August 30, 2000 – National Semiconductor Japan will demonstrate 41 information appliances (IAs) powered by National Semiconductor technologies at an IA Seminar in Tokyo on August 30. The National? Geode™ WebPAD™ reference platform porting TRON (The Real-time Operating System Nucleus), a Japanese-originated operating system, also will be shown for the first time.
Customers, partners and media participating in this invitation-only seminar will gain an in-depth understanding of the information appliance market today, existing enabling solutions that are available, and it’s prospects for growth in the future. This event’s keynote address will be delivered by Brian L. Halla, National’s chairman, president, and CEO. Other featured speakers will be well-known Japanese futurists. Participants also will view exhibits and demonstrations of IA products from companies around the world including the United States, Europe, Asia, and Japan.
Highlighting the show is the Geode WebPAD platform, running a "Cho-Kanji" operating system, based on an "open architecture," called the BTRON3 Specification. The operating system is used in Japan and other Asian countries and able to handle more than 100,000 Chinese characters and about 30,000 other language characters. This solution is marketed by Personal Media, a Japanese company who partnered with National on porting TRON to National’s WebPAD reference platform. TRON was developed by Prof. Sakamura from the University of Tokyo, based on his concept of an ideal computer and standardized architecture.
TRON’s embedded operating system already has captured more than 50% share of the home appliance, engine management control, workstation/office automation, and cell phone markets. "A packaged operating system software, based on Japanese-originated TRON, has been ported in Geode processor, offered by National Semiconductor, a proven market leader in the information appliance market," said Prof. Ken Sakamura, who is a featured speaker at the IA seminar. "The combination of the ubiquitous, easy-to-use and light-weight TRON operating system ported to National’s high-performance, low power and low cost Geode processor delivers solid and complete solutions to Japanese and overseas manufacturers. These solutions are optimized for bringing IA products to the market faster, which will drive the proliferation of IA products."
Several information appliances powered by Geode technology and porting Linux as the operating system will be presented at the IA seminar, including DT Research’s thin clients and WebPAD devices, Infomatec’s thin clients and set-top boxes, and Wyse’s thin clients. Japanese companies are also entering this market with IA products, including Takaoka, which will display thin clients; Epson, which will present its card PC; and Pinon, which will introduce its compact PC.
"User friendly information appliances will dramatically increase the number of Internet users and the future world of the Internet," said Akihide Asao, National Semiconductor Japan’s senior director of the information appliance division. "A large number of leading global IT companies in search of the best available solutions are already choosing National’s Geode technologies for their IA products."
National several years ago had a vision that included the arrival of the age of information appliances "beyond the PC." Today, National is focused on three major IA market segments: set-top boxes, personal access devices (PADs), and thin clients.
About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor provides system-on-a-chip solutions for the information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of the-art digital technology, the company's chips lead many sectors of the personal computer, communications and consumer markets. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $2.1 billion for its last fiscal year and has about 10,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.
