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Creative Provides New Sound Blaster Solutions for Gateway Customers

New PCI Design Offers High-Quality Digital Audio and Unique Auto-Sensing Feature to Gateway Customers

MILPITAS, Calif., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF - news), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for the PC, today announced that Gateway Inc. is shipping the Sound Blaster® AudioPCI™ 64D solution in its new G-Series, GP-Series and as an option on the E-Series line of PCs. The Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D is a custom-designed, PCI digital audio solution based on technology from Creative and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ensoniq Corp. The Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D is included in Intel motherboard designs used in the G-Series and GP-Series PC lines, and as a PCI add-in card solution in the E-Series PC line. This recent design win underscores Creative's continued ability to meet an OEM's needs with customized solutions that provide industry standard reliability and high-performance.

Creative's high-quality, high-value audio solutions continue to be Gateway's preferred choice and are offered standard across its entire line of award-winning PCs. Based on the ES1373 chip, designed by Ensoniq, the Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D was custom-designed to include a unique auto-sensing technology that detects whether digital or analog speakers are being used and automatically sends the correct audio signal. This auto-sensing technology provides a more flexible solution that allows customers the freedom to choose either digital or analog speakers.

With its industry-standard audio solutions -- cost effective audio chipsets to advanced high-performance digital processors -- Creative has the right combination of industry-leading technology, price and performance to offer OEMs the differentiation they need in the competitive PC market.

``Creative has designed the Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D to meet our specifications and offer our customers the high-quality, reliability and flexibility they've been asking for,'' said Bart Brown, vice president of marketing for the Americas at Gateway. ``This innovative new auto-sensing feature allows us to offer our customers high-quality audio output with Sound Blaster reliability.''

Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D

For Gateway customers, the Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D combines a wide range of features designed to create an exciting and immersive audio experience. Based on the ES1373 chip, this broadly compatible solution is AC97 compliant and offers support for DOS, Windows® 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT. In addition, the Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D includes digital output and a unique auto-sensing feature for speakers -- a flexible solution that allows customers to choose either analog or digital speakers. With 64-note polyphony, multiple reverb effects, chorus and 3-D Positional audio algorithms, PC users will be impressed with the exceptional sound quality when listening to audio enabled applications or playing their favorite games. It also includes the Sound Blaster PCI standard -- ensuring near perfect compatibility with legacy DOS games without the need of the ISA bus or PCI side band signals.

High-Quality Digital Performance

For PC users who enjoy composing their own music and desire high-quality performance, the Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64D provides support for 2MB, 4MB and 8MB sample sets. This solution also provides the ability to record audio with a digital output -- a feature formerly available only on the highest-end retail solutions from Creative. In addition, Creative's extensive technical support and consistent driver updates are also available to Gateway customers.

Creative's OEM Business Division is dedicated to providing customized service and support for OEMs. Creative's OEM Business Division is focused on designing solutions that target the PC, portable and imbedded solutions markets. Creative recognizes that OEMs increasingly rely on brand name solutions in order to differentiate in today's highly competitive PC market. Creative is able to offer OEMs its strong brand name and industry standard solutions that have come to be associated with the high-quality and reliability that consumers demand. Creative's OEM Business Division utilizes resources and advanced technology in audio, speakers, graphics and PC-DVD from its wholly-owned subsidiaries -- Emu Systems, Ensoniq Corp., EcTiva and Silicon Engineering, Inc. -- to produce a broad range of cost-effective solutions that provide OEMs with a competitive advantage.

Gateway, Inc. (NYSE: GTW - news), a Fortune 500 company founded in 1985, is a leading global direct marketer of PC products. The company, headquartered in North Sioux City, South Dakota, has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Ireland and Malaysia and employs over 12,000 people worldwide. Gateway products and services consistently win top awards from leading industry publications. Revenue for the first nine months of 1997 was $4.3 billion. For further information visit www.gateway.com.

Creative Technology Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets a wide array of advanced multimedia solutions for the PC, entertainment, education, music and productivity tools markets. Creative's products are marketed through both the OEM and retail channels under a variety of trademarks, including the ``Blaster'' family name. Sound Blaster® has become the multimedia industry's de facto audio standard. Sound Blaster is an audio platform consisting of a sound card or chipset, software drivers and bundled software applications that enable PCs to produce high quality audio. Creative's corporate headquarters and primary manufacturing are based in Singapore, with sales, distribution and research and development being carried out through an extensive, global network of subsidiaries located in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Ensoniq, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative, is a leading producer of audio and sound technology products. Well-known in the professional music industry for 15 years for its production of electronic keyboards and synthesizers, Ensoniq's custom IC design expertise has made the company a technology and manufacturing leader in sound solutions for OEMs. Additional data and specifications on Ensoniq's line of full-featured chipsets can be found on its Web site at: www.ensoniq.com.

This announcement relates to products whose launch are in the United States of America. The product names, contents, prices and availability may differ elsewhere in the world according to local factors and requirements.

NOTE: Sound Blaster and Blaster are registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd. All other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized as such.

SOURCE: Creative Technology, Ltd.