[1923] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
IBM PR: Embedded OS/2 Warp Versions (OEM)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (tsipple@vnet.ibm.com)
Sun Sep 29 01:27:42 1996
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 25 Sep 1996 13:12:31 GMT
From: tsipple@vnet.ibm.com
Reply-To: tsipple@vnet.ibm.com
Reply-to: tsipple@vnet.ibm.com
Contact: Neisha Conyers IBM Corp. (512) 838-9639 conyers@austin.ibm.com
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IBM ANNOUNCES DOS WEB BROWSER, MICRO PRESENTATION MANAGER FOR EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 16, 1996 . . . IBM today introduced IBM Web Browser for
DOS and Micro Presentation Manager, two feature-rich solutions optimized for
the embedded systems market. The two products were unveiled during the Embedded
Systems Conference here this week.
Both the browser and Micro PM, a graphical user interface for Embedded PC DOS,
are ideal for OEM manufacturers of Internet access devices with limited
hardware resources. IBM also showcased several other products for the embedded
systems manufacturers ranging from IBM hardware and software components to
complete solutions displayed by IBM partner companies.
"IBM has been in the embedded systems business for more than 10 years," said
Steve Merrifield, IBM director of OEM Software Sales and Support. "There's a
huge opportunity and we are very serious about pursuing it. As a result, we've
made our organization very easy to do business with, offering flexible terms
and conditions, custom-designed solutions and access to our experienced
development teams, as well as the most competitive products for both the 16-bit
and 32-bit x86 embedded technology space."
IBM Web Browser for DOS runs on diskless PC DOS systems in only 4MB RAM. The
browser features HTML V 3.0 tags, HTTP communication for URL access, SMTP/POP3
communication for email, PPP dial-up interface, support for GIF and JPEG and a
Micro Presentation Manager application which enables the addition of Micro PM
as the GUI, supporting up to 256 colors in SVGA and including Game Pad support.
It is a customized offering designed to developers' specifications and
requirements and not an off-the-shelf solution.
Micro Presentation Manager is a graphical user interface for Embedded PC DOS
systems. It offers embedded DOS developers the most important APIs from OS/2
Presentation Manager, Graphic Programming Interface (GPI) and Control
programming Interface. Micro PM code is portable and available for both Intel
and RISC-based systems. Micro Presentation Manager is targeted at manufacturers
of $500 PCs, Internet PCs, hand-held computing devices and game machines that
have compact Presentation Manager applications.
IBM Web Browser for DOS and Micro Presentation Manager were developed by IBM's
Asia Pacific Technical Operations group in Yamato, Japan, which works with
IBM's Embedded Systems development group in Austin.
IBM has been a provider of high-quality embedded systems products since 1984.
At the Embedded Systems Conference, IBM is displaying a wide range of solutions
for the market, including Embedded PC DOS 7.0, a full-featured, small-footprint
operating system widely used by developers and manufacturers of embedded
systems.
Embedded PC DOS, IBM's 15th release of the industry-standard operating system,
is a fully customizable solution with a selection of utilities like data
compression, multiconfiguration capability and power management. Embedded PC
DOS allows data and application storage while eliminating the need for a hard
drive. Embedded PC DOS is widely used for hand-held and notebook PCs, bar-code
readers and point-of-sale terminals, set-top boxes, large systems with embedded
computers requiring autonomous function, and a wide range of consumer
appliances and electronic devices.
Recently, IBM announced the availability of an OEM Adaptation Kit for Embedded
PC DOS. The toolkit allows hardware developers and embedded systems integrators
to build embedded ROM-based DOS solutions with unprecedented ease and speed.
The kit includes embedded PC DOS Image Builder, PC DOS 7 base files, manual
build tools, the DOSTEST testing tool, PC DOS Cooperative Multitasker, Xmodem
communications software and device driver example code.
IBM Embedded PC DOS 7.0 and the OEM Adaptation Kit have been included in Intel
Corp.s SolutionsIA program, which provides information to its customers about
Intel and third-party products to help them develop Intel architecture
solutions.
"Intel is pleased to welcome IBM's Embedded PC DOS and OEM Adaptation Kit to
the SolutionsIA program," said Keith Radcliff, Development Tools Manager of
Intel's Advanced Personal Communications Division. "These products demonstrate
IBM's continuing support for the Intel architecture, especially in the embedded
systems area." For customers who need robust and reliable multitasking support,
IBM also is demonstrating an embedded version of OS/2*. This product is a
variation of the OS/2 Warp 4 kernel, customized to run from ROM. It has been
enhanced to reduce memory footprint in embedded applications and can run the
wide range of OS/2 applications in a diskless environment.
Embedded OS/2 is initially targeted at OEMS in banking, finance and
telecommunications industries and for the new breed of Java-enabled internet
access devices. This product is expected to enter beta testing later this year
and be generally available in early 1997. "IBM is committed to offering a range
of custom software parts for the embedded market that lets our OEM customer
deliver low-cost, high-function embedded solutions," said Joanne Mayo, IBM
Program Director of Embedded Systems Development. "Over time, we expect our
software parts library to include a wide variety of OS and middleware
components."
Several OEM products using IBM embedded software components also were
demonstrated at the show. These include:
Microprocessor evaluation boards from AMD and Intel Corp. running Embedded
PC DOS 7.0
Evaluation boards from AMD and SGS-Thomson running Embedded OS/2.
Hitachi's "ED" system, a network terminal with bootable CD-ROM, which
features hot Java on OS/2, multimedia player on PC DOS and X-Terminal on PC
DOS.
IBM Web Browser for DOS and Micro Presentation Manager are available
immediately in customized configurations through IBM's OEM sales force. IBM
manufactures a complete family of embedded operating systems, including PC DOS,
OS/2 and OS/2 subsets. For more information on these products or to discuss
custom-developed embedded systems, call 512-838-9870, or send email to IBM's
OEM Software group at ibmoemsw@austin.ibm.com.
###
*OS/2 is a registered trademark of the IBM Corporation. Other products or
services may be trademarks of their respective owners.
IBM offers complete information about the company, its products, services and
technology on the World Wide Web. The IBM Web page is located at
http://www.ibm.com . The fastest, easiest way to find information about IBM
Software is to go to the IBM Software page at http://www.software.ibm.com . The
IBM Fax Information Service send facsimiles of prior product releases. Dial
(800)IBM-4FAX or (415) 855-4329 and enter 99 at the voice prompt.
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