FOCUS Enhancements and Be Team to Incorporate TV-out Technology in BeIA; Focus' FS450 Chip technology to run on BeIA, the complete IA solution.

Business Editors and High Tech Writers

CAMPBELL, Calif. and MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Jan. 30, 2001

FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCSE) and Be Incorporated (Nasdaq: BEOS) today announced an agreement that will enable Internet appliances powered by BeIA, the complete IA solution, to utilize a TV as a display.

Under the agreement, Be will distribute the software driver for the FOCUS FS450 TV-out chip as part of the BeIA Client Platform. By including the chip in a BeIA-powered Internet appliance, a manufacturer can sell the device without a monitor. This solution enables the manufacturer to offer significantly lower priced IAs to consumers, who can simply plug the devices into their existing TVs.

"While there are other TV-out solutions in the market, the FS450 is the first to produce truly high-quality graphics," said Lamar Potts, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Be. "Virtually everyone in the U.S. owns a TV, and our work with FOCUS allows manufacturers using the BeIA platform to target consumers who want to use their TV to access the Internet."

"One of the features that makes an Internet appliance so attractive to the end-user is the low price point over a PC solution," said Bill Schillhammer, Vice President of OEM Sales for FOCUS Enhancements. "FOCUS's FS450 technology is critical to reading the small fonts found browsing the web and when using the wide range of televisions found in homes. The FS450 has features specifically designed to enhance the viewing experience allowing the TV to rival monitors. The BeIA Client Platform provides a low cost IA solution making it possible to hit even lower price points while not compromising functionality."

About BeIA: The Complete IA Solution

BeIA consists of three components; the BeIA Client Platform, the BeIA Management and Administration Platform (MAP), and BeIA Integration Services. The BeIA Client Platform is a small footprint-operating environment for the device. BeIA MAP allows a service provider to manage the operation and update BeIA Client Platforms with no intervention on the part of the end user, so the device will operate reliably without user intervention. Through the BeIA Integration Services, Be assists device creators in the development and deployment of the devices.

About the FS450

The FS450 chip incorporates a broadcast quality encoder and programmable, flat, artifact-free scaling and an advanced 2D-flicker filter and it is targeted for Internet set-top boxes, Cable/DVD Player set-top boxes, web appliances, and video kiosks. The FS450 supports XGA resolutions up to 1024x768. This allows full page web-browsing on a TV without special formatting requirements.

About Be

Founded in 1990, Be Incorporated creates software solutions that enable rich media and Web experiences on personal computers and Internet appliances. Be's headquarters are in Menlo Park, Calif., and its European office is in Paris, France. It is publicly traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol BEOS. Be can be found on the Web at http://www.be.com.

About Focus Enhancements, Inc.

FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCSE) develops and markets advanced, proprietary video conversion ASICs for the converging, multi-billion dollar Internet, computer and television industries. The Company's technology, which is sold globally through Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and resellers, merges computer-generated graphics and television displays for Internet viewing, presentations, training, education, video teleconferencing, and home gaming markets.

FOCUS Enhancements, [phone], 1370 Dell Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008, www.focusinfo.com

Forward-Looking Statements 

Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, continued acceptance of the companies' products, increased levels of competition for the companies; new products and technological changes, the companies' dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from time to time in the companies' periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. The companies undertake no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward- looking statements that may be made to reflect events after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In addition, the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the successful integration of Videonics into FOCUS, fluctuations in operating results, the timely development and acceptance of new products, product availability from suppliers, the impact of competitive products and pricing, changing TV standards and other risks set forth under the caption "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" in Focus and Videonics Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999, in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2000, June 30, 2000, September 30, 2000 and other filings with the SEC by both FOCUS and Videonics. All forward-looking statements related to Be Incorporated and its products are expressly qualified in their entirety by the "Risk Factors" and other cautionary statements included in Be Incorporated's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999, and other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.