M3 Design Wins Prestigious Award for Design of AMD’s Personal Internet Communicator

Austin, TX -- 7/10/2006 -- BusinessWeek and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) recently named M3 Design as one of the world’s most innovative problem solvers. Selected out of 1,494 entrants, M3 Design was awarded Silver for the design of AMD’s Personal Internet Communicator (PIC), an affordable, managed consumer device designed to provide affordable and reliable Internet access to consumers in high-growth markets.

The PIC was the first product in a growing portfolio of solutions developed for AMD’s 50x15 Initiative. Launched at the 2004 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the 50x15 Initiative aims to connect half the world’s population to the Internet by the year 2015 using new business models and technology solutions. Currently, only about 15 percent of the world’s population has access to the Internet. Technology solutions developed under 50x15, such as the PIC, are helping drive this number higher by providing global consumers with an affordable, durable, reliable, easy-to-use and power-efficient device.

“It takes real leadership to define meaningful new products and services and deliver them to market,” said IDEA Jury Chair Chris Conley. “The 2006 winners represent the best of global product design and the best people and firms working to realize design’s potential in everyday life.”

The PIC is a simple, self-contained device designed for first-time technology consumers who have limited access to, or experience with, the Internet. The device’s ports are easily accessible and intuitive, making set-up for first time users quick and easy. In addition, the PIC is designed to be physically rugged, impermeable to dust and resistant to viruses and malware that target PCs.

The PIC’s snap-fit assembly and minimal use of parts enables it to be locally manufactured and assembled in the regions where the product is used, dramatically reducing transportation costs.

“Our team embraced AMD’s 50x15 vision to design a platform that provides Internet access for the global majority,” said Jeff Mulhausen, director of industrial design, M3. “We had a responsibility to create a product that met the needs of first-time users and their environment.”

“The PIC was designed to accomplish two very important tasks for 50x15,” said Gino Giannotti, vice president, innovation solutions, AMD. “The first was to connect people in key regions around the world to the Internet in an affordable and reliable manner. The second was to allow AMD and its 50x15 partners to learn as much as possible about how people in high-growth markets use technology to confront serious life-challenges. I’m proud to say we’ve had great success on both fronts. The knowledge we have collected from our experience with the PIC has allowed us to develop a portfolio of solutions for 50x15 that is making a real difference in the lives of people everywhere.”

The design of the PIC also offers a template for the PC industry to use to mitigate a variety of environmental, production, and design challenges. To enhance the product's life, the fan – typically the most frequently replaced component in a PC – has been eliminated. The chassis comprises a two-piece aluminum fixture that snaps into the exterior shell, making the components easy to disassemble for recycling. This compact, light-weight design, combined with local manufacturing and assembly, reduces transportation costs considerably.

About M3 Design
M3 Design collaborates with businesses to create breakthrough consumer, medical, B2B and manufacturing products for the global market. By leveraging strong foundations in industrial design, engineering and manufacturing, M3 Design consistently delivers top & bottom-line growth solutions to clients ranging from Fortune 50 to start-ups. More information can be found at www.m3design.com.