Embedded Industry Leaders Establish Open Standards Java and Linux Platform for Device Manufacturers

Insignia, Lineo, Opera and Trolltech combine to create Embedix Plus for Smart Handheld Devices

San Francisco, CA - June 4, 2001

JavaOne Lineo, Inc. a leading innovator in embedded systems, real-time and high availability solutions, today announced it has created a new open standards platform based on Java and Linux with several key partners including Insignia Solutions (Nasdaq: INSG), Trolltech AS and Opera Software ASA. The new software platform, Embedix Plus for Smart Handheld Devices, will incorporate Lineo Embedix SDK, Insignia Jeode Java Virtual Machine technologies, Trolltech Qt/Embedded graphical user interface and the Opera 5 for Linux Web browser. The platform has been developed to provide manufacturers with a complete solution to more quickly produce smart handheld devices, PDAs and other information appliances.

"IDC forecasts show the embedded and handheld operating environment market growing at well over 30 percent per year through 2005, with a lot of that growth coming from devices having form factors that can leverage infrastructure services like a JVM and a browser," said Al Gillen, research manager, system software, IDC. "Integrating these services into a Linux embedded operating environment makes good sense for many applications."

Lineo Embedix SDK is a powerful development environment for configuring, customizing and deploying embedded Linux software solutions. Embedix SDK is ideal for creating a flexible and reliable embedded software solution optimized for a small footprint while minimizing development costs and reducing time-to-market.

"Lineo and our partners have chosen to collaborate to provide customers with the best technology available, based on open standards, for their Internet-enabled devices," said Bryan Sparks, CEO, Lineo, Inc. "Providing users with a Linux and Java-based platform will open their devices to a wide range of applications and services. Our aim is to provide device manufacturers with a single place to go for jump starting their embedded development, saving developers valuable time and effort."

The Insignia Jeode platform is the premier choice for deploying Java technology in information appliances. It provides Sun-authorized Java compatibility combined with industry leading accelerated performance and robustness. Jeode technology provides the Lineo software platform with complete Java functionality, including the ability to view Java applets, such as real-time stock tickers; play Java-based games; and run Java-based enterprise applications, such as sales force automation and order entry. It also enables device manufacturers to leverage other key benefits of Java technology, including:

Access to thousands of available third-party Java-based applications that can be incorporated to smart handhelds, PDAs and other information appliances
Cross-platform support that allows manufacturers to maintain their investment in Java-based software applications even if the underlying hardware architecture changes in future product versions

"We're pleased that Lineo has selected Jeode technology to provide the Java functionality for its new software platform for PDAs, handheld devices and other types of information appliances," said Richard Noling, president and CEO of Insignia Solutions. "We've found that information appliance developers are very interested in the Linux-Java combination. Lineo's initiative in offering an integrated, open standards software solution should be very appealing to OEM developers who are seeking to work with a single source to get their products to market as quickly as possible." Trolltech helps integrate Java into this platform by providing Qt AWT, which marries the JVM and the native windowing system, Qt/Embedded. Qt/Embedded, along with Qt AWT, helps provide three main benefits to developing the graphical user interface: resource efficiency; Java standards compliance; and customizable look and feel.

Qt/Embedded is the GUI application framework and windowing system that is based on Qt, a C++ cross platform framework. It combines small size, rich functionality, and the ability to quickly develop, debug, and build code in familiar environments.

"Developers and hardware manufacturers need an embedded platform that's well-defined and stable," said Haavard Nord, Trolltech's CEO. "The combination of Embedix, Jeode, Qt/Embedded, and Opera is the first offering that provides both of these essential characteristics."

In most cases, embedded Internet devices are also memory-constrained, and the platforms and applications that run on them have to be scaled to fit the device. Opera is the ideal Web browser choice for the embedded market, based on its characteristics of being small, fast, configurable, while still full-featured. The unique cross-platform core enables the browser to be easily ported to other emerging platforms, and simplifies overall maintenance.

"The embedded market is still in its infancy, and it is strong partnerships like this one that will provide the solutions that will make embedded Linux a real alternative," said Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "By combining the best tools available for the platform, Lineo will increase their technological lead in the embedded Linux market."

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About Lineo, Inc.

Lineo, Inc. provides embedded systems, real time and high availability solutions that include software, hardware reference designs and professional services. Lineo's solutions allow OEMs to create devices and systems that interact with the Internet while helping OEMs to reduce system requirements, per-unit costs and time-to-market. The company's key product lines include: Embedix (embedded Linux system software), uClinux (embedded Linux for MMU-less processors), SecureEdge (Linux-based Internet appliances for secure networking), RTXC (general purpose and DSP real-time operating system), BeaconSuite (x86 development toolkit) and Availix (mission-critical high availability Linux cluster solutions). Contact Lineo at www.lineo.com, via e-mail to info@lineo.com, or by calling (801) 426-5001.

About Insignia Solutions

Insignia Solutions Insignia Solutions is the leading provider of accelerated Java technology-based solutions that dynamically optimize the use of available system resources. The Jeode Application Environment is Insignia's accelerated implementation of Sun Microsystems PersonalJava and EmbeddedJava specifications tailored for information appliances. At the core of the Jeode Application Environment is the 'Sun Authorized Virtual Machine', the Jeode Embedded Virtual Machine (EVM), an accelerated runtime engine that delivers an optimal balance of performance and reliability in a smaller memory footprint. Using a proprietary technique called dynamic adaptive compilation, the Jeode EVM can execute Java applications on average six times faster than interpretive VMs.

About Trolltech

Trolltech is the creator of Qt, a C++ cross-platform fully object-oriented application framework that enables rapid building of state-of-the-art GUI applications for Microsoft Windows, Unix and multiple embedded Linux platforms. Qt has formed the basis of many successful commercial applications worldwide, and was used to develop the open source, KDE Linux desktop environment. Trolltech is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices in Brisbane, Australia, and Santa Clara, California. More about Trolltech can be found on the World Wide Web at www.trolltech.com.

About Opera Software

Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web browsers for the desktop and device markets. The Opera browser has received international recognition from end-users and the industry press for being faster, smaller and more standards-compliant than other browsers. Opera Software ASA is a privately held company headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

Lineo and Embedix are trademarks of Lineo, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark owned by Linus Torvalds. Insignia and Jeode are trademarks of Insignia Solutions. Trolltech and Qt/Embedded are trademarks of Trolltech AS. Opera is a trademark of Opera Software ASA. All other products, services, companies and publications are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Contacts

Lineo, Inc.

Blake Stowell
Tel: (801) 426-5001 ext.321
E-mail: blake.stowell@lineo.com

Insignia Solutions

Gary Katz
Tel: (510) 360-3820
E-mail: gary.katz@insignia.com

Trolltech A/S

Aron Kozak
Tel: (408) 219-6303
E-Mail: aron@trolltech.com

About Opera Software ASA

Opera Software ASA has redefined Web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform Web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.