To search the Digital News content (plus any other content) on this site, enter the word(s) in the box below and click on the "Search" button. News Archive Q3 2006 Q2 2006 Q1 2006 Q4 2005 Q3 2005 Q2 2005 Q1 2005 Q4 2004 Q3 2004 Q2 2004 Q1 2004 Q4 2003 Q3 2003 Q2 2003 Q1 2003 Q4 2002 (NOTE: the following is a mixture of press releases and editorial comments. When ONLY a company-provided press release is used--either in full or excerpted--it will be identified as such.) PRESS RELEASE: PHOTOGRAPHERS' SATISFACTION WITH INK JET PRINTERS--NEW REPORT FROM I.T. STRATEGIES 6/19/05 - (June/05) In March of 2005, I.T. Strategies conducted a web survey of photographers with ink jet printers to determine the use of ink jet printers in their businesses. More than 1,400 photographers responded to the survey. The results of the survey will be presented in a series of seven reports. In the survey, photographers were asked to rate how happy they were with their ink jet printers. They could choose from a list ranging from Very Satisfied to Very Dissatisfied. 90% of the respondents are Very or Somewhat Satisfied with their ink jet printers; less than 4% overall are Somewhat or Very Dissatisfied with their ink jet printers. According to Patti Williams, Consulting Partner at I.T. Strategies, "In general photographers are very happy with their ink jet printers. They really like the control over the process and product that ink jet printers give them. They like the ability to enter new markets. They like ruggedly built printers that are reliable and don't break down. They like the variety of media available. They like the great image quality of certain printers. They dislike the high cost of the ink, especially if the printer does not have separate ink cartridges and wastes ink remaining in the cartridge. They don't like the difficult process of switching between different types of ink and media. They don't like the metamerism and bronzing of some images. They don't like how easily the prints scratch." Types of Ink Jet Printers: It's an Epson World! Photographers were asked what ink jet printers they used for their business. Of the more than 2,400 ink jet printers mentioned, more than 2,000 were Epson ink jet printers--and of the 2,000 Epson ink jet printers mentioned, more than 1,100 were just five models. Interestingly enough, although the photographers were asked to list their ink jet printers, some listed dye sublimation printers from Kodak, Olympus and Fuji as well as solid wax printers from Xerox (used as a fast, economical proofing solution). About I.T. Strategies, Inc. I.T. Strategies, Inc. is an established research and consultancy firm dedicated to serving companies in emerging digital printing markets. The company delivers intelligent data, analysis, strategy, and implementation practices to vendors in the digital printing industry around the world. From offices in Boston and Tokyo, I.T. Strategies conducts and delivers research data, offers interpretation and advice, identifies specific opportunities, and helps organizations implement these strategies to achieve effective solutions. Please visit I.T. Strategies' Info Store where we offer reports, studies and forecasts that are available for purchase. SOURCE: I.T. Strategies, Inc. www.it-strategies.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: SHADES OF PAPER INTRODUCES THE FREDRIX® ARCHIVAL PRINT CANVAS™ The artist canvas you can print on! 6/7/05 - (May 2005) Shades of Paper is proud to announce the addition of the Fredrix Inkjet Canvas to their product offerings. The Fredrix Inkjet Canvas offers both artists and photographers alike a variety of canvas surfaces and types to enhance the presentation of their work. Fredrix primary business has been the manufacture of archival artist canvas for the fine artist which they have been doing for over 130 years. They are the oldest and largest manufacturer of artist canvas in the U.S. With the unique look of finely woven cotton or Polyflax®/cotton blends and superior ink jet coating, the Fredrix Inkjet Canvas is the choice for either the dye or pigment-based printers providing a color intensity and crispness not possible with non-coated artist canvas. Fredrix Inkjet Canvas materials offer excellent color gamut, density and exceptional value. The Fredrix Inkjet Canvas is available in 7 different styles of canvas such as cotton or Polyflax®/cotton blend, matte or glossy and even water resistant. The canvas products are available in both rolls and cut sheets. Please visit our website at www.shadesofpaper.com for the complete product offering. For additional information please call Shades of Paper at 856-424-8660 or email us at support@shadesofpaper.com SOURCE: Shades of Paper www.shadesofpaper.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: ARCSOFT ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF PHOTOPRINTER 5 A photo printing program that offers paper template support for everyone 6/7/05 - (5/27/05) Today, ArcSoft® announced the availability of ArcSoft PhotoPrinter® 5, an easy-to-use desktop printing application. PhotoPrinter, among one of ArcSoft's most famous desktop applications, has an all new interface with increased functionality, making desktop printing easier while introducing a broader range of features and control. "Getting the best-looking prints for the lowest price remains the consumers' number one goal. PhotoPrinter includes paper templates from all of the big printer and paper manufacturers, so the entire shelf of printing supplies is now available for every shopper," said Todd Rumaner, ArcSoft COO. "Best of all, it's really easy to use." PhotoPrinter 5 is a do-it-yourself photo printing application focused on making at-home printing fast, simple and more affordable. Features include: • Output to all standard US print sizes (8x10, 5x7, 4x6, 3.5x5, wallet) • Output to all standard Intl. print sizes (13x18cm, 11x17cm, 9x13cm, 7x10, etc.) • Hundreds of photo paper templates (Kodak, Avery, EPSON, HP, Canon, APLI and more) • Passport photo, photo collage and index page printing • Video frame printing from home video files • Direct photo printing from digital cameras, scanners, and media cards • Color Profile Setting controls for optimizing print quality • Photo editing tools such as crop, rotate, flip, enhance and redeye removal • Creative photo options such as add text, creative borders, blurred edges and color effects PhotoPrinter 5 is currently available; please visit www.arcsoft.com for more information. MSRP: $49.99. About ArcSoft ArcSoft, Inc. is a leading developer of software and firmware solutions for PC-peripheral, mobile phone, and consumer electronics manufacturers. Established in 1994, ArcSoft is a privately held company headquartered in Fremont, California, with regional commercial and development facilities in Europe and the Far East. For further details, please visit us at our corporate Web site: www.arcsoft.com. SOURCE: ArcSoft, Inc. www.arcsoft.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: ERGOSOFT AND INTELICOAT ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR FINE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTMAKING Magiclée® RIP™ for Fine Art Powered by ErgoSoft StudioPrint 6/3/05 - (5/23/05) ErgoSoft U.S., LLC, today announced a new strategic partnership with InteliCoat Technologies, a world leader in the manufacture of coated paper, film and specialty substrates for imaging and electronic technologies. As part of the agreement, ErgoSoft will unveil the Magiclée® RIP™ powered by ErgoSoft StudioPrint™. This new workflow solution is designed specifically to ensure beautiful, color-accurate results out-of-the-box for Magiclée® media. Combining the breadth of products along with the consistency and quality of InteliCoat media with the power of ErgoSoft's premier workflow products produces an elegant, easy-to-use fine art printmaking package. "InteliCoat is delighted to offer this new workflow solution to provide dealers the means to ensure the best results from Magiclée media for their customers from the first print," says Ed McCarron, marketing manager for InteliCoat. The Magiclée RIP is derived from the same ErgoSoft technology that recently swept the DIMA Shoot-out Awards/quality in RIP categories. Like StudioPrint v.11, this solution provides the latest productivity enhancements such as nesting, scaling, color tuning, tiling, etc. "We're very excited that InteliCoat has selected StudioPrint as the solution to provide their valued customers with turn-key success," Robert Eversole, president of ErgoSoft U.S. says of the new partnership. "Magiclée dealers and end-users alike will appreciate the ease by which impressive results can be achieved. The confidence and trust InteliCoat has shown in ErgoSoft further validates StudioPrint's position as one of the premier RIPs for photography and fine art reproduction." The Magiclée RIP is preconfigured with ICC profiles for all Magiclée media--from the Verona line of papers, the Torino canvas line, to the Siena quick-drying photo papers and the Firenze line of photorealistic matte papers--on a number of output devices including Epson, Mimaki and Roland. Though tuned to provide excellent results on Magiclée media, the Magiclée RIP is a media-agnostic, open-color-architecture solution that provides users with full-feature support for any ink or media used. Unlike similar solutions, which only allow use of predetermined media sets, the Magiclée RIP will allow users to grow and add support for any media they choose, without limitation. With the Magiclée RIP, technical support is a feature that will be appreciated by end-users. The Magiclée RIP comes with 120 days of unlimited telephone technical support direct from ErgoSoft. This further improves the customer experience by providing the most direct exchange of information in a knowledgeable, timely manner. Eliminating the confusion over where to get answers is essential in enabling printmakers to produce prints, rather than waiting for answers to outstanding issues. In offering this service, InteliCoat and ErgoSoft ensure that award-winning print quality is delivered. The Magiclée RIP will be offered through the extensive Magiclée dealership channel. Initially, it will be available in the United States and Americas only. More on InteliCoat/Magic The MMagiclée® digital fine art and photo product line complements the highly acclaimed Magic® brand of wide format water-based and solvent ink jet media lines. Some products which have existed in both InteliCoat's traditional Magic brand line of media for digital signage and its Magiclée branded fine art folio will now be exclusively in the Magiclée line--mainly the fine art papers, canvases, and MuralPro™. InteliCoat combines state-of-the-art ink jet technology with years of experience in the digital imaging market. As a pioneer of ink jet coatings, InteliCoat has the experience, manufacturing capabilities, technical expertise, and product knowledge to deliver consistent, reliable, high quality products that the artistic and photo markets demand. About InteliCoat InteliCoat Technologies is a global leader in the manufacture of coated paper, film and specialty substrates for imaging and electronic technologies. The company's products include: imaging substrates for graphics, desktop, proofing, design engineering applications and information storage; electronic films for applications in printed wiring boards, flexible circuits; optical films for displays; high temperature, conductive and shielding tapes; conductive films; and microfilm. InteliCoat operates four manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe, with sales and marketing operations in Australia, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, North and South America. Worldwide headquarters is in South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA. SOURCE: ErgoSoft U.S., LLC www.ergosoftus.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: CANON UNVEILS imagePROGRAF W6400 AND W8400 LARGE FORMAT PRINTERS COMBINED WITH NEW SOFTWARE SOLUTION Canon imagePROGRAF W6400 and W8400 Printers with New Proprietary Software Offer Complete Workflow Solution for Creating, Processing, and Printing Professional Large Format Output 5/23/05 - (5/17/05) Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of office imaging systems, ink-jet technology and digital photography, today announced the new imagePROGRAF W6400 and W8400 pigment ink large format printers. Engineered to satisfy the most demanding print applications, the recent additions to Canon's large format portfolio bundle exceptional printing speeds and enhanced image quality with a brand new suite of workflow software. The new W6400 and W8400 printer systems address an expanded spectrum of large format output environments and requirements, including corporate, print for pay and photo retail operations as well as photography and the fine art markets. The imagePROGRAF W8400 (44") and imagePROGRAF W6400 (24") offer a truly competitive and valuable solution for creating, processing and printing in large format, made possible by precision engine enhancements combined with an industry-unique array of out-of-the-box software solutions. With a four-picoliter inkjet droplet size plus an enhanced ink formulation, including a new matte black ink, the imagePROGRAF W6400 and W8400 offer a winning combination of high-speed and uncompromising image quality at an affordable price. "With their new hardware specifications and the inclusion of the bundled software, these new devices are positioned to significantly raise the output and workflow expectations of what a large format printer system can deliver," said Amit Bagchi, director of Graphic Arts Systems Division for Canon U.S.A., Inc. "Canon reengineered our printers to precisely meet both the creative and production needs of our total wide format audience base. We added improvements to maintain speed, increase color intensity, heighten resolution and provide a truly intuitive large format printing solution." Both of the imagePROGRAF printers come with a suite of software programs that will serve as a valuable tool in a wide variety of business environments. PosterArtist software helps users of all levels to create and design professional posters, banners and signage with extreme ease. The program includes an extensive library of royalty-free images and clip-arts, as well as advanced features such as opacity blends and automatic layout adjustment for increased design flexibility. Canon Unveils New Large Format Printers and Software Suite PosterArtist also includes: * Professionally designed templates to simplify poster creation * Over 1GB of preloaded files in wide variety of poster designs and artwork * Opacity blends for special effects * Simple and easy steps to customize posters * The ability to import images in JPEG, TIFF, and bitmap (.bmp) file format * Automatic object layout and size adjustment for different page sizes * Poster preview conversion to JPEG file format for emailing or proofing Digital Photo Print Pro (DPPP) allows users to print digital images with the aid of professional-grade editing tools, such as red eye elimination, skin tone improvement, moiré removal, and automatic borderless cropping. DPPP offers easy image correction and layout tools for all levels of users. For advanced imaging application users, DPPP is a powerful workflow tool tied with RAW file development software such as Canon Digital Photo Professional and Adobe® Photoshop®. In addition, the DPPP can be used as a robust collage/index tool to facilitate complex workflow for professionals such as commercial, portrait, wedding, and fine art photography. PhotoPRINT® Select, a true Adobe® Postscript® 3(tm) software RIP with a licensed Pantone® color library, manages large graphic files efficiently to address the needs of demanding IT and Graphic professionals. This robust RIP is capable of creating up to 6 individual printer setups for easy drag-and-drop printing. This feature enables direct scan-to-print from color imageRUNNER devices for an easy enlargement process ideal for both print for pay and print for use environments, in addition to driving up to 6 imagePROGRAF printers at the same time. The imagePROGRAF Printer Driver 2005 is a Windows® and Macintosh® driver that delivers accurate "Out of the Box" color, and automatically installs professionally created color profiles for Canon's wide variety of large format media. The driver is now able to faithfully match the color of a calibrated monitor screen. An additional feature of the printer driver is its industry standard ICC profile color-matching capability. This unique feature facilitates professionals to use custom ICC media (output) profiles for precise color matching, even from an application that does not support ICC profile workflow. The driver also incorporates expanded color settings for Grey tone adjustment, color saturation as well as additional features for the advanced user. The Canon driver also offers simplified page setup options and one-touch borderless printing--providing a similar look and feel to other Canon consumer and business imaging equipment. The included HDI driver provides an efficient way to print AutoCAD® files accurately from Windows for architectural and engineering businesses. With Print Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® for Windows® and Macintosh®, users can now create, process and print large format images directly from Photoshop. This plug-in is an export module that bypasses the operating-system-dependent print driver--allowing for 16-bit RGB images within Photoshop® to be printed directly in 10-bit mode, dramatically increasing gradations and as a result, overall image quality. The print history function enables the user to apply past color, profile and print settings to future jobs. Canon Unveils New Large Format Printers and Software Suite Canon's proprietary print head technology enables high-speed printing at 2400 x 1200 dpi with precise four picoliter ink droplets for high image resolution, clarity and detail. Canon's unique print head enables the W8400 to achieve print speeds up to 307 square feet per hour (sfph) at 1200x1200 dpi resolution. Even for the most discernable eyes, the printer's highest quality mode (2400x1200 dpi, 10-bit color mode) prints at an amazing 26 sfph (22sfph with W6400). In addition, Canon's new high-intensity yellow ink makes possible a wider color range and increased color intensity, while a new image processor enhances image quality for the production of brighter photos and vivid, eye-catching point-of-purchase posters and materials. In order to achieve 4x higher resolution than their predecessors without sacrificing speed, a new, more efficient image controller was developed for the new W8400/W6400. By utilizing a single chip design (SOC-System On Chip), the image processing is drastically faster, eliminating the need for two separate memories--CPU and image processing ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)--access. In addition, the memory itself has been upgraded to DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM) to further speed up the printing process. Combined with a faster image processing algorithm, the new system is able to retain Canon's printing speed advantage--even with an increase in processed data. The imagePROGRAF W8400 device, capable of printing on media up to 44 inches wide and designed to appeal to professional users requiring outstanding quality and high speeds in this larger format, including commercial printers, designers, advertising agencies, poster printers, as well as architects, engineers, has an MSRP of $5,995.00 The imagePROGRAF W6400 is capable of printing on media up to 24 inches wide and will appeal to a broad range of wide-format users who value quality and speed but don't require extra-large output sizes, including prepress/proofing departments, photo labs, professional photographers and internal marketing departments. MSRP is $3,495.00 Both the imagePROGRAF w6400 and imagePROGRAF W8400 are immediately available through authorized Canon U.S.A. dealers. About Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is rated #35 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2004, with global revenues of $33.3 billion. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com. SOURCE: Canon U.S.A., Inc. www.usa.canon.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: KONICA MINOLTA'S NEWEST COMPACT COLOR LASER DELIVERS PREMIUM COLOR FOR POWER USERS magicolor® 2450's robust feature set, enhanced print quality, and user-friendly design give wide-ranging appeal to small and mid-sized businesses 5/23/05 - (5/2/05) Today KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. introduced the latest model in its award-winning magicolor 2400 Series of color laser printers: the magicolor 2450. Retaining the Series' popular compact design, the magicolor 2450 is equipped with more power, greater versatility, and excellent color quality for general office and design applications. While it may be small, this user-friendly color laser has a business-class feature set usually found only in high-end departmental or specialty graphics printers. The magicolor 2450 is one of two new printers to feature KONICA MINOLTA's next-generation Emperon printing architecture. More than just a controller, Emperon provides great performance, excellent 9600 x 600 dpi-class quality, and unsurpassed compatibility with its PostScript 3 and PCL 6 languages and mixed OS support. Emperon is also responsible for the printer's ease of use, offering convenient printer management tools, a simple set-up process, and a common user printing experience for KONICA MINOLTA's printer and MFP product lines. Compact and Easy to Use This true desktop printer, which is up to 30% smaller than comparable models, fits easily into any environment. Like other magicolor 2400 models, the magicolor 2450 has simple, full-front access for reloading supplies and clearing media jams, so there's no need to waste desk space to access the back of the machine. A hallmark of KONICA MINOLTA laser printers is their ease of use, and the magicolor 2450 is no exception. It uses auto-run installation software to automatically detect the printer on the network and guide the user step-by-step through printer setup. And it ships with pre-installed, 4,500-page toners so users can get up and running in just a few minutes. The magicolor 2450 is also loaded with features that make daily operation a breeze. Comprehensive software print drivers simplify printing with options such as collation, fit-to-page scaling, separation pages, watermarks, tray selection, and secure printing. It has a desktop Status Monitor which utilizes a pop-up window on the user's screen for notification of print job status and supply levels. The PageScope(tm) suite of printer management utilities provides real-time supply status, as well as remote printer management and configuration for both individual users and IT professionals. Packed with Printing Power For greater versatility and increased processing power, the magicolor 2450 uses an easy-to-access Emperon controller, which is designed to process and deliver pages quickly and seamlessly. The controller provides compatibility with the most popular printing languages--PostScript 3 and PCL 6--and with both Windows and Macintosh operating environments. Emperon supports multiple network protocols, including TCP/IP, EtherTalk(r), and NetWare(r). And, it greatly improves printer performance and image quality while simplifying the entire printing process. The magicolor 2450 is equipped with a 300 MHz PowerPC CPU, which gives users the power needed for processing complex files, including high-resolution graphics and images. The printer comes standard with 128 MB DDR SDRAM, which doubles file data throughput and delivers print jobs quickly. A 10/100BaseTX Ethernet interface provides high-speed network printing for busy workgroups. USB 2.0 and parallel ports are also included for stand-alone operation. "Our small and mid-sized business customers are continually challenged to do more with less," said Stephen Fletcher, president and COO of KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS. "Our goal with the design of the magicolor 2450 was to provide these customers with a robust color laser that gives them greater productivity and better print quality, in a size and price that fit the space and budget needs of the typical small and mid-sized business." Brilliant, Consistent Color Print quality in the magicolor 2450 has been dramatically enhanced with 9600 x 600 dpi-class resolution, made possible by Photo ART, KONICA MINOLTA's contone printing technology. Photo ART delivers superior photographic detail and smooth color gradients, giving documents greater audience appeal. For consistent, accurate color from first page to last, the magicolor 2450 uses Enhanced Automatic Image Density Control (eAIDC). This technology automatically calibrates the printer for optimum print quality, even during intensive, long-term use. Advanced users will appreciate the automatic ICC-based color matching and dynamic contone screening built into the magicolor 2450. These advanced color features provide automatic color correction and optimization of print quality for professional or novice users. The magicolor 2450 uses KONICA MINOLTA's Simitri Polymerized Toner, which encapsulates uniform-sized toner particles in a wax base. This toner produces much clearer, sharper output, finer text, and better halftones. It also reduces toner consumption up to 30% and keeps the printer cleaner. Because Simitri Polymerized Toner requires less energy to produce, it also helps lower CO2 emissions and reduces the discharge of other air pollutants. "We believe our small and mid-sized business customers will find that the magicolor 2450 gives them a definite competitive advantage," stated Fletcher. "It provides the type of high-resolution, superior-quality output typically found on more expensive, high-end printer models. The magicolor 2450 makes it more affordable for these customers to produce the kind of vibrant, persuasive documents that certainly match, if not far exceed, the quality of anything produced by their big-budget competitors." The magicolor 2450 has a one-year exchange warranty and ships with a pre-installed set of supplies, including cyan, magenta, yellow, and black all-in-one imaging cartridges. The printer is available through KONICA MINOLTA's network of distributors, authorized dealers, and e-commerce partners. To find the location nearest you, call 800-523-2696 or visit www.buymagicolor.com. KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC., is an innovative developer, manufacturer, and supplier of document printing solutions. The product line includes color and monochrome laser printers, and associated supplies and accessories for general office, electronic publishing, graphic design, advanced imaging, and home office applications. KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. headquarters are in Mobile, Alabama USA, and its products are distributed through a broad network of e-commerce, retail, reseller, and distribution partners. SOURCE: KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. www.printer.konicaminolta.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: WIDE FORMAT GRAPHICS MARKET HARDWARE, MEDIA & INK REVENUES GROWING 7% CAGR 5/22/05 - (5/17/05) The wide format graphics market generated total manufacturer revenues (at the retail level) of $7.3 billion in 2004 and is expected to generate manufacturer revenues of $10.1 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 7%. The market is becoming increasingly competitive as new product categories, such as eco solvent and flatbed ink jet printers, compete with aqueous and aggressive solvent ink jet printers for PFP volume and dollars. I.T. Strategies forecasts revenues for wide format ink jet hardware, media and ink for three primary technology categories: Aqueous, Solvent and Flatbed. Total wide format ink jet market revenues for hardware, media and chemistry are growing from $7.1 billion in 2004 to $10.1 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 7%. * Total wide format ink jet graphics hardware revenues will grow from $1.5 billion in 2004 to $1.6 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 1%. In terms of total market revenues, wide format ink jet hardware revenues will decrease from 21% in 2004 to 16% in 2009, driven down by continually declining hardware prices. * Total wide format ink jet media revenues will grow from $2.7 billion in 2004 to $3.8 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 7%. In terms of market revenues, media revenues will increase from 36% in 2004 to 38% in 2009 driven by the increasing use of high value specialty media such as vinyl, fabric, canvas, etc., as well as the increasing hardware installed base. * Total wide format ink jet ink revenues will grow from $3.1 billion in 2004 to $4.6 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 8% driven by the increasing installed base of printers. In terms of total market revenue, ink jet ink revenues will grow from 43% of total market revenues in 2004 to 46% in 2009. According to Liz Ziepniewski, senior consultant at I.T. Strategies, eco solvent and flatbed printers are having a big impact on both aqueous and aggressive solvent printers. "Eco solvent printers are growing at the expense of both high-end aqueous and aggressive solvent printers. Companies and print shops new to the market are purchasing eco solvent printers and using them as (relatively) low cost printers for both indoor and outdoor applications. This has halted the growth of the high-end aqueous market, as more indoor prints are now available for companies with eco solvent printers. It also has some impact on aggressive solvent printers because in the past, some of the companies purchasing eco solvent printers would outsource this type of product to a print provider with high-end solvent printers. High-end, UV-curable flatbed printers are being used to print directly on rigid substrates, thereby skipping the mounting process required when printing on roll printers. One of the largest flatbed applications today is POP printing. Many print shops with flatbed printers are shifting POP work from aqueous printers to flatbed printers in order to increase productivity by printing directly on rigid substrates. High-end flatbed printers are impacting the aggressive solvent sector by taking PFP dollars that might have been spent to purchase or upgrade an aggressive solvent printer." Revenue Forecast Comparison by Print Segment Total wide format graphics revenues for hardware, media and chemistry are forecast to grow from $7.3 billion in 2004 to $10.1 billion in 2009, a CAGR of 7%. In 2004, 61% of wide format graphics revenues ($4.5 billion) were generated by aqueous printers. By 2009, aqueous printers, with total revenues of $4.6 billion, will decrease 46% of total market revenues. Solvent printers will increase from 34% of total market revenues ($2.5 billion) to 44% of revenues ($4.4 billion). Flatbed printers will grow from 4% of total market revenues ($317 million) in 2004 to 10% ($1 billion) in 2009. I.T. Strategies, Inc. is an established research and consultancy firm dedicated to serving companies in emerging digital printing markets. The company delivers intelligent data, analysis, strategy, and implementation practices to vendors in the digital printing industry around the world. From offices in Boston and Tokyo, I.T. Strategies conducts and delivers research data, offers interpretation and advice, identifies specific opportunities, and helps organizations implement these strategies to achieve effective solutions. Please visit I.T. Strategies' Info Store where we offer reports, studies and forecasts that are available for purchase. SOURCE: I.T. Strategies, Inc. www.it-strategies.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: NEW EPSON STYLUS(r) PRO 4800, 7800 AND 9800 INK JET PRINTERS WITH NEW EPSON ULTRACHROME K3(tm) INKS MARK DEFINING MOMENT IN HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS New Professional Wide-Format Printers Use Color and Unique Three-Level Black Ink System to Create Highest-Quality Archival Black and White Images 5/11/05 - (5/10/05) Epson is once again advancing its printing technology into new territory for professional photographers and graphic artists with the launch of the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, Epson Stylus Pro 7800, Epson Stylus Pro 9800, and new Epson UltraChrome K3 ink technology. The combination of these new printers and archival inks not only gives today's most demanding professionals the widest gamut of archival color ink jet printing to date, but an almost infinite degree of black and white image control that rivals all other forms of photographic printing. All three printers introduce several new and advanced features and technologies, most notably Epson UltraChrome K3 inks--a new archival technology that uses eight individual colors to create even better exhibit-quality output on a wide selection of media. The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 replaces the award-winning Epson Stylus Pro 4000 for printing images as wide as 17 inches, while the Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and Epson Stylus Pro 9800 replace the Epson Stylus Pro 7600 and 9600 for printing up to 24 inches and 44 inches in width, respectively. "By combining the high-precision of a new Epson Stylus Pro print engine with the extraordinary performance of Epson UltraChrome K3 ink technology, today's most discerning creative professionals have the tools to express their true creative visions," said Mark Radogna, group product manager, professional graphics, Epson. "Whether an artist's goal is to create the best exhibit-quality color prints possible or world-class black and white photography, their only limitations will be talent and imagination." New Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology Inspired by Epson's past generations of pigmented inks, Epson UltraChrome K3 uses higher density pigments designed to increase image quality for both professional color and black and white prints. In addition to cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan and light magenta, Epson UltraChrome K3 features a unique three-level black ink system that simultaneously uses black, light black and light-light black inks. This technology is designed to create professional neutral and toned black and white prints without color crossover or color casts. It also reduces the effects of metamerism or bronzing often associated with basic pigment chemistry. Furthermore, Epson's proprietary driver and screening technology offer users a unique method for converting color digital images into professional quality black and white prints. Epson UltraChrome K3 also produces higher degrees of color fidelity and uses a new high-gloss Microcrystal Encapsulation(tm) resin chemistry to create prints with greater scratch resistance and reduced gloss differential. These prints are rated to resist fading up to 108 years for color prints and more than 200 years for black and white prints on specific Epson papers.* The Epson Stylus Pro 4800, 7800 and 9800 offer users two unique ink modes--Photo Black and Matte Black - that are designed to optimize the level of black ink density on different types of media. The Photo Black ink mode can be selected to help maximize the deepness and richness of black tones on glossy/luster media such as Epson's Premium Luster. The Matte Black mode uses a different black density to maximize the deepness and richness of black tones on fine art surfaces such as Epson's Velvet Fine Art, Enhanced Matte and UltraSmooth Fine Art. New 8-Channel Print Head Technology Epson's new high-performance, one-inch wide print head features 180 nozzles per channel and can achieve resolution levels up to 2880 x 1440 dpi with variable-sized ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters. The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 is also one of the fastest ink jet printers ever made by Epson, capable of printing a 16"x 20" photo lab-quality print (using 1,440 x 720 dpi - HS mode) as fast as 6 minutes, 41 seconds. The Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and 9800 offer print speeds approximately two times faster than their predecessors, the Epson Stylus Pro 7600 and 9600. Photo lab-quality 24" x 30" prints can be printed as quickly as 14 minutes, 18 seconds, and same-quality 44" x 60" prints can be printed in approximately 42 minutes, 30 seconds (all using 1,440 x 720 dpi - HS mode). Epson has enhanced its manufacturing process to include colorimetric calibration. A technology called Epson PreciseColor(tm) evaluates each printer's output during the manufacturing process and automatically fine tunes each printer's settings to ensure consistent color output from one printer to the next. Setup time is also greatly reduced by a built-in auto head alignment feature. This technology uses a built-in white beam sensor that automatically scans printed alignment patterns created by the printer and then makes automated adjustments if necessary. The same white beam sensor is also used to detect clogged nozzles and automatically activate head cleaning cycles when/if necessary. Professional Media Handling The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 can handle virtually any type of media, either in rolls up to 17 inches wide or cut sheets between 8" x 10" and 17" x 22". There are four ways to load media, which include an adjustable roll feed for 2-inch and 3-inch cores, a high-capacity cut-sheet tray for up to 50 sheets of photographic media, top manual feed, and straight-through front manual feed capable of handling up to 1.5-millimeter-thick poster board. The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 also supports printing on both sides of the media without damaging the previously printed side and has a built-in media cutter that automatically trims top and bottom edges of roll media safely and accurately to produce full-bleed images on all four sides. The Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and 9800 offer nearly all of the same advanced media handling capabilities as the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, but in sizes up to 24 and 44 inches wide (respectively). Both cut-sheet and roll media are loaded via the printers' straight-through media path. An optional automatic take-up reel system is also available exclusively on the Epson Stylus Pro 9800 for unattended production of large print runs. Intelligent High-Capacity Ink System and Print Job Information Each of these new printers' ink cartridge channels/slots can handle either 110 ml or 220 ml cartridges (or a combination of both sizes) that can even be replaced in the middle of a print job. Each cartridge uses Epson's Intelligent High-Capacity Ink technology, a feature that stores a variety of information on a memory chip and communicates the data to the printer whenever the power is turned on. Also, the printers use built-in memory to track key print job statistics such as ink levels, ink usage, remaining media, print times, data file names, user names, print dates and more. Superior Connectivity and RIP Support The Epson Stylus Pro 4800, 7800 and 9800 use Epson's professional-level photographic drivers for Macintosh and Windows, allowing for complete density control even when the driver's color management feature is turned off. Printer interfaces include one USB 2.0 port, one IEEE 1394 FireWire(tm) port and one expansion slot for an optional 10/100 BaseT Ethernet card. All three printers are fully supported by most leading third-party RIPs. Pricing and Availability The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 is now shipping through Epson dealers for $1,995 (estimated street price). The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 "Pro Edition," which includes a PANTONE(r)-licensed, SWOP(r)-certified PostScript(r), Language Level 3(tm)-compatible RIP by ColorBurst(r), and a 10/100 BaseT Ethernet card, is expected to begin shipping in July to authorized professional graphics resellers with an estimated street price of $2,495. The Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and 9800 will begin shipping in Fall 2005 and are respectively priced at $2,995 and $4,995 (estimated street prices), which includes a complimentary stand for each. Service & Support The Epson Stylus Pro 4800, 7800 and 9800 are supported by the standard Epson PreferredSM Limited Warranty. This one-year program includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and usually next-business-day full unit exchange service (for the Epson Stylus Pro 4800) or on-site service (for the Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and Epson Stylus Pro 9800) in the unlikely event of any hardware failure. Optional Epson Preferred Plus Service Plans are also available, offering one or two additional years of protection. For more information on Epson warranties, service programs and products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit our Web site at www.epson.com. About Epson Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transactions terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif. # # # Note: Specifications and terms are subject to change. Epson, Epson Stylus, and Micro Piezo are registered trademarks, and Epson UltraChrome K3 and Microcrystal Encapsulation, are trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. Epson PreciseColor is a trademark, and Epson Preferred is a service mark, of Epson America Inc. All other product brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these trademarks. * Ink lightfastness rating based on accelerated testing of prints on specialty media, displayed indoors under glass. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under plexi, glass or lamination or properly store them. Visit www.wilhelm-research.com for the latest information. SOURCE: Epson America Inc. www.epson.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: EPSON INTRODUCES ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCT FOR FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY WITH THE NEW EPSON STYLUS PHOTO R2400 AND EPSON ULTRACHROME K3 INKS New Eight-Color Epson UltraChrome K3 Pigment Inks Provide Stunning Archival Color and Black and White Prints up to 13" Wide 5/11/05 - (5/10/05) Epson America Inc. has once again changed the world of photography with the introduction of the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 and Epson UltraChrome K3 inks. This new printer, coupled with its innovative ink technology, offers professional and fine art photographers the most advanced ink jet technology available to date. The Epson UltraChrome K3 pigment ink set ensures both a wider color gamut and superior black and white output with print permanence ratings that are perfect for gallery exhibits. With three levels of black and advanced driver controls, the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 enables users to create professional-quality prints on a wide variety of media. Replacing the award-winning Epson Stylus Photo 2200, the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 will be the printer of choice for professional and fine art photographers, as well as serious amateurs. "Epson has a legacy of providing photographers and digital artists with the tools that enable them to express their vision. The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 and the new Epson UltraChrome K3 inks produce stunning color prints in addition to black and white prints that look and feel like traditional silver halide prints," said Patrick Chen, product manager, photo imaging, Epson America. "Quite simply, this printer with its Epson UltraChrome K3 inks will redefine photographic printing in the industry with the next level of uncompromising quality, ease of use and print permanence." New Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology The Epson UltraChrome K3 ink set is a unique eight-color system designed specifically for professional and fine art photographers and digital artists who seek exhibit-level photo quality. Inspired by Epson's past generations of pigmented inks, Epson UltraChrome K3 uses higher density pigments to widen the color gamut. In addition to cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan and light magenta, UltraChrome K3 features a special three-level black ink system that simultaneously uses black, light black and light-light black to create professional neutral and toned black and white prints from a single ink set. Epson UltraChrome K3 inks also boast output without color crossover or color casts. In addition to professional-quality black and white output, Epson UltraChrome K3 produces higher degrees of color fidelity and stable colors superior to that of other ink technologies on the market. By using high-gloss Microcrystal Encapsulation(tm) technology, Epson delivers improved pigment and resin chemistry to provide better scratch resistance and glossier prints. The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 produces unparalleled black and white prints and gives the user the choice of two interchangeable cartridges-Photo Black or Matte Black. This feature optimizes the black ink density for various media types, which produces richer blacks and higher contrast output. Professional results can be achieved with the Photo Black Mode on a variety of glossy media, and in Matte Black Mode on matte and fine art media such as Epson's Velvet Fine Art, Enhanced Matte and UltraSmooth Fine Art. Both Photo and Matte Black cartridges are included with the Epson Stylus Photo R2400. New Advanced Printer Driver Control The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 driver is enhanced to provide users with unprecedented black and white image control. The driver settings offer quick toning presets, separate controls for shadow and highlight tonality control, maximum optical density control, reduced gloss differential, and custom tone control. Furthermore, Epson's proprietary driver and screening technology offers users a unique method for converting color digital images into professional quality black and white prints. About the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 - Key Product Features The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 offers a multitude of features for digital and fine art photographers: * Printing Method: Epson's exclusive and award-winning drop-on-demand Advanced Micro Piezo(r) pigment ink jet technology delivers droplet sizes as small as 3.5 picoliters and resolutions up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi * BorderFree(r) Printing Sizes: Borderless printing without margins in popular 4 x 6", 5 x 7", 8"x 10", letter (8.5" x 11"), 11" x 14", 12"x 12", 13" x 19", and panoramic sizes * High-Performance Print Engine Speeds: One of Epson's fastest photo printers to date, printing an 11"x14" photo in as fast as 1 minute, 47 seconds* * Water/Smudge-Resistant Prints: Epson UltraChrome K3 inks resist smudging or fingerprints related to high levels of humidity, moisture and water spillage** * Professional Media Handling: Three paths: Sheet, Rear (Roll and Single-Sheet Fine Art) and Straight-through for 1.3mm thick media; standard handling including BorderFree Printing, plus roll paper support (4", 8.3" and 13") * Epson Paper Options: Enhanced Matte Paper, Velvet Fine Art Paper, Watercolor Radiant White, UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper, Matte Paper Heavyweight, PremierArt Matte Scrapbook Photo Paper for Epson, Premium Glossy Photo Paper, Premium Semigloss Photo Paper, Premium Luster Photo Paper, Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper, and Premium Bright White Paper * Paper Sizes: 4"x 6", 5" x 7", 8" x 10", letter (8.5" x 11"), 11" x 14", 12" x 12", 13" x 19", B (11" x 17"), A3+, Super B (13" x 19"), user definable, plus 4", 8.3" and 13" wide panoramic roll papers. Included Photo Software and Color Management Solutions The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 comes with a Print Image Matching(r) Plug-in for Adobe(r) Photoshop(r) and four popular black and white filters from nik Color Efex Pro(tm) 2.0. These filters are downloadable from nik multimedia's website and operate on both PC and Macintosh(r) platforms. In addition, Epson RAW Print is also included for easy printing of RAW format image files. Supported by Windows(r) 2000 and XP, Epson RAW Print works with the following cameras: Epson RD-1, Nikon(r) D70 and Canon(r) EOS Rebel. Color management solutions include premium ICC color profiles, X-Rite(r) Complete Guide to Color Management, and an exclusive offer by X-Rite for Monaco(tm) EZ Color. The EPSON Stylus Photo R2400 supports Windows 2000 and XP and Mac(r) OS X 10.2.4 or later with both Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire(r) (IEEE 1394) ports. Print Permanence Epson is always striving to offer products that produce fade-resistant and long-lasting photos. The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 is a breakthrough product with its print longevity using new Epson UltraChrome K3 inks and a wide selection of Epson archival media. The printer's output is rated to resist fading up to 108 years for color and over 200 years for black and white.*** Pricing, Support and Availability The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 will be available this month for an estimated street price of $849 through direct market resellers, specialty photo stores, computer superstores, on-line retailers, and Epson's retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com). The printer is backed by the one-year EPSON Exchange Warranty and is supported by the EPSON ConnectionSM, a customer support technical assistance line. About Epson Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif. ### Note: Specifications subject to change. Epson UltraChrome K3 is a trademark and Epson, Epson Stylus, Print Image Matching, Micro Piezo and Microcrystal Encapsulation are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. BorderFree is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc. Third party brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder. * Color photo speed is in Photo mode on Epson Enhanced Matte Paper. Additional processing time will vary based on system configuration, software application and page complexity. ** Water resistance on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper, Premium Semigloss Photo Paper, and Premium Luster Photo Paper. ***Ink lightfastness rating based on accelerated testing of prints on specialty media, displayed indoors under glass. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under plexi, glass or lamination or properly store them. Visit www.wilhelm-research.com for the latest information. SOURCE: Epson America Inc. www.epson.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: CANON U.S.A., INC. ENDORSES THE INDEPENDENT WIR CERTIFIED IMAGE PERMANENCE TESTING PROGRAM AND SEAL, JOINING EPSON, HEWLETT-PACKARD, AND LEXMARK IN PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH STANDARDIZED PRINT LONGEVITY RATINGS 4/28/05 - (4/8/05) Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. (WIR), an independent test methods development and product testing company, today announced that Canon U.S.A., Inc. will participate in the new WIR Certified Image Permanence Testing Program. With comprehensive test data provided by Wilhelm Imaging Research, Canon will begin using the WIR Certification Seal with a range of qualified photo printing products. "In addition to our own photo imaging permanence scale, we are providing customers the ability to see independent image permanence results that allow an easy comparison of the available photographic materials by supporting the new Wilhelm Imaging test certification Seal," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc."The new seal program provides an immediate, uniform test method to provide consumers with the information needed to understand the difference between various products used to print their digital photographs." With more than 90-percent of the worldwide market, Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard and Lexmark are the world's leading manufacturers of inkjet printers, inks, and inkjet photo papers. The WIR certification program has three components: (1) The WIR Certified Tests -- a comprehensive set of test methods developed by Wilhelm Imaging Research to evaluate image permanence; (2) WIR Test Data -- permanence data generated with the WIR Certified Tests; and (3) The WIR Seal -- signifies that the product has been tested by WIR, and that detailed image permanence data are available on the WIR website www.wilhelm-research.com. "WIR's standardized image permanence test methods and specifications provide consumers throughout the world with 'apples-to-apples' comparisons for a wide range of inks and photo papers, much like the government-mandated fuel economy ratings relied upon by people shopping for a new car," said Henry Wilhelm, president of Wilhelm Imaging Research. "Imagine the chaos that would exist if every car manufacturer had its own proprietary test method for fuel economy claims for its vehicles. That is exactly the situation the photography industry has been facing without uniform permanence testing standards." The display permanence ratings, album/dark storage permanence ratings, and ozone resistance ratings of the many inkjet ink and paper combinations offered to consumers vary over a wide range--from truly excellent to extremely poor. For example, most people do not know that, with a given printer, the choice of inkjet paper can have a tremendous influence on the permanence of the resulting print. Permanence ratings also differ greatly among brands of traditional silver-halide prints and dye-sub prints. The WIR testing program helps consumers differentiate between printer manufacturers' papers that have been optimized for that company's inks, and third-party and store-label "universally compatible" papers that may use less demanding test methods or supply no image permanence information at all about this critical -- but initially hidden -- aspect of total product quality. Further benefiting consumers, WIR's stringent tests better encompass the wide range of lighting conditions that may be found where photographs are displayed in homes and offices. Some third-party ink and paper manufacturers give display-life predictions for their papers based on tests that assume prints will be displayed under 120 lux UV-filtered illumination, instead of the higher standard of 450 lux glass-filtered illumination employed by WIR, and use a single density point for measuring fading compared with the two density points that WIR measures; taken together, these differences in test methods result in claims of display-life ratings that are between 4 to 15 times greater than those given by WIR. For example, WIR gave one leading third-party inkjet paper a WIR Display Permanence Rating of 11 years when printed with an HP printer and the HP No. 57 inkjet cartridge. The paper's manufacturer rated the display life of the same paper at 162 years by using far less rigorous tests with 120 lux UV-filtered illumination and measurements made at only a single density point. To qualify for use of the Seal, a product must have a minimum WIR Display Permanence Rating of 25 years and a WIR Album/Dark Storage Rating at least equal to the display rating. Complete results and details of WIR test methods are available at www.wilhelm-research.com. Updated information, including ratings for ozone resistance, resistance to high humidity during display and storage, and water resistance are posted on the WIR website as data become available. "HP strongly supports the use of the new Wilhelm Imaging Research Certification Seal as an industry standard for image permanence," said Pradeep Jotwani, senior vice president, Imaging and Printing Supplies Organization of HP. "We've been impressed with WIRıs commitment to stringent, credible permanence testing, and the seal will enable customers to make meaningful comparisons between products and brands, and will ultimately eliminate confusion." "Photographs are among people's most valued possessions, but with so many differences in the photographic materials available, understanding how long they will last is complicated," said Greg McCoy, senior product manager, Professional Media and Supplies, Epson America, Inc. "WIR gives valuable, unbiased comparative print permanence data based on uniform, rigorous test criteria that photographers of all levels can use to make informed choices about the photographic materials with which they print their precious memories or stake their professional reputations." At present no standards are available from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for testing the image permanence of digitally printed photographs. According to Wilhelm, "We have been an active member of ANSI and ISO standards committees for more than 25 years, and we strongly support the development of uniform, global testing standards. When such standards become available, WIR will be among the first to apply them to product testing. But consumers need meaningful permanence data now, and the WIR Certified Testing Program and Seal are designed to meet that need." Photography has always been about preserving a moment, a special memory, or a loved one's face in time, and people care very much about how long their valued photographs will last. Consumers want objective permanence information to help them decide which products to buy. When consumers see a WIR certification seal on a package or in an advertisement, they will be reassured in knowing that the product has been tested according to WIR's rigorous test methods--and that detailed permanence data for the product are available at www.wilhelm-research.com. About Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. www.wilhelm-research.com has for over 35 years conducted research on the stability and preservation of traditional and digitally printed color and black-and-white photographs and motion pictures. A major activity of WIR is the development of improved accelerated image permanence tests and advanced, full tonal scale, colorimetric analysis methods for the fading and staining that occurs with color and black-and-white photographic images over time. As an independent testing laboratory, WIR publishes brand name-specific, comparative permanence data for desktop and large-format inkjet printers and other digital printing devices. WIR has provided standardized test data to many of the worldıs leading imaging and photographic companies, including Canon, Epson, Fuji, Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, Ilford, Arches Paper Company, Premier Imaging Products, and others. Wilhelm Imaging Research also provides consulting services to museums, archives, and commercial collections on sub-zero cold storage for the long-term preservation of still photographs and motion pictures. President and co-founder of the company, Henry Wilhelm appears frequently as a speaker on inkjet printing technologies and print permanence at industry conferences, trade shows, and museum conservation meetings. His 744-page book, "The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs: Traditional and Digital Color Prints, Color Negatives, Slides, and Motion Pictures" is a standard reference in the field. The complete book, originally published in 1993, may be downloaded at no charge from www.wilhelm-research.com. SOURCE: Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. www.wilhelm-research.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: ARTISTRY COREL PAINTER TRAINING, TUTORIALS AND ART FOR APRIL AND MAY, 2005 4/22/05 - (4/19/05) The first six months of Karen Sperling's Artistry Tips and Tricks newsletter, containing step-by-step tutorials for turning photographs into paintings in Corel Painter IX and previous versions, is now available on CD. "If you haven't wanted to download the Acrobat file newsletters, you can now access them on the Artistry Tips and Tricks...the First Six Months CD," explains Karen. "Also, the CD contains all the individual image files so that you can not just follow along with the tutorials, but also see up close how all the steps were accomplished." For more information about Artistry Tips and Tricks, please visit this page: http://www.artistrymag.com/docs/tipsnov.html In other news, Karen will be teaching a Painter class at the Mid-Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography (M.A.R.S.) in New Jersey May 1-6, 2005. The classes are open to everyone. Please visit this page for more information: http://www.marsschool.com/sperling.htm Then Karen teaches an Artistry Corel Painter Retreat in California in June. For the full schedule visit this page: http://www.artistrymag.com/docs/sked.html Meanwhile, Karen's art will be on sale at the San Diego Artwalk April 23 and 24, 2005 and will be part of a group show through the month of May at the Art Institute of California Gallery in San Diego, CA. Visit this page for information: http://www.artistrymag.com/docs/paint.html For information about any of these tutorials or events write to karensperling@sbcglobal.net or ksperling@aol.com. SOURCE: Karen Sperling www.artistrymag.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: INKJETMALL LAUNCHES THEIR DIGITAL DARKROOM BLACK & WHITE INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM 4/21/05 - (4/18/05) InkjetMall today announced the release of their Digital Darkroom Black & White Inkjet Printing System. InkjetMall's Digital Darkroom is a complete solution for black and white inkjet printing. The system consists of everything you need to make famous PiezographyBW prints which look like traditional darkroom prints. The complete system consists of: • Digital Darkroom PiezographyBW Monochromatic ICC Profiles • Digital Darkroom PiezoTone Monochromatic Ink Cartridges for all four tones: Warm Neutral, Carbon Sepia, Cool Neutral, and Selenium Tone • Digital Darkroom PiezoTone Monochromatic Ink Cartridges for two blacks: Museum Black and Portfolio Black • A complete set of cleaning cartridges • ColorVision Spyder2 Monitor Calibration • GTI PDV 3/D Viewing Booth • Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Fine Art Paper • Legion Somerset Photo Enhanced Fine Art Paper • Harald Johnson's book Mastering Digital Printing, Second Edition The Digital Darkroom Black & White Inkjet Printing System is being introduced for use with the Epson Stylus Photo 1280. How it works: The Digital Darkroom for the EPSON 1280 comes with a set of our famous monochromatic inks in all four tones and both blacks, with matching monochromatic ICC profiles you use for printing and previewing (soft-proofing!). Easy to install and requires no special software. Use the ColorVision Spyder2 to calibrate your monitor (CRT, LCD or Laptop) to Gamma 1.8 and 5000k (Mac or PC). This insures that your monitor can accurately preview the PiezographyBW ICC profiles when they are applied to your grayscale images. You'll see the color of the inks, in relation to the color of the paper, and the precise tonal contrast of your image before you print. We include a GTI soft proofing viewer to put adjacent to your monitor. It's the dimming model so that you can turn it down to the same brightness as your screen. Why? Because a finished print placed in the GTI is going to precisely match a grayscale image on your Spyder2 calibrated monitor. Remember we mentioned that PiezographyBW ICC is the only system which shows you what your grayscale images will look like before you print. InkjetMall specializes in archival inks, papers, color management products and ICC profiling services. It is also a contact point for fast and knowledgeable technical support. For information: http://www.inkjetmall.com. Phone: 802-222-4415. SOURCE: InkjetMall www.inkjetmall.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: ADOBE TO BUY MACROMEDIA IN $3.4 BILLION DEAL 4/21/05 - (4/18/05) SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Combining two of the largest makers of software for creating and delivering digital content, Adobe Systems Inc. said Monday it will acquire Macromedia Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $3.4 billion. Shares of Macromedia, known for its Dreamweaver Web-design program and Flash, which animates and adds interactivity to Web pages, rose more than 8 percent in early trading, while Adobe shares sank 11 percent. Both companies said the long-rumored acquisition was not to consolidate and cut costs but to help Adobe expand into new markets, particularly in the area of providing content to mobile phones and other handheld devices. Adobe's software includes the popular Acrobat program for creating and reading documents in the PDF format, as well as the popular Photoshop program for working with digital photographs. Macromedia, based in San Francisco, recently announced tools for expanding its reach into mobile devices. "This is not a consolidation play. This is all about growth," said Bruce Chizen, Adobe's chief executive. "We're doing this because we believe the combined offerings will be even more compelling to our customers given the challenges they're going to face in trying to communicate information in this very complex environment." Neither company would speculate Monday on actual product plans after the deal is closed. There is some product overlap, including Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand in graphics design, Adobe GoLive and Dreamweaver for Web page creation, and Photoshop and Macromedia Fireworks for working with photos and other graphics. Under terms of the deal, approved by the companies' boards of directors, Macromedia stockholders will receive 0.69 shares of Adobe common stock for every share of their Macromedia common stock. That will result in Macromedia stockholders owning about 18 percent of the combined company when the deal closes. Shares of Adobe lost $6.77, or 11 percent, to $53.89, in Monday morning trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Macromedia shares gained $2.76, or 8.3 percent, to $36.21. The transaction, contingent upon the approval of regulators as well as the shareholders of both companies, is expected to be completed by the fall. The combined company will keep Adobe's name and San Jose headquarters. The companies, up until about 2001, were bitter rivals, squabbling over the look of the interfaces used in their software. Still, financial analysts and customers have been speculating about a merger for years. Afterward, both struggled as Internet boom ended, said Steven Elop, Macromedia's chief executive. "We were largely focused inward, making sure we had the strategies in place for the next generation of activities," he said. "We both, in parallel, developed visions that turned out to be very complementary, and we established a track record of success that puts us in a much stronger position to look outward." Chizen will remain as chief executive of the combined company and Adobe's Shantanu Narayenb will continue as president and chief operating officer. Elop will join Adobe as president of worldwide field operations. The companies said they are in the midst of developing "integration plans" that will build on their similarities. They did not mention layoffs. Adobe employs 3,700 people in offices around the world. It reported revenues of $1.295 billion for fiscal 2003. Macromedia reported sales of $370 million in fiscal 2004. "While we anticipate the integration team will identify opportunities for cost savings by the time the acquisition closes, the primary motivation for the two companies' joining is to continue to expand and grow our business into new markets," Chizen said. On Monday, both companies also updated their financial guidance. Adobe said it expects sales and profits to be at the upper end of the range of its previous estimates. Macromedia said it expects to exceed its previous forecast. "It's a lot easier to combine two companies that are healthy and doing really well with lots of growth than it is to try to acquire and integrate a company that is broken," Chizen said. "That is the piece that gave us comfort in taking the next step.'' SOURCE: The Associated Press ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: GLOSSARY OF DIGITAL ART AND PRINTMAKING PUBLISHED BY PROFESSIONAL ARTS GROUP 4/3/05 - (4/1/05) What exactly is a "giclée"? Can a digital photographic print be an original work of art? How does digital technology relate to and impact printmaking in the fine art world? These questions that span technology and art are answered and discussed in the new lexicon Glossary of Digital Art and Printmaking. The purpose of this new Glossary is to address the general misunderstanding and confusion about the terminology (words and phrases) involved in the creation, production, and distribution of digital art, both photographic and non-photographic, as those activities primarily relate to digital printmaking. The Glossary is published to provide a base reference for the many new terms and phrases used in and about digital fine art printmaking and digital fine art itself. "This is a natural thing," explains the group's co-chair John S. Shaw. "When you have not only a new art form, involving the traditional fine art world and the photographic profession but also an entirely new technology, you expand the confusion factor geometrically. This new Glossary is, first of all, intended to provide a base line for language used in and about the digital art field, and secondly, to be a living document, web-based and capable of being modified in a real-time setting." The Glossary of Digital Art and Printmaking was produced by a group of 15 professionals from various areas of the digital art community, including not only artists photographers and printmakers, but also gallery and museum experts, industry manufacturers, art educators, digital art publishers, and consultants in interrelated fields. This Digital Art Practices & Terminology Task Force (or DAPTTF) is co-chaired by author and web publisher Harald Johnson, and consultant and publisher John S. Shaw. Johnson notes that "When establishing DAPTTF, we felt strongly that we needed to include all of the 'stakeholders' involved. While digital artists do comprise the largest bloc within DAPTTF, all of the other areas are represented as well." The complete DAPTTF roster includes: digital artists Teri Brudnak, Ileana Frómeta Grillo, JD Jarvis, Dorothy Simpson Krause, Mel Strawn; photographer Larry Berman; educator Mark Gottsegen; printmaker Diana York; industry professionals Mike Booth, Steve Boulter, and Ray Work; and curators George Fifield and Mary Ann Kearns. Co-chairs Johnson and Shaw round out the 15 members of DAPTTFF. The new Glossary contains 452 individual terms, some fairly common and some quite specialized. Additionally, there are two supplemental "analysis sections" included to provide background for the digital art field. One covers Traditional Printmaking Techniques, establishing the historical background of fine art printmaking, and the second includes a discussion of the various Digital Printmaking Technologies, providing an overview of their technological impacts. The Glossary of Digital Art and Printmaking is available online now at Johnson's DP&I website, www.dpandi.com/DAPTTF. It is also available at the same website in downloadable PDF format. Although the Glossary is subject to copyright held by DAPTTF, the publishers (DAPTTF) offer it to all interested parties without cost, requesting only appropriate credit. SOURCE: DAPTTF www.dpandi.com/DAPTTF ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: SAMPLES OF INKAID PRECOATS NOW AVAILABLE 4/3/05 - (3/21/05) Responding to customer requests, Jim Kedenburg of Ontario Coatings in Watertown, NY, has announced that inkAID will now provide samples sets of their inkjet precoat products to first-time customers for the cost of shipping and handling. "As we offer a unique product in this industry, we have received many requests for an opportunity to try our precoats," Kedenburg said. "The sample kits will demonstrate the ease of use and versatility of our precoats through hands-on experience." inkAID offers three precoats used by artists and others to prepare virtually any surface for inkjet printing. They are applied by brush and clean up with soap and water. White Matte precoat creates a flat opaque bright white printing surface. The Clear Semi Gloss and Clear Gloss precoats are transparent coatings used when the color and/or shapes of the printing surface is to be seen through the inkjet print. An Adhesive is also available to adhere the Clear Gloss precoat to non-porous surfaces, like plastic and aluminum. The sample set includes approximately 4 oz. of each of the four products. The shipping and handling charge is for the set is $15 for shipment anywhere in the continental U.S. Call for shipping to Alaska or Hawaii. International orders will be priced on the basis of the destination and shipped via U.S. Postal Global Express Mail. For more information or to order the sample set, visit the inkAID website or call (888) 424-8167. SOURCE: Ontario Special Coatings www.inkaid.com ^ back to top Home | About Us | Advertise | Contact Us News & Reviews | How-To's | Resources İ 2002-2006 Harald Johnson Communications. All rights reserved.