JOBO AG Press Release

Gummersbach, Germany: JOBO AG has won the renowned “Marketing & Innovationprize” awarded by the German “FOTOwirtschaft”, a leading photo dealer magazine. The “Marketing & Innovationprize” honors excellence in new product development within the photo industry. This prestigious award recognizes the most innovative photo products introduced during 2005/2006. Furthermore, this distinguished prize showcases the talent and commitment of the people involved in every aspect of the company’s product development, including conceptual design, marketing and sales. The award is given to corporations that have developed notably inventive products that offer a high-quality design and allow professional as well as semi-professional photographers to guarantee their results and perform their photographic job more efficiently and effectively.

Samsung Electronics Press Release

SEOUL, South Korea—Feb. 9, 2006—Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has developed the fastest micro memory card with a gigabyte of density, for use in small cell phones, digital cameras and MP3 players. High demand for the high-speed 1 GB MMCmicro(TM) card is expected from cell phone manufacturers because of its compelling combination of features: speed, capacity, size and reduced power consumption.

StorVision Press Release

StorVision has announced the availability of the StorVision PSC-100, the cheapest Portable Storage Device on the market (starting at £95 for a 40GB RRP), with capacities up to 100GB. The PSC-100 has slots for all the most popular memory cards to enable straight forward, easy to use backup of all your data from memory cards to its internal 2.5 inch Hard disk. The StorVision PSC-100 takes all memory cards available on the market.  It operates simply using 2 buttons (power on/off and copy) thus allowing it to be used by everyone. The supported memory cards which do not need an adapter are: Compactflash (type I and II), Microdrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, and XD picture cards. Alternative memory cards such as Memory Duo, MiniSD and RS MMC will require an adapter to use with the PSC-100.

Digital Foci Press Release

Digital Photo Album with Large 3.6” LCD Securely Saves Photos on the Road in its 40GB & 80GB Portable Hard Drives - Compatible to Print Photos without a Computer - Records Voice & Video

February 7, 2006 – Orlando, Florida – Digital Foci announced today that it will be introducing at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Conference Picture Porter Elite portable digital photo album with 40GB and 80GB hard drives and a memory card reader.  Featuring a large 3.6” LCD for easy viewing, Picture Porter Elite lets you instantly and securely save and view digital photos and video on its hard drive wherever you go, so you can keep snapping away and stop worrying about limited memory card space on your digital camera.

Colour Confidence Press Release

Birmingham UK, 8th February, 2006 - Colour Confidence, the leading independent colour management specialists, are announcing the UK launch of the ColorVision PrintFIX PRO on stand E40 of Focus on Imaging, NEC, Bimingham, 26th February – 1st March. The introduction of PrintFIX PRO brings spectro-based printer profiling below £400 for the first time and reflects the continued trend in colour management of falling price and increased emphasis on ease-of-use. Details of PrintFIX PRO can be found at www.colourconfidence.com

CITA Press Release

Digital camera sales reach all-time high in Canada; consumers embrace digital picture-making

Toronto, Ontario (February 7, 2006) — The revolution in picture-taking has reached its zenith, matching predictions made several years ago. Canada’s switchover from film-based picture-taking to digital picture-taking is close to being complete. This statement is based on data released today by the Canadian Imaging Trade Association (CITA). The revolution has been a short one, lasting a handful of years, and its effects will continue to be felt for decades to come. What we have seen is digital camera prices declining while their capabilities and performance have increased, delivering picture quality that is all but indistinguishable from a photographic print. What was slow to launch but now picking up speed is having prints made from these digital pictures, not just storing them on a computer. Increasingly, digital camera users are returning to stores to have photo-quality prints made from their electronic images, or are using retailers’ do-it-yourself kiosks or online print-making services. Regardless of the method used, the results are the same: the number of prints made at retail from electronic images is increasing.

Sony Europe Press Release

Sony launches sleek new Sony 8GB MICROVAULT PRO

Paris / Weybridge, 6th February, 2006 - Sony Europe’s Recording Media & Energy (RME) division has today announced the new 8GB model in its MICROVAULT PRO range. The one-inch hard disk drive is protected by a newly designed, highly polished, metal casing which, complete with the unique USB swivel connector, is able to plug straight into a computer USB port. The new 8GB MICROVAULT PRO will be available from February 2006 at a recommended retail price of 199 EURO including VAT.

ePhotoZine have a review of an intriguing device called the Pocket Wizard, which allows you to remotely control your camera.

“Have you ever fancied being able to fire your camera remotely while sat somewhere more comfortable?  I mean you paid all that money for a camera, the least you can expect is for it to do some of the hard work for you.  After hearing stories from other sports photographers and reading lots of good information about the Pocket Wizard system I thought it was about time I gave them a try.”

Website: ePhotoZine - Pocket Wizard Review

Phase One Press Release

Phase One A/S, Copenhagen, (Thursday, February 02, 2006): Phase One, the world leader in digital imaging solutions, increases production capacity of its new P-series digital camera backs in response to high demand. Orders for both the P 30 and P 45 have exceeded Phase One’s initial projections. The new backs only became available in December and already over 1000 have been shipped. Increasing production will fulfill all existing order commitments by the end of April. It will also ensure the market is well supplied for future expected demand.

Hama Press Release

Passing the time on a train trip with a vacation home movie, making the journey more pleasant for the kids in the back seat on a long auto journey, showing photos from the last party on an outing at the lake. The Mobile MediaSafe VSV 2 – to be introduced this year at the CeBIT trade fair – makes all that possible. With its 30 GB hard drive, the silver and black Walkman-sized box can take along lots of pictures, music and videos and present them again on the 5.5 x 7 cm large display in all possible colours. The data are received by the VSV 2 either in its function as a digital video recorder from a TV, or via USB from a computer, or – via the integrated FM aerial from a radio programme, or from CF, SD, MM MemoryCards, MemorySticks or MicroDrives.

X-Rite Press Release

X-RITE TO ACQUIRE AMAZYS HOLDING AG, Agreement Will Create a Global Leader in the Color Industry

Combination Expected to Lead to Enhanced Quality, Increased Scale, Greater Innovation and Improved Operational Efficiency

Grandville, Mich. / Regensdorf, Switzerland, January 31, 2006 – X-Rite, Incorporated (Nasdaq: XRIT) and Amazys Holding AG (SWX: AMSN), two leading providers of color measurement solutions comprised of hardware, software and services for the verification and communication of color data, today jointly announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which X-Rite will offer to purchase all of the outstanding registered shares of Amazys Holding AG for a purchase price of approximately US$280 million or CHF 77 per share plus 2.11 shares of X-Rite, Incorporated stock per share. Amazys develops, markets and supports hardware, software and services to measure and communicate color under the GretagMacbeth brand.

The new XS Drive MP3 VP3650 replaces the current XS Drive Pro with an improved user interface and a much more compact unit as well as explicit xD compatibility. The XS Drive MP3 complements our range by offering the users the access the content of the Hard Disk through a browsable file/folder structure, as well as allowing to listen to MP3 music. The XS Drive VP3650 retails for £169 incl VAT for the 20GB version and £199 incl VAT for the 30GB. A 40GB version of the VP3650 will be available in February.

Cardmedia Press Release

Lewes, 17th of January 2006 - Cardmedia (Europe) Ltd, the official UK distributor for the manufacturer XS Drive, has announced the availability of the XS-Drive MP3 VP3650, a new Portable Storage Device and MP3 player with blue backlight LCD display. This versatile device is aimed at the photographic market with its memory card back up function and the high capacity of its hard drive, and provides an additional MP3 function as well as files browsing with Copy and Delete operations.

The XS-Drive MP3 VP3650 is a compact portable Hard disk to backup your memory cards in the field. It benefits from 20, 30 or 40GB of capacity from its internal 1.8” Hard disk giving you a large back up device which is also pocket-sized, portable, lightweight, multifunctional device.

Wacom Press Release

Wacom(R) Penabled(R) Technology Delivers Advanced Digital Pen Performance to Industry’s First Total Solution for Electronic Paper

Portable Electronic Reading and Writing Application from iRex Technologies Employs Wacom’s Digital Pen Technology Featuring Enhanced Pressure-Sensitivity for Superior Control

TOKYO, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/—Wacom Co. Ltd, the leading electronic pen technology manufacturer, announced today that its Penabled cordless, battery-free pen technology has been selected for iRex Technologies’ electronic paper applications—the first complete solution for portable electronic reading and writing. The solution delivers the established easy to read, low-power advantages of electronic paper with the capability to get content from various sources (e.g. Internet, PC or flash memory cards), as well as the ability to capture user input with Wacom’s Penabled technology.

BOE HYDIS Press Release

BOE HYDIS unveils new LCD with spectacular outdoor readability

- Outstanding visibility indoors and out with innovative light reflection control
- Optimal for mobile devices with lower power consumption and wide viewing angle

January 11, 2006 (Icheon, South Korea) … BOE HYDIS has successfully developed a new mobile TFT-LCD with superior outdoor readability under bright sunlit conditions.

The new product is applied with ‘AFFS-Outdoor’ technology that significantly enhances contrast ratio and reduces outside reflections on panels compared to BOE HYDIS’ existing AFFS (Advanced Fringe Field Switching) technology.

The product features improved transmission of 5.9 percent, external LCD reflection of 0.2 percent or lower and higher internal panel reflection that contribute to its enhanced readability.

Samsung Press Release

Samsung and Microsoft Jointly Bestowed Visionary Award for Hybrid Hard Disk

SAN JOSE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Jan. 12, 2006—Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology together with Microsoft Corporation have been awarded the Visionary Consumer Electronics Award of the 2006 StorageVisions Conference for their pioneering work on Hybrid Hard Disks.

The Fifth Annual Storage Visions Conference (a partner program to the 2006 International CES) awards were presented before hundreds of show attendees at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The trophy was awarded for advancing the state of the art in storage technology for the consumer electronics, media and entertainment industries.

Planet82 Press Release

Planet82 Demonstrates World’s First Image Sensor That Takes Digital Pictures in the Dark, Without a Flash - First Nanotechnology-Based Image Sensor Debuts in the United States at CES

LAS VEGAS, NV—(MARKET WIRE)—01/05/2006—Planet82 Inc., a global leader of nanotechnology, announced today the first U.S. demonstration of its innovative and highly sensitive image sensor, Single Carrier Modulation Photo Detector (SMPD), which uses nanotechnology to enable cameras to take high resolution photos or video in the dark—without a flash.

The world’s first chip of its kind, Planet82’s SMPD image sensor is 2,000 times more sensitive to light than other image sensors. Until now, taking a picture in the dark without a flash or taking a picture of a candle-lit birthday cake without any other light in the room would yield a dark photograph. Planet82 makes it possible to take clear images even when the light level is less than 1 lux (or up to 0.1 lux). One lux is equivalent to the brightness from one candle one meter away in a dark room. Human eyes can barely distinguish images at less than 1 lux.

CompactFlash Association (CFA) Press Release

COMPACTFLASH ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES 10th ANNIVERSARY

Progress in CompactFlash® Capacity, Data Rates and User Costs Have Been Amazing Las Vegas NV - January 5, 2006 - The CompactFlash Association (CFA) is celebrating its 10th anniversary and displaying the history of the progress made by CompactFlash cards over the last ten years. CompactFlash maximum interface data transfer rate is currently 66MB/sec. A revision to the CF+ Specification is underway to increase the maximum interface data transfer rate for True IDE and PCMCIA interface modes to 133MB/sec in 2006, while maintaining forward and backward compatibility
with old and new host systems.

Datacolor Press Release

ColorVision Spyder2Express Introduces MacWorld 2006 To Stunning Color at Entry-Level Price Point; Ground-breaking Product With Award-Winning Spyder2 Technology On Display at booth No. 648
Macworld San Francisco 2006

SAN FRANCISCO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Jan. 10, 2006—Datacolor, an internationally known name in color technology, debuts ColorVision(R) Spyder2 Express(TM), an entry-level on-screen color management tool for digital imagers and enthusiasts, at the 2006 Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center, January 11 - 14.

According to Datacolor Vice President Brian Levey, the groundbreaking Spyder2 Express leverages the internationally acclaimed ColorVision expertise and Spyder2 technology to meet the color accuracy demands of a digital camera market that is growing in size and sophistication.

Hasselblad Press Release

9h January, 2006 - Hasselblad launches the world’s first 39 megapixel DSLR camera, the H2D-39, and a comprehensive line of 39 megapixel camera backs

New products offer professional photographers unprecedented image quality

Hasselblad is creating a new standard of digital image quality for professional photographers with the announcement of a new camera, the Hasselblad H2D-39, and three camera backs based on the combination of Hasselblad’s new, true 39 megapixel CCD sensor and its unique Digital APO Correction (DAC) technology.  This new line of products features the new Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, which takes digital photographic color reproduction to an entirely new level.  The new products also deliver images of unsurpassed sharpness and resolution and at the same time reduce any moiré effect to a minimum – a first in the history of digital photography.

Creative UK Press Release

CREATIVE ZEN VISION:M WINS “BEST OF CES” AWARD IN MP3 AND PORTABLE VIDEO CATEGORY AND ALSO WINS OVERALL “BEST IN SHOW” AWARD

Creative Wins “Best of CES” for the Fourth Consecutive Year

January 10, 2006 –Creative (Nasdaq: CREAF) the worldwide leader in digital entertainment products for the personal computer and the Internet, today announced that the Zen Vision:M portable media player won the “Best of CES” 2006 award in the MP3 and Portable Video category and that it also won the overall “Best in Show” award.  This is the fourth consecutive year that Creative has won a “Best of CES” award.