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PCI-SIG Announces Availability of PCI Express Mini Card Specification

Specification Extends PCI Express Technology Implementation Opportunities for Mobile Platforms

Portland, OR - June 16, 2003 - The PCI-SIG™, the Special Interest Group responsible for PCI Express™, PCI™ Conventional, and PCI-X™ industry-standard I/O technologies, announced that it has finalized a companion specification to the PCI Express technology suite of technologies. The new PCI Express Mini Card specification outlines a Mini Card form factor for PCI Express designs in mobile platforms.

The PCI Express Mini Card specification complements the PCI Express Card Electromechanical form factor and is expected to be implemented in a wide variety of wired and wireless communication peripherals meeting requirements of the Build-to-Order (BTO) and Configure-to-Order (CTO) business model for notebook and mobile computers. The PCI Express Mini Card design is expected to follow the successful conventional Mini PCI™ card specification that is implemented in mobile devices today. The PCI Express Mini Card specification provides an alternate solution to the existing conventional Mini PCI form factor serving these market segments.

"Completion of the PCI Express Mini Card specification underscores the industry progress in PCI Express technology development," said Tony Pierce, PCI-SIG chairman. "This companion specification extends the value of PCI Express technology to the industry by enabling the mobile market segment to leverage the benefits of additional form factors."

"With the release of the PCI Express Mini Card specification, we have significantly grown the application space and interest for PCI Express technology development," said Ajay Bhatt, chairman of the PCI Express technical workgroup. "The PCI Express Mini Card specification is the result of the diligent efforts of many leading OEMs and IHVs in the mobile computing industry to produce a state-of-the-art specification that uniquely addresses the requirements of that market segment."

Benefits of Membership
Like all other PCI Express specifications, the PCI Express Mini Card specification is available to all PCI-SIG members and can be downloaded from www.pcisig.com. If you are interested in becoming a member, please visit the PCI-SIG web site at www.pcisig.com/membership. PCI-SIG members develop and maintain this and other PCI Express specifications and are actively involved in defining compliance criteria and checklists, as well as other technical enabling collateral. PCI-SIG specifications are also available to non-members for a fee.

About the PCI-SIG

The PCI-SIG is the Special Interest Group that owns and manages PCI specifications as open industry standards. The organization defines and implements new industry standard I/O (Input/Output) specifications as the industry's local I/O needs evolve. The PCI Special Interest Group was formed in 1992, and the organization became a nonprofit corporation, officially named "PCI-SIG" in the year 2000. Currently, more than 860 industry-leading companies are active PCI-SIG members worldwide. The PCI-SIG's current directors are employed by the following PCI-SIG member companies: AMD, Broadcom, HP, IBM, Intel, LSI Logic, Microsoft, Phoenix Technologies, and Texas Instruments. For more information about the PCI-SIG, and PCI-SIG membership benefits, contact the PCI-SIG by phone, at (503) 291-2569 (within the United States), or by fax at (503) 297-1090, or visit the PCI-SIG web site at http://www.pcisig.com.

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