HILLIARD, Ohio -- October 12, 1998 -- WinBook Corporation announced today its cutting-edge series of full-featured presentation notebook computers for clients who want all the latest technology – the WinBook XL².

WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The new WinBook XL² is designed to meet the requirements of mobile users with the most demanding high-performance needs. A showcase for all the latest notebook technology, the new WinBook XL² is a comprehensively equipped presentation notebook with breathtaking performance. Intel’s fastest mobile processor – the new 300 MHz Pentium II – is standard, and provides a level of performance previously seen only in high-end desktop systems. The WinBook XL² is equipped with a stunning 14.1-inch XGA (1024 x 768 resolution) active-matrix screen, generous 6 GB Ultra DMA removable hard drive, large 128 MB of SDRAM, second-generation DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk), LS120, 3D video, AGP 2X, and V.90 internal modem – all for just $3,199.

ALL-IN-ONE DESIGN

Like the WinBook XL and WinBook XLi series, the new WinBook XL² provides the convenience of a three-spindle all-in-one design. On the new WinBook XL², all three spindles (the hard drive, LS120 Super Disk Drive, and second-generation DVD-ROM) have been relocated to the front of the unit for the ultimate in convenience.

LIGHTER AND THINNER

DESIGNED FOR LOWER TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP

WinBook has also incorporated industry initiatives such as PC98 designed to reduce operating and support costs into the WinBook XL² series.

PC98 Compliance in conjunction with Windows 98

The new WinBook XL² series was designed to conform to the PC98 standard. Units which conform to this standard will be eligible to be awarded a "Designed for Windows98" logo. PC98 was created principally by Intel and Microsoft and covers the PC system, bus, and devices. It has new requirements for manageability and includes guidelines for various types of mobile PCs which include DMI, and WfM. Part of the PC98 standard requires that sound cards move to the PCI bus from the ISA bus. The WinBook XL² includes standard 3-D PCI audio. On games and movies, WinBook XL² users can experience greater realism – imagine the sound of an airplane strafing you from overhead or a speeding racecar rounding your seat at Indy.

DMI 2.0 (Desktop Management Interface)

DMI 2.0, the latest specification created by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF), reduces support costs in corporate settings by standardizing the exchange of information among clients and administrators. DMI 2.0 further reduces support costs by allowing standardized remote procedure calls (RPCs).

WfM (Wired for Management)

WinBook designed WfM (Wired for Management) compliance into the WinBook XL² series. WfM is a set of guidelines created by Intel that supplements DMI and covers asset management, remote configuration and reconfiguration, and power management. Corporate and institutional settings using WinBook XL² models can lower support costs by performing asset management functions, queries, and updates at night and on weekends.

DVD TECHNOLOGY ON THE WINBOOK XL²

LS120 SUPER DISK DRIVE (FDD/120MB cartridge)

WinBook is one of the first notebook manufacturers to offer an LS-120 drive (FDD/120MB cartridge), and the first manufacturer to make the feature standard on a notebook computer series.

The LS-120 drive provides 120 MB of removable storage. This means that for the first time, notebook users have access to a truly convenient backup device. By making backups easier while travelling, WinBook has made it simple for notebook users to backup frequently and reduce the likelihood of losing critical files due to crashed hard drives, viruses, or theft.

The LS-120 drive offers significant advantages over internal cartridge devices such as Zip, Jaz or E-Z drives. It not only reads 120 MB super-floppies, but, unlike internal cartridge devices, also reads and writes conventional 1.44 MB floppy disks.

MULTIMEDIA

An expansive 14.1-inch XGA (1024 x 768 resolution) active-matrix color screen, 3-D Graphics Accelerator, 4 MB SGRAM of video memory, and 3-D PCI stereo audio with two speakers provide robust portable presentation capabilities and a more realistic audio experience when enjoying games or movies. The WinBook XL² uses the ESS Maestro-2M PCI audio module.

The WinBook XL² also brings a level of graphics performance previously found only in high-end desktop computers with its standard 2X Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), a dedicated processor bus just for 3-D video graphics. The 2X AGP can run graphics adapter cards at 66MHz, twice as fast as a PCI bus's 33MHz speed. It also can achieve 133 MHz data transfer throughputs, and provides burst data transfer rates of 528 MB per second. AGP graphics cards are useful for speeding-up complex

3-D rendering functions by allowing large 3-D textures to be stored in the system's memory, rather than the graphics card's dedicated memory. Users can enjoy a smoother, more lifelike multimedia experience.

A zoomed video port (which allows users to transfer data from a port built into the PCMCIA slots directly to the screen) is included on the WinBook XL², and software MPEG II is supported at 30 frames per second.

COMMUNICATIONS

The WinBook XL² provides the fastest modem technology with a standard internal V.90 modem.

The V.90 standard – which incorporates elements of both K56flex and 56K x2 protocols—gives users increased speeds-up to 56Kbps when downloading files. Users also avoid being locked into either the K56flex or x2 proprietary standards.

POWER MANAGEMENT

The WinBook XL² provides superior battery-life through the use of a nine-cell Lithium-ion battery combined with low-voltage, high performance components and an advanced power management system (which includes LCD and hard-drive power-down functions, plus standby, suspend-to-disk, and suspend-to-RAM modes with automatic resume for fax/modem activity, and ACPI). ACPI (Advanced Configuration Power Interface) is a new interface that allows Windows98 to direct the WinBook XL²’s power management and system configuration. The WinBook XL²’s well-engineered power management means that it outlasts less powerful, less well-equipped notebooks when users are flying, doing field-work, or engaged in other activities that require them to be away from AC outlets.

PORTS

The WinBook XL² provides the following ports:

Separate PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse, and MIDI/joystick ports are included along with parallel, serial, USB, and external SVGA monitor ports, and Headphone jack on the optional $99 WinDock™ port replicator.

A unique design feature of the WinBook XL² is the convenience of PCMCIA Type II slots on both the left and right sides of the notebook. Anyone who has ever struggled to get a LAN cable to reach the PCMCIA slot will appreciate being able to connect to either side of the notebook.

The WinBook XL² of course includes Universal Serial Bus (USB), which is will eventually serve as an all-purpose PC interface, replacing the individual ports now required for parallel, serial, mouse, keyboard, game, audio, and monitor connections. WinBook XL² users can take advantage of a growing number of USB peripherals hitting the market.

ABOUT WINBOOK

WinBook Computer Corporation sells directly at www.winbook.com and (800) 468-2162. The WinBook XL dual-scan models are offered exclusively via the WinBook website. In addition, selected WinBook models are sold through MICRO ELECTRONICS' thirteen MICRO CENTER stores.

WinBook products have won over 150 awards from the computer press, including awards from PC Magazine, PC World, PC Computing, Windows Magazine, Byte, Family PC, Computer Currents, Laptop Buyers Guide, Portable Computing, and PC Portables.