ARM Certifies Nippon Systemware As First PrimeXsys Specialist in Asia

TOKYO, JAPAN AND CAMBRIDGE, UK – Mar. 24, 2004 — Nippon Systemware (NSW), an integrated IT solutions provider, and ARM [(LSE: ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMHY)], the industry’s leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor solutions, today announced that NSW has become the first company in Asia to be certified as an ARM® Approved Design Center: PrimeXsys™ Specialist (ARM ADC: PrimeXsys Specialist), a new extension of the established ARM Approved Design Center Program.

The expanded partnership between the companies enables NSW to take full advantage of the ARM926EJ-S™ PrimeXsys Platform, which provides hardware, software, and verification IP necessary for designing system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. Through this relationship, NSW will deliver innovative ARM core-based solutions to the rapidly growing global digital consumer electronics market.

As an ARM Approved Design Center Program Partner, NSW has developed devices for LSI and board designs focused on the digital consumer electronics field.  Taking advantage of the ARM PrimeXsys Platform technology will speed up the design of complex SoCs and significantly reduce product development time, as well as ensuring development of highly reliable SoCs.

As industry awareness of the PrimeXsys Platform grows, the ARM Approved Design Center: PrimeXsys Specialist Program will leverage the strengths of certified design Partners to expand the application of ARM technology. These PrimeXsys Specialists are certified on the basis of their ability to provide value-add system-level design and to accelerate adoption of the PrimeXsys Platform in the marketplace.

“The expansion of our partnership with ARM is an acknowledgement of our achievements in offering SoC solutions,” said Kiyoharu Kanai, executive corporate officer, NSW.  “By leveraging the ARM PrimeXsys Platform technology for SoC, we are confident that we will be able to expand our SoC solution offerings to our customers in the digital consumer electronics market.”

“NSW’s extensive expertise will help expand the application of ARM technology in new markets and deliver innovative solutions to many customers,” said Takio Ishikawa, president, ARM KK. “SoC solutions, which combine both software and hardware, are important to digital consumer applications such as PDA, digital still camera and DVD player, as these solutions require advanced features.”

About the ARM Approved Design Center Program
ARM Approved Design Center Partners must go through a strict qualification process to become an ARM Approved Design Center. This includes a design flow audit, training on implementing designs with ARM cores, tools, AMBA™ interface peripherals and development techniques. Each Design Center must demonstrate its own unique skills in specific technology domains, as well as end-market expertise. The ARM Approved Design Center Program also provides additional benefits such as geographic and time-zone locality and local language support.

About the ARM Approved Design Center: PrimeXsys Specialist
The ARM Approved Design Center: PrimeXsys Specialist initiative extends the access to ARM technology and IP available under the ARM Approved Design Center Program to include the full deliverables of the ARM926EJ-S PrimeXsys Platform. ARM Approved Design Center: PrimeXsys Specialists are invited to extend their ARM Approved Design Center status based on their superior system-level design capabilities, value-add IP and commitment to promote ARM PrimeXsys Platform technology to the marketplace.

About NSW
Founded in 1966, NSW is an IT services firm engaged in software development, device development, information processing services, and systems device distribution. NSW offers “total solutions,” from the development of core systems and industry solutions for the distribution and retail markets, to the administration of large-scale systems and outsourcing services using data centers. The company also engages in the development of LSI and software (embedded systems) for mobile phones and digital consumer electronics. For more information on NSW, please access website at http://www.nsw.co.jp

About ARM
ARM is the industry’s leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-on-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM’s microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming a volume RISC standard in such markets as portable communications, hand-held computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com/.

ENDS

ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. ARM926EJ-S, PrimeXsys and AMBA are trademarks of ARM Limited.  “ARM” is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (LSE: ARM and Nasdaq: ARMHY); its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd; ARM Taiwan; ARM France SAS; ARM Consulting (Shanghai) Co.Ltd.; and ARM Belgium N.V.