Be Demonstrates BeOS for PowerMac

RELEASED AUGUST 6, 1996 For more information contact North America & Pacific: Jean-Louis Gassée, [email protected] Mark Gonzales, [email protected] (415) 462-4100 Europe: Jean Calmon, [email protected] +1 49 06 73 75

BE DEMONSTRATES BeOS FOR POWERMAC MacWorld demonstration will show BeOS(tm) running on Power Computing Macintoshes MENLO PARK, Calif (August 6, 1996) - Be, Inc. announced today that at the MacWorld Exposition held in Boston this week, it will demonstrate the Be Operating System (BeOS) running on PowerPC-based Macintosh(r) personal computers built by Power Computing, Inc. Since Be introduced the BeOS late last year, the company has consistently stated that it plans to bring the BeOS to platforms beyond the company's BeBox personal computer product line, and to license the BeOS to personal computer manufacturers, value-added resellers and OEMs. The BeOS for PowerMac demonstration will provide an early glimpse into the company's product plans for the new operating system. "We've designed the BeOS for the next decade's applications, rather than legacy software" said Jean-Louis Gassée, president and CEO of Be. "With BeOS for PowerMac we aim to demonstrate the power of a true multitasking, object-oriented operating system -- even when running on a single processor PC. We also hope this further shows our commitment to bringing the BeOS to a wide range of personal computer users, and to an open approach to accomplishing this." The BeOS brings to the PowerMac platform a true, preemptive multitasking, multithreaded software system - offering protected memory, true virtual memory, and an application architecture based on shared libraries and modular code. The system's API is object-oriented, an approach to software development that helps speed the addition of new application capabilities. The BeOS leverages the latest in graphical user interface concepts to produce an operating system that is both powerful, and simple to use. Within the BeOS, a variety of "software kits" and application tools provide a wealth of functionality that includes integrated database capabilities, 3D graphics, support for audio and MIDI data streams, integrated Internet mail, remote log-in, and file and web serving capabilities. In addition to these capabilities, the BeOS incorporates many of the data and network standards in use today, such as TCP/IP networking and Internet protocols, TrueType and Postscript font technology, MPEG and QuickTime video formats, Posix and standard UNIX tools, and more. At the MacWorld Exposition, Be also announced Developer Release 8 of the BeOS (BeOS DR8), upon which the BeOS for PowerMac is based. In addition, Be announced that it has licensed OpenGL(r) , the industry standard 3-D environment from Silicon Graphics, and is working with Metrowerks, Inc. to bring the Java language and environment to the BeOS. The company stresses that the BeOS for PowerMac is a technology demonstration and is not yet a shipping product. The company's famous "Not yet fit for human consumption" warning signs will be in evidence at the show. The company expects to introduce a product using this technology early next year, and is discussing its plans with Be developers. "Over the last few months, thousands of developers have placed their trust in us by applying to become Be developers and working to bring Be-compatible software to market," added Mr. Gassée. "We hope that this demonstration helps to further strengthen this relationship, and shows our commitment to providing them with both the technical foundations for creating exciting products, and the business foundations needed for success." The demonstration of BeOS for PowerMac is being done on Power Computing personal computers in recognition of the teamwork between the companies in making the technology a reality. "Power Computing has been an invaluable resource to us on this project," said Erich Ringewald, Be's vice president of engineering. "We've been happy about working with their team and hope to continue doing so well into the future." In addition, the company thanks the PowerMacintosh hardware team at Apple Computer, Inc. for the assistance and technical information they provided during the project. Be will be demonstrating BeOS for PowerMac at the MacWorld Exposition (Boston World Trade Center, booth number 5068.) Show hours are from 10am - 6pm Wednesday through Friday, and from 10am to 4pm on Saturday. In addition, members of the press and analyst communities are invited to stop by Be's hospitality suite on Thursday from 10am to 4pm at the Boston Marriot Long Wharf Hotel, across from the World Trade Center.

About Be, Inc. Be, Inc. was founded by Jean-Louis Gassée in 1990 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. Corporate Offices: Be, Inc. 800 El Camino Real, Suite 300 Menlo Park, California 94025 Tel: (415) 462-4100 Fax: (415) 462-4129 Internet: https://www.be.com e-mail: [email protected] FTP site: ftp:https://ftp.be.com   European Offices: Be, Inc. Suite 336, Immeuble Olivetti Rue de l'ancien marché 92800 Puteaux France Tel: (33) 1 49 06 73 77 Fax: (33) 1 49 06 73 79 Internet: https://www.beeurope.com e-mail: [email protected]