WEITEK ANNOUNCES POWER PARTNERS PROGRAM New OEM Market Development Effort to Increase Customer Product Sales (NOTE: Contains multiple releases for several Power Partners) SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 1, 1992--Weitek Corporation (NASDAQ: WWTK) today announced the Weitek Power Partners program, providing market development and communications assistance to OEM customers of the Weitek Power for Windows User Interface Processor and Controller product family. Weitek also announced it has begun shipping its W5186 User Interface Controller to OEMs. The purpose of the Weitek Power Partners program is to increase Weitek OEM's addin card and motherboard systems sales. Based on the level of participation, the program services available are: 1 ) marketing communications services to plan and prepare product launches; 2) strategic ISV support for Weitek technology; 3) support services training to improve technical support and product testing; 4) inclusion in an advisory panel to provide input into Weitek's new product planning; and, 5) market intelligence on competing products based on non-Weitek controllers. "We believe we are the first user interface controller company in the semiconductor industry to provide a marketing partnership program with OEM customers," said Barry Cox, president of Weitek. "Our goal is to make our customers more successful in their markets and sales channels. We are doing this by providing a quality product and partnering with them in marketing their products to the Windows market." "Microsoft is pleased that Weitek supports Windows with its family of user interface controllers," said Bob Taniguchi, Manager IHV Relations, Microsoft Corporation. "Our end users benefit when IHV's such as Weitek provide products that enhance the performance of Windows and its applications." The Market User interface enhancement products enable and improve the speed of industry-standard user interfaces, applications and operating system software. This market has segmented based on applications, features and price. Of this market, Windows enhancement products represent one of the fastest growing segments with more than 12 million units of Microsoft Windows sold since its introduction, according to analyst reports. Today, Windows enhancement products support text and graphics, and, in the future, will be extended to include audio and video capabilities. "While end users receive ease-of-use and productivity benefits from Windows, they also experience decreased system performance when running Windows business applications," said Cox. "The W5186 addresses their needs by cost-effectively enhancing the on-screen performance of word processing and spreadsheets." The W5186 In addition, Weitek has sold out and begun shipping the first production run of the Weitek 5186, its newest user interface controller designed to enhance the performance of Windows business applications by two to four times. Several W5186-based board products are immediately available from Weitek Power Partners. Weitek 5186-Based Products Company................. Product...... Available For Info.... Alpha Systems Labs, Inc. Lightning VGA June 1992 714-252-0117 AvTech Development GraphTEK2 June 1 714-773-5880 Edge Technology, Inc. Vxccelerator TBA 800-438-3434 Evershine Technology Inc. VEGA 5000 June 1992 408-734-3937 TriGem Corporation TBA TBA TBA VidTech Microsystems Inc. WinMax June 1 800-752-8033 Vistro Computers, Inc. Vistro BV5 July 1992 510-656-9910 The W5186 was designed to optimize the performance of business applications at 16-colors with resolutions up to 1024-by-768. It also accelerates 256 colors and maintains IBM VGA register level compatibility. The W5186 is a 80-MHz part, housed in a 160-pin quad-flat-package. In 5000-unit quantities, the W5186 controller cost is $20. The W5186 is available today in production quantities and ships with high-performance drivers for Windows 3.x and AutoCAD Release 10 and 11, as well as optimized drivers for most of the popular DOS applications. Weitek Corporation makes processors and controllers that enhance the performance of standard operating systems, user interfaces and application software. Weitek processors and controllers are used to build faster, more intuitive and competitive workstations and high-performance personal computers and peripherals. -------------------------------------------------------- FREMONT, Calif., June 1, 1992 -- Vistro Computers, Inc. today announced Vistro BV5, the company's first Microsoft Windows adapter card that increases the on-screen performance of Windows business applications by five to ten times. The Vistro BV5 is based on Weitek Corporation's W5186 User Interface Controller and Vistro's proprietary technology, SmartBlt(tm), and will be available in July at a suggested retail price of $295. BV5 is Vistro's first PC product to increase the on-screen performance of Windows. Vistro has built its reputation on providing high-end graphics and imaging systems to the workstation industry. "Most Windows users run business applications a majority of the time," said Vistro president Victor Ren. "For these users, 16 on-screen colors address their needs because they deal mostly with text and numbers, while some require 256 colors for their occasional use of graphic applications. BV5 incorporates our workstation technology in our first PC product to provide the cost-effective display performance needed to serve this market." "Our relationship as a Weitek Power Partner will provide us with the quality products and marketing support needed to take advantage of the emerging Windows Enhancement Products market," added Ren. "Combined with our recently signed partnership with Britek, a top quality PC manufacturer in Taiwan, we will provide PC users with low-cost, high-performance and reliable products." Weitek Power Partners is a program through which Weitek provides market development and communications assistance to OEM customers of the Weitek Power for Windows family of user interface processor and controller products. BV5 incorporates hardware Bit Block Transfer (BitBLT) and line drawing, using the W5186 and SmartBlt, to improve the performance of Windows business applications. The card is available with either 512K or 1MB VRAM to support 640-by-480, 800-by-600 and 1024-by-768 resolutions with up to 256 colors in non-interlaced mode. Contact Vistro for a local distributor. BV5 will ship with a Windows 3.x driver, as well as drivers for the most popular DOS applications. The card also supports VGA registers for backwards compatibility with existing applications. Vistro Computers, Inc. headquartered in Fremont, California, designs and manufactures high-performance graphics and imaging display systems for visualization applications. Vistro Computers Inc, 54 Whitney Place, Fremont, CA 94539 510-656-9910 -------------------------------------------------------- MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., June 1, 1992 - VidTech Microsystems, a division of NEI Electronics, today announced WinMax, a Windows adapter card that enhances the on-screen performance of business applications up to seven times. WinMax, based on Weitek Corporation's W5186 User Interface Controller, is available immediately direct from VidTech for suggested retail prices of $199 and $299, depending on configuration. WinMax is designed to increase the on-screen performance of Windows business applications such as word processing and spreadsheets, as well as other Windows applications. Specifically, WinMax makes unfolding menus, repositioning windows and scrolling through pages five to seven times faster than dumb frame-buffer Super VGA controllers. This increased performance is achieved through the W5186 which incorporates Bit Block Transfer (BitBLT) and LineDraw functions in hardware to offload the CPU. "Windows has changed the office market, and WinMax will change how people use Windows," said Loren Peck, VidTech product marketing manager. "Today, end users either pay a premium for acceptable on screen performance, or they end up waiting for their machines to do basic Windows functions using an SVGA card. "SVGA, which has been the entry-level standard, does not have acceptable Windows performance, while graphics coprocessors cost too much," Peck added. "WinMax is manufactured to match SVGA's price point and provide five to seven times the performance, which is the productivity business application users demand." WinMax is an AT-bus card for IBM PCs and compatibles that supports up to 1024-by-768 resolutions with a full array of 16,256, and 32,768 colors to display quality images, and refresh rates up to 72 Hz. The card also supports interlaced and non-interlaced mode for all analog VGA, Super VGA and Multi-frequency monitors and provides IBM registers for backward compatibility. VidTech's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility uses true surface mount technology to provide quality products backed with a five year warranty. The Market Windows enhancement products enable and improve the speed of industry-standard user interfaces, applications and operating system software. This market has segmented based on applications, features and price. Until recently, the entry-level graphics market leader in the PC industry has been Tseng Lab's ET4000-based products. PC Labs Benchmarks show that WinMax is five to 20 times faster than Tseng, and benchmarks using "real-world" application tests show WinMax is up to seven times faster. "The success of Windows has created demand for higher color support and increased performance at the application level to improve user productivity," said Peck. "With S3-like performance at ET4000-based board pricing, WinMax provides features and functionality that will make it today's new entry-level product for the PC platform." Pricing and Availability WinMax is half-slot, 16-bit card that fits into an ISA bus. The WinMax card has a base configuration of 512K VRAM priced at $199 with a full complement of upgrades, such as 1 MB of VRAM with Hi-Color RAMDAC priced at $299. WinMax ships with Windows 3.1 and 3.0 and AutoCAD drivers, as well as drivers for most of the popular DOS applications. The card has a five year manufacturer's warranty and free technical support. It is available immediately direct from VidTech through a toll-free number, (800) 752-8033. Dealer, distributor and OEM pricing are available from VidTech. VidTech Microsystems manufactures high-performance, cost-effective subsystems for the personal computer and peripheral systems market. VidTech Microsystems is committed to supplying a wide range of leading edge products. VidTech Microsystems Inc, 1701 - 93rd Lane NE, Minneapolis, MN 55434 612-780-8033 -------------------------------------------------------- June 1, 1992--Evershine Technology Inc. today announced VEGA 5000, the company's first Windows adapter card designed specifically to enhance the on-screen performance of business applications by two to four times. The VEGA 5000, based on Weitek Corporation's W5186 User Interface Controller, will be available at the end of June at a special introductory price of $179. The VEGA 5000 card incorporates Bit Block Transfer (BitBLT) and LineDraw in hardware using the W5186 to increase the on-screen performance of Windows business applications. "Our VEGA 5000 with Weitek's controller provides a cost-effective, high-performance product for Windows business application users," said Ian Liu, Evershine Director of Marketing and Sales. "Also, as a Weitek Power Partner, we receive marketing support to tap into the fast growing market of Windows enhancement products. We believe our product line of graphics cards now meets the wide range of end-user needs from SVGA adapter cards that include our ET-4S and M22E at the low end to graphic coprocessor cards such as Ever-10 and -20 at the high end." Weitek Power Partners is a program through which Weitek provides market development and communications assistance to OEM customer of the company's Weitek Power for Windows family of user interface processor and controller products. The VEGA 5000 includes a HiColor RAMDAC to support 65,000 colors in up to 800-by-600 at a 76 Hz refresh rate, as well as provides up to 256 colors at 1024-by-768 at a 74 Hz refresh rate. The card ships with 1 MB VRAM, a VESA connector, Windows 3.x driver, drivers for the most popular DOS applications, a one-year warranty and free technical support. Contact the manufacturer for a local distributor. Evershine Technology Inc., a California-based corporation, engages in the business of manufacturing high-performance personal computer graphic products. These products enhance the performance of PC systems to address the various needs of individuals utilizing business, graphic and multimedia applications. Evershine Technology, 524 Weddel Dr, Suite #1, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 408-734-3937 -------------------------------------------------------- FULLERTON, Calif., June 1, 1992--AvTech Development, Inc., a California developer and manufacturer of computer systems, today introduced GraphTEK 2, a Windows accelerator designed specifically to increase the on-screen performance of Microsoft Windows business application software up to nine times. GraphTEK 2, based on Weitek Corporation's W5186 User Interface Controller, is available immediately at a suggested retail price of $199. The second in a series of AvTech's Windows products, GraphTEK 2 provides an average of four to five times the performance of Windows business applications on a standard 386SX system compared to standard VGA in the same system, and an average of two to three times the performance in a 486DX system. GraphTEK 2 achieves its performance by incorporating Bit Block Transfer (BitBLT) functions, which represent 50 to 90 percent of Windows' graphic overhead, as well as LineDraw, in hardware to enhance the overall system performance. "We believe that the new standard in PC display technology is moving away from VGA to products such as GraphTEK 2 that optimize the performance of Windows applications," said Moses Sun, president of AvTech. "Weitek's controller enables us to offer the most cost-effective, high-performance product for Windows business application users, unlike graphic coprocessor products that are more costly and provide only a slight performance gain. And, as a Weitek Power Partner, we can take advantage of Weitek's marketing support to capitalize on this fast growing market." The market for Windows enhancement products, which optimize the performance of industry-standard user interfaces, applications and operating system software, is segmented based on applications, features and cost. "Mainstream Windows users are utilizing business applications, such as word processors and spreadsheets that represent about 90 percent of the market," said Sun. "These users demand a reasonably priced product that provides fast performance in high resolution mode to improve their productivity." GraphTEK 2 supports all standard display resolutions up to 1,024-by-768 and up to 77 Hz refresh rate for both interlaced and non-interlaced monitors. The card is designed with VRAM as opposed to DRAM to achieve optimum display speed performance at high resolutions. GraphTEK 2 is 100-percent VESA-compatible for backwards compatibility with existing software. It also accelerates up to 32,768 colors with a 1 MB VRAM configuration. GraphTEK2 is a half-slot, 16-bit card that fits into ISA and EISA systems. The card includes Windows 3.x drivers, software drivers for the most popular DOS applications, free future driver up-grades and unlimited technical support. GraphTEK 2 has a two year factory parts and labor warranty. GraphTEK 2 is available immediately at a suggested retail price of $199 for the base configuration of 512 K VRAM that is also upgradable to 1 MB VRAM, or in a 1 MB configuration available at a retail price of $275. Contact the manufacturer directly for local or international distributors, as well as for OEM, VAR and dealer pricing. Evaluation units also are currently available. AvTech Development, Inc. was established in February 1991 to design, manufacture and market computer systems and high-performance peripherals through the VAR/dealer channel. New product introductions in the past few months include CPU upgradable ISA and EISA computer systems. AvTech Development, 1001 S. Placentia Ave, Fullerton, CA 92631-5105 714-773-5880 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | From the America Online New Product Information Services | +===============================================================+ | This information was processed with OmniPage Professional OCR | | software (from Caere Corp) & a Canon IX-30 scanner from data | | provided by the above mentioned company. For additional info, | | contact the company at the address or phone# indicated above. | | All submissions for this service should be addressed to | | BAKER ENTERPRISES, 20 Ferro Drive, Sewell, NJ 08080 U.S.A. | +---------------------------------------------------------------+