Release Issued by Kodak:
Kodak announces new developments in family of kiosks
Kodak Expands Opportunity for Retailers Entering Digital Picture Printing Market
Extension to KODAK Picture Maker G3 Kiosk Family and Kiosk Enhancements Help More Retailers Capitalise on Surging Global Digital Printing Market
London, February 20 —Eastman Kodak Company today announced new developments to the KODAK Picture Maker G3 family of kiosks which will help more retailers harness the potential of the digital printing market. New kiosk features will enable connectivity for remote business management and remote service, and will also deliver real KODAK pictures through KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology.
“More and more consumers are using digital cameras, and in turn, we are seeing an incredible surge in the demand to print digital pictures,” said Patrick King, general manager of Consumer Output, Digital & Film Imaging Systems; and vice president, Eastman Kodak Company. “By creating innovative features and tools for our current G3 kiosk family, we’re generating new opportunities for retailers to leverage digital printing technology for increased sales.”
New Kiosk Software Delivers Improved Image Processing and Enhanced Marketing Support
Kodak is launching version 5.0 software for its family of Picture Maker G3 kiosks. Prominent within the v5.0 software is Kodak’s proprietary image science technology, which delivers KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology. Photos printed from KODAK Picture Makers with KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology reveal more vibrant colours, richer detail, and fewer dark shadows. This improvement comes on the heels of a 2004 Good Housekeeping Institute report stating that print quality from the KODAK Picture Maker digital print kiosks was superior to that of its chief competitor.
The new software version also includes new capabilities that will help to drive incremental sales of Picture Maker services. Based on the consumer’s editing and ordering choices, the KODAK Picture Maker intelligently presents information for additional photo services available and allows them to add an additional service to their order with just one touch. Retailers benefit from this new feature as it promotes consumer awareness and trial of new photo services, as well as helping drive incremental profitability through premium services.
New Kiosk Enhancements Drive Additional Offerings and Revenue Opportunities
Kodak recently announced their selection of TouchPoint Solutions, Inc.’s CATAPULT platform as a primary component of its retail digital photo-printing infrastructure. The agreement will allow for the installation of TouchPoint’s remote management software, CATAPULT, on thousands of new and existing KODAK Picture Maker kiosks worldwide.
Kodak will use this new, networked infrastructure to further drive efficiency and profitability for retailers who own and operate KODAK equipment. By using a centralised remote management system, Kodak can provide flexible business management services allowing deployment of a variety of marketing, sales, and advertising programmes via the KODAK Picture Maker kiosk. In addition, it delivers centralised daily collection of production data with ready access to reports all within a secure, proven environment. And, retailers benefit from proactive service and support that monitors and controls in-store equipment, even performing diagnostics and repair. Devices will automatically communicate with Kodak technicians and store personnel when attention is needed, thus minimising equipment downtime.
This new capability provides retailers with valuable business and service information to optimise performance and profitability.
Enhanced Photo Printers Provide Increased Print Speed and Print Size Flexibility
Kodak has also announced enhancements to its photo printers for the KODAK Picture Maker family of kiosks. The new KODAK Photo Printer 6850 will replace the 6800 model beginning in the third quarter of 2005. The main benefit of the 6850 is faster printing speeds – eight seconds for a 4 x 6-inch print. The 6850 will maintain the award winning print quality of the 6800, which won the Digital Imaging Marketing Association (DIMA) printer shootout and Technical Imaging Press Association (TIPA) awards in 2004. The 6850 model will also continue to offer the same high print capacity (750 prints per roll) and print size flexibility (up to 6 x 8-inch borderless prints) benefits as the current 6800 model.
Additionally, beginning in the third quarter of 2005, the KODAK Photo Printer 8800 will be available for KODAK Picture Maker kiosks, offering increased speed and labour savings. Key benefits include borderless printing, the ability to print 8 x 10-inch prints in 45 seconds, and higher print-per-roll capacity of 300 8 x 10-inch prints.
Both new printer models support fast enlargement printing, ideal for consumer gifting and increased retailer profitability.
www.kodak.com
