CPU Shack - Sun Java Processors

SUN UNVEILS JAVA PROCESSORS
Java Internet technology cast in low-cost processors and embedded microcontrollers

SUNNYVALE, CA -- February 2, 1996 -- In a sweeping move designed to reshape the economics of the microprocessor market, Sun Microelectronics (formerly SPARC Technology Business), a division of Sun Microsystems, Inc., unveiled today the industry's first microprocessor family optimized for Java. The initial Java processor offering includes a three-member product family, a core licensing program, and an upcoming reference platform program. With estimated application performance many times that of general purpose processors at a fraction of the cost, Sun Microelectronics officials estimate that the new class of low-cost Java processors will lead to a networked microprocessor market topping $15 billion by the year 2000.

"Java presents the microprocessor world with a new product paradigm - simple, secure and small," stated Chet Silvestri, president of Sun Microelectronics. "And our Java processors cast this paradigm in silicon."

"Java software, Java processors and Java systems are central to Sun's inter- and intranet strategy," stated Scott McNealy, chairman and CEO of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "Creating low-cost Java processors will take this powerful technology directly to the consumer, and takes the consumer directly into the new paradigm of network computing."

Silvestri continued, "Java processors extend our reach into the low-cost consumer and enterprise marketplace. Sun Microelectronics will not only offer a full range of Java-optimized component- and board-level products, we'll also license these designs to third parties who can embed the technology into the wide range of products that will be enabled by the rapid growth of the Internet and Java."

"Industry analysts estimate that the overall microprocessor and microcontroller market will top $60B by the year 1999," stated Rajesh Parekh, Sun Microelectronics' Embedded Products Group vice president and general manager. "Today the average business person harbours more than 10 microcontrollers. By 1999, the average home will contain between 50 and 100 microcontrollers. And worldwide there will be more than 145 million cellular phone users -- each with at least one microcontroller. The result? Millions of cellular phones, security systems, entertainment systems, low-cost network terminals, and other internet appliances operating within a network and highly optimized for small applications or applets running at top speed. We believe that our Java processors can provide a more optimum solution in a quarter of these applications."

"Java opens new doors for processor architecture. Our Java processors capitalize on this opportunity by streamlining the architecture, increasing parallelism and providing advanced 3D graphics operations," noted Anant Agrawal, Sun Microelectronics' vice president of engineering. "And our architectural strategy allows us to offer processors at price and performance points for high-volume consumer and enterprise applications."

About picoJAVA, microJAVA, and UltraJAVA

The Java processor family consists of three lines of microprocessors - picoJAVA, microJAVA and UltraJAVA - that vary in price, performance and application.

: The picoJAVA core is designed to be the industry's best price/performance silicon design supporting the Java Virtual Machine specification. Licensing of the low-cost core will enable sub $25 Java-optimized processors for cellular phones, printers and other consumer and peripheral markets. The first picoJAVA core is expected to be available in mid-1996 for industry wide licensing.
The microJAVA chip-level products are based upon the picoJAVA core and add application-specific I/O, memory, communications and control functions. Targeted at both general-purpose and industry-specific markets, microJAVA processors will range in price from $25 to $100. These chips will be ideal for a broad range of network-based devices such as controllers and telcom carrier equipment, as well as consumer products such as low-end games and service stations (print/reservation/directory/mail centers). The first microJAVA processors are expected to sample in the first quarter of 1997.
: The UltraJAVA processor line will include the industry's fastest Java processors. This line leverages advanced graphics circuits and features next-generation enhancements of Sun Microelectronics' VIS instruction set. UltraJAVA processors will target advanced 3D graphics and other multimedia-intensive applications. Starting at $100, the first UltraJAVA processors are expected to sample in late 1997.

About Java

The Java language is the result of several years of research and development at Sun Microsystems, Inc. It is the first language to provide a comprehensive, robust, platform-independent solution to the challenges of programming for the Internet and other complex networks. Java features portability, security and advanced networking without compromising performance. Sun Microelectronics' traditional family of SPARC processors, as well as processors of other architectures, will run Java software. By optimizing the new Java processor family for Java-only applications, an unprecedented level of price/performance will be reached.

Sun Microelectronics (formerly SPARC Technology Business), a division of Sun Microsystems, Inc., was formed in April 1993 to develop, design and distribute SPARC and related technologies and products worldwide. The division's portfolio includes microprocessors, chipsets, modules, boards, technology licenses, silicon and systems packages and consulting services. Currently, the division has more than 500 employees working in product development, engineering, marketing and worldwide sales and support. Complete information on Sun Microelectronics is available via the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com/sparc/. Information on the SPARC architecture, including a complete list of its supporters is available at http://www.sparc.com/.