VIA C7-D desktop processor powers affordable new energy efficient PCs targeted specifically at the Southern African educational market

Taipei, Taiwan -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/16/2007 -- VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, and Mecer, one of South Africa’s leading PC manufacturers, today announced the new Mecer Education PC powered by the 1.5GHz VIA C7-D desktop processor.

Leveraging the energy efficiency of the VIA C7-D processor, ideally suited for Africa’s straining electricity infrastructure, the Mecer Education PC raises the bar of PC standards for academic use and highlights the diverse energy requirements of educational PCs for the African continent.

“Through the Mecer Education PC, we are further extending our VIA pc-1 mission to extend access to computing and communications to new users,” said Werner du Plessis, Business Development Manager for Africa, VIA Technologies, Inc. “By leveraging the advanced capabilities of the VIA C7-D processor, Mecer is able to offer its customers a leading edge desktop solution that delivers on the unique demands of the region with exceptional levels of energy efficiency and performance.”

“We have seen a real shift in government and organizational demands in Southern Africa, where decision makers are taking a more serious look at the offset between PC performance, reliability and Total Cost of Ownership,” commented David Kan, CEO of Mecer Computers. “The VIA C7-D processor provides us with the flexibility to offer an attractively priced desktop solution paired with an appealing feature set and rock-solid reliability that balances all those criteria.”

The new Mecer Education PC available at an assortment of major retail stores in Southern Africa and is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including the Microsoft Windows XP Starter Edition.

Mecer Education PC Key Features:

Processor:
1.5GHz VIA C7-D Desktop Processor

Chipset:
VIA CN700 Digital Media IGP Chipset

Graphics:
VIA UniChrome Pro II integrated 3D/2D graphics processor with hardware MPEG-2 decoding acceleration

Memory:
Up to 2GB of DDR2 400/533 SDRAM

Hard Drive:
3.5” IDE / SATA

Optical Drive:
Option of 5.25” CD and/or DVD

Peripherals:
PS2 Keyboard & Optical Mouse

More information on the Mecer Education PC can be found on the Mecer website at:
http://www.mecer.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=63

Further details on the VIA C7-D desktop processor may be found on the VIA website at:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/c7-d/index.jsp

About the VIA pc-1 Initiative
The VIA pc-1 Initiative is aimed at enabling the next one billion people to get connected. With a focus on communication, education and information, the VIA pc-1 Initiative seeks to empower millions of people to improve their quality of life through technology, especially in emerging markets. Comprising a range of flexible systems based on VIA’s acclaimed energy-efficient processor platforms, the VIA pc-1 Initiative is a realistic approach to bringing technology to millions more people within a sustainable business framework. Of the numerous initiatives VIA has launched to enhance the technology experience and the quality of life, the VIA pc-1 Initiative has a universal remit to make a difference to the lives of many more millions of people. www.viatech.com/pc-1

About Mecer
Mecer is the PC brand offering of Mustek Limited, and is South Africa’s most popular PC brand. It is set apart from its competitors by offering a complete customized solution extending beyond standard PCs and by incorporating local and international standards which include WHQL, SABS, ISO9001 and ISO 14001, as well as Microsoft and Windows Certification.

About VIA Technologies, Inc.
VIA Technologies, Inc. (TSE 2388) is the foremost fabless supplier of market-leading core logic chipsets, low power x86 processors, advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon, and complete platform solutions that are driving system innovation in the PC and embedded markets. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA’s global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world’s top OEMs, motherboard vendors and system integrators. www.via.com.tw