NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR AND SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS PARTNERSHIP KEYS THINNER AND LIGHTER FLAT PANEL DISPLAYS FOR INFORMATION APPLIANCES AND NOTEBOOKS

June 5, 2000 - National Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:NSM) and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today jointly announced the development of products for the next generation of thinner, lighter displays initially targeted at notebook PCs, Information Appliances and other mobile products. Already recognized as the interface technology leader in these markets, National is extending its leadership in the emerging semiconductor market for flat-panel displays that are expected to eventually replace traditional desktop monitors.

The development is an outgrowth of a technology licensing deal signed last summer that gave Samsung the use of key elements of National's advanced digital interface technology in what Samsung has dubbed the Mount Blanc Project. More specifically, these impressive new displays use National's power-saving, low-noise Reduced Swing Differential Signal (RSDS™) technology.

"Our partnership with Samsung further validates the leadership of National's Advanced Digital Interface Technology as a primary enabler of next-generation display products," said David Handorf, vice president of National's Interface Products Group. "Among the keys to success for future generations of LCD panels is simplified design and improved performance.This is particularly true in portable products where new features are being added continuously, often at the expense of power consumption, cost and time-to-market. Together, we will also speed the migration toward larger and higher-resolution panels that will eventually replace traditionally bulky and power-hungry displays."

Through this partnership, Samsung will make several marked improvements in size, weight and manufacturing cost of its industry-leading line of Thin Film Transistor (TFT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) modules. These modules, common in notebook, and hand-held computing and communication platforms, will also be used to fuel the transition to flat-panel displays in the desktop and consumer appliance arenas including, potentially, High Definition Digital Television (HDTV).

"The results of the Mount Blanc Project have actually exceeded our expectations, thanks to our partnership with National and the use of RSDS technology," said Sang-Soo Kim, Ph. D., Vice President, AMLCD Division at Samsung Electronics. "It has allowed us to jump ahead to the LCD market and into the future. Samsung is now clearly positioned to offer its customers an optimal TFT-LCD solution at a lower cost."

Reduction in Size and Weight
With RSDS technology, Samsung has been able to reduce the size of circuit boards and eliminate a number of busses and discrete components typically used in TFT LCD modules. National's universal interface XGA (eXtended Graphics Adapter) panel timing controller combined with Samsung's RSDS-enabled XGA column driver form a powerful new solution to reduce size, weight and cost.

The use of RSDS Technology also enables several other key features and benefits in these new display products. Substantial power savings, critical in battery-operated and mobile applications, can be realized without sacrificing performance and resolution. Significantly reduced EMI-radiated (Electro-Magnetic Interference) noise can be achieved, lowering production costs by eliminating EMI shielding and speeding new products to market.

Part of National's portfolio, RSDS is a derivative of the Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) technology used in National's FPD-Link interface chipset, a widely used standard for notebook motherboard to flat panel display (FPD) interface. For more information on National's timing controllers and Samsung's column drives, please visit each company's web sites at www.samsungsemi.com and www.national.com/appinfo/fpd/ or contact National's Design Group at 1-800-272-9959.

About Samsung Electronics
Samsung's Semiconductor Business is the number one supplier in Memory semiconductors and Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Displays. As a technology leader, Samsung is the first to come out with next-generation DRAMs, including the 1G DRAM. And the company holds a comprehensive portfolio providing solutions of memory devices, TFT-LCDs and Stem LSI devices - MMLs, telecommunication & media components, LCD Driver ICs, etc.

Samsung's Semiconductor Business is a business unit of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The Korea-based firm, with 1998 sales revenue of US $16.6 billion, consists of three main business units: Semiconductors, Multimedia & Home Appliances, and Information and Telecommunications. For more information, visit www.samsungelectronics.com & www.samsungsemi.com.

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 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.