Sony Extends Ease-of-Use Story With World's First Floppy Disk Printer

Business Wire, August 25, 1998

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 1998--

Mavica Printer Offers Consumers Superior Performance and the Convenience of Instant Access to their Digital Images

Now, printing out your pictures can be just as easy as taking them.

Sony Electronics today announced the world's first floppy disk printer, the FVP-1 Mavica(TM) Photo Printer, adding to its comprehensive suite of award-winning digital imaging products.

The new printer is the ideal complement to Sony's Digital Mavica(R) cameras, providing consumers with a simple and easy solution to instantly printing out their pictures. The unit requires no connection to a PC and prints directly from an internal floppy disk drive.

"Over the past year, the simple and easy-to-use floppy disk has made the Digital Mavica camera the number-one selling digital still camera in the U.S., embraced by consumers and professionals alike," said Neal Manowitz, marketing manager, digital imaging systems for Information Technologies of America (ITA), a division of Sony Electronics.

"Sony has taken this concept one-step further by incorporating floppy-disk technology into a printer. Now, consumers using a Digital Mavica camera and Mavica printer have the ability to capture images onto a floppy disk, insert that disk directly into the printer, and instantly print out high-quality photos, as easy as 1-2-3."

The new printer uses dye-sublimation technology and produces high-quality, photo-realistic prints on VP standard (5.5 x 3.9-inch) paper. Unlike ink jet printing technologies where a liquid is transferred straight to paper, the dye sublimation process converts liquid to gas, helping to produce rich, continuous-tone colors.

Enhancing the printer's utility is its unique ability to print from video via a floppy disk. With video in, the printer allows consumers to capture images from a camcorder, or any video source with an analog output, to a standard floppy disk or print them out.

Rounding-out the unique video experience, the unit is also equipped with video out for playback of images stored on the floppy disk, directly onto a TV or video monitor.

The FVP-1 complements Sony's full-line of Digital Mavica products. These include the MVC-FD81, with XGA resolution and MPEG Movie Mode; the MVC-FD91 with XGA resolution and 14x zoom; the MVC-FD71, with high-speed 2x floppy disk drive; and the entry level MVC-FD51.

The Digital Mavica line also includes two MaviCap(TM) floppy disk recorders that capture and store images from a camcorder or other video sources and saves it on a floppy.

The Mavica Photo Printer (FVP-1) will be available in November at consumer electronics, computer and specialty photo retail outlets at an estimated selling price of $499(a).

Sony Electronics Inc. Background: Based in San Jose, Sony ITA markets branded computer products, including VAIO(R) computers, Trinitron(R) displays, digital still cameras and other multimedia products through distributors, resellers and consumer retailers. For additional information about Sony imaging products, call 800/352-7669, or visit Sony's World Wide Web at: www.sony.com/image.

To order Sony VAIO computer and peripheral products directly from Sony VAIO Direct(SM), call 1-888/315-SONY.

(a) Prices listed are estimated U.S. retail selling prices.

Actual retail prices may vary.

Note to Editors: For information regarding the nearest Sony authorized dealer of service location, your readers can call 1-800/222-SONY. For photographs of Sony products editors can call 408/955-5648. On the Internet you'll find Sony at http://www.sony.com.

    CONTACT: Sony Electronics, Inc.
              Claudine Mangano, 408/955-5109
              claudine_mangano@mail.sel.sony.com
                      or
              Technology Solutions, Inc.
              Greg Vitarelli, 408/280-6000, ext. 218
              gvitarelli@tsipr.com