Actel Lets Customers "Try Before They Buy" with New Web-Based IP Core Evaluation Program
Designers Can Review Actel's Broad Selection of IP and Access Free
IP Evaluations at Their Own Convenience
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 25, 2004 —
Actel Corporation (Nasdaq:
ACTL) today unveiled its new Web-based intellectual property (IP) evaluation
program, which allows customers to access and download free evaluation
versions of cores from Actel's broad IP portfolio, including cores from
CompanionCore partner, Memec Design, via Actel's Web site. With no restriction
on the number of cores that can be downloaded, Actel's IP evaluation
program provides field-programmable gate array (FPGA) users the freedom
to quickly and easily access and evaluate which IP cores work best in
their design before purchasing. Actel's Web-based program is available
at the user's convenience, enabling evaluation of IP cores earlier in
the design process, thereby reducing risk and helping designers get their
FPGA-based products to market faster. Customers interested in Actel's
IP cores can find detailed information and access downloads at http://www.actel.com/products/ip.
"Designers are in a constant battle against the clock, and Actel's
IP evaluation program is designed with this in mind," said Yankin
Tanurhan, senior director, applications and IP solutions at Actel. "Instead
of spending time negotiating contracts for access to an IP core, our
customers can quickly and conveniently download and evaluate all the
IP they need, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, from the comfort and security
of their office or lab anywhere in the world."
"Memec Design's primary goals are to shorten design time and increase
the competitive positions of customers within their industries. As such,
we are excited to be Actel's first CompanionCore partner to participate
in its IP evaluation program," said Randy Rhodes, director of Memec
Design. "Actel has tapped the flexibility and convenience of the
Internet to bring the try-before-you-buy concept to customers — a concept
that leads to significant savings in both time and money."
After completing a short online registration form, designers are granted
access to all cores available for download via Actel's IP evaluation
program. Currently, Actel has more than 20 proprietary IP cores, called
DirectCores, available for free evaluation. Actel's DirectCore portfolio
includes a broad array of popular industry cores for a variety of functions,
including communications, memory control, processing, bus interface and
encryption, which are optimized for use in Actel's flash- and antifuse-based
FPGAs. Additionally, 10 cores from Actel's CompanionCore partner, Memec
Design, are also available for free download, including UART, CAN and
other interface cores. Customers can look forward to sampling additional
IP as Actel expands the program to include cores from additional CompanionCore
partners.
Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore Solutions
Actel offers its own system-level IP solutions, called DirectCores,
specifically designed and optimized for use with Actel devices. The company
also offers third-party IP blocks, called CompanionCores, which have
been tested and verified in Actel FPGAs. Covering applications ranging
from embedded systems to consumer and communications, the cores offered
include bus interfaces, communication controllers and interfaces, processors
and peripherals, encryption, memory controllers as well as multimedia
and error correction. Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore products offer
seamless implementation through Actel's suite of internal and third-party
EDA development tools, documentation, and quality service and support,
streamlining the design process, enabling faster time-to-market and minimizing
design costs and risks. For a complete list and technical details for
all of Actel's DirectCores and CompanionCores, visit the IP section on
the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/.
About Actel
Actel Corporation is a supplier
of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable
gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance
intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools, and design
services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application-
specific integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant
markets. Founded in 1985, Actel employs more than 500 people worldwide.
The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
ACTL and is headquartered at 2061 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA,
94043-4655. Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet: http://www.actel.com.
Contact: Stephanie Mrus, Actel Corporation, 650.318.4614
