ATI Ushers in CATALYST Control Center ArchitecturePosted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 @ 12:28:29 pm E.S.T
ATI Technologies Inc. (TSX:ATY,
NASDAQ:ATYT), the industry leader for 3D graphics, today announced the
introduction of a remarkable new innovation in driver usability, CATALYST™
Control Center. Built on the Microsoft .NET Framework, CATALYST Control
Center is a modular suite of applications designed to simplify driver
configuration and customization, while maximizing 3D performance. The
introduction of CATALYST Control Center signals an evolution in PC graphics
technology, with mainstream consumers now having the ability to
substantially improve their user experience through a simple “point and
click” interface.
"By publishing a standard interface and adopting a modular architecture
based on the Microsoft .NET Framework, ATI has delivered a flexible and
open interface for developers of graphics-intensive applications,” said
Charles Fitzgerald, General Manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism,
Microsoft Corp. "The CATALYST Control Center architecture enables
third-party customers to rapidly develop and deliver new exciting features
using familiar development tools and skills, increasing developer and
end-user productivity and enhancing the PC experience without compromising
driver stability."
The CATALYST Control Center experience begins with the desktop manager, an
innovative tool that guides users through the process of easily configuring
their displays. The real-time 3D rendering preview panel enables users to
visually see the impact of adjusting performance on their system.
Personalization is taken to a new level through assignable hot keys and
customizable profiles for applications, video and gaming. Previously,
these kinds of capabilities were unavailable or extremely difficult for the
average user to expose. Design innovation has also been enhanced through
the availability of multiple skins. In addition users can design their own
skins with customized look, feel and content for use in their computing
environment.
"With the release of CATALYST Control Center, ATI is simplifying driver
usability and providing a platform to educate users on the capabilities of
their 3D hardware," said Randy Copeland, President, Velocity Micro.
"Through easy customization we can deliver a more personalized computing
experience while allowing them to maximize 3D performance in their favorite
games and applications."
Highly extensible, the CATALYST Control Center will also offer a Software
Development Kit (SDK) to enable users to develop custom skins and plug-ins
for their favorite applications. The SDK will be in beta form at launch,
with a final version expected later this year. To encourage the
participation of the user community, ATI will be sponsoring an online
contest with prizes for the top plug-ins and skins for CATALYST Control
Center. This promotion is expected to kick-off in October 2004.
“As 3D hardware performance continues to move forward it is imperative that
software innovation keep pace, ensuring users derive maximum value from
their graphics processor,” said Ben Bar-Haim, Vice President, Software, ATI
Technologies. “With the introduction of CATALYST Control Center, we provide
a standards-based solution that shields the user from complexity, while
allowing them to enjoy a more customized experience and fully harness the
performance and features found in their ATI graphics accelerator.”
CATALYST Control Center is compatible with a range of ATI RADEON® desktop
graphics processors. Future releases will expand support to include
mobile, integrated, and workstation product portfolios. For more
information please visit http://www.ati.com .
About ATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. is the world leader in the design and manufacture of
innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions. An industry
pioneer since 1985, ATI is the world’s foremost visual processor unit (VPU)
provider. ATI is dedicated to delivering leading-edge performance solutions
for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms,
workstations, set-top and digital televisions, game consoles and handheld
device markets. With 2003 revenues in excess of US $1.3 billion, ATI has
more than 2,700 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia. ATI common
shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY). Posted By: Adam Paoli - 130 Reads
Go Back |
News Archive |
Post a Comment
|
