Agilent Technologies, Symwave Collaboration Enables First-in-Class, High-Quality USB 3.0 Devices

Symwave’s USB 3.0 Design Validation Leverages Agilent Technologies’ USB Test Solution

SANTA CLARA, Calif., and LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) and Symwave Inc. announced Symwave’s use of the Agilent DSA91304A real-time oscilloscope and J-BERT N4903A high-performance serial BERT as part of its comprehensive USB 3.0 device testing and validation. Symwave is a leading silicon supplier of system solutions for SuperSpeed USB storage devices.

Verifying physical layer device (PHY) performance and compliance to the standard is a critical step to ensure a design will interoperate with other USB 3.0 products. Robust PHY performance can help compensate for poor-quality cables or signal impairments, leading to a better user experience with the end-consumer product.

Agilent’s USB 3.0 validation solution is the most comprehensive toolset for USB compliance. To support USB 3.0 PHY silicon testing, Agilent has created a comprehensive test solution for both transmitter and receiver testing that allows design and validation teams to verify specification requirements. Agilent USB testing tools are chosen by test labs and compliance workshops worldwide because of their ease of use, automation and accuracy. Agilent’s USB 3.0 toolset will continue this tradition.

Symwave announced the world’s first USB 3.0 device at the SuperSpeed USB Developers Conference in November 2008. Concurrently, Agilent announced a comprehensive solution for testing SuperSpeed USB 3.0 devices to ensure compliance with the newly published standards. The two companies have since collaborated to enable USB 3.0 technology development and the launch of new SuperSpeed USB products for the personal computing, storage and consumer electronic device markets.

“With a data rate of 5.0 Gigabits per second, the performance of SuperSpeed transceivers is critical,” said Christopher Thomas, Symwave’s chief technology officer. “We wanted to ensure that our device would exceed USB 3.0 specification requirements and be a robust product for our customers. Agilent’s high-performance test platforms were the ideal solution. We were able to utilize these tools to validate the highest performance USB 3.0 product available today.”

“We are working closely with developers of SuperSpeed USB technology to ensure our solutions completely meet the needs of engineers testing for USB 3.0 compliance,” said Scott Sampl, general manager of Agilent’s oscilloscope business. “Collaborating with an industry-leading partner like Symwave has provided constructive benefits and has resulted in Agilent SuperSpeed USB 3.0 test products that are second to none.”

In addition to Agilent’s DSA91304A real-time oscilloscope and the J-BERT N4903A/B high-performance serial BERT, Agilent also offers USB 3.0 test fixtures and advanced design system software for creating and simulating USB 3.0 channels.

Additional information about Agilent’s USB test solutions is available at www.agilent.com/find/usb. For more information on Symwave’s USB 3.0 system solutions, please visit www.symwave.com.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Agilent DSA91304A can be ordered now at a starting price of $115,140. The Agilent J-BERT N4903A/B can be ordered now at a starting price of $139,000.

The Agilent USB 3.0 transmitter compliance test application, the Agilent USB 3.0 receiver test solution and the USB 3.0 signal quality test fixture are available now for early USB 3.0 development partners. Contact Agilent for details.

About Symwave, Inc.

Symwave is a global fabless semiconductor company developing connectivity SoCs (System-On-Chip) and software solutions that enable PCs and other consumer electronic devices to realize the benefits of USB 3.0. USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB) improves device power management, transfers data tenfold faster and maintains backwards compatibility with the billions of USB ports shipped to date. Symwave’s high-performance mixed-signal products leverage the company’s proprietary mixed-signal technology, IP and silicon design capabilities to bring the benefits of uncompromised speed in low-cost standard CMOS processes. The company is privately held with headquarters in Orange County, Calif., and design centers in Shenzhen, China, and San Diego, Calif. Symwave is backed by top-tier venture capital firms including Kodiak Venture Partners and CMEA Ventures. Additional information is available at www.symwave.com.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company’s 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.8 billion in fiscal 2008. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.