signed a broad licensing agreement with VIA Technologies (VIA) to help VIA advance its goal of becoming the premier provider of PC motherboard solutions using VIA microprocessors and chipsets. The company is licensing Phoenix BIOS software for its entire new line of Pentium 4 class P4XBTM motherboard products.

VIA, which was founded in 1987, is a leader in the worldwide core logic chipset and microprocessor markets and provides products for a wide range of customer applications including desktop, notebook, and network computing. It is standardizing its new line of IntelÒ PentiumÒ 4 processor based motherboard products on Phoenix software and will target the products at middle to high-end markets and customers.

“As we launch our new line of branded VIA motherboards, we are excited to be a strategic partner with Phoenix Technologies to help us advance our business in the Pentium 4 class marketplace,” said Richard Brown, Director of Marketing for VIA Technologies, Inc. “By licensing the Phoenix system software, we are demonstrating our strong confidence in Phoenix to deliver the value-added, system-enabling features that help our customers achieve the performance and reliability they need. We also gain time-to-market advantages that will help us achieve our goal of becoming a premier worldwide provider of motherboards.”

“This agreement with such a distinguished provider of chipsets, processors, and PC platform solutions as VIA demonstrates our continued commitment to the important Taiwan motherboard market,” said Susan L. Kennedy, Vice President of FirstWare Product Marketing, Phoenix Technologies. “Our new partnership gives VIA a competitive advantage versus others in the motherboard marketplace by allowing them to focus on designing, developing, and delivering world-class products while counting on Phoenix to deliver the latest system software features for their customers.”

About VIA Technologies

VIA Technologies, Inc. is a leading innovator and developer of PC core logic chipsets, microprocessors, and multimedia and communications chips. VIA delivers value to the PC industry by designing, marketing, and selling high-performance discrete and integrated core logic chipsets for the full range of PC platforms, as well as power efficient VIA C3^TM processors. VPSD, an autonomous Business Unit within VIA, is charged with the mission of designing, developing, and bringing to market a complete range of platform solutions, including a new line of branded VIA Mainboards, as well as the company's Information PC, Set Top Box, Web Pad and future Total Connectivity designs. VIA is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE2388), and achieved annual revenues of nearly US$1 billion in 2000.

About Phoenix
Founded in 1979, Phoenix Technologies (NASDAQ: PTEC) helped launch the digital revolution when it created the industry's leading machine-independent BIOS software, which ships in more than 100 million new systems each year. Phoenix continues to leverage that core-level experience to develop many other vital solutions at multiple points in the foundation of PCs and other digital devices. Today, Phoenix solutions activate, secure, connect, and recover the world's best-known systems. These solutions operate from a Core Managed Environment (cME), where they're built in and protected from viruses, user errors, hackers, and corruption. Phoenix is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. USA (Silicon Valley), with offices in global business and technology centers.  For more information about Phoenix Technologies, visit our website 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.

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