Partnership with idealab! Venture Provides Hello Direct Customers a Secure, Private Place on the Web to Conduct Business

Boston, Mass. and San Jose, Calif. (March 21, 2000) - Intranets.com (www.intranets.com), developers of the world's first free intranet portals, and Hello Direct, Inc. (NASDAQ: HELO) today announced a strategic partnership to provide Hello Direct's small- and medium-size business customers with a free private space on the Web to conduct business. Hello Direct is the leading developer and direct marketer of desktop telephony and equipment interface products.

As the newest member of Intranets.com's Alliance Partner Program, Hello Direct benefits from a powerful business tool to attract new customers and retain old ones. By offering a fully functional, self-branded version of the free Intranets.com service, Hello Direct is able to strengthen customer relations, increase stickiness on their corporate web site, build brand awareness and boost revenues.

"Our partnership with Intranets.com plays a key role in our strategy of expanding the products and services we offer our customers on the Web," said Michael Young, vice president, CIO and chief e-business officer at Hello Direct. "The Intranets.com service will be added to our existing suite of HelloDirect.com business applications such as universal messaging, teleconference set-up and auction services. These value-added resources enable us to continually improve our customer value proposition and strengthen our relationships with our customers both on- and offline."

Since launching its Alliance Program in November, Intranets.com (www.intranets.com), has signed up more than 75 business partners who want to provide their valued and prospective customers with a co-branded intranet solution. Each intranet provides communication and collaboration applications such as document sharing, group discussions, announcement postings, calendar scheduling and contact databases.

"Enhancing our business model with strategic partnerships such as the new relationship with Hello Direct is an integral component to our own corporate success," stated Jay Gordon, vice president of business development for Intranets.com. "We are pleased to help provide Hello Direct's customers with a service they'll like and use, while simultaneously building brand awareness for Hello Direct's telephony products and services through the Intranets.com advertising and e-commerce channels.

Hello Direct customers can set up their intranets by visiting the Hello Direct home page at http://www.hellodirect.com. To learn more about partnering with Intranets.com, visit www.intranets.com.

About Hello Direct, Inc. Hello Direct, Inc. (Nasdaq: HELO) is the leading developer and direct marketer of desktop telephony and equipment interface solutions, including headsets, teleconferencing, wireless, and related desktop products. Through a combination of distinctive catalogs, outbound telemarketing and Internet sales channels, the Company offers a broad selection of commercial grade solutions to its customers' evolving communications needs. For more information on Hello Direct, Inc., please visit www.hellodirect.com the leading online source of telecommunications information, products and services.

About Intranets.com
Intranets.com is the world's leading provider of on-demand collaboration services for small businesses or departments and groups inside large organizations. The company serves more than 350,000 users across 10,000 companies worldwide and offers a secure, web-based collaboration suite to share critical business information quickly and easily at any time from anywhere. Privately held and profitable, Intranets.com is led by an experienced team of software industry professionals who are committed to providing a secure, customizable, easy-to-deploy intranet solution supported by world-class customer service. Intranets.com is a PC Magazine "Editor's Choice" winner and is rated one of the world's "Top 25" leading service providers by ASPNews. The company has also been ranked by the Boston Business Journal as one of the fastest growing private companies in Massachusetts for two consecutive years. For more information or to take a FREE 30-day test drive, visit http://www.intranets.com/pr, e-mail corpsales@intranets.com or call 888-932-2600 or 781-565-6000.

About idealab!
idealab! (www.idealab.com ) identifies, creates and operates Internet businesses. Founded in March 1996 by Bill Gross, idealab! currently has approximately 50 businesses in various stages of development. idealab! generates ideas for new Internet businesses and creates, capitalizes and operates a separate company to conduct each new business. Actively participating in the on-going operations of its network companies through board representation, information sharing and facilitating collaboration among the companies, idealab! also recruits management to oversee the day-to-day operations allowing senior management to concentrate on executing the business plan. Additionally, idealab! provides each operating company with a full range of operational support services including office space and the accompanying network infrastructure, technology, graphic design, marketing, competitive research, legal, accounting and business development services. idealab! public companies include eToys (Nasdaq: ETYS), GoTo.com (Nasdaq: GOTO), CitySearch (TMCS), NetZero (Nasdaq: NZRO) and Tickets.com (Nasdaq: TIXX).

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Press Contact:

Colin Smith
Director of Public Relations
408.566.5694

For Hello Direct Contact:
Allison Niday
Evans Partners
(831) 439-0977
Allison@impactcommpr.com

Intranets.com is a trademark of Intranets.com, Inc. idealab! is a registered trademark of idealab!, Inc. Inc.com and Click of Approval are trademarks of the Goldhirsh Group, Inc. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.