Winbond Introduces WinPot Single and Quad Channel Non-Volatile Potentiometer Chips Featuring Selectable Output Buffer

San Jose, CA, April 2, 2003 - Winbond Electronics Corporation America, a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions to the consumer, computer, communications and electronics products markets, today introduced two new chips from its WinPot line of non-volatile digital potentiometer chips. The WinPot WMS7201 is a single channel IC; the WinPot WMS7204 is a quad channel IC. Both chips feature 256-taps, a selectable output buffer and ultra-low standby current (1µA maximum with output buffer inactive). The ICs are targeted at communications, industrial and consumer applications and can be programmed by a microcontroller through the industry-standard SPI interface. Both represent ideal replacements for applications using mechanical potentiometers that require a high degree of performance, stability, precision adjustments or improved temperature coefficients. WinPots are also available as a dual channel device, the WMS7202, which was launched in 2002. All members of the WinPot SPI family are released to production and available for sampling. The WMS7201 is competitively priced at under $1.00 in 25K volume quantities. The WMS7204 is also aggressively priced at under $1.75 in 25K volume quantities.

"The WMS720x series has a proprietary design that features enhanced linearity for the most demanding industrial applications, " said Peter Himes, vice president, marketing, Winbond America. "The competitively priced chip also offers low power consumption, system level customization and comes in a variety of compact packaging options to meet small foot print and multiple channel requirements."

The WMS7201 and the WMS7204 are available in 10K, 50K and 100K resistance values. The selectable output buffer is built-in for each channel to deliver higher driving current as well as saving the cost of an external buffer or amplifier. Both chips can be used as a three-terminal potentiometer or as a two terminal variable resistor in a wide variety of industrial and wireless applications that require the most exacting performance standards. The high performance temperature co-efficient provides for precision adjustments.

About Winbond

Winbond Electronics Corporation America, based in San Jose, California, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Winbond Electronics Corporation, the largest branded IC Company in Taiwan and a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions worldwide. Winbond America designs, develops, markets and sells IC solutions to the global electronics marketplace. With a strong emphasis on mixed-signal solutions, Winbond America's primary mission is to serve the signal conditioning needs of computer, consumer and communications electronic manufacturers. Winbond Electronics Corporation has approximately 3,800 employees worldwide with design centers in Hsinchu, Taiwan; Shanghai, China; San Jose and Torrance, California; and Austin, Texas. The Company can be contacted via the web at http://www.winbond-usa.com for Winbond America, or through the corporate homepage at http://www.winbond.com.

Note: Winbond is a registered trademark of Winbond Electronics Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.