Epson America Press Release 17/11/04

PictureMate, The No. 1-Selling 4’’ X 6’’ Ink Jet Photo Printer, Now in Full Distribution across United States

LONG BEACH, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Nov. 17, 2004—The PictureMate(TM) personal photo lab, the No. 1-selling(a) 4"x6” dedicated ink jet photo printer in the United States, has gone into full distribution—making the popular personal photo lab available to even more of the estimated 33 million-plus digital camera owners(b) across the country just in time for the holiday season, according to Epson officials.

The PictureMate personal photo lab and PictureMate Print Pack, the affordable ink and paper combo pack, are now available nationwide at consumer electronics retailers, computer superstores, mass merchandisers, office superstores and photo specialty stores. Consumers also can purchase PictureMate online, via catalogs and through television shopping.

PictureMate, which launched in limited distribution earlier this year, is the first and only dedicated photo printer to address all the barriers digital camera owners have had with printing their photos at home.

Check the Latest Prices for the Epson PictureMate

“With PictureMate, we raised the bar for what digital camera owners should expect from photo printers,” said Fabia Ochoa, group product manager, Photo Imaging, Epson. “No other printer company has been as successful in providing consumers with all of the features and benefits they truly want and need from a home solution, including photo quality, longevity, ease of use and affordability.”

Superior Durability & Affordability
Among dedicated 4"x6” photo printers, only PictureMate features archival six-color pigment printing technology, ensuring that its prints are as stunning as traditional lab prints. This innovative archival technology also ensures superior photo durability, including water- and smudge-resistance that is not available on other 4"x6” ink jet photo printers, and an unmatched color photo fade resistance of up to 100 years in a glass frame and about 200 years in an album.(c)

“Most people are not aware of how quickly traditional lab prints can fade,” Ochoa said. “PictureMate’s fade resistance of 100 years actually is two- to four-times longer than the leading brands of lab prints and up to 25 times longer than photos from dye-sub 4"x6” snapshot printers(c). We know this level of longevity is especially important to those digital camera owners for whom we coined the term Chief Memory Officer(TM), or CMO, because they care about sharing and preserving memories.”

Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72 percent) say they want their photos to last forever.(d) This includes CMOs like Karen H. of Danville, Vt. “I love that PictureMate prints are water- and smudge-proof. When my sons first saw a photo dropping out of the printer, they grabbed it with their sticky fingers. I thought they had ruined the photo, but all I had to do was wipe off the smudges, and the picture was as good as new.”

Even better news for digital camera owners is PictureMate’s affordable per print cost. At about 29 cents, the cost per print for PictureMate photos is comparable to the most affordable lab print prices and about half the cost of prints from most other dedicated 4"x6” photo printers. This low cost is due to the conveniently packaged and priced PictureMate Print Pack. For only $29 (MSRP), consumers can purchase enough ink and glossy photo paper to print about 100 borderless photos. The photo paper included in the Print Pack is full traditional photo-weight paper and does not have the perforations that other printers require that can be annoying to tear or cut. And, this unique, no-nonsense photo ink cartridge and paper bundle simplifies the ongoing use of PictureMate without requiring additional supply kits or premium price points associated with supplies for certain other 4"x6” printers.

“I thought printing 4"x 6” photos at home would cost far more than 29 cents per photo,” said CMO and PictureMate owner Armena M. of Glendale, Calif. “That’s why I didn’t entertain the idea of printing at home until PictureMate.”

Designed as a printing accessory for digital camera owners, PictureMate supports all popular memory cards, as well as direct printing from PictBridge cameras. PictureMate also features wireless direct printing capabilities via an optional Epson Bluetooth Photo Print Adapter, allowing owners of Bluetooth-enabled camera cell phones and PDAs to easily print their photos too. With its compact size and handle and no need for a computer, the personal photo lab can be easily moved from room to room or wherever people are gathered.

“Imagine a family holiday get-together where everyone has brought a different digital camera and is taking pictures,” Ochoa said. “With PictureMate, there’s no need to wait to develop photos. It’s so easy to use that anyone can make their own prints as quickly as the moment happens. And at only about 29 cents per print, CMOs and their friends can afford to print to their hearts’ content.”

Pricing & Special Offers
The estimated retail prices for PictureMate and the PictureMate Print Pack are $199 and $29, respectively. Now through the end of 2004, consumers can receive a $50 mail-in rebate with the combined purchase of PictureMate and any brand of digital camera or camera cell phone, or a $100 mail-in rebate when PictureMate is purchased with certain Nikon cameras.

For more information about PictureMate and all the special offers available, or to purchase PictureMate and its accessories, such as a carrying case, car adapter and photo envelopes for mailing prints, visit www.MyPictureMate.com.

About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

Note: PictureMate is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation, and Chief Memory Officer is a trademark of Epson America Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any rights in those marks.

(a) NPD group/NPD TechWorld POS data, August 2004 and September 2004

(b) PMA Camera/Camcorder and Digital Imaging Survey, June 2003

(c) Using the PictureMate cartridge and PictureMate paper, prints are predicted to last up to 200 years in archival sleeves in album storage and up to 100 years in a glass frame in indoor display conditions. See Wilhelm-research.com for test conditions and comparisons. Actual print stability will vary according to image and storage or display conditions. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints.

(d) PictureMate Family Memories Survey, March 2004