PENTAX to Bundle Simple Star's Market Leading PhotoShow Software With New Optio Digital Cameras; PhotoShow Lets PENTAX Customers Make Fun, Multimedia Photo and Video Clip Albums in as Little as Five Clicks

Business Wire, July 6, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO -- Simple Star, the leading developer of easy-to-use consumer photo software, announced today that PENTAX will bundle Simple Star's PhotoShow software suite into its new line of PENTAX Optio digital cameras.

With PhotoShow, people simply plug their cameras or insert media cards into their computers -- PhotoShow automatically opens and imports the photos and can automatically create a multimedia album containing digital photos and video clips, titles, music and other fun features in as little as five mouse clicks. Users can then select from more than 300 songs that come with PhotoShow Deluxe, import their own .mp3's, change transitions, drop in clip art, add captions and titles, and more.

Then, people can easily share their cool PhotoShows in several ways. They can email PhotoShows, create Video-CDs, and have DVDs burned and sent. Because PhotoShows run in Macromedia Flash, pre-installed on virtually every PC and Mac on the market, nearly everyone can view PhotoShows without downloading additional software by opening www.photoshow.net. It is also easy to order coffee mugs, t-shirts, calendars and other gift items emblazoned with their favorite photos.

"Making digital photography fun and easy for consumers is the cornerstone of our partnership with PENTAX," said Chad Richard, CEO of Simple Star. "With PhotoShow, organizing, editing and sharing photos and video clips is as easy as taking the pictures."

PhotoShow Express software will ship with a variety of PENTAX digital cameras including two of the latest -- the PENTAX Optio S55 and the PENTAX Optio S5z.

"PhotoShow Express offers an entirely new creative dimension for owners of PENTAX digital cameras," said Ned Bunnell, director of marketing, PENTAX Imaging Company. "Images of weddings, vacations, holidays, parties and more may now be edited and set to music for hours of meaningful entertainment for families and friends."

Simple Star's PhotoShow Express and PhotoShow Deluxe software titles are available in 12 languages including: Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.

About PENTAX:

PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of professional and consumer digital and film cameras, scopes, eyepieces, binoculars, lenses, mobile printers, scanners and internet cameras. For more than 80 years, PENTAX technology has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With corporate headquarters located in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of PENTAX of America, Inc.

About Simple Star, Inc.:

Simple Star, "The Personal Media Company," develops software products that enable consumers to manage, make and share media in unique and creative ways. Simple Star licenses its software to computer hardware manufacturers, digital imaging companies and online entertainment companies. In addition, Simple Star sells software directly to consumers through publishers who distribute through retail channels and through large online marketers. Simple Star products have been licensed to companies including: Eastman Kodak Company, Comcast, Nero, Snapfish, Cablevision, Memorex, Vivitar and Shockwave. To learn more about Simple Star, visit www.simplestar.com