AMD supports the UGM Consortium

World’s first embedded graphics module standard gets support from leading global computer graphics processing technology provider

Eching, Germany, August 21, 2008 – Kontron has announced that AMD will support the “Universal Graphics Module” standard (UGM). As a leading vendor of the well known ATI computer graphics processing technologies, AMD’s support for the UGM standard will accelerate its rapid and wide-spread acceptance.

“The UGM standard provides off-the-shelf embedded graphics on an industry-standard modular platform with multiple display configurations to guarantee customers the shortest time-to-market. With its long-life ATI product portfolio, AMD serves the particular needs of the embedded market. AMD’s support of the UGM Consortium will thus accelerate the adoption of AMD’s ATI advanced graphics technologies in the embedded market,” states Aurelius Wosylus, Sales Manager Europe of AMD.

“With this declaration of support from AMD’s Embedded Display Group that is responsible for delivering the high-end ATI product portfolio for the embedded markets, we have won the support of an industry leader in graphics processing technology in the UGM Consortium, underlining the importance of the UGM standard for the embedded marketplace", said Dirk Finstel, Vice President Global Research & Engineering at Kontron. "The open standard strategy with multiple supporting vendors ensures that UGM is becoming as well accepted as Kontron’s ETX® and COM Express™ products. We welcome interest from other parties who would like to join the group of vendors supporting UGM", concludes Finstel.

The UGM open standard has been especially created for scalable, high-end PEG graphics with long-term availability. It represents the right standard made available at the right time to fit the requirements of many new applications in the field of embedded computing: The latest high resolution flat panels and operating systems as well as the latest CPUs and GPUs are now able to bring advanced graphics-driven technologies into embedded designs. Adoption of the UGM standard will change OEM solutions for many embedded industries, including:

• Medical equipment
• Casino gaming and arcade markets
• Vision control technologies for security and industry markets
• Simulation technologies

UGM offers quick and easy implementation of advanced graphics functions in custom designs for all these applications - including all the necessary drivers. The specification of the new UGM standard is available for third-party providers at www.ugm-standard.org.
The world's first Universal Graphics Module, the Kontron UGM-M72, uses the ATI M72 chip which is based on AMD's flagship GPU ATI R600. Information regarding the Kontron UGM-M72 can be found at www.kontron.com/UGM-M72

More information about UGM: http://www.universal-graphic-module.org
The UGM Specification: http://www.universal-graphic-module.org/specs/specs.php
The latest UGM product, the Kontron UGM-M72: http://www.kontron.com/products/computeronmodules/universal+graphics+module/ugmm72.html