Why am I writing about Phoenix Technologies? You probably know them as one of the makers of the PC BIOS firmware that operates many of today's computer systems. However, back in November of last year, we talked about Phoenix in terms of virtualization and hypervisor technology.

The company has created something called HyperSpace which they claim will offer highly-efficient, instantly available applications with new levels of security, system reliability, remote management and ease-of-use to PC users. It is enabled by a lightweight virtualization engine, the Phoenix HyperCore, which can be embedded in the core system firmware or BIOS.

In trying to move towards what the company is calling PC 3.0 and Embedded Simplicity, the company recently acquired BeInSync and teamed up with CyberLink.

Israeli-based BeInSync provides an all-in-one solution that allows users to backup, synchronize, share and access their data online.

"This acquisition is a leap forward in our effort to redefine and significantly improve the PC experience by embedding simplicity for end users," said Woody Hobbs, President and CEO of Phoenix Technologies. "PC 3.0 eliminates complexity and provides users with the kind of convenience they expect from their digital devices. We are bringing new benefits to the hundreds of millions of PC users globally who require built-in functionality on PCs by enabling secure and easy online access and collaboration and automated data protection to help them manage their digital lives."

"The integration of breakthrough synchronization technology from BeInSync will allow Phoenix and its customers to help end-users alleviate concerns about the loss of important files and to give them complete mobile freedom to access their data from any Internet-connected computer."

The partnership with CyberLink will help to produce a multimedia suite that is optimized for the Phoenix HyperSpace platform. Within this secure environment, the platform will provide instant access to a DVD player and other multimedia capabilities within seconds of turning on a mobile PC.

Hobbs said, "Our partnership with CyberLink will allow people to see videos or play music or other multimedia content within seconds of turning on their laptop. At the same time, they can easily click back and forth to applications running on the primary operating system, without rebooting their PC. This collaboration illustrates how Phoenix HyperSpace is introducing a new world of possibilities, allowing people to use their mobile computer as a purpose-built multimedia appliance and as a full-featured PC."

More information about HyperSpace can be found on the Phoenix Website.

Posted by David Marshall on March 30, 2008 02:29 PM