Tensilica Xtensa Processor Powers World's First Digital Broadcast-Enabled Mobile Phone From LG Electronics

Korean Consumer Electronics Giant Jumps Ahead in Emerging Mobile Broadcast Market with Help from Tensilica

SANTA CLARA, Calif., USA, January 17, 2005 – Tensilica, Inc., the only company to automate the design of optimized application-specific configurable processors, today announced that LG Electronics has used the Xtensa® configurable processor core to deliver the world’s first mobile phone capable of receiving digital broadcast signals.   Compatible with the “Terrestrial digital-multimedia-broadcast” (T-DMB) system, a broadcast system currently being rolled out in Korea, the new mobile phone is powered by a sophisticated digital media processor which was designed using the Tensilica Xtensa processor core and design environment. 

 The new LG phone allows consumers to watch television programs, while using normal dialing functions simultaneously.  Other mobile devices, such as PDAs, have featured broadcast capabilities, however, this is the first small form factor device to feature both broadcast capabilities as well as dialing functions. The new SOC can also be applied to notebook computers, PDAs and car terminals, speeding the adoption of the T-DMB standard.

 “Mobile broadcasting is the next evolution in mobile product design, and should see tremendous growth in the coming year,” stated Dr. Choon Lee, Vice President of LG. “By using the Xtensa processor and automated design environment, we were able to cut design time significantly and be first to market with this exciting new technology. Moreover, we are now well positioned to take the lead in the fast growing T-DMB market.” Based on its experience with this first SOC, LG has also signed a second license for an Xtensa processor for their next-generation DMB-2 phone

 T-DMB broadcast services in Korea are expected to be rolled out in the first half of 2005. LG is working to establish the Korean T-DMB standard as a global standard.  Korea is believed to have a significant lead in the drive to bring mobile broadcasting to market.

 “LG is leading the world in the development of this exciting T- DMB technology, and Tensilica is proud that our Xtensa processor played such a key role in their SOC design,” stated Steve Roddy, Tensilica’s vice president of marketing. “We look forward to working with them on their SOC for DMB-2.”

About LG Electronics

Established in 1958 as Korea's pioneer consumer electronics company, LG Electronics is a major global force in Electronics and Information & Communications products. More than 55,000 employees working in 73 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world, strengthen LG Electronics’ core competencies in three main business companies: Digital Appliance, Digital Display and Media, and Telecommunication Equipment & Handset. The Digital Displays and Media Company provides core technologies and cutting-edge digital products such as Digital TVs including PDP and LCD TV and digitally integrated products like AV products, optical storage, set-top boxes, and home servers. LG Electronics’ goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers’ lives easier than ever. For more information, please visit www.lge.com

About Tensilica

Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the growing need for optimized, application-specific microprocessor solutions in high-volume embedded applications. With a configurable and extensible microprocessor core called Xtensa, Tensilica is the only company that has automated and patented the time-consuming process of generating a customized microprocessor core along with a complete software development tool environment, producing new configurations in a matter of hours. For more information, visit www.tensilica.com.

# # #