COMDEX, LAS VEGAS, (November 18, 1996) - Phoenix Technologies Ltd.(NASDAQ: PTEC), the leading supplier of standards-based system enabling software for the PC industry, announced today that it has signed a software license with AST Computer, allowing AST to integrate CyberMedia's First Aid 97 and Oil Change problem resolution software with AST notebooks and desktop computers. The software, developed by CyberMedia and supplied by Phoenix Technologies is designed to automatically intercept and resolve problems on the PC itself - improving the reliability AST customers have with their PCs, and ultimately increasing their ability to use their computer without calling AST's customer support hotline.

Under the license, CyberMedia's First Aid 97 and Oil Change automatic service and support software products will be pre-loaded on AST Ascentia notebook and Bravo desktop personal computers. AST is scheduled to demonstrate the new computer with this software at their booth # L2612 at COMDEX this week. Phoenix and AST plan to develop and maintain a special knowledge base of information to solve specific problems with AST Bravo and Ascentia personal computers. This knowledge base will be stored on CyberMedia's Help Central Internet server.

The combination of First Aid 97 and Oil Change gives AST customers what they need to prevent and solve PC problems. By simply pushing the 'Update' button in the First Aid and Oil Change software, consumers can use the Internet to automatically download the latest posted problem solving information, such as a new hardware 'driver', 'bug fix' or software update. First Aid 97 also lets users just 'point to where it hurts' by clicking on a picture of the problem area (a malfunctioning modem for example). It then uses case-based reasoning technology to diagnose PC problems by asking the user simple questions, much as a doctor would diagnose a patient.

In September, Phoenix and CyberMedia announced that Phoenix would be CyberMedia's OEM licensing partner, and AST is the third major computer manufacturers to sign on. AST joins two other major computer companies who have pre-installed First Aid on their systems - Fujitsu and NEC. CyberMedia and Phoenix have also announced plans to jointly develop add-on problem-fixing technology to enable PC makers to build 'self-healing' PCs that automatically resolve their own hardware and software problems. This technology combines CyberMedia's expertise in automatically fixing software problems and Phoenix's in-depth relationships with PC manufacturers and expertise in system-level software and hardware-related problems.

Proven and Tested by Over 1,000,000 Consumers
"The AST agreement is significant because it shows that major hardware companies are already adopting the CyberMedia-Phoenix problem-resolution technology just weeks after we announced our partnership," said Jack Kay, CEO of Phoenix Technologies. "And our solution will get even stronger - CyberMedia and Phoenix's engineering teams are working together closely to develop technologies that will expand First Aid and Oil Change's problem-solving capabilities even further, and by adding hooks into the PhoenixBIOS - the basic system software shipping at the heart of over 15 million PCs per year."

"This demonstrates that PC manufacturers are eager to adopt a problem-resolution technology that is proven, well tested, and available today," said CyberMedia CEO Unni Warrier. "Oil Change has been enthusiastically reviewed and went through an extensive beta-testing program involving 45,000 volunteer users. First Aid 97 is the latest, completely re-architected and redesigned version of a product that we have been developing and refining for over five years. First Aid 97 also uses industry-standard knowledge bases, rather than proprietary ones, which will make it easier to integrate with corporate help desks."

Makes AST PCs Easier to Use, Less Expensive to Support
This year, Dataquest predicts that PC users will make some 200 million PC support calls -spending longer on line once they get through. Between 1994 and 1995 the average length of a technical support call doubled. Support calls now cost $3.9 billion, about 3.5 percent of computer industry sales. These costs are rising some 20 percent each year. AST is taking action to improve the ability of customers to use AST computers and reduce their costs by making their PCs 'self-healing' and easier to use

"We are committed to implementing software that helps make Ascentia computers even more practical and our customers more productive," said Mark Marlow, director of commercial systems at AST. "First Aid is a very popular product that automatically resolves many common problems with applications and hardware that users may experience, and Oil Change gives us a way to keep systems updated with posted versions of software that have been added or changed since the systems were originally shipped Our award-winning Ascentia notebooks will now be easier for our customers to use, and even easier for us to support."

"Bravo systems are known for providing the latest technology without added expense - the innovative First Aid problem resolution software is an important extra for Bravo customers," explains Laura Raybin, director of commercial systems at AST. "We want to help reduce support costs for our corporate customers' information services departments. With First Aid, many common concerns are automatically solved, which makes supporting new systems easier for IS professionals."

How First Aid 97 and Oil Change Work
First Aid 97 and Oil Change are Internet-enabled software products. Each consists of an application and local knowledge base that resides on the PC, and an expanded knowledge base that resides on CyberMedia's Internet server, 'Help Central.' The local knowledge base can be continually updated with new problem-solving information by simply clicking an 'Update' button. First Aid 97 builds on CyberMedia's successful First Aid product line, already in use by more than 1.5 million PC users, and developed and refined over five years. It uses industry-standard problem-resolution technologies, including case-based reasoning from Inference, and a knowledge base from ServiceWare, two of the leading suppliers of technology to help-desk software companies such as Scopus, Clarify and Remedy. First Aid 97 marks the first appearance of these professional-strength problem-resolution technologies in a product developed for consumers and end users.

"First Aid and Oil Change are market-proven applications designed to improve user satisfaction with new computers while simultaneously reducing support concerns for PC manufacturers," explained George Adams, vice president of Marketing and Business Development at Phoenix Technologies. "Working with CyberMedia, Phoenix's role is to ensure that these products match AST's specific needs for meeting customer expectations for new Ascentia notebooks and for the Bravo line of desktops. We are pleased that AST has decided to integrate First Aid and Oil Change into these key products."

About Phoenix Technologies
Phoenix Technologies is the world's largest supplier of standards-based compatibility software to the personal computer industry. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS™ for desktops, NoteBIOS™ for portables, and ServerBIOS™ for servers, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market as well as cut internal engineering costs. Phoenix's PICO product line provides products and services for information appliances, and the Virtual Chips product line supports interconnect standards including PC Cards/CardBus, PCI, Universal Serial Bus and other emerging interfaces. Through its strategic relationship with CyberMedia, Phoenix provides ActiveHelp products to enable self-healing PCs that reduce technical support costs for PC manufacturers and users. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the World Wide Web at: www.phoenix.com.

About CyberMedia
CyberMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS:CYBR) founded in 1991, develops and markets software products that help Windows PC users fix or avoid problems on their own, reducing their dependency on vendor hotlines or help desk technical support. Its First Aid product family has consistently been on top 10 Windows 95 business software bestseller lists since November. The company's Active Help products include First Aid, the Tech Support Yellow Pages and Oil Change. CyberMedia's products are distributed in over 4,000 stores in the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Australia, and via OEM distribution agreements with Fujitsu, NEC, AST and Phoenix Technologies. Information on CyberMedia is available on the World Wide Web at: www.cybermedia.com.

About AST
AST Research Inc., a member of the Fortune 500 list of America's largest industrial and service companies, is one of the world's leading personal computer manufacturers. The $2.468 billion company develops a broad spectrum of desktop, mobile, and server PC products that are sold in more than 100 countries worldwide. AST systems meet a wide range of customer needs, from corporate business applications to advanced home and home office use. Information about AST's products can be found on the World Wide Web at: www.ast.com.

Phoenix is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd. CyberMedia is a registered trademark, and First Aid and Oil Change are trademarks of CyberMedia, Inc. AST is a registered trademark and Ascentia and Bravo are trademarks of AST Research Inc.

Other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners

Contact:
Jim Adamson | Phoenix Technologies Ltd. | 408-452-6867

Sharon Zovod | The Weber Group | 415-463-8630

Giselle Bisson | Cybermedia, Inc.| 310-581-4700