News & Events
Intersil’s PRISM 2.5 Enables Linksys’ New Wi-Fi Compact Flash Card

-- Partnership delivers wireless capability to notebooks, handhelds and PDAs

IRVINE, CA, December 3, 2001 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), the world’s leading provider of silicon technology for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), today announced that Linksys, a leading developer of broadband network solutions for the home and office, has selected Intersil’s PRISM® 2.5 chip set to enable its new Instant Wireless™ Wireless Network CF Card (WCF11). Linksys’ highly integrated Compact Flash® (CF) card enables users to experience the same speed and ease of wireless networking with a CF Type II ready personal digital assistant as they do with their laptop or desktop computer.

The Linksys Instant Wireless CF Card connects directly to a PDA and is versatile and easily configurable through a PC. Easy to install, the user-friendly software makes it simple to set up and use — just plug it in and you’re ready to share data, printers or high-speed Internet access over an existing wireless network. Data can be sent and received at speeds up to 11 megabits per second (Mbps). A high-powered built-in antenna provides connectivity at distances of up to 1500 feet.

To develop its highly integrated Compact Flash Wi-Fi card, Linksys turned to Intersil’s PRISM 2.5, the world’s only complete chip set design for small form-factor and embedded applications. It includes the world’s first single-chip Baseband Processor (BBP) and Medium Access Controller (MAC). The move to smaller form factors such as Compact Flash and Mini-PCI allows manufacturers to deliver wireless connectivity in ever-smaller devices for people in homes, offices and emerging wireless “hot spots” rapidly emerging in airports, cafes, hotels and other public spaces.

“Linksys’ new Compact Flash WLAN card will help enable a growing market for portable and handheld devices which can utilize 802.11b wireless connectivity to reach the network.” said Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager of Intersil’s Wireless Networking Business. “This design win further validates the utility of Intersil’s roadmap of highly integrated chips that enables Wi-Fi capability on ever-smaller form factors.”

“Linksys turned to Intersil’s PRISM technology because it offers a highly integrated, small form factor chip set solution that enables us to deliver a CF card that meets the needs, price point and ease of use demanded by the consumer,” said Victor Tsao, Linksys president and CEO. “Working with Intersil, on many wireless solutions already on the market, has given us the ability to bring products that are widely available throughout the sales channel including retail, e-tail, catalog, resellers and distribution. We look forward to future developments of wireless innovations with Intersil.”

The Global Wireless Market Embraces PRISM WLAN Technology
“Intersil is the number one manufacturer of wireless LAN chipsets and has been a driving force behind the success of WLANs,” said a May 2001 WLAN report from Cahners In-Stat Group. Since introducing the PRISM WLAN chip set in 1996, industry-leading companies including Actiontec, Alcatel, ASUS, Casio, Cisco, Compaq, 3Com, Dell, D-Link, GemTek, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Legend, Linksys, Nokia, Nortel, Panasonic, Quanta, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, SOHOware, Sony, SpectraLink, Symbol, Z-Com and Zoom have incorporated PRISM chip sets in Wi-Fi product designs. PRISM technology is designed to comply with the IEEE’s 802.11 global standard, and Intersil is a founding sponsor of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), whose Wi-Fi brand is a mark of compatibility for 802.11-based systems.
About The Linksys Group, Inc.
Linksys, an award-winning global leader in the development of wireless, broadband and LAN networking solutions for the home, Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) and Small/Medium Business (SMB) corporate environments, is the number-one manufacturer of networking hardware in the retail and e-commerce channels and the fastest growing networking solution provider for the SMB corporate sector. Linksys products emphasize speed, affordability, reliability, ease of installation and widespread compatibility, and are sold through leading distributors, computer resellers, direct response and E-commerce and retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit the Linksys web site at www.linksys.com, email sales@linksys.com or call toll-free 1-800-LINKSYS (546-5797). About Intersil
Intersil is a global leader in designing innovative wireless networking and high performance analog solutions that enable wireless access to video, data and voice in homes, offices and public places. Creating advanced power management products, Intersil provides reliable solutions for file servers, portable information appliances and over half of all computer microprocessors manufactured today. With a rich high performance analog and mixed signal portfolio, Intersil brings added value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that bring portable connectivity to people wherever they live, work or travel. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Intersil has offices in cities throughout the US, Europe and Asia. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's Web site and career page at www.intersil.com.

This press release contains information relating to certain projections and business trends concerning the WLAN market that are forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and projections about our business and industry. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will" and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. Furthermore, any forward-looking statements and projections made by others in this press release are not adopted by Intersil Corporation (“Intersil”) and Intersil is not responsible for the forward-looking statements and projections of others. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors. Important risk factors that may cause such material differences for Intersil in connection with WLAN market include, but are not limited to: the recent economic slowdown in the technology sector and the semiconductor industry; the rate at which consumers adopt small handheld Internet appliances and portable computing devices; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s wireless technologies and products, including our embedded LAN applications technologies and products; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the loss of a key customer; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; silicon wafer pricing and the availability of foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; the effectiveness of Intersil’s expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; intellectual property disputes, customer indemnification claims, and other litigation risks; Intersil’s ability to develop, market, and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner;, as well as other risk factors. Intersil’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, recent Registration Statement of Form S-3, and other Intersil filings with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s Web site www.sec.gov) discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
Linksys is a registered trademark and Instant Wireless is a trademark of The Linksys Group. Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.