| Q: | What is the AMD EasyNow!™ platform design?
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| A: | The AMD EasyNow!™ platform design is an innovative, full-featured platform integrating industry standard technologies, products and infrastructure. The AMD EasyNow! platform design simplifies connectors and remove extraneous hardware, so that the PC is easy to set up and simple to use. While systems based on the AMD EasyNow! platform design are designed for ease of use, they still include the key features required to run the most popular Internet and productivity applications. The AMD EasyNow! platform design also features a compact and stylish enclosure design. |
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| Q: | What is the Easy PC Initiative?
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| A: | The Easy PC Initiative is an industry-wide initiative aimed at improving the overall experience for PC users and expanding the PC user base. The initiative focuses on making the PC easier to set up, easier to use and easier to expand. |
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| Q: | What does AMD think of the Easy PC Initiative?
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| A: | AMD is committed to the objectives of the Easy PC Initiative. The AMD EasyNow!™ platform design will enable our partners to rapidly deliver to market the first systems to fully comply with the Easy PC Initiative's hardware guidelines. AMD's innovation helps drive the industry toward easier-to-use PCs, resulting in a better computing experience for the user. |
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| Q: | What are the key features of the AMD EasyNow!™ platform design and how do they benefit users?
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| A: | The AMD EasyNow!™ platform design integrates the most up-to-date technology standards available today, resulting in a system that is easy to set up, easy to use and easy to expand. Numerous internal connectors are replaced with external connectors based on the popular USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, allowing for easy external expansion of the system and enabling a true plug-and-play environment. USB also provides a single interface for various peripherals that traditionally require distinct connectors, such as the keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner and joystick. Features such as "Instant On" enable AMD EasyNow! platform-based PCs to boot faster than standard PCs, so users spend less time waiting before the computer is ready. Integrating key features like audio, video, modem and networking capability, and removing extraneous hardware connectors, results in a compact PC that takes up less desk space than standard PCs. |
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| Q: | When will systems based on the AMD EasyNow!™ platform design be available in the marketplace?
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| A: | AMD's innovation will enable manufacturing partners to rapidly produce and deliver to market easy to use, fully functional PCs in a novel, appealing design. PCs based on the AMD EasyNow!™ platform design are planned to be widely available through direct and retail channels in November. |
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| Q: | Who is the target user for the AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based systems?
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| A: | Systems based on the AMD EasyNow! platform design are perfect for any value-minded buyer looking for a stylish, easy-to-use, full-featured PC powerful enough to run the most popular Internet and productivity applications available for Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition and the upcoming "Millennium" version of the Windows operating system. AMD EasyNow! platform-based systems are also ideal for buyers seeking a second PC in their homes. |
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| Q: | What are the typical configurations of AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based systems?
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| A: | Initial implementations of the AMD EasyNow!™ platform design are planned to support the complete range of AMD-K6 -2 and AMD-K6-III processors featuring 3DNow!™ technology. Systems based on the AMD EasyNow! platform design are expected to feature 5 USB ports, support between 32MB and 128MB of PC100 memory, and include a 4.3GB or larger hard drive, V.90 56kbps modem, HomePhoneline Networking (HomePNA) and standard Ethernet capability, speaker/headphone outputs, microphone input, industry-standard XGA monitor connector; and an 24X speed CD-ROM drive. Exact configurations will be determined by the manufacturer. |
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| Q: | How much are initial AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based systems expected to cost?
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| A: | Actual system prices will be established by the manufacturer, and will vary according to the hardware and software configuration included with each system, such as the processor speed, memory size, peripheral bundle, hard disk drive size, and software. AMD expects AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based systems will be competitive with comparably configured systems targeted at value-minded buyers. |
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| Q: | Can users upgrade AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based PCs? How?
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| A: | Yes. Most peripheral upgrades can be achieved by simply plugging a new device, such as a CD burner, Zip disk, scanner or printer, into any of the external USB ports. Internal system upgrades that can be performed include installing a faster processor, adding additional memory or adding a larger hard disk drive. |
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| Q: | What are the differences between an AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based PC and a standard PC?
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| A: | The AMD EasyNow!™ platform design was designed with the goal of enabling the simplest to set up, easiest-to-use PC possible. The AMD EasyNow! platform design integrates the most efficient, standard hardware components available today. The AMD EasyNow! platform design replaces the extensive array of external connectors (serial, parallel, joystick, PS/2, etc) with a set of all-purpose USB connectors. The AMD EasyNow! platform design also eliminates numerous system boot screens and extraneous hardware to enable a quick start-up/shutdown time. The platform features a highly-integrated design that places all of the major system components onto a single board, saving space and enabling a stylish casing. |
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| Q: | How does the AMD EasyNow!™ platform-based PC compare to other PCs based on the Easy PC Initiative?s hardware guidelines?
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| A: | The AMD EasyNow!™ platform design complies completely with the Easy PC Initiative's hardware guidelines. Other PCs based on the Easy PC Initiative's hardware guidelines retain some of the legacy technology that AMD has eliminated, and do not currently meet all of the Easy PC Initiative hardware guidelines. |
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| Q: | Does AMD plan to release additional versions of the AMD EasyNow!™ platform design?
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| A: | Yes. AMD plans to develop a family of AMD EasyNow!™ platform designs, including platforms based on the AMD Athlon™ processor. We plan to announce additional details of future platform designs at a later date. |
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