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Eastman Kodak Company announced its newest family of digital photo kiosks, further strengthening its leadership position in the fastest growing retail segment of digital photography, at the International Consumer Electronics Show press preview here today. The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 family is the latest evolution in Kodak’s award-winning, innovative line of more than 70,000 photo kiosks at retail locations worldwide.
These models offer performance improvements and new features designed to elevate the consumer printing experience while helping retailers compete in the rapidly expanding digital printing market. The improvements include:
“Kodak has been the global leader in retail photo kiosks since the first KODAK Picture Maker was installed more than twelve years ago,” said Patrick King, general manager, Kiosks and Home Printing, Consumer Digital Imaging Group; and vice president, Eastman Kodak Company. “Consumer demand for convenient, high-quality digital photo printing options from retail locations continues to soar and printing via kiosks is the fastest growing retail printing segment, increasing at more than 300 percent per year in the United States. Kodak remains dedicated to providing products and services that benefit both consumers and retailers alike.”
“The new KODAK Picture Kiosk G4, along with the associated portfolio improvements announced today, not only represent proof that Kodak is fulfilling that pledge, but also raise the bar for the entire industry.”
KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 Breaks New Ground, Offers Retailers Mini-Lab Alternative
With surging demand for digital printing and declining film volumes, Kodak contends that digital photo kiosks are the most productive and profitable alternative for retailers looking to make it easy for consumers to print their digital photos. “As film volumes decline, digital mini-labs will not provide an economic alternative for the majority of retail locations,” said King. “A digital kiosk, supported with wholesale processing for film users, will be a more productive and profitable alternative for all but high film volume locations.”
“Not only are people printing in record numbers using Kodak’s line of digital photo kiosks, they are doing so with a universally high level of satisfaction,” King added. “In fact, 91 percent of people who print via a KODAK kiosk say that they will do so again and 93 percent say that they would recommend the service to others, significantly better than our competition. Consumers and industry experts agree that KODAK digital printing kiosks top the competition, winning nine industry and consumer awards in the last year alone.”
The new KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 was designed to meet this exploding demand while preparing retailers for continued growth. This innovative hardware solution signifies an evolution in the retail digital printing market and for Kodak. The new name of the product was carefully chosen as a departure from the long-standing KODAK Picture Maker identity to signify that these new machines do much more than previous generations. At about half the size of its predecessor, the sleek yellow and silver casing of the KODAK Picture Kiosk G4’s order station console sets it apart from other models and complements the contemporary look and feel of Kodak’s entire portfolio of new digital products and services.
The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 is a full-service digital photography solution, supporting all popular digital media formats (e.g., memory cards, USB drives, CDs/DVDs), digital scanning, and wireless printing via BLUETOOTH and infrared technologies, while offering services beyond standard printing such as KODAK Picture CDs, a range of printing sizes and editing
options, customized borders and even photo calendars. Inside the attractive new body is a high-performance processor — 35 percent faster than prior models — combined with an improved user interface. This will reduce transaction times and increase retailer productivity. The new design allows for easier serviceability, helping to maintain peak performance while simplifying upkeep for retailers.
Like previous KODAK photo kiosk models, the KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 was intelligently designed to provide an outstanding user experience. In a study of kiosk hardware usability released last month by Forrester Research, Kodak received top scores across the board for its line of photo kiosks. The study rated KODAK equipment far superior to its nearest competitor citing the easy-to-use features and advanced user interface as key factors.†
Thanks to the speed and efficiency of the new KODAK Photo Printers 6850 and 8800 thermal dye sublimation printers, the KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 can now make 4x6-inch prints in as little as four seconds* for $0.29 - $0.39 each (depending on the retailer) and produce prints up to 8x10-inches in as little as 39 seconds. This significant increase in print speed takes digital printing one step further in accommodating the busy lifestyle of today’s consumers, while allowing retailers to achieve maximum profitability from their machines. Best of all, because Kodak’s thermal dye sublimation process protects each picture with an XTRALIFE coating, these high-quality prints are wipe-able, waterproof and stain resistant.
KODAK Digital Picture Center Improves In-Store Presence of Digital Photography Products
Creating the appearance of a separate photography center within a retail location, new modular retail fixturing is now available to complement the entire portfolio of KODAK kiosks worldwide, including the new KODAK Picture Kiosk G4. Announced earlier this year, the KODAK Digital Picture Center increases the exposure of high-margin digital printing services and other photography products to help drive sales while presenting a seamless, high-tech aesthetic. Also, because the system offers a number of configurations and is both changeable and expandable, it offers retailers a variety of options as the digital photography market continues to expand.
KODAK Picture Maker Software Version 5.2 Drives Incremental Sales
Also announced today, KODAK Picture Maker software version 5.2 includes capabilities that will help to drive incremental sales of services. Based on the consumer’s editing and ordering choices, the kiosk 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 feature as it promotes consumer awareness and trial of new photo services, as well as helps drive incremental profitability through premium services.
Additionally, this software takes advantage of Kodak’s proprietary image science technology – KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology. Photos printed with KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology reveal more vibrant colors, richer detail, and fewer dark shadows. KODAK Picture Maker software version 5.2 comes standard on the new KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 and is available for installation on thousands of existing KODAK Picture Maker G3 kiosks.
KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 Availability
The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 family will begin shipping to the first retailers this month, with more widespread availability in 2006. The new order station consoles are currently on public display in the KODAK One Galleries in New York City (102 Wooster St.) and San Francisco (1823 Union St.) through November 27. For more information, please visit http://www.kodak.com.
