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09.14.2005

Aplix Joins Blu-ray Disc Association
Accelerate integration of Java™ platform in Blu-ray Disc devices

TOKYO, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 14, 2005 -

TOKYO, JAPAN - September 14, 2005 - The Blu-Ray Disc Association, an industry group promoting the Blu-ray Disc standard for next generation optical discs, has welcomed Aplix Corporation (TSE: 3727) as a Contributor Member. Aplix hopes to help support the specifications design and broader use of Blu-ray Discs, by building on its experience in CD/DVD writing technology and in the development and commercial use of Java™ technology for mobile phones and other digital devices.

Blu-ray Discs surpass DVDs in their capacity to store large volumes of data, and their use is becoming more widespread. Sony Computer Entertainment has decided to use Blu-ray Discs in its next-generation PlayStation 3 game console. At the JavaOne 2005 event in San Francisco in June, it was announced that Java would be a standard feature of BD-ROM interactive media specifications for Blu-ray Discs (BD). This Java specification, known as BD-J, is being developed to be compatible with the MHP(*) standard for interactive digital broadcasting used in the U.S., Europe, Asian countries, and many other countries.

The inclusion of Java technology in BD-ROMs will make it possible to add new interactive functionality to packaged media through Java applications, creating the possibility of services that provide information and data to network games, Internet connections, movies and other digital content in a more timely manner. This will make it possible for companies that make movies, music and other packaged media to create entirely new kinds of services. We expect that many Blu-ray Disc-compatible devices will use Java platforms, to run Java applications with BD-ROMs.

In Japan, the transition to terrestrial digital broadcasting is scheduled to be complete by 2011. Globally, the conversion to digital technology is advancing in all forms of television broadcasting. In an increasing number of cases, MHP and Java technology are being used as the application platform. For this reason as well, the transition to digital television is likely to mean an acceleration of interest in Java technology.

Looking ahead to the spring of 2006, when 1-segment broadcasting (a portion of terrestrial digital broadcasting for mobile devices) is scheduled to start, marrying mobile phones and digital devices, Aplix aims to provide a broad range of products, well beyond Blu-ray alone.

Aplix Deputy Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Keiji Takao said, "Ever since the founding of our company, we have been looking forward to a time when storage media would be able to store larger volumes of data. For over 15 years we have developed software for writing data to CD media, and provided packaged software such as WinCDR™ and Double Saucer™ for writing data to CDs and DVDs. We also provide the JBlend™ Java platform for use with mobile phones and other data transmission devices, including set-top boxes for terrestrial / broadcast satellite (BS) / communications satellite (CS) and cable digital television. This extensive experience forms the basis of our cooperation with the Blu-ray Disc Association. We will work together to promote the use of Java technology in home entertainment devices, to make our own contribution to the development of products that make life more fun for end users."

Java technology is increasingly garnering attention as a technical platform for household devices in an era of ubiquitous computing. JBlend is our proprietary platform for making Java work well on digital devices. JBlend has already been installed on over 129 million devices, and Aplix continues its R&D efforts, to contribute to the development of consumer products that are even appealing and easier to use than those we have today.

 

• (*)MHP

  The Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) defines a generic interface between interactive digital applications and the terminals on which those applications execute. It enables digital content providers to address all types of terminals ranging from low-end to high-end set top boxes, integrated digital TV sets and multimedia PCs. The MHP extends the existing, successful DVB open standards for broadcast and interactive services in all transmission networks.

• About Blu-ray Disc

  Blu-ray Disc is the next-generation optical disc format being developed for high-definition video and high-capacity software applications. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 25 gigabytes of data and a double-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 50 gigabytes of data.

• About Blu-ray Disc Association
  

  The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is responsible for promoting and further developing business opportunities for Blu-ray Disc – the next-generation optical disc for storing high-definition movies, games, photos and other digital content. The BDA has more than 140 members. Its Board of Directors consists of Apple; Dell Inc.; Hewlett Packard Company; Hitachi, Ltd.; LG Electronics Inc.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Panasonic (Matsushita Electric); Pioneer Corporation; Royal Philips Electronics; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Thomson; Twentieth Century Fox; and Walt Disney Pictures and Television.

• About Aplix Corporation
  

  Aplix Corporation is the global leader in deploying Java technology in mobile phones. Aplix was first established in 1986 and has been a Sun Java licensee since 1996. Aplix was publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Mothers) in 2003. On August 24, 2004 Aplix and the Taiwan based company iaSolution finalized the integration of the corporations.
  Headquarters: Tokyo
  Regional offices: San Francisco, Munich, Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, and Singapore

  For more information, please visit: www.aplix.co.jp/ and www.iasolution.net/

• About the JBlend™ Platform
  

  The JBlend platform is the de facto solution for running Java applications and services in consumer electronics devices, including mobile phones. The platform has been licensed by over 30 companies as of December 2004.
  JBlend technology:

  • Sets the pace by maintaining market leadership through innovation.
  • Has proven results, enabling first-to-market deliveries for our customers.
  • Over 129 million mobile phones and consumer electronics devices have been shipped with JBlend as of June 2005.
• Press Contact
  

  Akiko Sharp Doi
  Aplix Corporation
  Email: pr@aplixcorp.com
  Phone: +1-415-558-8800
  http://www.aplix.co.jp/

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