Kodak Teams with Leading Retailers to Provide Consumers with More Choices to Print Digital Pictures at Retail Locations

Business Wire, June 19, 2002

Business Editors

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2002

CVS, Rite-Aid, Ritz and Target Included in New EasyShare Software

Directory

As part of its strategy to enhance consumer ease-of-use and increase options for high-quality printing of digital images, Eastman Kodak Company announced that its new Kodak EasyShare software will allow consumers to print digital pictures from home through some of the nation's leading retail photofinishers, including CVS Pharmacy, Rite-Aid, Ritz Camera and Target Stores.

To illustrate its leadership commitment to the Common Picture Exchange Environment (CPXe) initiative announced yesterday (see separate release), Kodak intends to migrate the EasyShare software directory of digital photofinishing providers to the open standards of CPXe. Kodak aims to make it as easy for consumers to get high-quality photographic prints from their digital cameras as using film.

The Kodak EasyShare software, which makes it incredibly easy to transfer, organize, enhance, share and print pictures, will enable consumers to access a list of retail photofinishing service providers. Once the consumer places the order through the software, the picture files are transmitted from the computer over the Internet to their preferred local retailer for printing, who will either ship to the consumer's home or offer in-store pick up at a location convenient for the consumer. Retailers such as CVS Pharmacy, Rite-Aid and Target will process orders through the Kodak Picture Center online service. In future releases of EasyShare software, consumers will be able to locate service providers based on specific search criteria, such as a zip code.

New Kodak EasyShare Software Directory: A Precursor to CPXe

CPXe is an industry-wide initiative supported by Kodak, other imaging companies and the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) to enable consumers to order high-quality prints anytime, anywhere from an increasing number of retailers and photofinishing providers. The CPXe participants will develop a standards-based network and an online public directory to facilitate the transmission and ordering of digital images between digital cameras, computers, desktop software, Internet services, photo kiosks and retail and wholesale photofinishing providers. Consumers will be able to use the network regardless of the type of digital camera, computer operating system they use or the photofinishing equipment used by the retailer--a significant change from the closed, proprietary systems available today.

As chairman of the CPXe standards committee, Kodak has been an early architect of CPXe and will continue to play a leading role in its development. Kodak is illustrating its commitment to open systems and consumer choice by including a CPXe-type directory of retail photofinishing service providers in its popular EasyShare system, which includes digital cameras, a camera docking station and software. Available beginning in June, the new EasyShare software, which will ship with all EasyShare cameras and be available as a free download from Kodak.com in July, will also allow consumers to order prints from Ofoto.com or their preferred online service.

"While digital camera usage is increasing, consumers do not make nearly as many prints of their digital images as they do with film cameras because they are not satisfied with the quality or ease of home printing. Our new EasyShare software and the CPXe initiative will make it as easy to get high-quality prints from digital images as it is to drop off film at a corner retailer," Kodak Chairman and CEO Daniel A. Carp said. "The big win for consumers is that they now can get all the benefits a complete digital photography system has to offer--from the ability to preview and share images to an easy way of ordering high-quality prints from the same retailers who have provided these services for years."

"Kodak helped shape the vision behind CPXe because it dovetails with our strategy of creating more choices for consumers to print their digital pictures and developing the easiest-to-use digital products and services," Carp added. "CPXe represents an important example of how the convergence of image science and information technology--or infoimaging--creates new business opportunities for the industry."

CPXe Support in Kodak Products

In addition to its plans to migrate the EasyShare directory of service providers to CPXe standards, Kodak intends to include CPXe standards in a broad range of the company's products and services--from online photo services, such as Ofoto and the Kodak Picture Center online retail service to Kodak PictureMaker kiosks, photofinishing equipment, software and networks.

"Kodak is committed to giving consumers the easiest to use digital products and services," said Phil Gerskovich, Chief Operating Officer of Kodak's Digital and Applied Imaging unit. "We are committed to supporting CPXe in a full range of Kodak products and services to provide consumers with unfettered choice of how, where and when they print digital pictures."