Award Software

Award Software International logo

Award BIOS during booting

Award BIOS setup utility on a standard PC

Award Software International Inc. was a BIOS manufacturer founded in 1983,^[1] and headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States.^[2][3]

History

On 24 October 1996, Award Software International Inc. announced its initial public offering.^[4]

On 16 June 1997, Award Software International Inc. announced the acquisition of BIOS upgrades provider Unicore Software, Inc.^[5] making it a subsidiary of Award.^[6]

On 16 April 1998, Phoenix Technologies Ltd. and Award Software International Inc. announced the completion of a definitive merger agreement, where Phoenix Technologies Ltd. would become the surviving corporate entity following the merger completion on 30 June 1998.^[7] The merger was completed on 28 September 1998.^[8]

After merger

After the Phoenix–Award merger, later revisions of Award BIOS still attribute copyright to Award Software Inc instead of Phoenix Technologies Ltd., including the UEFI firmware.

Subsidiaries

• Award Software Europe
• Award Software Hong Kong, Ltd
• Award Software Japan, KK: Established in 1997-06-03.^[9]
• Award Software International, Inc.
• Unicore Software, Inc.

Products

• AwardBIOS: It is a BIOS developed by Award Software, and later Phoenix Technologies.
• CardWare: It is a PC Card software product.^[10]
• EliteBIOS: It is the system management software product that Award Software designs, develops and markets to the manufacturers of desktop, server, mobile and embedded systems.^[11]
• PC DIAG: Diagnostic software
• CheckIt POSTcard: Power On Self Test system diagnostic board^[12]
  • ISA POSTcard: ISA Diagnostic hardware
  • PCI POSTcard: PCI Diagnostic hardware
• Preboot Manager
• SMSAccess: System management software suite^[13]
  • DMIAccess: Desktop Management Interface utilities
  • LMAccess: Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 95-based hardware status monitoring and alarm application^[14]
  • MPCAccess
  • RPBAccess: Remote, preboot diagnostic and repair software^[15]
• USBAccess: It is a USB-host software targeted for consumer electronics and embedded device manufacturers.^[16][17]
• WWWAccess: Product suite for Internet appliance applications using Intel x86 embedded design.^[18]
  • APIAccess: Integrates Win32 applications into real-time systems. Formerly Willows Toolkit for UNIX and Willows RT for Embedded Systems from Willows Software.^[19]

See also

• BIOS features comparison
• Phoenix Technologies

References

1. "Key Dates". award.com. Archived from the original on 1997-05-21. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
2. "Award Software at a Glance." Award Software. February 16, 1998. Retrieved on May 6, 2009.
3. "How to Contact Award Software." Award Software. February 16, 1998. Retrieved on May 6, 2009.
4. Award Software International Announces IPO
5. Award Software Acquires Leading BIOS Upgrade Provider Unicore Software
6. "Time running out for PCs at big companies." CNN. June 30, 1998. Retrieved on May 6, 2009.
7. Phoenix Technologies Ltd. and Award Software Agree to Merge
8. Phoenix Completes Award Merger and Sand Acquisition
9. AWARD SOFTWARE ESTABLISHES A JAPANESE SUBSIDIARY
10. Award Software International® Inc. Introduces CardWare® 5.0 for Microsoft Window NT 4.0
11. AWARD SOFTWARE EliteBIOS SUPPORTS INTEL-COMPATIBLE CENTAUR IDT-C6™ MICROPROCESSOR
12. Unicore Software, Inc CheckIt POSTcard POSTcard mini and PCI POSTcard Power On Self Test (POST) System Diagnostic Board Version 2.0 User’s Manual
13. Award Announces Total Software Solution for x86 Intel Embedded Products
14. Award Software and Motorola Computer Group Join in Embedded Motherboard Technology Relationship
15. Award Software International® Inc. Introduces Remote, Preboot Diagnostic and Repair Software
16. Award Software Announces First USB Host-Enabling Software for Embedded Systems, Consumer Electronics Products
17. Award Software Announces USBAccess™ Support for Wind River Systems’ Tornado
18. Award Software and Access Join in Strategic Alliance to Offer Internet Appliance Software Solution Including Windows Applications
19. AWARD SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL® INC. ACQUIRES WILLOWS SOFTWARE MIDDLEWARE FOR EMBEDDED, REAL-TIME AND UNIX SYSTEMS

External links

• Award website (archive)
• Award Software has merged with Phoenix Technologies (archive)
• Unicore Software, Inc. (archive)
• Archives of Award Taiwan website (English)
• Taiwan Venutures Capital Corp · SC 13G · Award Software International Inc · On 2/14/97
• Archives of AwardBIOS motherboard download page