JavaOne^SM Conference, San Francisco, Ca. June 6th 2000 -- Tao Group today announced that its multimedia system for enhancing Java^TM technology based applications, the intent, Java Technology Edition, has been awarded Sun Authorized Virtual Machine status by passing Sun's comprehensive PersonalJava^TM test suites.

Over several years intent has been developed by Tao's engineering team for use in connected devices in home and mobile networks. The emphasis has been on creating an open, comprehensive, customizable, compact, fast and binary portable multimedia solution incorporating advanced capability in streaming audio and video. At its heart is Tao's Sun Authorized Virtual Machine and libraries. Today, the software is being deployed in a broad range of markets including digital games, home networking, digital television, automotive and phones.

"Tao's commitment to compatibility is key to furthering the adoption of the Java platform in growing markets such as consumer digital appliances," said Curtis Sasaki, director of product marketing, Consumer Technologies, Sun Microsystems. "Tao's compatible virtual machine and libraries offer an impressive array of graphics capabilities to manufacturers developing devices requiring rich content for consumers."

Bill McEwen, President of Amiga stated that "Amiga continues to support the world's most sophisticated, multimedia engineering and artistic community. The New Amiga platform is built around the intent foundation because only intent provides the infrastructure needed to meet our market's expectations. Amiga will be a repository for a vast amount of high value, intent-based multimedia content and we see compliant Java-language applications running on Tao-based engines as a fundamental component in making Amiga the de facto standard."

"intent's advanced multimedia technologies in association with Java technology gives Tao a unique and strong position in the consumer market," stated Hiro Uchida, General Manager of Strategic Venture Management Group, Sony Corporation.

"There is a growing market demand for Java applications running on ARM® core-based devices," said Andrew Cummins, Java Program Manager, ARM. "Tao's solution for the ARM architecture provides our silicon and systems partners with a highly effective multimedia component for the next-generation of Java enabled devices targeting a wide range of applications including automotive, digital television and mobile communications solutions."

Ray Burgess, Corporate Vice President of Motorola noted "Java technology is fast becoming a requirement in the imaging and entertainment world. However, size and power limitations have often limited the experience of using Java software in consumer products. Tao's fully compliant, accelerated Java engine will help us break through this limitation and opens up a whole range of new opportunities for networked Java devices."

Mike Foss, Executive Manager for Hitachi Semiconductor, commented, "Our support for Tao goes back some years. We are pleased that Tao's multimedia Java technology support on the SH family of microprocessors is both compliant and so exciting."

Takeshi Shibamoto, Associate Director of Victor Co. of Japan [JVC], remarked "I am delighted to see that Tao's wonderful technology is now fully branded. We have been working with the team at Tao for some years and are pleased that our belief in this world-class software has been fully justified. I expect that Tao's software will have a major presence in the consumer and professional space for many years."

Hiroshi Saito, Director and General Manager at Fujitsu Aichi Engineering stated that "Fujitsu AEL strongly endorses Tao's technology because its Java and multimedia simply make it the best in its class."

"Cadence Design Services and Tao are working closely together to bring integrated technology and design service solutions, leveraging Tao's intent JTE (Java Technology Edition) product, to the global embedded market" said Brent Hudson, vice president and general manager of Cadence's Wireless and Multimedia Design Group. "intent combines superb performance with small memory footprint, and is ideally suited to the rapidly growing digital TV market, an area in which we have built significant expertise, and where Java compliance is a vital component."

"It's so good to be able to talk about a breakthrough technology that really does provide what the market needs and also actually exists," said Tetsuya Hikino, Managing Director, NEC Electronics (UK) Limited, "the capabilities of Tao's software are stunning and I'm sure it will proliferate globally in Multimedia and Internet-based devices."

According to Huw Price-Stephens, Technical Director at Yes Television, a leading provider of interactive television products and services, "Java compliance is a critical requirement to enable broadcasters and content providers to guarantee interoperability across multiple platforms. Yes Television is a strong supporter of Java technology and is pleased to be able to take advantage of Tao's unique and compliant JVM implementation."

Martyn Gilbert, Chief Executive of Amino Communications said, "While Amino's hardware developments have revolutionized the way that custom Internet appliances are now being created, Tao has achieved much the same with its software media capabilities. We've looked at the market very closely to make sure that we offer our customers the very best from top to bottom, and Tao is so far advanced beyond any competition that it requires a double take just to believe it!"

"This announcement further establishes Java technology as the development platform of choice for smart devices," stated Jaison Dolvane, President and CEO of Espial. "Tao and Espial have been working together to provide a superior and comprehensive smart-device solution, complete with multimedia capabilities, the Java language, a universal service-management platform, core Internet applications and development tools. Combined with Tao's superior multimedia and Java virtual machine technologies, Espial will soon provide its customers with complete and robust solutions for the TV, wireless, auto, gaming and Internet-appliance markets."

"By combining high performance with a small memory footprint, intent addresses the demanding requirements of next-generation appliances based on the QNX� 4 Realtime OS," said Linda Campbell, vice president of strategic alliances at QNX Software Systems. "Together, QNX and intent offer developers a solution that is at once reliable, open, and media-rich."

Mr. Norizaku Suzuki, President of ASCII Corporation in Japan said, "ASCII helped sponsor this program and we've watched it develop with great admiration. Tao's technology has so much value-add that's critical to the consumer electronics manufacturers, broadcasters, operators and consumers, and we believe the mass proliferation of intent is inevitable."

Yasuhiro Kawashima, President of WebLogic, said, "We and Tao are looking to further differentiate the wonderful intent Java multimedia products with the introduction of WebLogic's value-added, hardware acceleration. An inexpensive, super-fast and Java-compliant multimedia solution is something everyone should be happy about."

"We have had nothing but complete support from Sun. Its openness is refreshing," said Francis Charig, Chairman of Tao Group. "I think the model that they have developed, which encourages companies like Tao to add value to their standard offerings, is very successful. Tao has been able to add technologies to help with the binary portability, to advance memory usage, to bring in new, high value, garbage collection techniques and customization and many unique features while maintaining the critical compatibility to the Java specification. Most significant though is that we are driving forward the digital appliance market utilizing high performance, multimedia Java based applications."

Notes to Editors