nik multimedia, Inc. Press Release

Plug-in software features technology to easily sharpen digital images

San Diego, CA – June 13, 2005 – nik multimedia, Inc. today announces nik Sharpener Pro™ 2.0 is now available through the nik multimedia retail Web site (www.nikmultimedia.com) and specialty camera stores.  nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 provides the easiest way for photographers and digital artists to optimally sharpen their digital images and achieve the best possible detail in their final prints.  As a plug-in to Adobe® Photoshop® and other image editing applications, nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 is the perfect addition to a photographer’s digital workflow.

Microsoft have released the Beta version of Acrylic, a new vector and pixel based graphics program that is an obvious rival to the likes of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. ”“Acrylic” is the codename for an innovative illustration, painting and graphics tool that provides exciting creative capabilities for designers working in print, web, video, and interactive media.” You need to have a Microsoft Passport ID and enter some personal details in order to download Acrylic.

Website: Microsoft - Download Acrylic

Kodak Press Release

New KODAK EASYSHARE Software Version 5.0 Makes Organizing, Editing, Sharing and Printing Digital Pictures Simpler Than Ever

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—June 9, 2005—Compatible with all Popular Digital Camera Brands; Download Full Version for Free at http://www.kodak.com/go/easysharesw/

Eastman Kodak Company today introduced KODAK EASYSHARE Software Version 5.0—free, simple-to-use software that helps people effortlessly organize, edit, share and print their digital pictures. Packed with innovative new features, version 5.0 makes it even easier for people of all skill levels to do more with their pictures. The English-language WINDOWS OS version is immediately available for free download at www.kodak.com/go/easysharesw. Other languages and the MACINTOSH OS version will be available this summer.

Imaging Resource have unearthed a lot of interesting information about Microsoft’s support of the RAW file format in the next version of Windows by interviewing Josh Weisberg, Group Product Manager for Windows Digital Media.

“Not to criticize Microsoft’s move here in the slightest - This RAW codec strategy promises to dramatically increase the usefulness of RAW-formatted image files in a broad range of consumer and business applications, a feat they’re to be applauded for. Their stated neutral stance on “who owns the bits” in proprietary formats is also good news for third-party developers.—It’s just that I’m sure many of us in the photo community were hoping for a broader solution to the whole proprietary file format issue.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Further details on Microsoft’s RAW File Support

PhoTags Inc. Press Release

PhoTags Inc. Demonstrates Active Images(tm), The JPEG Multimedia Messaging System at Future Image Mobile Imaging Summit

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - June 7 , 2005 - PhoTags Inc., The Portable Infoimaging Company, today demonstrated its new patent-pending Active Images(tm) technology. Active Images turns any JPEG file into a self-contained multimedia messaging system, allowing users to send text messages, music, sound files, forms and more - all on a single JPEG file. The demonstration is taking place at the Future Image Mobile Imaging Summit in Amsterdam.

ACD Systems Press Release

ACD Systems Launches FotoSlate™ 4 Photo Print Studio

New Photo Wizards and Scrapbook-Style Templates Provide Unlimited Creative Possibilities for Preserving and Sharing Memories

VICTORIA, British Columbia – June 1, 2005 – ACD Systems International Inc. (TSX: ASA), makers of ACDSee™ photo management software and Canvas™ technical illustration software, announced today the launch of FotoSlate 4 Photo Print Studio, the newest version of its award-winning photo printing software for photo and scrapbooking enthusiasts. Using ACD’s industry-leading digital imaging experience, FotoSlate 4 Photo Print Studio provides users with a digital craft room to construct page layouts, sort photos, apply quick edits and special effects, and print high-quality photos.

Photo-i have reviewed SilverFast Ai, high-end scanning and imaging software from LaserSoft Imaging AG, in conjunction with the CanoScan 9950F desktop flatbed scanner.

“The Canon 9950F promised to be the ultimate in consumer flatbed scanners, a Canon spokesperson even told us that it was so good that they were discontinuing their film scanner. I was eager to put this scanner to the test and despite a few difficulties during the review the scanner didn’t deliver its full potential. This was mainly due to the limitations of ScanGear software. Now Lasersoft have released a full Ai version of SliverFast, this breathes new life into the Canon 9950F and finally we can see just how much detail can be extracted from film scans.”

Website: Photo-i - SilverFast Ai Review

FlashFixers Press Release

The Orange County Register Selects ImageRecall To Safeguard Its Digital News Photos From Accidental Deletion and Corruption

The publication’s award-winning photographers take ImageRecall digital photo recovery software on the job everyday on wireless laptops to recover lost photos in the field.

Exeter, NH-June 6, 2005 - FlashFixers announces that the Pulitzer Prize-winning Orange County Register has selected ImageRecall as the image recovery software of record for its newsgathering organization.  After the transition to digital cameras, the Register’s technical staff noticed a number of digital images taken in the field were lost because of accidental deletions, corrupted memory
cards and errors caused by fast-writing professional cameras. Several staff photographers were given ImageRecall on a trial basis, and the situation immediately improved.

Microsoft has announced that it will incorporate native support for RAW files in the next release of Windows, codenamed Longhorn. Microsoft is working with a number of digital camera manufacturers, including Adobe, Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon, “to provide the best digital photography experience for Windows consumers”.

At the same time Microsoft have also announced the Microsoft RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP, which will allow you to view thumbnails and preview and print Nikon and Canon RAW files from Windows Explorer in Windows XP.

Microsoft Press Release

Microsoft and Imaging Industry Leaders Unveil Support for Digital Camera RAW in Windows

Adobe, Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon are working with Microsoft to provide seamless digital camera RAW support in Windows.

REDMOND, Wash. - June 1, 2005—Microsoft Corp., together with leading companies in the digital imaging industry, today announced enhancements to the family of Windows® operating systems that will enable consumers to easily work with RAW files in current and future versions of Windows. Working closely with digital imaging industry leaders including Adobe Systems Inc., Canon Inc., Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. and Nikon Corp., Microsoft plans to deliver native support for digital camera RAW images in the next major version of Windows, code-named “Longhorn.”

Corel UK Press Release

London, UK - 1 June 2005 - Corel, a leading technology company specialising in graphics and office productivity software, today announced its summer 2005 offer - receive a FREE Lynda.com training CD worth £35 with every purchase of the award-winning Corel Painter IX.

From 1st June 2005 until stocks last, anyone who buys the standard full edition of Corel Painter IX will receive the training CD - ‘Getting Started with Corel Painter IX’ - (worth £35) for free. The CD, produced by Lynda.com, has a total running time of 11 hours and features over 50 movie-based tutorials designed to help new users get up to speed on the product quickly and to enable experienced users to extend their knowledge.

Olympus has released a new version of its Olympus Studio software for Mac OS X 10.4 (aka Tiger).

Website: Download Olympus Studio 1.31

A new article over on Luminous Landscape presents a legal view on the recent issue of RAW file encryption.

“In this exclusive article one of Canada’s leading competition law lawyers, Andrew J. Roman, takes a look at issues such as Tied Selling, Refusal to Deal, and Abuse of Dominant Position. While these observations pertain to Canadian law in these matters, Mr. Roman makes it clear that most countries have similar laws, and so these practices may well be found to be contrary to laws and regulations in other countries as well. And, unlike much of the posturing and opinions that appear in web commentaries, these are from an experienced litigator who has presented cases to the Supreme Court of Canada. Camera makers would be advised to take his observations with greater seriousness than they have thus far shown to the concerns of their customers.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - RAW File Encryption and Competition Law

Pixmantec RawShooter essentials has been updated, adding support for the Nikon D70s, Olympus C7070WZ and a number of other features. Pixmantec RawShooter essentials is a free RAW convertor. Version 1.1.3 of Pixmantec RawShooter essentials adds the following new features:

New functionality and improvements:

- Significant Performance improvements in many areas including:
- Preview/proxy creation
- Dynamic preview creation
- preview browsing
- Rendering at 100% and beyond
- When comparing images

ArcSoft Press Release

A photo printing program that offers paper template support for everyone

FREMONT, CA— May 27, 2005—Today, ArcSoft® announced the availability of ArcSoft PhotoPrinter® 5, an easy-to-use desktop printing application. PhotoPrinter, among one of ArcSoft’s most famous desktop applications, has an all new interface with increased functionality, making desktop printing easier while introducing a broader range of features and control.

“Getting the best-looking prints for the lowest price remains the consumers’ number one goal. PhotoPrinter includes paper templates from all of the big printer and paper manufacturers, so the entire shelf of printing supplies is now available for every shopper,” said Todd Rumaner, ArcSoft COO. “Best of all, it’s really easy to use.”

A new version of Qimage has just been released. Qimage is a software application that is designed to make image printing easy.

New Features in Qimage v2005.300:

- Network compatible: v2005.300 is now completely network compatible.  Need to access images on a network, select images and copy them across the network, or manage your network images through “My Network Places”?  v2005.300 features an all new XP-style file browser that makes these tasks a breeze.

- New look: All tool buttons and dropdown menus have been updated with new icons that are much higher quality and more recognizable.  Button and menu icons have also been standardized throughout Qimage to insure that the same icon is associated with similar/same functions.

BreezeBrowser Systems Press Release

25 May 2005: BreezeBrowser v2.12 released

This release adds Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT/350D raw conversion.

Also new in this release:

  * Added cropping when converting raw images
  * Improved display of DNG files
  * Now displays thumbnails from Olympus E300 raw files
  * Fixed problems generating web pages containing AVI files

Website: Breeze Systems

Digimarc Launches Public Beta of Desktop Search Tool for Digital Photos

Free offering works in conjunction with desktop search products from Google, MSN, and Yahoo! to quickly and more effectively find pictures stored on PCs

Beaverton, Ore. – May 25, 2005 - Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRCE) today announced the public beta of Digimarc Image Search, an innovative desktop search tool designed for the rapidly growing digital photography market.

The free tool, downloadable from Digimarc’s website at www.digimarc.com/mypicturemarc/imagesearch, works in conjunction with popular desktop search tools such as Google Desktop Search, MSN Desktop Search, and Yahoo! Desktop Search, enhancing the image search capabilities of these tools. Current desktop search tools have limited image search capabilities, typically looking for the file name in the header of an image, which can be easily changed or forgotten. Most professional and many consumer photographs are distributed today in digital form with an extensive array of associated information or “metadata” carried within the image files.

ArcSoft Press Release

ArcSoft Announces the Launch of New Multimedia Conversion Application: MediaConverter v1

All new conversion and transfer application enables broad multimedia support for PMP, PDAs, and mobile phones

Fremont, CA—May 24, 2005—Today, ArcSoft® announces the availability of a new multimedia conversion application which transcodes and optimizes files on a PC for transfer and playback on portable media players. ArcSoft MediaConverter™ is a file conversion program that quickly and effortlessly allows users to take their favorite videos, photos, and audio tracks with them wherever they go after converting them into other preferred file formats.

Pixort Press Release

Pixort 1.4 is released!

Are you tired of using inefficient tools to review large quantities of photos?

Pixort is an affordable/free tool for reviewing, comparing, sorting and culling photographic image files. It is not yet another photo archiving and organizing tool: it is dedicated to the initiation of a digital photography workflow where a photographer reviews his or her 2000 photos from the vacation or latest wedding assignment.

Pixort is designed to be easy to use, fast and offers an efficient workflow for culling and ranking lots of photos.

OpenRAW and Luminous Landscape have started an online petition to try and put some pressure on the world’s camera makers to both adopt openly documented RAW formats, as well as a universal RAW format (be it DNG, or something else).

“The digital camera industry is very young; less than 10 years old. Because of this each camera maker has developed their own RAW formats. And, as their ability to improve the way in which information from the camera’s sensor is recorded improves, these manufacturers have changed their formats continuously, usually with each new camera model.

How many RAW formats are there? Believe it or not, as of mid-2005 there are more than 100 different RAW formats in existence.

This alone is cause for concern. Companies come and go, and even those that persist often orphan old formats. There are in fact RAW formats in existence for which no manufacturer’s software is currently available. And that’s after less than 10 years.”

Website: The RAW Flaw