MIPS Technologies CEO Addresses “The Killer User Experience” Phenomenon in Consumer Devices

Industry pundits have hyped "the next killer app" as key to driving volume semiconductor shipments, but consumers have a different idea. What matters most to them has become the killer experience from a broad range of lifestyle electronic devices, such as digital cameras and smart cards. High-performance processor intellectual property (IP) will play a critical role, according to John Bourgoin, president and CEO of MIPS Technologies (Nasdaq: MIPS), at the Semico Summit, the annual gathering of semiconductor industry executives.

Bourgoin spoke as part of a discussion about applications that could drive the semiconductor industry back to the high volumes it enjoyed during the reign of the personal computer and cell phone sales phenomena. MIPS Technologies licenses processor architecture and core IP (intellectual property) that is used in a wide range of popular lifestyle electronics such as digital cameras, digital TVs and set-top boxes.

"People want a killer experience on demand, any time, any place, in one room or on the move. Whether it's delivered via TV, in an automobile or on a digital camera, what matters most is a user experience that includes high quality of service, an intuitive user interface, field-upgradeable features, security protection, and low cost," said Bourgoin. For example, a user's HDTV experience should include not only HD viewing but features such as HD recording, web browsing and interactive sports viewing. And programs recorded on a personal video recorder in one room should be accessible anytime and from any room in the house.

"The challenge is to provide the kind of on-demand services that consumers want but at a price they are willing to pay. It's nothing short of an engineering gauntlet when companies are racing against fierce competition and shrinking market windows to deliver a highly complex, high-performance, low-power system on a chip. That's where our IP comes in. Our programmable IP lets companies achieve that goal faster and at lower development costs than with old methods," said Bourgoin.

By licensing high-performance processor IP, SOC designers not only save time, money and resources; they can create a hardware/software solution that balances hardwired logic and software-programmable features to optimize the host processor, boost performance and give users the killer experience they want.

About the Semico Summit
The Semico Summit is hosted by Semico Research, a worldwide leader in semiconductor market analysis, research, and custom consulting. This annual event, now in its sixth year, is one of the most anticipated gatherings of semiconductor industry executives and is targeted at presidents, CEOs and vice presidents. The Semico Summit is characterized by a series of high-impact panel discussions focused on the most pressing business and technology issues facing semiconductor industry executives. Panelists are selected from among the top executives at leading technology companies who have demonstrated vision, leadership and a track record of success.

About MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor companies, ASIC developers and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products. The company is based in Mountain View, Calif., and can be reached at +1 (650) 567-5000 or www.mips.com.