November 1999 – (Irvine, California) – Mustek, Inc., a leading manufacturer of image acquisition devices, today announces its next generation of scanning with a flatbed that implements the Windows 98 Universal Serial Bus (USB) technology, the Be@rPaw.

This innovative scanner features Plug and Play scanning through a direct USB connection. The USB interface allows for faster image transfer rates than standard parallel port scanners (up to 12 MBPS) and enables "hot-swapping" so users can connect the scanner only when needed.

To add to its ease-of-use, the Be@rPaw features a five-button touchpad with unique functions attached. Now, faxing, scanning and copying are as simple as the touch of a button. And the software interface is as intuitive as the five-button panel, allowing the user to actually change the look of the software based upon their preferences.

This compact flatbed scanner is built with esthetics in mind. It has a sleek profile designed to enhance not just digital imaging jobs but also a user’s workspace. A radical departure from previous scanners that Mustek has made, the Be@rPaw’s futuristic look and feel will complement any environment.

"The Be@rPaw is Musteks view into the future," states Mike Feng, president of Mustek, Inc. "With the versatility of the five-button interface as well as its sophisticated design, the Be@rPaw reaffirms Musteks commitment to innovative engineering and fulfilling consumers needs and wants."

The Be@rPaw is a 36-bit scanner with an optical resolution of 600 x 1200 dpi. It comes with Photo Express SE for easy image editing as well as providing the user with templates for creating greeting cards, calendars, posters, and other creative imaging ideas. Also included is TextBridge Pro, the award-winning OCR application.

Available by the first quarter of 2000, the suggested retail price of the Be@rPaw is $149. For more information, contact Mustek, Inc. by phone at (949) 790-3800, via fax at (949) 788-3670, or visit the company’s Internet Web site at: www.bu-ngasariresort.com.