Microchip Technology Sells Development Software via Download at www.microchipDIRECT.com to Eliminate Customers' Shipping Costs

MPLAB(R) C Compilers for 8- and 16-bit PIC(R) Microcontrollers are First Offering

CHANDLER, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, today announced that its microchipDIRECT e-commerce Web site now provides a "software for sale" download capability. Engineers can purchase Microchip's embedded-development software quickly and easily from www.microchipdirect.com. The first Microchip products being offered through this service are the popular MPLAB(R) C18 and MPLAB C30 C compilers. These compilers are full-featured and ANSI compliant, and download with extensive libraries for embedded-development applications using Microchip's PIC18 high-end 8-bit and PIC24 16-bit families of microcontrollers, as well as the dsPIC(R) digital signal controllers. More software products are expected to be added in the future. Microchip also announces its intention to work with third-party software vendors to offer their software tools and libraries for download on microchipDIRECT.

MPLAB C18 and MPLAB C30 C compilers are fully integrated with Microchip's free MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Both compilers generate relocatable object modules, which can be linked with assembly modules or in-line assembly code to generate reusable code modules for any embedded application. The MPLAB IDE provides a comprehensive graphical front end to leverage code development with the MPLAB C18 and MPLAB C30 compilers via a project manager, a programmer's text editor and a rich suite of robust debugging tools. Extensive multi-pass optimizations generate compact, robust code that can be directly downloaded to Microchip's microcontrollers using Microchip's programmers, in-circuit debuggers and in-circuit emulators. Both compilers generate re-entrant code and support third-party tools, such as Real Time Operating Systems (RTOSs) and application-specific libraries.

"Making software instantly available from the microchipDIRECT site is an often requested feature from our customers, and will further assist them in achieving their design objectives quickly and easily," said Derek Carlson, vice president of Development Tools at Microchip. "With no shipping costs involved, downloading software from microchipDIRECT can also be a convenient way to save money on the designer's toolkit."

A free Student Edition of each compiler is also available for evaluation download from the Microchip Web site at www.microchip.com/c30 and www.microchip.com/c18, respectively. For additional information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip's main Web site at www.microchipdirect.com.

Microchip Customer Support

Microchip is committed to supporting its customers by helping design engineers develop products faster and more efficiently. Customers can access four main service areas at www.microchip.com. The Support area provides a fast way to get questions answered; the Sample area offers free evaluation samples of any Microchip device; microchipDIRECT provides 24-hour pricing, ordering, inventory and credit for convenient purchasing of all Microchip devices and development tools; finally, the Training area educates customers through webinars, sign-ups for local seminar and workshop courses, and information about the annual MASTERs events held throughout the world.

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Note: The Microchip name and logo, PIC, dsPIC, and MPLAB are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

Source: Microchip Technology Inc.

Released January 8, 2007