Press Release
- 2004
ATI Ushers in a New Era of Usability and
Customization for PC Graphics
Catalyst® Control Center enables consumers
of all skill levels to improve their user experience and maximize 3D hardware
performance
Thursday September 2,
2004
MARKHAM, Ontario – ATI Technologies
Inc. (TSX:ATY, NASDAQ:ATYT), the industry leader for 3D graphics,
today announced the introduction of a remarkable new innovation
in driver usability, Catalyst® Control Center. Built on
the Microsoft .NET Framework, Catalyst Control Center is a modular
suite of applications designed to simplify driver configuration
and customization, while maximizing 3D performance. The introduction
of Catalyst Control Center signals an evolution in PC graphics
technology, with mainstream consumers now having the ability
to substantially improve their user experience through a simple “point
and click” interface.
"By publishing a standard interface and adopting a modular
architecture based on the Microsoft .NET Framework, ATI has delivered
a flexible and open interface for developers of graphics-intensive
applications,” said Charles Fitzgerald, General Manager,
Developer & Platform Evangelism, Microsoft Corp. "The
Catalyst Control Center architecture enables third-party customers
to rapidly develop and deliver new exciting features using familiar
development tools and skills, increasing developer and end-user
productivity and enhancing the PC experience without compromising
driver stability."
The Catalyst Control Center experience begins with the desktop
manager, an innovative tool that guides users through the process
of easily configuring their displays. The real-time 3D rendering
preview panel enables users to visually see the impact of adjusting
performance on their system. Personalization is taken to a
new level through assignable hot keys and customizable profiles
for applications, video and gaming. Previously, these kinds
of capabilities were unavailable or extremely difficult for
the average user to expose. Design innovation has also been
enhanced through the availability of multiple skins. In addition
users can design their own skins with customized look, feel
and content for use in their computing environment.
"With the release of Catalyst Control Center, ATI is simplifying
driver usability and providing a platform to educate users on
the capabilities of their 3D hardware," said Randy Copeland,
President, Velocity Micro. "Through easy customization we
can deliver a more personalized computing experience while allowing
them to maximize 3D performance in their favorite games and applications."
Highly extensible, the Catalyst Control Center will also offer
a Software Development Kit (SDK) to enable users to develop custom
skins and plug-ins for their favorite applications. The SDK will
be in beta form at launch, with a final version expected later
this year. To encourage the participation of the user community,
ATI will be sponsoring an online contest with prizes for the
top plug-ins and skins for Catalyst Control Center. This promotion
is expected to kick-off in October 2004.
“As 3D hardware performance continues to move forward
it is imperative that software innovation keep pace, ensuring
users derive maximum value from their graphics processor,” said
Ben Bar-Haim, Vice President, Software, ATI Technologies. “With
the introduction of Catalyst Control Center, we provide a standards-based
solution that shields the user from complexity, while allowing
them to enjoy a more customized experience and fully harness
the performance and features found in their ATI graphics accelerator.”
Catalyst Control Center is compatible with a range of ATI Radeon® desktop
graphics processors. Future releases will expand support to include
mobile, integrated, and workstation product portfolios. For more
information please visit www.ati.com.
Copyright 2004 ATI
Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. ATI and ATI product and product feature
names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc.
All other company and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks
of their respective owners. Features, pricing, availability and specifications
are subject to change without notice.
About ATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. is the world leader in
the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital
media silicon solutions. An industry pioneer since 1985, ATI is
the world’s foremost visual processor unit (GPU) provider.
ATI is dedicated to delivering leading-edge performance solutions
for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms,
workstations, set-top and digital televisions, game consoles and
handheld device markets. With 2003 revenues in excess of US $1.3
billion, ATI has more than 2,200 employees in the Americas, Europe
and Asia. ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto
Stock Exchange (ATY).
Contact Information
For media or industry analyst support, visit our Web site at
http://www.ati.com .
Other ATI Contacts:
Derek Baker, Senior Consultant, Porter Novelli Canada, at (416)
422-7158 or derek.baker@porternovelli.com
For media inquiries:
Jon Carvill, Public Relations Manager, at
(905) 882-2600, Ext. 8477 or jcarvill@ati.com
For investor relations support, please contact:
Janet Craig, Director, Investor Relations, ATI Technologies Inc.,
at (905) 882-2600, Ext. 2631 or janet@ati.com
