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News Archive |
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Thursday, 17 December 2009
Noritsu America Corp., a manufacturer of digital photo-imaging equipment, has completed its acquisition of Virginia-based Lucidiom Inc., a maker of automated customer photo kiosks, the companies today announced.
Steven L'Heureux, COO of Noritsu America Corp., says the acquisition will allow retailers to take advantage of the company's complementary employee-facing and customer self-service offerings:
Retailers looking for ways to enhance the profit opportunities from their photo services department now have an integrated and scalable photo solution for the consumer driven digital age. What we are offering retailers is the opportunity to combine the resources of our superior digital imaging equipment, already deployed in more than 50 percent of the nation's leading retailers, with Lucidiom's creative APM (automated photo machine) kiosks and versatile Web-based solutions.
Lucidiom currently has a worldwide footprint of more than 55,000 automated photo kiosks.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Comark Corp. has announced the release of a multimedia kiosk that allows customers to capture live video or photos in various backdrops using green screen technology and then share the content via e-mail or a printed postcard.
According to a news release from Comark, the kiosk features a built-in proximity sensor and a motion detector equipped camera to attract customers and save power during times of inactivity. The solution includes a 32-inch high-resolution LCD for advertising content, a 19-inch LCD touchscreen and a stainless-steel keyboard with a trackball mouse. Multiple software configurations and payment peripherals are available as well, the company says.
Monday, 14 September 2009
The Eastman Kodak Company has introduced its newest photo kiosk model, the KODAK Picture Kiosk G4XE Order Station.
In a news release, the company says the G4XE offers performance increases and higher energy efficiency than older kiosk models. It is available with a countertop footprint for instant photo printing or as a stand-alone station for submitting photo orders. KODAK says the G4XE processes typical photo orders more than 44 percent faster than older models and can create KODAK Picture Movie DVDs 70 percent faster.
KODAK says these features, coupled with higher efficiencies, will equal higher customer satisfaction and cost savings for retailers:
This speed advantage translates directly into reduced consumer queuing, more premium product potential, higher overall throughput capability and higher customer satisfaction. In addition, with its substantially lower power usage, the G4XE saves retailers up to 25 percent in electricity cost to run the device … .
According to the release, the G4XE supports KODAK Picture Kiosk Software version 2.0, which includes attract loops to draw customers to the machine.
Friday, 31 July 2009
Vienna, Va.-based Lucidiom has introduced its newest photo kiosk model, the APM 3700.
Lucidiom president Steve Giordano Jr. says the new model incorporates features that the company's retail customers have indicated are important to them:
 A major issue for retailers today is the look and feel of their shops, and the sleek and skinny APM 3700 is designed with that in mind. Space, security, aesthetics and noise levels were all considerations for this latest APM model. For instance, the APM 3700 is 30 percent smaller in depth and will accommodate just about every retail fixture. It also boasts cable control — all the cables and cords can be contained within its shell, allowing retailers to better merchandise their fixtures without concern for bothersome cables. 
According to a news release from Lucidiom, the APM 3700 also features mounting screws for extra security, a built-in magnetic stripe reader, and a brighter screen and larger hard drive than previous models.
Friday, 17 July 2009
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastman Kodak Company and Kinney Drugs, a leading community pharmacy and retail brand in New York and Vermont, today announced the deployment of KODAK Picture Kiosks and KODAK Adaptive Picture Exchange thermal dry lab systems into all Kinney Drug Stores.
The agreement enables Kinney Drugs to operate its in-store photofinishing services more cost-effectively and create a more sustainable retail environment, while allowing its customers to enjoy top-of-the-line print and photo-creation products.
Kinney Drugs has taken advantage of Kodak's scalable suite of photo processing and photo creation solutions, selecting specific equipment configurations to meet each store's volume and available space requirements. Kinney Drugs will be leverage a combination of Kodak's Multi-Station Kiosk technology, Kodak's APEX dry lab system, Kodak Print Stations, and G4x order stations.
"Kodak technology provides us with the most innovative solution to offer customers the highest quality photo-finishing products and services on the market," said Richard A. Cognetti Jr., vice president of retail merchandising for Kinney Drugs. "Replacing our existing fleet of wet lab printing systems with faster, more cost-effective Kodak APEX systems and instant kosks will improve photo center operations and is better for the environment."
Monday, 13 April 2009
GRAFTON, Wis. — The Sony SnapLab has been helping professional photographers and amateur shutterbugs produce quality prints for years. Next month at the KioskCom Self Service Expo, the kiosk will help show attendees take home a 4x6 shot or two as well.
The SnapLab will be in the booth of Frank Mayer & Associates, a full-service in-store marketing company specializing in custom kiosk enclosures and interactive displays. The company produced the enclosure and display component for the Sony SnapLab.
“For the past decade, Frank Mayer & Associates Inc. has been a leader in digital-photo kiosk-enclosure design, production and hardware integration with several generations of units in a variety of major national chains,” said Dave Zoerb, senior vice president of marketing. “The Sony SnapLab is the latest example of the continuing evolution of this market and FMA’s continuing contributions to this important application.”
Sony introduced several enhancements to the kiosk at last month’s PMA show in Las Vegas. Those enhancements included the addition of remote monitoring and management software, a wireless print-release option, improved scalability, a pattern lamination feature and deployment software.
KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show take place May 6-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Thursday, 09 April 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. — At the NACHA Payments Conference, Epson introduced a suite of three scanning devices optimized for small business payment processing.
According to a news release, the three products include the CaptureOne Single-Feed check scanner, the Perfection V30 flatbed check and document scanner, and the WorkForce 500 All-in-One Scanner with print, copy, fax and photo capabilities. Epson’s Perfection V30 and WorkForce 500 combine customized remote deposit capture software with multifunction scanning and document processing devices for more robust functionality. And Epson says the CaptureOne Single-Feed scanner offers the highest MICR accuracy of any competitive single-feed RDC device in its class.
According to Celent, checks represent 75 percent or more of the total receivables for more than two-thirds of small businesses, and RDC is an untapped opportunity in this segment.
“Until now, RDC has been too complex and expensive for small business users,” said Bud Weist, vice president of sales and marketing for the Epson System Device Group. “Epson has just made RDC easy, affordable and flexible, with three low-cost check processing options that conform to small business workflow.”
The Perfection V30 and Workforce 500 are the only SMB scanners available today with Epson’s SureCapture check imaging software. Designed to automatically handle the check imaging process, SureCapture crops, aligns and matches both sides of the check to prevent item errors, reads the MICR and sends the check data to the bank with all formatting required by the RDC application. The software comes bundled with both scanner models and is simple to install and use.
Epson’s CaptureOne Single-Feed scanner is ideal for small business customers processing up to 30 checks per day. It boasts the highest MICR accuracy. With an industry-leading two-year warranty and overnight replacement options to minimize downtime, Epson’s CaptureOne Single-Feed check scanner is the ideal option for banks and ISOs looking to implement trouble-free RDC in a large number of small businesses with geographically dispersed locations.
Epson’s Perfection V30 is the only color flatbed scanner available today that offers everything SMBs need to take advantage of RDC. Ideal for small businesses that process up to 10 checks per day, it combines high-resolution color flatbed document and photo scanning with customized check processing capabilities. The Perfection V30 allows users to scan, copy, create PDFs, email documents and photos and, with its unique SureCapture check imaging software, it also captures and formats check images for the unique RDC application.
The Workforce 500 offers everything SMBs need to take advantage of the benefits of RDC. In its class it is ideal for small businesses that accept up to 10 checks per day. It allows users to scan, print, copy and fax documents and photos, and, with its unique SureCapture check imaging software, it also captures and formats check images tailored to their RDC application. In addition to check imaging, it offers fast print speeds and laser-quality printing. The device also includes a 30-page automatic document feeder for quick copying, scanning or faxing.
Other features include double-sided printing to conserve paper, color faxes up to 3 seconds per page, and it uses up to three times less power than a regular laser printer.
Friday, 13 March 2009
ATLANTA — KIS Photo-Me Group, a provider of instant printing equipment, debuted its KIS Photobook Maker in the United States at PMA 09 in Las Vegas last week, according to a news release.
The kiosk sorts customer photos into an aesthetically pleasing layout in about two minutes, based on photo date and archival properties. High-gloss, stain-proof and scratch-resistant paper, as well as a quality binding system, ensure the DVD jacket size albums are built to last.
To complete an album, consumers bring their images on a memory card or USB stick to the kiosk, select the images to appear in the album and ensure the images are oriented in the right direction. Consumers then choose a photo for the front cover and enter an album name which will be printed on the KIS Photobook cover page and spine. Approximately eight minutes later, consumers leave the kiosk with their new photobook in hand.
The news release predicts that KIS Photobook Makers will offer a swift return on investment with profit margins up to 50 percent.
"Thanks to digital cameras, the average consumer takes eight to 10 times more digital photos than with analog cameras," said Nicolas Series, president of KIS USA and vice president of Photo-Me International PLC. "Photobooks have evolved as a means of transforming rarely viewed digital images into finished albums and preserved memories, perfect for reminiscing and reliving life's finest moments. Our cutting-edge smart technology software, combined with the latest techniques in digital imaging, allow the KIS Photobook Maker to create, print and bind quality albums in minutes, and this is an industry first."
Up to 30 pages and 90 photos can be included in each KIS Photobook. The albums feature a 300 dpi print resolution, with images sized at 5.7 inches x 8 inches.
The KIS Photobook Maker is scheduled to appear in a selection of test retail outlets starting in April.
Thursday, 05 March 2009
Twice: Kodak, a member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association, has announced plans to add new up-sell functionality to its Picture Kiosk later this year. The announcement came at the PMA International Convention and Tradeshow in Las Vegas, a gathering of professionals in the photo imaging community. Kodak's Picture Movie DVD creation software used in its Picture Maker kiosks will be updated in the second quarter of this year. When that happens, Kodak will also roll out an "intelligent up-sell" algorithm in its Picture Kiosks to drive DVD and photo book sales.
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Wednesday, 04 March 2009
VIENNA, Va. -- Lucidiom has received three DIMA Innovative Digital Product Awards for its technology offerings in the photo kiosk space, according to a news release.
The first award was for the company's "Scene Me" white screen technology. Similar to the green screen used in the movie industry, Lucidiom's Scene Me is a white screen application for the APM photo kiosk that enables users to put themselves in a variety of scenes depending on the content offered by the retailer. A customer visiting a Lucidiom APM photo kiosk equipped with this feature might choose to create a custom comic strip by placing their child's photo within a licensed Marvel Comics scene or next to Hanna Montana on stage.
Lucidiom also received an award for the Lucidiom EQ coordinated social expression products, which include gift wrap, note cards, folded cards, invitations, banners, posters, photo books and covers, proof books, notepads and envelopes. Lucidiom is the only retail imaging company to offer a wrapping paper template for photo kiosks, according to the news release.
Lucidiom's latest kiosk software version, APM 7.0, also received a DIMA Award. The new version features instant photo uploads from the in-store kiosk to the customer's Photo Finale Web account, as well as the new retailer up-sell engine and a redesigned Product Finder.
"Lucidiom's coordinated social expression products are the 'Do you want fries with that?' of the photo industry," said Steve Giordano, Jr., president of Lucidiom. "With all the Long Tail possibilities of the personal publishing world, even retailers that market their products will often struggle with letting consumers know about all the creative possibilities. Now, we've built the coordinated product suggestion right into the APM order process."
The awards took place at the PMA International Convention and Tradeshow in Las Vegas. PMA is a professional trade association that helps the worldwide photo imaging community adapt to new technologies.
Wednesday, 04 March 2009
CNET.com: Several attendees of the PMA International Convention and Tradeshow in Las Vegas this week are using Hewlett-Packard TouchSmart PCs to demo their photo kiosk software packages. PMA, a professional trade association that helps the worldwide photo imaging community adapt to new technologies, holds the show annually to explore the latest in photo techology. Storefront.com was spotted on the floor by CNET reporter Erica Ogg, with a half-dozen TouchSmarts available for attendees to try out the company's software for retail store printing kiosks. Hewlett-Packard is a member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association.
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Monday, 02 March 2009
BUENA PARK, Calif. -- Noritsu America Corp., a provider of digital imaging solutions, has unveiled the new CT-RS photo kiosk, according to a news release.
The kiosk will be showcased at Noritsu's Booth F155 at the PMA International Convention and Tradeshow in Las Vegas, March 3-5.
PMA is a professional trade association that helps the worldwide photo imaging community adapt to new technologies.
According to the news release, the Noritsu CT-RS photo kiosk is a consumer input self-service terminal that is designed for retail environments. It is equipped with a new media reader that accepts a wide range of input media and delivers processing speeds three times as fast as previous Noritsu models. It includes a built-in receipt printer and is available in a countertop configuration, or as a standalone photo printing system that supports multiple internal photo printers. The kiosk also accepts raw image files directly from digital cameras.
"Noritsu's extensive history of industry innovation and award-winning products has long allowed retailers to offer consumers a wide range of value-added photo merchandise that provides a convenient and satisfying way to preserve their memories," said Akihiko Kuwabara, president of Noritsu America Corp. "The D703, D502, CT-RS and EZ System Manager continue this tradition by ensuring top performance, simplicity and flexibility that directly translates into greater revenue opportunities for the retailer."
Monday, 02 March 2009
MSNBC: Noritsu America Corp., a provider of digital imaging solutions, has announced its intention to purchase Lucidiom Inc., a provider of self-service retail photo kiosks and online services. According to a press release, the acquisition would position Noritsu to develop a strong in-store and Web-based presence for retail photo delivery and consumer-driven creative photo products and services. "The acquisition is an important step forward in our vision to provide the retail industry a compelling single source photo solution," said Akihiko Kuwabara, president of Noritsu America Corp.
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Friday, 20 February 2009
FOLSOM, Calif. -- RocketLife LLC, provider of new media technologies, has unveiled RocketLife Touch, a photo creation and merchandising product for touchscreen kiosks.
According to a news release, RocketLife Touch utilizes touchscreen technology, enabling the user to place his or her images on professional photo books, designer mugs, posters and several other personal photo products. Users have the option of including dramatic enhancements, such as full placement and layering of photos, graphic objects and text and even image processing and special effects.
Wednesday, 04 February 2009
ATLANTA -- The new KIS Photobook Maker kiosk turns digital images into customized keepsakes in minutes, according to a news release.
KIS Photo-Me Group, a provider of instant printing equipment, will launch their new and revolutionary Photobook Maker at PMA 09, a trade show in Las Vegas that showcases the latest developments in photography. The freestanding kiosks are an industry first, according to the news release, combining cutting edge software with the latest digital imaging technology to produce long lasting photo albums in minutes.
Designed to quickly and easily turn digital images into attractive print albums, the KIS Photobook Maker uses smart technology software to arrange pictures into an aesthetic layout based on archival details and photo orientation. Stain-resistant and scratch-proof paper ensure KIS Photobooks are print and bound to last long.
Up to 30 pages and 90 photos can be included in each KIS Photobook. The albums feature a glossy finish and 300 dpi print resolution. The DVD jacket size (5.7 inches x 8 inches), complete with the album title printed on the spine, is easy to view, share and store.
KIS Photobook Maker kiosks will be on display at Booth E271.
Wednesday, 04 February 2009
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Eastman Kodak Company and Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. announced the successful deployment of KODAK Picture Kiosks to more than 213 Duckwall-ALCO stores across the U.S. (approximately 80 percent of Duckwall-ALCO stores nationwide), according to a news release. KODAK Picture Kiosks allow Duckwall-ALCO to deliver a host of new digital printing and photo processing services to its customers in small communities around the country.
In addition to conventional photo prints, KODAK Picture Kiosks enable Duckwall-ALCO customers to quickly and easily create unique photo solutions, such as KODAK Picture Movie DVDs, KODAK Picture CDs, photo collages, calendars, invitations, announcements and greeting cards. Prior to installing the KODAK Picture Kiosks, Duckwall-ALCO customers had limited choices for photo finishing and photo creation services, and would often have to drive to larger cities to take care of their photo printing and processing needs.
"KODAK Picture Kiosks represent the latest service in a continuing effort to provide product and services for everyday life in small town America," said Mike Crist, director of Business Development, Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. "Introducing a highly recognized brand like Kodak to our customers has been overwhelmingly positive and has generated increased week-to-week traffic at our photo centers."
Duckwall-ALCO has taken advantage of Kodak's scalable suite of digital printing kiosks and has selected specific equipment configurations to meet each store's volume and available space requirements. Leveraging Kodak's award winning user interface, the KODAK Picture Kiosk G4's image loading and processing speed reduces wait times, increases consumer satisfaction and delivers stunning products that help consumers share and relive their lives in new and exciting ways, according to the release.
"Kodak's state-of-the-art photo order and processing technologies can be scaled to meet a wide variety of retail environments, and we're proud to see our KODAK Picture Kiosks driving success for a leading small-market retailer like Duckwall-ALCO," said Mike Saturnia, director and vice president of sales, Eastman Kodak Company. "We are proud to bring our digital printing capabilities and experiences to a new set of consumers. Kodak is helping retailers in markets of all sizes and locations inspire their customers to create unique and memorable photo products."
Monday, 05 January 2009
The New York Times: At most weddings, there are 10,000 good picture opportunities but only one photographer - one professional photographer, that is. How many couples have been frustrated because that photographer wasn't at the right place at the right time to snap the perfect shot? A newly developed kiosk may change all of that. The wedding kiosk, developed by a 33-year-old graduate student at the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business, lets wedding guests insert their memory cards and upload digital images from their cameras, so the bride and groom can have access to everyone's photos.
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Wednesday, 24 December 2008
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Mitch Goldstone, president and chief executive of ScanMyPhotos International, credits the quality of prints from Eastman KODAK technology for an uptick in business during the economic downturn.
According to a news release, ScanMyPhotos International provides photo scanning services, specialized photo services and photo printing from digital files via an Internet site, ScanMyPhotos.com, and has a brick-and-mortar store in Irvine, Calif., for closer-to-home business.
"My sales this year have exceeded any other since founding my company in 1990," said Goldstone. "Today, I have three times the number of people employed compared to a year ago and we are all working 20-hour shifts, not because of the holidays, as my business model is not reliant on seasonal fluctuations. I owe it all to KODAK Technology."
Goldstone recently purchase two additional KODAK i660 Scanners to supplement his one original. Recently, he has started offering KODAK Picture Movie DVD services online.
For the walkup self-service side of his business, Goldstone purchased Kodak's new modular, thermal dry lab system for making digital prints, the KODAK Adaptive Picture Exchange. It is connected to a bank of self-service KODAK Picture Kiosk G4s at the Irvine location.
Goldstone said his business has grown largely through online orders.
Tuesday, 09 December 2008
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Consumers in Australia will soon have another option for printing their digital images.
According to a news release, Kodak has signed a strategic alliance with Officeworks to install Kodak's Adaptive Picture Exchange dry photo labs in stores nationwide.
Kodak's APEX lab and associated Picture Kiosk order stations are expected to be installed in up to 118 Officeworks stores by April 2009. The national rollout will enable every store to offer quality Kodak digital prints using the latest cutting-edge imaging technology.
"Kodak was selected by Officeworks as its preferred photo print partner due to the superior features and benefits of the APEX photo-lab, to both their business and to their customers," said Grant Smith, business general manager of Kodak Australia's Consumer Digital Group. "Officeworks will be able to offer its customers a fast, reliable, environmentally friendly and cost effective print service which will help them drive their bottom line, while growing their photo printing business."
The Kodak APEX system is a modular, behind-the-counter thermal dry lab system that allows consumers to print high quality Kodak digital prints, enlargements, calendars and collages — as well as to burn Picture Movie DVDs — using the optimum printing technology for each application.
Tuesday, 09 December 2008
Cnet Australia: Art afficionados now have a new means of obtaining classic artwork reproductions on canvas or silk. Canon and Foto Riesel, a photographic retailer, have opened their first "digital darkroom" concept store in Sydney, Australia. The store, which is located next to Foto Riesel's main outlet on Kent Street, allows consumers and professionals to print high quality images on a range of Canon printers and plotters. An art-on-demand touchscreen kiosk is one of the key features of the new store. The kiosk allows users to select from an image bank of more 7,000 artworks by artists such as Claude Monet and Gustav Klimt.
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Friday, 05 December 2008
DRAPER, Utah — AVinci Media Corp. recently launched the myMovieMaker Gold Plus product line on photo kiosks across the United States. MyMovieMaker Gold Plus offers fully licensed music, new themes with Hollywood-style special effects and beautifully designed DVD cover packaging. Themes for the photo movies include Christmas, "The Polar Express" Christmas, general occasions, vacations, weddings, baby arrivals, achievements and more.
According to a news release, a new feature allows customers to order matching photo books and posters with a single click. Customers simply choose a theme and add the photos, and myMovieMaker does the rest. Once the order is submitted, the finished product is available for pickup at the retail store within days.
AVinci's Gold Plus products are now available on photo kiosks in approximately 3,300 Wal-Mart stores across the United States.
Friday, 21 November 2008
VIENNA, Va. — Photo retailers offering a wide variety of creative photo products like photo books, calendars and folded cards are enjoying a strong fourth quarter despite a tough economic environment, according to a news release from Lucidiom. With more than 55,000 APM photo kiosks deployed worldwide, Lucidiom is reporting a 573 percent increase in photo book orders this year over last year, as well as a 373 percent increase in calendar orders, a 460 percent increase in folded card orders and a 172 percent increase in flat card orders.
"The entire country is prepared for a tough fourth quarter, but all the news out there is not bleak," said Lucidiom president Steve Giordano, Jr. "While your customers may not be purchasing $300 cameras for multiple people this year, Lucidiom's APM Network data shows us they are purchasing plenty of profitable personal publishing products. The key this holiday season will be to market these products as the priceless gifts they represent for so many gift recipients. After all, what grandmother doesn’t want to see her grandkids on her wall calendar throughout the New Year?"
Since 2001, Lucidiom kiosks have processed hundreds of millions of photo orders and billions of prints, creating a unique collection of digital photo data within the APM Network. The APM Network links and manages every APM, each store's Lab 50 management station and each fulfillment center to Lucidiom's central processing servers. Analysis of this data gives Lucidiom and its retail customers unparalleled and exclusive insight into how consumers capture and print their photos and create their family memories.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy has enhanced its KODAK Picture Kiosks and Online Photo Center as a part of CVS/pharmacy's ongoing commitment to providing customers with the best possible retail photo experience.
According to a news release, customers can, for the first time, create photo gifts using KODAK touchscreen picture kiosks at all CVS/pharmacy One Hour Photo Centers. The gifts include one-of-a-kind photo cookies, photo playing cards, and photo plates featuring the Disney "High School Musical" cast, Barbie and Hannah Montana.
The enhanced KODAK Picture Kiosks include a sleek on-screen menu designed to help customers quickly start a project. The new software automatically detects digital media (USB drives, memory cards, CDs, etc.) and organizes by date and folders.
For customers who prefer to manage their photos online, CVS/pharmacy also provides free online photo storage. Here, customers can upload their images, order photo gifts and share photo galleries with friends and family.
KODAK Picture Kiosks are found at all 5,600 CVS/pharmacy one-hour photo locations nationwide.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
DRAPER, Utah - While getting a card or gift with a stamp from across the country or overseas is always nice, actually seeing family members and loved ones on TV can make the holidays much more special. Imagine a technology that takes your treasured family photographs and sets them in motion, instantly weaving them together with cinematic effects to create a Hollywood-style photo movie production, all without hours online learning complicated software tools.
"A personalized photo DVD makes the ideal holiday greeting or gift," says Chett B. Paulsen, President and chief executive of aVinci Media Corporation, a company based in Draper, Utah, that is revolutionizing the way life events and memories are shared and preserved. "Family DVDs bring home the holiday spirit, especially when family, friends and loved ones can't physically be together."
For the 40 million U.S. photo consumers, aVinci's creative solutions are as close as one can get to actually being there. Available online at www.avincistudio.com and at photo center kiosks at some of the nation's largest retailers, aVinci's aim is to develop engaging, expansive, all-encompassing ways for everyone to tell their story using personal digital expressions, according to a news release.
"Our motto is: any platform, any product," says Paulsen. "Our suite of products are available online, as desktop software and in stores, and the end product can be shared as DVDs, photo books, posters and more."
In addition to aVinci's life-event themed packages (including achievement, baby, wedding and vacation), the company is introducing The Polar Express Christmas theme just in time for the holiday season. Based on the 2004 film version of Chris Van Allsburg's award-winning children's book, aVinci's The Polar Express Christmas photo DVD allows children to hop aboard their favorite family film, incorporating their personal photos into scenes from the movie and allowing them to interact with Tom Hanks's conductor character as he makes his way to the North Pole. In addition to the DVD, customers can order a matching photo book and poster.
"Imagine the excitement and sense of magic children will feel when they pop in a DVD to watch their favorite holiday film and see themselves on the big screen!" says Mr. Paulsen. "And, with a DVD priced under $25, a 21st-century holiday greeting is within anyone's reach."
Thursday, 30 October 2008
SYDNEY, Australia — Kodak and Myer have announced a new partnership that makes Kodak the official supplier of photo-lab service for Myer customers.
According to a news release, the service will be rolled out nationally to all Myer stores and will be called "Kodak at Myer."
The partnership, which was finalized on Oct. 16, will see an initial nine Myer stores fitted with Kodak digital picture labs and kiosks.
"Kodak is delighted to be announcing this new partnership with Myer," said Grant Smith, general manager of Kodak Australasia's Consumer Digital Group. "We were selected as the preferred partner for Myer after careful consideration and evaluation of all the available options. Both companies felt strongly about the synergies in our respective brands, including the onus that we both place on quality in terms of the products and services we offer and the values on which we run our businesses."
Kodak at Myer will offer Myer customers both in-store and online services with dedicated photo labs or at Kodak kiosks located throughout the store, or through a dedicated online portal on the Myer Web site.
Available services include: specific print styles including varying sizes, colors and the addition of borders; monthly and annual calendars; collages; greeting cards; picture CDs and Kodak's new Picture Movie DVD, which was launched earlier this year.
In addition to the traditional photo printing services, a complete collection of memorable photo gift ideas such as coffee cups, key rings, beer coolers, t-shirts, fridge magnets, puzzles, photo books and even canvas prints are also available. Customers will be able to choose to have the products delivered to their home or to pick up in store.
Thursday, 09 October 2008
PictureBusiness: Jessops has recently announced that it has signed a deal with Lucidiom to install and deliver over 1,000 kiosks at the leading photographic retailer's 233 stores across the U.K. The new kiosks and related software will complement the recent launch of Jessops Jpics, "allowing consumers to enjoy the wider range of photographic products available from the service in-store," the company said in a released statement. The companies explained that Jessops' partnership with Lucidiom is the first of its kind in the U.K. and marks a step in a new direction for photo kiosks nationwide.
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Wednesday, 24 September 2008
COLOGNE, Germany — KODAK has released the upgrade for version 2.0 of its Picture Kiosk software.
The new upgrade encourages consumers to make premium products easily through dedicated attract loops and premium product visualization with customer images – right at the order summary.
According to a news release, the software delivers improved workflows that make it easier for consumers do what they want, from finding their important pictures to stunning premium product items, quickly and easily. The software also enables direct G3 and G4 series kiosk connectivity to the KODAK DL2100 Duplex Printer, allowing retailers to leverage their existing KODAK Picture Kiosk hardware investment as the basis for expansion into fast-growth double-sided photobooks, greeting cards and calendars right in the store. In addition, the new software also enables ordering of exciting off-site photo-merchandise that delivers even more profitable retailer opportunities while delivering on the promise of consumer digital photography.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Current.com.au: Since 1996, Fujifilm Australia has been rolling out its Frontier Digital Minilab kiosks. The company now has just installed its 800th kiosk at Dick Smith Powerhouse in Elizabeth, South Australia. Fujifilm says it now expects to exceed the 1,000 mark within two years.
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Tuesday, 09 September 2008
MarketWatch: Eastman Kodak Company, the world's foremost imaging innovator, has formed a partnership with Paige Davis and "Trading Spaces," TLC's popular home design show. The dynamic integration, which continues through March 2009, will encourage consumers to explore their creativity and do more with their photos. As Kodak's brand ambassador, Paige Davis, through inspiring, affordable design tips, will demonstrate how KODAK products, including KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Cameras, KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Picture Frames, KODAK EASYSHARE All-in-One Inkjet Printers, and the KODAK Picture Kiosk, offer true solutions for sharing and displaying photos.
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Thursday, 04 September 2008
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — PhotoChannel Networks Inc., provider of digital media solutions for retailers, has announced terms to acquire WorksMedia Ltd., dba Works Imaging.
Works, which is based in the United Kingdom, provides retailers with kiosk and desktop software to create and order photo products such as PhotoBooks, calendars and other photo gift products.
According to a news release, terms of the deal will be announced after the deal officially closes, which is expected to happen during the first quarter of fiscal year 2009.
"PhotoChannel has identified desktop photo product creation software as an area of growth for the company and as such has been searching for a product to complete our digital image ordering solution for retailers," says Peter Fitzgerald, chairman and chief executive of PhotoChannel. "We believe the Works software fits very well with our online platform and furthermore the Works team understands what retailers need. Combining our online platform's Web site front-end and back-end routing tier capabilities with Works' kiosk and desktop software capabilities makes for an outstanding opportunity to drive more revenue for our retailers and in turn PNI. The Works technology compliments our existing software very well."
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Lancashire (England) Telegraph: A fledgling entrepreneur based in the U.K. is aiming to give wedding photography a 21st century twist with his new product. Memorytube Kiosks Ltd. is pioneering interactive touchscreen kiosks that enable people to download photographs from their mobile phones and onto a hard drive while they are still at the event. Owner Lee Cunningham, 38, started the company at the end of 2007 and believes the kiosks could eventually replace the need for disposable cameras at weddings.
Click to continue
Tuesday, 01 July 2008
ATLANTA — MyPhotopipe.com Inc., a Web-based online provider of digital photo processing and related services, has announced that new industry data shows the number of prints made from digital photos continued to grow at double-digit percentage rates during April 2008, and that growth in online ordering continues to outpace all other methods of ordering prints, including in-store kiosks and other retail models.
The report, The U.S. Photo Industry 2008 Review and Forecast, was released last week by the Photo Marketing Association. The group is a trade organization of photo manufacturers and retailers.
According to the report, the number of prints made from digital photos increased 19 percent in April 2008 vs. prior-year levels, while online ordering with home delivery rose 37 percent. The share-of-market for online ordering with mail delivery grew to 16.5 percent, or about one out of every six prints made from digital images. Kiosks were flat at 14.8 percent, the second consecutive month where they fell behind online.
"Photography has interlocking links that spread across the Web in ways that keep people on their computers and within the Internet like no other retail product," said L. Douglas Keeney, chief executive of myPhotopipe.com Inc. "Photography has become more computer- and online-centric than most people realize."
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
IrishDev: Xerox Ireland announced the Xerox Photo Kiosk, developed in partnership with Imaxel. This solution is designed for storefront locations that want to offer a one hour or less, local print service for personalized photographic applications such as calendars, photograph albums and books, posters and photo cards.
Read more
Friday, 18 January 2008
KNOXVILLE, Maryland — Kiosk Group Inc and Shenzhen KaiMingYang Technology Co. Ltd. have announced a partnership, under the name KMYAmerica, to promote KMY’s line of kiosks in the Western Hemisphere.
KMY, manufacturer and integrator of kiosks throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East, develops banking, phone, parking system, ticketing and photo kiosks. Yang Lingxiang, head of KMY’s engineering department, also designed and developed Kodak photo kiosks.
Monday, 19 November 2007
The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press: Meijer Inc. has introduced Hewlett-Packard's advanced Digital Photo Center Solution kiosks in its photo departments. Meijer's 181 stores in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky were selected by Hewlett-Packard to test the digital photo systems in advance of a national roll-out.
Read more
Thursday, 15 November 2007
HEXUS: Jessops, a photographic retailer in the U.K., is the first such British retailer to link in-store photo-printing kiosks to its online photo printing center · Jessops Picture House. The move means that customers now can go into any Jessops store and print pictures they have previously uploaded to their accounts at Jessops Picture House, as well as being able to upload pictures to their online account from the kiosks.
Read more
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
PALO ALTO, Calif. · A new report from Frost & Sullivan titled "North American Photo Kiosk Markets" takes a look at major industry trends as well as the install base and revenue-growth data in the photo kiosk sector. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's analysts examine the business done at photo kiosks in traditional mass retail markets and in emerging nontraditional, cafe-style photo kiosk settings.
The report found that revenue growth will be impacted by the increase in photo gifting and scrapbooking that will cause a powerful shift in the photo-kiosk product mix. The segment is anticipated to capture 20 percent of all kiosk transactions by 2013, and this in turn will raise the average transaction price from $10.83 in 2006 to $16.69 in 2013. "Further revenue growth will be achieved by shifts in transaction patterns," said one Frost & Sullivan analyst. "Frost & Sullivan predicts the number of daily transactions per photo kiosk to increase from the current average of 8 per day to 12 per day by 2013."
Monday, 01 October 2007
BALTIMORE, Md. · The North American photo kiosk market is poised to continue its growth streak, thanks largely to the emergence of the diverse gifting and creative product mix, reports Frost & Sullivan.
With an anticipated compound annual growth rate of 57 percent through 2013, the gifting and creative mix could well increase its share of all transactions to 20 percent by 2013.
For these levels of growth to be achieved, industry leaders in both the vendor and retail markets must work toward increasing customer awareness of the photo kiosks and their growing product mixes.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, U.S. Photo Kiosk Markets, reveals that this market earned revenues of $2.15 billion in 2006 and estimates this to reach $13.0 billion in 2013.
"Retailers no longer battle for the meager profits earned from the traditional 4x6 prints, but focus their efforts on encouraging customers to create lasting souvenirs in the form of photo-books, calendars and other image enhanced keepsakes,"� said Rufus Connell, Frost & Sullivan's information & communications technologies vice president.
Besides offering consumers an additional means to print and share their images, the gifting and creative product mix provides retailers a significantly better ROI than the 4x6 prints. Vendors too have taken note, and innovative software and improved workflow now are helping consumers take advantage of the ever-growing possibilities that exist beyond traditional photo kiosk use.
However, the industry is not without its challenges, the biggest of which is how to get the consumers to print a greater percentage of the images captured on digital cameras and also camera phones. According to the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association, less than 20 percent of images captured on these devices are printed. Frost & Sullivan is of the opinion that this is the single biggest restraint to the photo kiosk industry and expects this to be a formidable obstacle over the next few years.
"Having said that, the emerging gifting and creative market could gradually change this trend," Connell said. "Since the trend today is to not share our photos by print, but to share them through e-mail or on computer screens, photo merchandise will be seen as an attractive and effective way to both share and preserve our images."
Friday, 28 September 2007
ROCHESTER, N.Y. · Eastman Kodak Company has announced the KODAK Picture Kiosk GS Compact, an entry-level, self-service digital picture printing solution, which opens business opportunities for new retail locations, including smaller and non-traditional environments. Well-suited for locations with print demand of 30-50 prints a day, the GS Compact is a smaller countertop unit that combines flexible placement with fast and simple installation.
The GS Compact supports 4x6, bordered 5x7 and 6x8 print sizes without changing media and an 11-second print time for 4x6 prints. The GS Compact also includes enhanced ID photo capabilities, which make it easier for retailers to meet size requirements for different countries. In addition to standard prints, consumers can make enlargements and print packages and can print pictures from Bluetooth imaging-enabled mobile devices.
In addition to the GS Compact, Kodak has announced the KODAK 805 Photo Printer, which is optimized for lower print volume environments. The KODAK 805 Photo Printer enables retailers to offer their consumers 8x10 and 8x12 enlargements, collages and calendars in seconds.
Thursday, 20 September 2007
MyFoxOrlando.com: West Melbourne (Fla.) Police have arrested a man and charged him with several counts of child pornography and battery on a child under the age of 12. Officers say the man developed 140 photos, some of which depicted sex acts and situations with a child, at a photo kiosk in a local Wal-Mart. The man apparently didn't realize the machine ran out of paper during his session, and when an employee refilled the kiosk, the remaining prints emerged. Other photos had been cleared from the kiosks had been removed, but computer technicians were able to undelete them.
Read more
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
ARMONK, N.Y. · IBM Corp. agreed to provide hardware and software services for Eastman Kodak Co.'s Kodak Picture kiosks in South America. Financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed.
IBM will provide desk support and create virtual project offices for Kodak in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru. IBM will manage the services for Kodak from call centers in Argentina and Brazil.
Tuesday, 04 September 2007
The (Malaysia) Star Online: While the excitement (and anxiety) of waiting for your prints to come back have diminished somewhat with the advent of digital photography, FujiFilm Malaysia hopes to inject some of the magic back into making trips to photo printing stores with its new Fujifilm Digital Kiosk 7000 series photo-processing kiosks. FujiFilm has 130 digital kiosks in Malaysia and says it expects to have up to 500 by March 2008.
Read more
Thursday, 30 August 2007
NEW YORK CITY · Hewlett Packard has signed an agreement with Meijer, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supercenter retailer, to provide a digital HP Photo Center kiosk solution. The solution includes the HP Photosmart Studio and Microlab products.
According to a news release Snapfish by HP will host Meijer's online photo site, including the capability to have online orders for prints and creative photo products mailed directly to a customer's home or sent to a Meijer location for fast printing and in-store pick up.
Monday, 27 August 2007
The New Zealand Herald: Maryanne Dransfield, New Zealand, director of the Photo Marketing Association, said New Zealand now has "well in excess of 2,000" photo kiosks across the country, the result of the growing popularity of digital cameras and photo-capable phones. And demand is expected to continue, as sales of digital cameras increase by around 20 percent a year.
Read more
Thursday, 16 August 2007
Picture Business: Between August and November 2007, Sony teams will set up interactive, educational kiosks to explain the benefits of the Sony Alpha system. The kiosk will be placed on-site at soccer and indoor field-hockey tournaments throughout the Midwest and Southeast. Sony hopes to inform Gen-X moms along with the more photo-challenged masses about the advantages of digital photography.
Wednesday, 08 August 2007
BENTONVILLE, Ark. · Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Sequoia Media Group announced the launch of myMovieMaker, a new product available at all Wal-Mart stores that transforms consumer digital photos into DVD movies. Consumers can create personalized DVD movies in the store using a photo center touchscreen kiosk.
The solution automatically creates the DVD movie with personalized case cover, DVD label and thumbnail insert.
Developed by Sequoia Media Group, the product line uses themed storyboards. More than 50 movie themes are available.
myMovieMaker DVD productions can contain up to 40 personal photos.
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Current.com.au: Australian retail giant Harvey Norman plans to roll out Fujifilm self-service digital photo printing kiosks within their stores nationally. In addition, they will place touchscreen music kiosks from Australia's Abuzz Technologies in their stores. "As Australia's leading electronics and IT retailer, it is only fitting that we meet this new area of demand," said Rutland Smith, Harvey Norman general manager.
Monday, 09 July 2007
CRN Australia: Photo kiosk developer Whitech has sold 35 percent of its company to Fujifilm Holdings Australasia. Whitech's suite of PhotoTeller software is marketed with Fujifilm's Digital Photo Center kiosks, which are now said to provide consumers the most popular method of picture ordering in Australian retail stores.
Read more
Tuesday, 03 July 2007
Current.com.au: Camera House is expected to be the first Australian retailer to sign on with Hewlett-Packard for HP's new line photo kiosks. Camera House is planning a rollout at 49 of its stores. HP has been conducting an in-store trial program for its photo-kiosk debut with a number of retailers, including Camera House, Harvey Norman, Officeworks and K-Mart.
Read more
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
DigitalCameraInfo.com: According to a survey conducted by the Photo Marketing Association, instant kiosk photo greeting card production rose slightly, from 13 percent in 2005 to 15 percent in 2006.
Read more
Thursday, 31 May 2007
DUBAI · Kodak has announced the launch of its second-generation Kodak Picture Kiosks in the Middle East. The kiosks, dubbed as being "your very own photo lab," offer users the bonus of printing in private as well as personalizing select prints from their digital cameras or Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones.
The second-generation kiosks also offers personalized options, including the ability to add borders or text, the option to turn the picture into a greeting card or calendar, or changing photo prints from color to sepia or black-and-white.
Friday, 04 May 2007
MILPITAS, Calif. · Solectron Corp., a provider of integrated electronic supply chain services including design, manufacturing and aftermarket services, announced it has been awarded Eastman Kodak Company's Supplier Quality Process Supplier Certification award.
Kodak recognized Solectron for its continued commitment to excellence in manufacturing of Kodak Picture Kiosks, which are designed, marketed and serviced by Kodak.
"Solectron's consistent execution enables Kodak to continue to focus on serving our customers to the highest possible level," said Steven Scime, director of worldwide kiosk operations, Kodak.
Thursday, 15 March 2007
LAS VEGAS · The fourth annual DIMA Photo Kiosk Shoot-Out crowed eight winners at PMA 07 in Las Vegas. The contest was divided into four categories and the winners were chosen from a field of 33 kiosks by a panel of kiosk experts and a panel of everyday consumers. The expert panel was comprised of Francie Mendolsohn of Summit Research Associates, Lawrence Dvorchik of KioskCom and Robert Porter of Euro Kiosks Network.
The winners from the expert panel are as follows:
Digital order station winner
Storefront Digital Order Station
Instant print winner
Storefront Instant Print Winner
Software only winner
Storefront PhotoKiosk
Other than photo winner
Lucidiom Luci
And the winners as chosen by the consumer panel:
Digital order station winner
Kodak Picture Kiosk G4 Order Station
Instant print winner
Kodak Picture Kiosk G4 Digital Station
Software only winner
Storefront PhotoKiosk
Other than photo winner
Kodak Picture Kiosk G4 24" Print Station
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
Vancouver-based Storefront.com won four out of the potential eight awards in the 2007 DIMA Photo Kiosk Shoot-Out, which was held on Wednesday, March 7 in Las Vegas. 33 photo kiosks were entered in the contest, which consisted of four categories and was judged by an expert panel and a consumer panel.
In the expert category, Storefront.com took home the awards for top Digital Order Station, Instant Print Station and Software. They were also voted best software by the consumer panel as well.
"We are the software guys," said Storefront.com president and CTO Murray MacDonald. "Lots of people are buying third party hardware and using our software. It's not so much about the kiosk, it's about keeping that lab running."
Other winners include Kodak, which won the other three categories as voted by the consumers, and Lucidiom's Luci design station, which the expert panel voted tops in the "Other Than Photo" category.
Thursday, 08 March 2007
LAS VEGAS · Rimage Corp. announced the launch of its Digital Manufacturing Center platform designed exclusively for on-demand digital-content delivery at retail.
The Rimage system produces Hybrid DVDs · a new format that combines photos with a musical soundtrack or video introduction · plus conventional photo CDs and music CDs from a complete catalog of music on demand. All these products are produced on the Rimage Digital Manufacturing Center, automatically, complete with full color direct-to-disc imprinting.
"Many of our customers have asked us for an all-in-one digital content solution for retail applications," said Manny Almeida, chief operating officer for Rimage. "We are looking forward to working with our partners in the retail and photo marketing categories and helping them realize new revenue streams using the Rimage Digital Manufacturing Center."
According to Rimage, implementing the Digital Manufacturing Center in a retail environment is seamless, since the system features flexible hardware and interface configurations to meet a wide range of installation requirements. Retail-specific programming interfaces help retailers quickly integrate the Rimage Digital Manufacturing Center with existing photo labs, customer-facing kiosks and other workflow processes. The Rimage system also has a consumer-friendly user interface for kiosk-based applications.
Monday, 26 February 2007
WHEC.com: In partnership with Fuji, Xerox is introducing a new digital-photo printer that creates photo books, calendars and greeting cards. The Docucolor 250 will be used in commercial labs, while a smaller version of the machine will be housed in digital-photo kiosks placed in retail stores like Walgreen's and Wal-mart. Xerox and Fuji have a relationship that goes back to 1962 when the two companies joined forces in the Asian marketplace.
Read more
Monday, 19 February 2007
DUBAI · At a media preview at Kodak regional's headquarters in Dubai, Kodak unveiled its new range of kiosks, which allow customers to view, edit, personalize and print photographs.
According to a news release, the kiosks, which are designed to read images from CDs, computer memory sticks, camera memory cards or mobile phones via Bluetooth technology, are the latest development in Kodak's digital-services expansion program for the Middle East.
Kodak Picture Kiosks are expected to be installed at more locations in coming years, including Kodak Express stores, hypermarkets, shopping malls and mobile-phone retail stores, to name a few
"There is an underlying desire today to save and cherish the many images we click with our mobile phones and digital cameras, but have limited options to print them. The Kodak Picture Kiosks will change this," said Arif Khan, Kodak's area business manager.
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Bloomberg.com: Eastman Kodak Co., the world's largest photography company, posted its first profit in nine quarters on higher revenue from photo kiosks and savings from firing workers.
Kodak installed kiosks that print digital photos in all U.S. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlets and Chief Executive Officer Antonio Perez has eliminated 23,375 jobs in response to waning consumer demand for film. Kodak is selling its health-care imaging unit to focus on other businesses including commercial printers.
Read more
Tuesday, 31 October 2006
Bloomberg.com: Its Oct. 31 earnings report extends Kodak's longest streak of losses in at least 10 years. In moving to digital technology from film, chief executive Antonio Perez plans to cut as many as 27,000 jobs, put the health-care imaging unit up for sale and set up printing kiosks in busy locations like Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
"The growth in that business has been exceptional,'' Ulysses Yannas, a broker at Buckman Buckman & Reid in New York, said of the kiosk business before the earnings report came out. He has watched Kodak for more than 30 years and owns some shares. "�That's where the money is.''
Read more
Tuesday, 10 October 2006
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — KODAK Remote Business Manager software, powered by Esprida Enterprise, is now available for KODAK Picture Kiosks. Retailers can use RBM to centrally manage their Kodak Picture Kiosk networks to maximize equipment availability, increase profitability, and enhance the consumer experience.
KODAK, the world's largest retail-photo kiosk provider, has more than 80,000 Picture Kiosks installed at retail locations worldwide. The Picture Kiosks provide self-service-lab quality prints in seconds.
Key retailers around the world who own and operate KODAK photo kiosks are installing Esprida software. Automated functionality makes managing various marketing, sales and advertising programs, including event-related pricing and the frequency of in-store promotions, both easy and efficient. RBM collects and delivers production data, generates reports on sales volumes on single stores, groups of stores or an entire chain, anytime, anywhere.
To minimize equipment downtime and staff intervention, the system proactively monitors and controls in-store equipment to ensure consumables are replenished in a timely manner. It automatically detects diagnoses and self-repairs based on pre-determined business rules.
"We are committed to supporting KODAK and its retailers with software that improves the operation and viability of the vast network of KODAK Picture Kiosks around the globe,"� said Anila Jobanputra, president of Esprida Corp.
Friday, 06 October 2006
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - ImageXpres Corp., a digital imaging and printing solutions provider, announced it has concluded a major sale of its iPrint Digital Kiosks, and related LitePix Digital Display products, to Miami, Fla.-based New Imaging Technology Corporation, a digital systems distributor.
The initial order calls for 100 iPrint Digital Kiosks, of several configurations, and 50 units of the LitePix Digital Displays, 25 each of the P19 Display, and 25 each of the P27 Display. The initial sale represents hardware revenue in excess of $2,000,000, and annual software media sales that represents a minimum of $500,000 per year.
Tuesday, 19 September 2006
RegisterBee.com: A South Boston man faces more than 1,500 years in prison after pleading no contest to 153 charges involving child pornography. David K. Tetterton, a former real estate sales associate, was arrested March 24 after a Wal-Mart employee reported to South Boston police that he had been using the photo lab's self-serve kiosk to print images of child porn.
Read more.
Thursday, 07 September 2006
Cnet.com: HP forecasts that up to 330 billion digital photos will be snapped annually by 2010, so the company is doing what it can to grab the 24 percent (~ 80 billion) of those shots that it estimates will wind up getting printed. Those same estimates project about an equal split between photos printed at home and those printed in retail outlets.
Read more.
Wednesday, 06 September 2006
The Street: Kodak signed a multiyear contract that will place new picture-printing kiosks in 1,000 Wal-Mart stores across the U.S.
Financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed. Kodak's new G4 kiosk supports all popular digital media formats, including memory cards and USB drives, digital scanning and wireless printing. The kiosks apply a coating to the prints to provide extra protection against stains, spills and fingerprints.
Read more
Wednesday, 09 August 2006
Rochester, N.Y. -- ImageXpres Corporation, a digital imaging and printing systems solutions provider, announced today that the company has entered into a business partnership with WebRaiser Technologies, Inc., the leader in software for the self-service economy, to co-develop new generation multimedia/photo kiosks that will be marketed and serviced by ImageXpres.
The agreement between the two companies provides for the integration of WebRaiser's award-winning VendiPix self-service photo processing software, with ImageXpres' family of iPrint Digital Kiosks. The joint effort by the two companies will result in a U.S. wide deployment of internet-enabled digital photo kiosks, with enhanced online POS retail functionality. The ImageXpres iPrint Digital kiosks, powered by VendiPix software, will feature new digital consumer on-demand fulfillment services, tailored to specific market segments such as specialty retail, convenience stores, hotels and hospitals.
The first units with the new functions are being installed this month at several pilot locations, including a Chevron/Texaco convenience store in Atlanta, GA, a major hotel chain, and a medical hospital in the northeast U.S.
John Zankowski, President and CEO of ImageXpres, said, "WebRaiser is the perfect partner for ImageXpres, because they bring the highest levels of self-service expertise and kiosk industry credibility to the photo kiosk world. Integrating our combined technologies into the ImageXpres iPrint Digital Kiosk product line should create a new industry standard for online digital photo kiosks. If we take into account digital photo processing speed and quality, along with kiosk reliability and scalability, we believe our iPrint Digital Kiosk, with the VendiPix software engine, is the photo kiosk that resellers, retailers, and consumers have been waiting for."
Wednesday, 12 July 2006
July 10, 2006 -- Lucidiom Inc., developer of the APM photo kiosk, unveiled its expanded Luci, a creative photo kiosk program packed with new content and products designed to open new revenue streams for photofinishing, scrapbook and craft retailers.
Read more.
Monday, 26 June 2006
SiliconValley.com: The proliferation of digital cameras and plummeting prices of electronic storage have radically altered the way people take photos.
Instead of conserving the old-fashioned 24-frame rolls of film for capturing rare Kodak moments, they're filling 1-gigabyte memory cards with hundreds of snapshots of everything in sight: mundane street signs, decadent dinner entrees and one-handed self portraits.
What hasn't evolved is what people do with their photos: printing out 4-x-6-inch glossies.
But Hewlett-Packard is now offering more creative options: calendars, posters, albums and greeting cards created from digital photos while customers stand in retail checkout lines.
This week, HP starts the summertime roll-out of its Photosmart Studio, a first-of-its-kind, touch-screen kiosk in retail stores that can transform those digital-photo collections into calendars and other keepsakes in under an hour. If customers find they can do this as quickly as developing a roll of film, they may adopt a new tradition: ordering a photo booklet to pass around instead of sharing that second set of prints.
Read more.
Tuesday, 13 June 2006
www.iht.com: While announcing a recent profit revision, Hewlett-Packard disclosed its purchase of Silverwire Holding for an undisclosed sum. Silverwire is a Swiss software company with 23,000 licenses for photo kiosk software sold in 30 countries. The move comes as HP expands its stake in the kiosk market.
Read more.
Wednesday, 17 May 2006
Singapore and New York - muvee, the pioneer and leader in Instant Personal Video, has licensed its muveeKiosk software development kit (SDK) to Whitech Software Solutions for integration with the latter's photo kiosks. From July this year, users of Whitech's self-service Photo.Teller kiosks will be able to easily create emotionally engaging music videos out of their favorite pictures in just a few steps, and burn the finished product to DVD ready for playback. Based on the user's chosen production style, muveeKiosk technology automatically adds in music as well as style effects, graphics and transitions paced to the tempo to create the finished production, called Photo Movies.
Based on the user's chosen production style, muveeKiosk technology automatically adds in music as well as style effects, graphics and transitions paced to the tempo to create the finished production, called Photo Movies.
"Instead of just printing the odd picture, Photo.Teller kiosk users will now have the exciting new option of turning their photos into professional-quality productions that look like home movies and can be played back on DVD and viewed on the big screen. Unlike slideshows, Photo Movies really bring out the emotion in your photos because of the way the software cuts everything to the beat of the music. And the best part is, it's really easy to use," said Elvin Low, muvee's Director of Business Development for North America.
Whitech's Photo Movie feature gives users a choice of 10 unique production styles, including "Action," "Sepia Flicker" and "MotionPix." Each style also has its own music track. Users can opt for the express option, in which the software automatically selects pictures to make the Photo Movie, or they can manually select 50-100 pictures and the finished production will be burned onto a DVD, ready for playback.
There are also plans to support DSC video input in the Photo.Teller kiosks in the near future.
Thursday, 20 April 2006
ROCHESTER, N.Y., -- Eastman Kodak Company, a pioneer in the area of organic light emitting diode technology (OLED), today announced a licensing agreement with Univision Technology of Taiwan. Univision plans to incorporate Kodak's organic display technology in future generation flat panel passive-matrix displays. To date, more than 15 companies have licensed organic display technology from Kodak.
"Forming a strategic alliance with a leading company such as Kodak further strengthens Univision's position as one of the world's leading OLED producers," said Dr. Lei Ping Lai, President of Univision. "With 200 patents granted and pending, Univision pays close attention to intellectual property (IP) and is building a strong IP portfolio. This licensing agreement with Kodak is one of Univision's key intellectual property strategies. By proactively forming strategic alliances, Univision will further enhance its intellectual property position and increase its global competitiveness."
Univision Technology, Inc., established in July 2000 in Hsinchu, the center of Taiwan's High Technology district, develops, manufactures, and markets OLED display solutions. With their world-class technology, Univision is driving to deliver high quality flat panel displays to the global market.
"This agreement between Kodak and Univision validates the utility of Kodak display technology for a variety of applications, and we're delighted that Univision has chosen Kodak as a provider," said Andrew Sculley, general manager, OLED Systems and vice president, Kodak Display Business. " Key manufacturers like Univision have the capability and technological know-how to fully utilize our intellectual property to help accelerate the commercialization of OLED technology."
Organic solid-state displays offer bright, sharp images that are viewable from almost any angle. OLED displays comprise thin films of organic materials that emit light when stimulated with an electrical charge. Unlike conventional liquid crystal displays, OLED displays do not require a backlight. Benefits over conventional technologies include extended color gamut, higher contrast, wider viewing angle for superb readability in most lighting conditions, faster response time to support crisp streaming video, and thinner design for better ergonomics. These benefits provide direct advantages for a variety of applications such as digital cameras, portable media players, mobile phones, PDAs and other devices.
The royalty-bearing license enables Univision to use Kodak technology for passive-matrix OLED modules in a variety of flat panel display applications. The agreement also gives Univision the opportunity to purchase Kodak's patented OLED materials for use in manufacturing displays.
Pioneered by Kodak in the late 1980s, OLED technology and its practical applications have generated more than 1,700 issued and pending Kodak patents worldwide. In addition to Univision, Kodak OLED licensees number more than 15, several of whom have announced mass production plans and customer design wins. For further information on Kodak displays and our licensees, go to http://www.kodak.com/go/display.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world's foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak's innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise. More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.
About Univision Technology, Inc.
Established in Hsinchu Science Park, Univision Technology Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturing companies in the development of organic light emitting diode ("OLED") technology. Armed with its proprietary processing knowledge and technologies including over 200 issued and pending patents worldwide, the company has been producing cutting-edge OLED panels and modules in a highly efficient manner since 2003. Univision is one of the most efficient passive matrix OLED ("PMOLED") panel manufacturers in the world and one of very few players capable of commercial mass production.
KODAK EASYSHARE is a trademark of Eastman Kodak Company.
2006
Tuesday, 11 April 2006
Whitech's Photo Teller kiosk software now has a new feature called 'Story Books' allowing consumers to create unique, themed albums around a special occasion or event in their life.
Story Books are easy and fun to create and also make a special and meaningful gift too. First the customer selects from a wide range of templates (with a set number of pages and sizes) and then chooses which photos they would like in the album. There is also an easy to use auto fill function available.
Steve Delnawaz, Managing Director of Whitech Solutions said, "Retailers have the opportunity to utilise the high profit margin available to them by offering items such as Story Books. The albums are cost-effective to create and the themed templates add more value to the end product, allowing retailers to charge for them accordingly."
There is a wide range of themed albums a retailer can offer including birthdays, weddings, sports, graduations, travel and Christmas just to name a few.
A good example of a use for Story Books is a person who has recently been married. This customer will have the opportunity of selecting a template with a wedding theme and add their favourite photos from the day to the album. Once the album is complete they also have the option of ordering several copies. Once the order has been fulfilled, the customer has a beautiful, bound album as a keepsake of an important occasion in their life.
Retailers are able to see demonstrations of Story Books being created during the Photo Imaging World Expo at Darling Harbour from April 28th — 30th at Whitech's stand, 469a.
For more information please contact Sally Taylor, Marketing Coordinator, Whitech Software Solutions on +61 2 9224 9618 or e-mail .
About Whitech
Whitech Software Solutions is an innovative Australian company that offers Information Technology products and services to retail businesses all over the world.
Established in 1995, Whitech specialise in industry specific and customised electronic point of sale solutions aimed at improving the efficiency and profitability of our customers.
Whitech also develops market leading photographic digital kiosk and home ordering solutions, which successfully assist retail businesses in taking advantage of the digital boom in the photographic industry.
See www.whitechsolutions.com for more information.
Monday, 03 April 2006
Singapore and New York, NY — muvee, the pioneer and leader in Instant Personal Video, has won the Innovation Award for its muveeOnline web service at the 9th Annual DigitalFocus Awards. The Awards honor the best of the products showcased at the DigitalFocus event preceding the PMA tradeshow from February 26 to March 1, 2006
Dr. Pete Kellock, muvee's founder and CEO, said, "muveeOnline is a breakthrough for the web that gives any photo or video-sharing portal a huge edge by enabling end users to automatically create finished productions out of their digital media. It's like having an experienced video editor at your beck and call 24 hours a day. Instead of making do with plain slideshows or unedited video clips, users can now easily create professional-quality music-driven productions full of emotional impact, in over 100 styles, ready to share or stream. Online photo sharing has taken off in a big way, and just keeps growing. Last year, more than 20% of camera owners posted photos to an online service, up from 16% in 2004, and muveeOnline is in a really great position to help fuel this online growth. We're very honored to receive this award, and will continue to push the envelope in making home video production simple, fast and fun for everyone."
The first and only of its kind, muveeOnline is a back-end Web service that brings muvee's award-winning automatic video production capabilities to photo-/video-sharing portals, as well as a host of other online web communities where digital media content is uploaded and shared.
When integrated with these portals, muveeOnline enables end users to automatically create polished, edited video productions using their personal photos and video clips that are hosted on the portal, without having to download and install any software. Users have over 100 unique production styles to choose from and the finished productions, called muvees, are intelligently cut to the beat of the music with synchronized style effects and transitions.
About muvee
Founded in 2001, muvee is the pioneer and global leader in a dynamic new field: Instant Personal Video. muvee's award-winning autoProducer software for PCs features patented technology that revolutionizes the process of video production, allowing anyone to automatically turn home video and photos into professional-quality productions in hundreds of different styles. Users need no prior experience working with photo or video editing software, and each production is finished in minutes. muvee's products are available for the PC, camera phones, photo kiosks and other platforms, and have sold into more than 100 countries worldwide. muvee's global partners include Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, Sony, Nikon and ATI. For more information, please visit www.muvee.com .
Friday, 24 March 2006
In a world first, Whitech Software Solutions has just announced an online helpdesk service for customers that need assistance while using Photo.Teller kiosks. This means that help is just a push of a button away for consumers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The new service is called Kiosk.Help! and can be instantly accessed at the push of a button from any Photo.Teller kiosk in any location including airports, shopping centres, pharmacies and other remote locations. Kiosk.Help! will improve customer service by the availability of instant access to technical support.
Steve Delnawaz, Managing Director of Whitech Solutions said, "This is a world first in terms of the availabitity of an instant Helpdesk for photographic kiosks which will help to increase their usability and be more customer friendly."
Here's how it works, a customer is using a Photo.Tellerâ„¢ kiosk and needs help to complete their order, the customer presses the 'Help' icon to initiate an online connection between the kiosk and the customer service centre at Whitech Solutions. A trained professional will then be available to provide assistance to the customer and resolve any issues.
For the owners of Photo.Tellerâ„¢ kiosks this means that the kiosks will always be generating income because a customer can get help the minute they need it.
In addition to Kiosk.Help! a store owner is also able to initiate a call to Whitech's Technical Support Team, then the technicians can connect into the kiosk and rectify the problem.
To find more about Whitech's Kiosk.Help! or to see a demonstration, contact Whitech today on or through www.whitechsolutions.com.
About Whitech
Whitech Software Solutions is an innovative Australian company that offers Information Technology products and services to retail businesses all over the world.
Established in 1995, Whitech specialise in industry specific and customised electronic point of sale solutions aimed at improving the efficiency and profitability of our customers.
Whitech also develops market leading photographic digital kiosk and home ordering solutions, which successfully assist retail businesses in taking advantage of the digital boom in the photographic industry.
See www.whitechsolutions.com for more information.
Friday, 17 March 2006
ROCHESTER, Feb. 17 -- Eastman Kodak Company today reaffirmed its commitment to providing high-quality, innovative products to help retailers succeed in today's changing marketplace.
According to the most recent Photo Marketing Association (PMA) reports, total digital camera images for 2005 are estimated at 17 billion, with 22 billion projected for 2006 and 26 billion for 2007. This creates a tremendous opportunity for the industry to help consumers capture, share, archive and print these images. And as Kodak continues to deliver innovative solutions for digital printing, retailers can profit from a plethora of opportunities.
Kodak's newest retail printing solution is the KODAK Digital Picture System 900 (DPS 900). This unique system gives retailers an affordable way to offer onsite printing of both digital and film media, thereby tapping into the rapidly expanding digital market, while also retaining important revenue from film customers as the market transitions. The DPS 900 builds on the proven technology in Kodak's award-winning Picture Kiosk family, the most widely used digital printing kiosk at retail today, with nearly 75,000 units installed worldwide.
Combining a 35 mm film scanner with Kodak's powerful Picture Kiosk G4 platform and award-winning KODAK 6850 and 8800 thermal photo printers, the KODAK DPS 900 provides a total photo solution for retailers of virtually any size. Compared with a digital mini-lab, the KODAK DPS 900 has a significantly lower total cost of ownership, including lower capital investment and labor costs. Additionally, it is much easier to operate and maintain, and offers modularity and flexibility to allow far more options for the retailer, including the ability to print from both digital and film files, and to create high margin products such as CDs and enlargements. As film volumes decline, the DPS 900 can easily convert to a total digital print solution.
Consumers also benefit from the outstanding image quality and durability of prints made with the DPS 900. Enabled with the innovative KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology, this system enhances each image to reveal more vibrant colors, richer detail and fewer dark shadows. Thanks to the quality of Kodak's high-speed thermal printers, prints are wipeable, waterproof, stain-resistant and last a lifetime under typical home display conditions. The DPS 900 will be available beginning in May in the US and Canada.
"The DPS 900 brings ease and speed for printing digital and film media at retail, without the huge investment of a mini lab," said Phil Faraci, President, Consumer Digital Imaging Group and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. "This new solution fills an important niche for retailers who want to tap into the rapidly expanding digital marketplace while retaining important revenue from film customers as the market continues to transition. This affordable full-service photo solution offers the benefits of increased volume and additional revenue for retailers while providing a high-quality printing solution for consumers."
Other Announcements
Exciting Additions to the KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Camera Line-up
Building upon the tremendous success of its award-winning line of KODAK EASYSHARE digital cameras, Kodak announces four new digital cameras offering a variety of features and benefits to meet the divergent needs of today's consumers. Leading the announcement is the EASYSHARE V603 model (6.1 MP, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD), a compact camera that is the perfect combination of style, performance and simplicity that can slide into almost any pocket. For those who prefer to get closer to the action, the EASYSHARE Z612 zoom digital camera (6 MP, 12x optical zoom with image stabilization, 2.5-inch LCD) helps everyday picture takers get closer, better, more creative shots. For entry-level enthusiasts who want high-quality images, the affordable EASYSHARE C643 (6.1 MP, 3x optical zoom, 2.4-inch LCD) and EASYSHARE C533 zoom digital cameras (5 MP, 3x optical zoom, 1.8-inch LCD) are great options.
Innovations for Professional Photographers, Labs, and Consumers
Kodak is also introducing innovative new traditional film and paper products for professionals and consumers. "Actions speak louder than words," said Mary Jane Hellyar, President of Film & Photofinishing Systems and Senior Vice President, Kodak. "The innovations we are introducing underscore our commitment to serving our customers with the best in films, papers and services."
Underscoring its commitment to the professional market, Kodak announced improvements across its industry-leading professional output product portfolio. Designed to increase efficiency for professionals and bolster quality for the end consumer, these improvements are the result of Kodak's continued investment in imaging technology research. New products include KODAK PROFESSIONAL Digital Print Production Software DP2 and DP1, KODAK ULTRA ENDURA Paper, KODAK EKTACOLOR Digital Developer Replenisher RT, KODAK EKTACOLOR SM Processing Unit P1, KODAK PROFESSIONAL Inkjet Photo Paper Rolls, KODAK PROSHOTS and Studio Suite software, Kodak's Pro Photographer Locator website and DIGITAL SHO, GEM and ROC photo software plug-ins.
Fulfilling the company's commitment to the millions of people around the world who still shoot and enjoy film, Kodak announced numerous improvements across its venerable film product portfolio. These performance enhancements and new benefits are designed to elevate the consumer and professional photography experience, helping people get the best possible results from their film photography experience.
Announcements include a new emulsion for 800-Speed Film, improved KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film, increased post-processing antistatic protection for professional and consumer 35 mm capture films and simplified consumer film brands, graphics and packaging.
For more information about PMA 2006, go to www.kodak.com/go/pma.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world's foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak's innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.
KODAK, Perfect Touch, EasyShare, KODAK Professional, ProShots, Ultra, Endura, Ektacolor, Digital SHO, Digital GEM, Digital ROC and Portra are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.
2006
Monday, 13 March 2006
STUTTGART, Germany and WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 13 -- Eastman Kodak Company has again been recognized for its product design prowess, marking 10 awards for product design, leadership and innovation since the start of 2006.
CHIP, the German personal computing and information technology magazine, has recognized the KODAK EASYSHARE V570 dual-lens digital camera for innovation, style, and performance. The magazine announced its "CHIP Award for Innovations in Digital Photography" last week at the international CeBIT trade fair in Hannover, Germany.
In Washington, D.C., the new KODAK Scan Station 100 captured the Government Computer News Best of FOSE Award in its debut at the Federal Office Supplies Expo (FOSE). GCN is a leading source of information for the government technology community published by PostNewsweek Tech Media, which is the organizer of the exposition and a wholly-owned media subsidiary of The Washington Post Company.
"We've made product innovation a primary driver of our design initiatives at Kodak," said Paul W. Porter, Director of Corporate Design & Usability at Kodak. "In each of these awards, the judges have cited Kodak's ability to design innovative technology that truly differentiates our products from others in the marketplace."
The CHIP recognition was part of the "CeBIT Highlights" awards for the best and most innovative new products at the trade fair. The editors of the magazine chose winners in five categories, and recognized the KODAK V570 camera as the top innovative product in digital photography. Other category winners included Intel, T-Mobile, Texas Instruments, and Microsoft.
CHIP's panel of judges lauded the KODAK V570's unique dual-lens technology as a "simply ingenious" solution to the needs of picture-takers who prefer both wide-angle and zoom capability in a single camera. Using proprietary KODAK RETINA Dual Lens technology, the KODAK V570 camera packs an ultra-wide angle lens (23 mm equivalent) and an optical zoom lens (39-117 mm) into a stylish sleek black camera body. The camera includes two five-megapixel image sensors — one for each lens.
"We're thrilled that the EASYSHARE V570 captured the imagination of CHIP's judges at CeBIT," said Mary Hadley, general manager of digital cameras for Kodak's Consumer Digital Imaging Group. "This recognition is a reflection on the innovative design and technology thinking that our team applied to bring this breakthrough camera to market."
Other awards earned by Kodak so far this year include:
- The KODAK EasyShare V570 and EasyShare Photo Printer 500 earned top honors at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES);
- At PMA, the photo-retailing trade show, Kodak earned the Digital Imaging Marketing Association's (DIMA) award for the KODAK Picture Center G4 digital printing kiosk;
- The red dot Design award for three EASYSHARE cameras, the P850 and EASYSHARE ONE, as well as the EASYSHARE V570;
- The iF Product Design award for the KODAK DIRECTVIEW DR 7500 System, along with the EASYSHARE P850 and P880 digital cameras; and
- The NAPL Industry Award for Graphic Communications Leadership.
For more information on the EASYSHARE V570 digital camera, please visit www.kodak.com/go/easyshare.
FOSE Best of Show
The KODAK Scan Station 100 was introduced March 6 at FOSE, a technology tradeshow that serves the government marketplace. The FOSE awards program recognizes the most innovative and well-designed new products used in government IT. Award winners were chosen by a panel of editors from Government Computer News (GCN).
The desktop Scan Station 100 quickly and easily turns paper documents into digital files that can be simultaneously stored on the network and shared with colleagues across the hall, across the country and around the world.
"GCN editors reviewed hundreds of new and innovative products," said Tom Temin, Executive Vice President, Editorial, PostNewsweek Tech Media. "The editors were proud to pick the best of the products from the 550 exhibiting companies at FOSE."
Temin added that judges evaluated more than 200 products on usability and specifications, innovation and value, and government applicability. Of these products, 13 were named GCN Best of FOSE and only two awarded Best of Show — FOSE 2006.
"Because it is both easy to use and produces high quality images, the KODAK Scan Station 100 brings the same one-step simplicity that people appreciate most in our digital cameras and walk-up kiosks to the office environment," said Roger Markham, Product Marketing Manager for Distributed Capture Products, US&C, Document Imaging, Graphic Communications Group. "This is another innovative way for the public sector to maximize efficiency in its efforts to convert paper documents to digital images."
Additionally, the judges cited the color touch screen that enables Scan Station 100 users to convert paper documents — color, black-and-white and grayscale — into digital images for sharing via e-mail, routing to network folders, and sending to networked printers or copiers. Unlike competing products, the Scan Station 100 does not require a dedicated computer, additional software or training to operate because it connects to existing network infrastructure.
The KODAK Scan Station 100 is ideal for use in paper-intensive office environments. Applications include finance, accounting, insurance, healthcare, transportation, law offices, and government administration. For more information on KODAK Scan Station 100, please visit www.kodak.com/go/scanstation.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world's foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets . With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak's innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.
Kodak, EasyShare, EasyShare One, Kodak Retina, Scan Station, and DirectView are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.
2006
Monday, 27 February 2006
vnunet.com - HP has unveiled new photo printing kiosks that let consumers print their snaps at retail stores.
The kiosk comes in two versions. HP Photosmart Express is a standalone unit that prints 4in x 6in photos and burns CDs, while HP Photosmart Studio also allows consumers to design items such as calendars, greeting cards or posters.
Read More
Monday, 27 February 2006
 ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 25 -- Eastman Kodak Company's new KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 Multi-Station Digital Picture Center earned the company accolades for innovation at this year's Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Annual International Convention and Trade Show. The Digital Imaging Marketing Association (DIMA, part of PMA) recognized the KODAK Digital Picture Center, as well as KODAK PROFESSIONAL Digital Printing Software (DP1), as two of only 17 products that will influence the future of digital imaging.
DIMA Innovative Digital Product Awards are presented annually to distinctive or first-of-a-kind products or services. Past Kodak wins have included the groundbreaking EASYSHARE-ONE wireless digital camera (2005) and the EASYSHARE printer dock (2003).
"The DIMA awards reaffirm Kodak's commitment to helping retailers thrive in today's evolving imaging marketplace," said Nicki Zongrone, general manager, Worldwide Kiosk Systems and Services; vice president, Consumer Digital Imaging Group, Eastman Kodak Company. "No other manufacturer has developed the interconnected system of products, services and partnerships to help retailers expand their business like Kodak."
At the same conference, the company's G4 Picture Kiosk won a unique award when the Photographic Manufacturers and Distributors Association named it "person of the year" in recognition of the impact that photo kiosks have had on the imaging category. Kodak introduced its first photo kiosk in 1988, and kiosks have since reshaped the way people print pictures from their digital cameras and mobile phones at retail stores.
KODAK kiosks enjoy widespread retailer acceptance and outstanding satisfaction among consumers. In fact, the company reports consumer satisfaction scores exceeding 90 percent. Some 75,000 KODAK units are installed in retail locations around the world, including Boots, Carrefour, Click, CVS/pharmacy, eKex (China), Kmart Australia, Media Markt, Ritz Camera, Target, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, and other leading retailers, making Kodak far and away the most widely accepted photo kiosk at retail.
"Consumers trust Kodak to deliver the highest quality photo prints and retailers trust Kodak as a partner to build their in-store traffic and photofinishing businesses," said Zongrone.
KODAK Digital Picture Center and Picture Kiosk G4 Version 1.0
The new KODAK Digital Picture Center and KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 v1.0 software help retailers make it easier for consumers to print real KODAK pictures from digital sources. The Digital Picture Center includes a "multi-station" concept that will revolutionize how retailers use kiosks to make it quick and easy for consumers to print digital pictures. Specifically, the new configuration allows a retailer to connect several order stations to a common bank of printers, reducing queue times and improving throughput. The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 hardware solution offers faster performance and new contemporary styling designed to elevate the consumer printing experience while helping retailers compete in the rapidly expanding digital printing market.
KODAK Digital Picture System 900
Demonstrating why it is the market leader in retail digital printing solutions, Kodak also introduced its DPS 900 thermal printing station, offering on-site printing of both digital and film media, thereby helping retailers tap into the rapidly expanding digital market while also retaining important revenue from film customers as the market transitions.
Combining a 35-mm film scanner with Kodak's powerful Picture Kiosk G4 platform and award-winning KODAK 6850 and 8800 thermal photo printers, the KODAK DPS 900 provides a total photo solution for retailers of virtually any size:
Compared to a digital mini-lab, the KODAK DPS 900 has a significantly lower total cost of ownership, including lower capital investment and labor costs.
It offers modularity and flexibility with the ability to print from both digital and film files, and to create high-margin products such as CDs and enlargements.
Enabled with the innovative KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology, this system enhances each image to reveal more vibrant colors, richer detail and fewer dark shadows.
The DPS 900 will be available beginning in May in the U.S. and Canada.
KODAK PROFESSIONAL Digital Printing Software/ DP1
Building on the success of the acclaimed DP2 platform, Kodak's new DP1 software provides smaller labs, especially those in many emerging markets, with a simple, flexible solution to streamline their workflow. Offering an impressive set of features that are configured to help smaller labs with efficient, high quality print production, DP1 software was specially designed to install quickly and operate easily. Supported in several languages, including Brazilian, English, Portuguese, and Spanish, DP1 software will be available in April.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world's foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak's innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.
KODAK, EasyShare, EasyShare-one and Perfect Touch are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.
2006
Sunday, 26 February 2006
Sacramento, Calif. — WebRaiser Technologies, Inc., the leader in software for the self-service economy, launched VendiPix at PMA 2006, the world's largest photo imaging trade show. VendiPix combines WebRaiser's award-winning VendiSoft self-service software with best-in-class Image2Print photo processing software. VendiPix is a unique photo and digital signage network designed to meet the demand of resellers and retailers for a store-branded solution that maintains the highest levels of uptime performance. PMA 2006, which is the 82nd annual convention of Photo Marketing Association International, is being held in Orlando, Florida from February 26th to March 1st. VendiPix demonstrations will be available at the Build your own Kiosk Pavilion in Booth# 4372-12.
WebRaiser's VendiSoft software development environment is at the heart of VendiPix. The software includes an advanced kiosk operating system and remote device management that automatically triggers restocking of paper and toner. VendiPix kiosks are networked together so that a regional or national retailer can have centralized control of all of their devices. Each VendiPix unit also includes a secondary digital signage screen that narrowcasts custom advertising and product messages to consumers.
"For years photo companies have tried to conquer self-service, and kiosk companies have tried to be photo experts, both resulting in limited success. With VendiPix you get the best of both worlds," said Gary De Blaquiere. WebRaiser's co-founder and Vice President of Business Development, "We designed VendiPix to set new standards in the digital photo space by combining our unmatched self-service architecture with superior photo imaging software."
WebRaiser has integrated Beaufort Solutions' Image2Print imaging software engine. Image2Print makes it possible to customize the look and feel with the ability to easily adapt branding, splash screens, colors, languages, and product output offerings, With Image2Print, VendiPix can be tailored to fit any reseller's market niche.
"We also designed VendiPix as a custom-branded photo kiosk for resellers and retailers who want to control their brand and marketing strategy," added De Blaquiere. "VendiPix is the first photo kiosk that includes a second screen for digital signage and POS advertising as a standard feature. With VendiPix, we made sure that we built a marketing machine, not just a new photo kiosk."
About WebRaiser
WebRaiser Technologies, Inc. makes self-service simple. Through its award-winning VendiSoft development platform, VendiStore kiosk applications and Method business process, WebRaiser enables self-service success. Founded in 1997, WebRaiser has helped more than 200 companies reduce costs and increase revenue. Customers include AmeriGas AT&T, Red Lobster, Sutter Health, Ghirardelli, Sketchers Shoes, and Lockheed Martin. For more information, go to: http://www.webraiser.com.
Information on VendiPixâ„¢ can be found at http://www.vendipix.com.
About Beaufort Solutions
Beaufort Solutions Inc. is a world-class provider of open systems software solutions that enable, drive, and support the transformation of digital media into quality prints. As a key kiosk software supplier for large reseller organizations with complementary product and services offerings, Beaufort focuses on delivering innovative and top-quality products to the digital imaging industry. The company can be found on the web at: www.beaufortsolutions.com.
About PMA
Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) has more than 20,000 members in 100-plus countries. The 82nd annual PMA International Convention and Trade Show is the world's largest annual photo imaging trade show for the estimated $83 billion worldwide industry. For more information go to www.pmai.org.
Saturday, 25 February 2006
It's official; now industry experts agree that Whitech's Photo.Teller kiosks are the best on the market. The kiosks were named as the Experts' Choice in both the stand-alone and desktop categories at the DIMA Digital Kiosk Shootout awards during PMA 2006 in Orlando, Florida.
The DIMA Shootout attracted a total of 27 kiosks from manufacturers around the world that were all competing to be named the best of the best in self-service imaging kiosks.
Korosh Delnawaz, President of Whitech USA said, "Our kiosks are designed to assist all retailers to build their digital profits through encouraging customer loyalty and upselling services such as burn to CD, auto image correction and extra copies. By winning this award it shows that our peers in the industry acknowledge that our kiosks are highly profitable and provide retailers with much more than just a means to print digital photos."
Photo.Teller took out the Expert's Choice for a variety of reasons including integration, customer loyalty, remote management and a 'live' helpdesk.
All Whitech products including kiosks, Point of Sale software and web ordering software integrate together allowing retailers to save time by tracking work effectively and sharing customer details. Retailers are able to utilise this customer data to run effective customer loyalty programs and comprehensive marketing campaigns, which will entice customers to keep coming back to their stores.
Remote Management gives retailers the opportunity to manage all aspects of kiosks remotely, meaning that changes to pricing and promotions can be made once and all changes will be reflected instantly on all kiosks on the network, even ones located on different sites. Remote management also monitors paper and CD requirements for all kiosks in a network, increasing their efficiency.
The remote kiosk management has just been taken to a whole new level with the world's first introduction of a live helpdesk for kiosks. Customers that require assistance can push a button and talk to a customer service operator who will be able to assist them with their order.
Other great new features that caught the eye of the DIMA judges were the Gifting and Story Book services. Gifting allows customers to put photos of their favourite people, places or events on a variety of products that include T-shirts, jigsaws, coffee mugs, mouse mats, bags, balls, plates and more. Story Books are themed templates that allow customers to create memorable albums based around specific events such as weddings, birthdays, travel and more.
To find more about Whitech's Photo.Teller kiosks or see a demonstration of the software, contact them today on 1300 KIOSKS.
For more information please contact Sally Taylor, Marketing Coordinator, Whitech Software Solutions on +61 2 9224 9618 or e-mail .
About Whitech
Whitech Software Solutions is an innovative Australian company that offers Information Technology products and services to retail businesses all over the world.
Established in 1995, Whitech specialise in industry specific and customised electronic point of sale solutions aimed at improving the efficiency and profitability of our customers.
Whitech also develops market leading photographic digital kiosk and home ordering solutions, which successfully assist retail businesses in taking advantage of the digital boom in the photographic industry.
See www.whitechsolutions.com for more information.
Thursday, 23 February 2006
Singapore and New York, NY (February 23, 2006)— muvee, the pioneer and leader in Instant Personal Video, launches its muveeKiosk software at the 2006 Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Convention in Orlando, Florida. When integrated, the muveeKiosk plug-in works seamlessly within an existing photo kiosk's software setup, extending the kiosk's product offering beyond standard music compilation, photo touch—up, photo printing and CD/DVD-burning. muveeKiosk does this by enabling consumers to automatically turn scores of pictures — and even video clips from all popular digital cameras — into emotionally engaging music video productions. With support for various output formats, consumers can choose to share their finished 'muvees' online on blogs or video-sharing websites, or burn them to CD/DVD.
Terence Swee, muvee's founder and Chief Opportunities Officer, said, "muvee's award winning automatic editing technology has proven to be wildly popular with PC users and is already bundled globally with a myriad of consumer products. We are very excited to now make our technology available to photo kiosks. Kiosks are great for printing a handful of your best images, but muveeKiosk gives users a more meaningful way of enjoying all of their pictures — even the ones they don't print — as well as any video clips they might have. Flipping through 100 stills on disk is plain dull, and ordinary slideshows are uninspiring. muvee revives and differentiates any photo kiosk by letting users create stylish productions that come to life to the beat of any chosen music track."
At a muvee-enabled kiosk, users can select and print photos from popular sources such as CD, mobile phone or Flash memory, but also enjoy an extra option to create and burn a compelling muvee CD/DVD of all their images using one of the included muvee production styles. muvee's styles are themed templates containing unique music, effects and transitions that are applied to the user's chosen media and synchronized to the music, and there are over 100 to choose from. muvee's Artistic Intelligenceâ„¢ engine works in minutes to automatically create a professional-looking, CD- or DVD-ready muvee production that captures the essence of the user's digital media. Video can also be woven in with photos in a single production.
Terence added, "The ubiquity of digital cameras and the affordability of Flash memory mean that more people are taking a greater number of pictures and videos at every event" more pictures and video than they know what to do with. Consumers are beginning to demand interesting new solutions to handle the growing volume of digital media captured with these cameras. muveeKiosk is therefore ideally positioned to deliver an entirely new and compelling premium solution for photo kiosk makers who wish to enhance their service offering, add value for their customers and significantly boost their returns."
The muveeKiosk software development kit (SDK) is currently available for licensing. muvee will be showcasing its automatic video production capabilities at PMA 2006, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from February 26 to March 1, at booth #3398. More information about the Photo Marketing Association is available at www.pmai.org .
About muvee
Founded in 2001, muvee is the pioneer and global leader in a dynamic new field: Instant Personal Video. muvee's award-winning autoProducer software for PCs features patented technology that revolutionizes the process of video production, allowing anyone to automatically turn home video and photos into professional-looking productions in hundreds of different styles. Users need no prior experience working with photo or video editing software, and each production is finished in minutes. muvee's products are available for the PC, camera phones, photo kiosks and other platforms, and have sold into more than 100 countries worldwide. muvee's global partners include Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, Sony, Nikon and ATI. For more information, please visit www.muvee.com .
Thursday, 16 February 2006
Buena Park, Calif. — Noritsu America Corporation revealed plans to launch a number of new professional digital imaging products at Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Convention and Tradeshow at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The PMA show will take place February 26 - March 1, 2006. Noritsu will be located in booth #3751.
Many of the new products feature innovations exclusive to Noritsu. "We are committed to providing complete photo processing solutions to the retail market. The digital equipment and software applications introduced at the show will reflect this." said Mr. Shiro Kazuta, President of Noritsu America Corporation.
On exhibit for the first time will be the QSS-35 Series of Digital Minilabs, LPS-24 PRO Large Format Printer, DP-100 Digital Dry Printer and CT-SL Consumer Terminal Kiosk. The applications debuting at the show will include EZLab Workflow Software and Order Controller Software.
QSS-35 Series Digital Minilab
The QSS-3501 Digital and QSS-3502 Digital are extremely compact minilabs that are designed for retail, providing a full range of output capabilities in a small footprint of just 11 square feet. Both minilabs can be configured to accommodate different floor layouts, adding to their flexibility.
The QSS-3501/02 delivers uncompromising quality and productivity, featuring identical processing speeds for both digital media and film - up to 1,010 prints per hour (4" x 6"). Both machines can produce panorama prints up to 8" x 24" in size.
The QSS-3501/02 series offers new film scanner options, each one utilizing an LED light source, which results in consistent scanning and minimal maintenance. For labs that scan a wide variety of film, the S-4 Scanner is available. The S1-11 Scanner option supports 35mm and APS film only and is recommended for labs that produce a majority of output from digital sources. The S1-11 can be integrated into the Noritsu QSF-T15 film processor to produce a One Pass System that enables processed film to be automatically scanned as it exits the processor. This time saving feature is available for 35mm film only. The QSS-3501/02 can also be set up as a stand-alone for producing digital prints.
Image adjustment tools such as Noritsu's AccuSmart image processing technology allows easy correction of images, resulting in extremely high quality prints regardless of the image source. AccuSmart technology not only provides optimal quality for well photographed images, it also applies appropriate correction to less-than-perfect shots to make beautiful, natural-looking prints.
LPS-24 PRO Large Format Printer
The LPS-24 PRO is a Large Format Printer that features a silver halide printer and paper processor designed to print a variety of print sizes from 5" x 7" up to jumbo panorama size (24" x 36"). With the addition of optional equipment, prints up to 100" in length are possible. The LPS-24 PRO is designed to meet the heavy-duty production and high-quality demands of portrait and commercial professional labs.
Dual magazine capability allows both a 12" and 24" magazine to be loaded at the same time, enabling prints of various sizes to be made without changing magazines. Processing capacity ranges from approximately 27 prints per hour for a 24" x 36" print to approximately 51 prints per hour for a 12" x 18" print.
DP-100 Digital Dry Printer
Noritsu continues to make advances in the area of professional-grade Digital Dry printers. The DP-100 is the latest addition to its award-winning line of dDP inkjet printers. Designed as an entry-level, stand-alone unit, the DP-100 is the only inkjet printer on the market that can produce standard photo sizes (4" x 6", 5" x 7" and 8" x 10") all the way up to scrapbook-sized prints (12" x 12") and jumbo panorama prints (12" x 36"). The exceptional versatility of the DP-100 makes it ideal for deployment in new markets seeking to explore the profitability of photofinishing or for photo labs looking to supplement their business with new revenue streams from dry digital printing. The DP-100 is based on second generation pigment inkjet technology and is an environmentally-friendly, 7-color printing system that does not use chemicals or produce any waste, runs on standard 110 volt household power, and is easy to maintain.
CT-SL Kiosk
For retailers seeking a network and Internet-ready kiosk solution, Noritsu will display a "kiosk island" on the show floor demonstrating its complete line of Consumer Terminal kiosk solutions. The Noritsu Consumer Terminals can be deployed in a variety of configurations, such as a self-service, order taking front end to a digital minilab, or as a stand alone, print-on-demand kiosk. All Noritsu Consumer Terminals are compatible with QSS Series Digital Minilabs and dDP Series Digital Dry Printers, and guarantee retail customers experience a fast, easy-to-use order placement workflow.
The newest addition to the Noritsu lineup of Consumer Terminals is the CT-SL. The Noritsu CT-SL is an entry level, countertop Consumer Terminal that improves efficiency by providing simple and easy-to-use input options. The CT-SL supports all popular media and comes with Noritsu CT-X Software preinstalled. Features such as automatic red-eye removal, filters, color correction, zoom and crop are available right out of the box. The CT-SL utilizes a responsive 15"� LCD touch screen with angle adjustment, thermal receipt printer and has built-in wireless support using Bluetoothâ„¢.
Software
Noritsu EZLab is a powerful new software suite that provides enhanced control and improved workflow to retail and professional photofinishers. EZLab takes the operator from behind the printer to the front counter increasing productivity and profitability. Acting as a central hub between Noritsu input and output devices, Noritsu EZLab extends a lab's capabilities with productivity enhancements and additional management functionality. Time-consuming tasks are optimized, greatly increasing efficiency.
Order Controller Software is an application designed for QSS Series Digital Minilabs to manage and control all print commands from film and media input. Complete control of print data means that it is possible to process orders concurrently and controlling print priority, automatic print method settings and even printing urgent orders out of turn can be performed quickly and easily. Order workflow is enhanced with Order Controller.
dDP Series Digital Dry Printers
Designed as the first high-quality output system for low-volume photo imaging orders, the dDP Series of Digital Dry Printers employ second generation technology in an inkjet minilab system to produce vivid, high-quality water-fast prints. Operating on standard 110 volt household electrical current, dDP units feature an environmentally friendly design which means that there are no chemicals used, nor any odors or waste disposal to worry about. The dDP Series includes the dDP-421, winner of the 2005 DIMA Innovative Product Award, and the dDP-621, which has the distinction of being the highest capacity digital dry printer available on the market today. The dDP Series of minilabs are also available as stand alone printing devices. The DP-410/610 variants use the same powerful inkjet printer technology as the dDP-421/621, but are con�?gured to serve a network printing function.
About Noritsu
Noritsu America Corporation, headquartered in Buena Park, California, has earned the distinction as an innovator in photofinishing technology with a number of industry firsts. The company's legacy dates back to its founder, who invented the automatic print washer, the predecessor to the modern photofinishing machine. Other advances include the introduction of the world's first one hour film developing and printing system which revolutionized the photo industry. Today, Noritsu is one of the largest manufacturers of photo processing and digital imaging systems in the world. Noritsu continues to lead the market in developing innovative digital imaging hardware and software solutions. For more information, visit www.noritsu.com or call (800) 521-3686.
Friday, 06 January 2006
Delivers Speech at International Consumer Electronics Show
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 -- Just as consumer desires drove the evolution of photography during the past 125 years, today's consumers are defining the rules that will drive the future of digital imaging, said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK). It's a future where all digital content is automatically identified, organized and instantly accessible anytime, anywhere.
In a keynote address today to attendees of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Perez reflected on the current state of the digital imaging industry and asserted that consumers want full ownership of and instant access to all their images and information in order to creatively tell their life stories. Yet, Perez noted, the imaging industry continues to make this a difficult proposition by adding complexity through the proliferation of stand-alone devices and rapidly changing, proprietary technology standards that confuse consumers.
"Digital products and services should not require our customers to be engineers or professional photographers, but rather, should inspire them to be artists and publishers as they capture the moments of their lives, as they see them, with intuitive ease," said Perez.
Perez stated that, since the days of company founder George Eastman, Kodak has focused on unleashing the power of images through innovation and by making complex technology simple to use. Yet, today's digital capture devices don't enable consumers to take full advantage of the powerful capabilities offered by digital technology.
"Today's digital cameras are dinosaurs, with the same basic architecture and functionality as the box Brownie camera that Kodak introduced more than one hundred years ago," said Perez. "It's a lens, shutter and something to capture the focused light. All the imaging industry has done is to replace silver with silicon. In the next era, we will design digital cameras from the ground up to take full advantage of the creative power that digital technology provides."
"Consumers want the power to use their images to connect, create, preserve, entertain and inform," said Perez. "To that end, Kodak is committed to reinventing the digital imaging experience by pretty much changing everything that defines photography today and bringing ease-of-use to the next level."
Perez cited the following three Kodak technology platforms that are driving the company's innovation efforts:
Kodak Perfect Touch Technology, that will automatically detect and fix, before the user knows it, common photographic flaws such as under-lit pictures, high contrast scenes, back-lit shadows and red-eye in both still and motion images.
Kodak's e-finder technology, where all digital content is automatically given a unique identity, enabling users to instantly access any image or information they wish anytime, anywhere. This intelligent content technology would take metadata tagging to the next level by enabling organization of pictures based on GPS location, automatic scene classification (beach, birthday party, etc.), decade mapping, face recognition technology and more.
Kodak's e-moment technology, an intelligent system where pictures have the ability to automatically recognize each other. So, without human instruction, a picture will use its metadata to find another picture with related data, and assemble into new groups based on how they relate to one another. For example, imagine being able to access every picture ever taken of your son or daughter at Christmas, whether it's part of your collection or those of relatives and friends.
"Consumers own the future of digital imaging -- their pictures, their memories, their life's data, the stories they can tell about their life," said Perez. "But it's no longer about just pictures or voice, data or text. It's the future where information and imaging become one, and consumers can access the important images of their life anytime, anywhere."
Achieving this vision, said Perez, will take intellectual property and brand strength, delivered through innovation, partnerships and consumer insights.
"Images are an integral part of our lives. We must enable people to share faster, seamlessly and much simpler than is possible today," said Perez. "Without true partnerships across our industry this will not happen. We will disappoint consumers and will miss one of the greatest business opportunities of our time. One of our top priorities at Kodak is to build strong partnerships with other industry leaders to make this happen."
Motorola Partnership
Ed Zander, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Motorola joined Perez during his speech to discuss the signing of a 10-year global product, cross-licensing and marketing alliance between Kodak and Motorola. The agreement brings together the world's most recognized brand in digital imaging with the global leader in wireless communications in a partnership intended to fulfill the promise of mobile imaging for the benefit of consumers worldwide. (See related news release at: www.kodak.com)
Updated Kodak Brand Mark
Perez also unveiled the latest evolution of Kodak's brand logo. This new look moves the Kodak name out of the traditional yellow box; giving it a more contemporary design, a streamlined rounded look and distinctive letters. This introduction is the latest step in the company's broad brand transformation effort, which reflects the multi-industry, digital imaging leader Kodak has become.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world's leading imaging innovator. With sales of $13.5 billion in 2004, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, traditional and digital printing, and document scanning; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak's innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.
More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.
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