Be and Epson Team to Offer Printing Options for Internet Appliances

Be Incorporated and Epson America Inc. just announced complete support for most Epson color ink jet printers for Internet appliances powered by Be's Internet appliance software platform, BeIA. The collaboration between the two companies results in BeIA support for 20 Epson printer models, including the entire Stylus Photo printer line, representing a wide selection of printers with varying price and performance options.
Drivers for Epson's ink jet printers are already available for BeOS, Be's desktop operating system. The drivers are included in the current free downloadable BeOS Personal Edition and in the BeOS 5 Professional Edition available from publishers.

Be's continued work with Epson, a leader in high-quality, award-winning imaging products, makes printing easy on BeIA-based devices. The printer drivers are designed specifically for Internet appliances, so the drivers will accommodate small-memory devices, unlike standard PC printer drivers. The drivers allow manufacturers to customize printing options such as automating page layout and resolution and simplifying the printer dialog box, making printing easier for consumers.

"People will use Internet appliances to search the Internet and they'll want to print everything from order forms to photos they get online. We're making that possible," said Lamar Potts, Be's vice president of sales and marketing. "Our relationship with Epson is a sign of growing industry support for BeIA and will allow manufacturers to offer consumers a variety of printers that are easy to use with Internet appliances."

Epson's Mitch Kadish, product manager, connectivity products, said: "With Internet appliance sales expected to surpass PC sales in coming years, Be and Epson are ready to take advantage of this new market. Be and Epson are giving both manufacturers and consumers the versatility, convenience and low cost they're looking for in the pairing of Internet appliances with our printers."

About BeIA: The Complete IA Solution
BeIA is comprised of the Client Platform, Integration Services and MAP. This integrated package of small footprint client-side software; development, customization and device management tools and services; and key third party services and technology, delivers a complete Internet appliance solution to device and service providers, including consumer electronics companies.

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 www.be.com.

About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market.

Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

Source: Be Incorporated