Annabooks Signs Distribution Agreement with M-Systems for TrueFFS Flash
File System

Gives Embedded Systems OEM First Access to TrueFFS Technology

San Diego, CA. September 18, 1995. Embedded Systems Conference--Annabooks
announces that it has signed a distribution agreement with M-Systems for
the company's TrueFFS flash file system software and hardware. The
agreement, for the first time, gives OEMs access to the software, which
enables flash memory to emulate a computer's hard disk drive. Annabooks
has agreed not to sell the TrueFFS software to OEMs who manufacture flash
add-in cards that compete with those of M-Systems.

The TrueFFS file system software is ideal for adding DOS file system
compatibility to embedded PCs that require the reliability of a solid
state hard disk. For embedded applications that require less than 100
Mbytes of non-volatile storage, solid state disks are less expensive than
their conventional hard disk counterparts. When implemented in a PCMCIA
card format, solid state disks also provide a secure, removable media.

M-Systems developed its TrueFFS technology for use in its own flash memory
add-in cards. Until now, however, the company has licensed the technology
only to a handful of large semiconductor vendors. The distribution
agreement with Annabooks makes the software available at a low cost to any
OEM who wants to add a solid state disk with DOS file compatibility to
their embedded PC.

Annabooks has also been named as a distributor for all of M-Systems' flash
hardware products, including ISA Bus, PCMCIA, and PC/104 flash cards.
Annabooks will also distribute M-Systems' DiskOnChip BIOS replacement,
which combines DOS BIOS with a 1-2 Mbyte solid state disk in a standard
BIOS socket.

According to M-Systems' president Ivo Adam, "We believe that distributing
our TrueFFS software through Annabooks will help jump start our effort to
make our technology available to embedded systems OEMs. Annabooks' long
time experience in this market, coupled with their existing licensing
agreements and custom BIOS porting capability, should make them an
excellent partner."

Said Annabooks CEO John Choisser, "Distributing M-Systems' TrueFFS
technology puts us in an excellent position to provide a one-stop solution
for OEMs who want to add DOS, Windows and flash hard disk capabilities to
their embedded systems. We already distribute MS DOS and Windows to
embedded systems designers. And we're working with a major BIOS supplier
to distribute that company's product. These distributing agreements,
together with our custom BIOS porting services, will enable us to offer a
turnkey software solution to designers of embedded systems."

More on TrueFFS

TrueFFS is a total flash memory management system that enables flash memory
to emulate a disk drive. A defacto PCMCIA industry standard, TrueFFS
supports the PC Card interchange and is compatible with a broad range of
operating systems, including DOS, Windows, and QNX. TrueFFS enables file
operations to be performed from either local or remote sources using
standard DOS commands. The technology also provides automatic error
detection, bootability, and background garbage collection for efficient
memory utilization.

TrueFFS requires only 23 kbytes of memory to provide full disk emulation.
With read speeds of 2 Mbyte/sec, and write speeds that are limited only by
the speed of the flash devices themselves, TrueFFS provides an ideal flash
file system solution for PCMCIA and embedded PC applications that require
flash-based solid state disk capability. TrueFFS also uses a wear leveling
algorithm that extends flash life (more than 30 years with intensive
usage) by distributing data evenly throughout the flash medium.

More on Annabooks

Annabooks, based in San Diego, CA, is a leading technical book publisher,
with a focus on PC and embedded technology. The company's publications
include books on the ISA and EISA buses, PC BIOS software, DOS and Windows
software for embedded applications, the PCI bus, PCMCIA designs, and the
XT, AT, and PC/104 system architectures. Annabooks conducts courses on
embedded PC technology through Annabooks University. The company also
distributes MS DOS, Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT for the embedded
market, and offers custom BIOS porting and integration services.

For more information on Annabooks, please contact John Choisser at 11838
Bernardo Plaza Court, Suite 102A, San Diego, CA, 92128-2414, (619)
673-0870, (800) 462-1042, FAX: (619) 673-1432, E-mail:
73204.3405@compuserve.com.

More on M Systems

M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers develops, manufactures and markets Flash Disk
solutions (data storage media based on flash memory) utilizing TrueFFS,
including a range of PCMCIA Flash Cards, PC Flash Disks and DiskOnChip
devices for the embedded market. M-Systems, Inc. is the US subsidiary
handling all sales and marketing activities in North America.

For more information on M-Systems, please contact Ivo Adam at 4655 Old
Ironsides Dr. Santa Clara, CA 95054. (408) 654-5820. FAX (408) 654-9107.
 
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