Release of version DR7 of the Be OS announced; New version of the multiprocessor OS provides basis for a wide range of software development.

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 1996--Be, Inc., announced today that it will release version DR7 of the Be Operating System (Be OS (tm)) on Monday, April 22.

The new version opens the multiprocessor-based system to a wider variety of software development, and provides a wealth of new features including true 32-bit color graphics support, an enhanced file system, and support for virtual workspaces.

"The new features in DR7 represent another milestone in developing the Be OS," said Jean-Louis Gassee, Be's president and chief executive officer. "We now have a significant number of third-party developers actively working with the Be OS, and this version also reflects their feedback and opinions. DR7 will act as an accelerator for software development on the Be System by all types of developers."

To underscore this point, Be's development tools partner, Metrowerks, simultaneously announced the release of the Be-native version of its award winning Integrated Development Environment (IDE). CodeWarrior(tm) for BeBox brings Metrowerks' award-winning development environment to the Be OS, and takes advantage of the multiple processors in the BeBox by enabling concurrent compilation. The Be OS is the heart of the new BeBox(tm) computer system, introduced late last year. The BeBox integrates multiple PowerPC microprocessors into a personal computer system geared for digital design, including handling real-time media such as digital video and audio, computation-intensive graphics, and electronic publishing capabilities for CD, DVD, and the Internet. The BeBox offers an exciting alternative to the current evolutionary approach to personal computing platforms, designed to meet the demands of sophisticated computer users and developers who are frustrated by the limitations of current PC architectures.

Be has been shipping BeBox systems to developers since December of last year, and plans to make Be systems available generally later this quarter. In addition, the company plans to license the Be OS to personal computer producers, value-added manufacturers, and other players in the consumer electronics and computing industries.

The DR7 release extends Be's operating system foundation by providing models for software driver development, which will allow any third-party to integrate different PC peripherals and cards into the Be System. In addition, developers now have support for shared library development, which aids the development of modular software. DR7 also provides a broad range of new features and performance improvements, such as a new native file system, support for full 32-bit color graphics, and improvements to the integrated database capabilities. The new version adds the concept of "workspaces," allowing a Be OS user to create multiple virtual desktops, each with its own set of running applications and windows.

DR7 extends the Internet capabilities integrated into the Be OS. The system now has support for multiple TCP/IP connections via Ethernet or PPP (point-to-point protocol, used for connecting to the Internet via serial or telephone lines). File-serving capabilities based on the FTP protocol are built into the operating system, allowing users to access their BeBox from anywhere on the Internet. In addition, a basic Internet web server is now included with the operating system, allowing HTML documents and images to be published on the network.

"We still have a lot of functionality we want to add to the Be OS," said Erich Ringewald, Be's VP of engineering. "DR7 and the CodeWarrior release go a long way toward providing the tools developers need for serious development work on the BeBox."

DR7 will begin shipping next week to developers who are already working with the Be OS. There is no upgrade fee for the new version. The new software will be preloaded on all new BeBox systems that ship to developers beginning next week as well.

About Be, Inc.

Be, Inc. was founded by Jean-Louis Gassee to overcome the limitations of existing computer architectures. With a team of industry-leading engineers and business executives in the United States and Europe, the company has positioned itself to become a key player in fast-growing application markets. Be, Inc. is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.

North American Offices: Be, Inc. 800 El Camino Real, Suite 300 Menlo Park, California 94025 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Internet: http://www.be.com e-mail: [e-mail] ftp site: ftp://ftp.be.com

European Offices: Be, Inc. Suite 336, Immeuble Olivetti Rue de l'ancien marche 92800 Puteaux France Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Internet: http://www.beeurope.com e-mail: [e-mail] -0-

Note to Editors: Be, the Be logo, BeBox, and Be OS are trademarks of Be, Inc. Metrowerks and CodeWarrior are trademarks of Metrowerks, Inc.

CONTACT: North America & Pacific:

Mark Gonzales, 415/462-4117

[e-mail]

or

Europe:

Jean Calmon, [phone]

[e-mail]