DATA BECKER Announces Series of Fast Bytes Books; Quick Visual Reference Guides to Today's Hottest Consumer Computing Topics.

Business/Technology Editors

NEWTON, Mass--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2002

Fast Bytes, new full color visual reference guides from Data Becker, offer consumers easy-to-use, quick reference books for hot topics in personal computing. From Windows XP to DivX-Rip and Play Videos, these new guides, priced at $12.95, provide basic information in a well-organized, easy-to-understand format.

The first titles in the series include Windows XP, Word 2002, Excel 2002, DivX-Rip and Play Videos, Surfing Anonymously and Creating Video CDs. Future Fast Bytes guides available in June, 2002 include Scanning, Video Editing, Digital Photography, Flash MX, Photoshop and XP Networking.

"Fast Bytes offer high quality graphics, well-indexed information and easy-to-understand instructions," said Howard March, president and CEO of DATA BECKER. "For consumers the guides provide shortcuts to save time as well as creative tips and tricks at a very affordable price."

Fast Bytes Windows XP covers the changes from previous Windows platforms, how to customize Windows XP, create a home network, plus online hints and more. The titles Word 2002 and Excel 2002 also cover what's new, how to use basic to advanced features and lots of quick tips for getting the most out of these popular programs.

With the DivX codec consumers are now able to download full-length high quality videos from the Internet to watch on a PC. The Fast Bytes DivX-Rip and Play Videos covers what's needed to convert a full-length movie into a CD-ROM. The title covers burning DivX videos to CD; maintaining quality with MPEG4 compression; calculating bit rates, etc. It also covers how to connect a PC to a TV to watch the DivX videos on the "big screen."

As computer privacy becomes more and more of an issue for consumers, the Fast Bytes Surfing Anonymously title is a helpful guide to the latest information on privacy and the Web. It offers practical solutions for maintaining security while browsing the Web and has instructions on protecting PCs from viruses. The book also includes information on surfing the Web without leaving a trace, securing email programs, and hiding data behind a personal firewall.

With Create Video CDs consumers can turn home videos into high quality digital CDs to be played on a DVD player. The title teaches users how to use a video recorder and a PC to turn home videos into high quality digital CD's. Consumers will learn how to input videos to a PC, edit and burn videos to CD-ROM; film-editing techniques using MovieXone, and how to transform AVI files into video CD material.

The Fast Bytes books are available now at www.databecker.com and other online resellers, and at various computer, software specialty, consumer electronics, and office supply chains nationwide. Each title retails for $12.95.

For review copies of any of these titles or additional information please contact Pat Arcand at [phone], [e-mail] or Susanne Olson at [phone], [e-mail].

About DATA BECKER

DATA BECKER Corporation (www.databecker.com) is a privately held publisher of high-quality, value-priced fun and functional computer software, books and accessories for the North American retail market. DATA BECKER, founded in 1999, has introduced over 40 titles and sold 500,000 units of software in its first two years of operation. It is currently ranked 38th (by NPD Intelect) out of 1234 software publishers in the US.