World's Smallest Color Viewfinder

March 24, 2004 | Mark Goldstein | Digital | Comment |

SpyPen OboeKopin Corp. Press Release 24/03/04

Kopin’s World’s-Smallest Color Viewfinder Integrated Into SpyPen’s Stylish, Futuristic Digital Cameras

TAUNTON, Mass.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—March 24, 2004—Kopin Corp. (Nasdaq: KOPN) today announced that its new CyberDisplay(TM) 113K EVF, an ultra-small, ultra-low power electronic viewfinder system, has been integrated into the new SpyPen Oboe digital camera just introduced in Europe.

The SpyPen Oboe digital camera is manufactured by World Wide Licenses Ltd. for leading German digital camera company plawa-feinwerktechnik GmbH. The plawa SpyPen brand is known for its eye-catching designs and innovative form factors. The SpyPen Oboe debuted this month at CeBIT 2004. It features an unusual but stylish telescopic look with a 2.1-megapixel resolution and a 2x zoom.

“With its low power, miniature footprint and stunning image quality, Kopin’s viewfinder system enabled us to design a camera that is fun to use and makes a unique fashion statement,” said Giovanni Tomaselli, Managing Director of World Wide Licenses. “And unlike other digital cameras, the unique viewfinder enables pictures taken to be viewed clearly even in direct sunlight.”

“By providing a complete electronic viewfinder system, our new display technology allows manufacturers like World Wide Licenses to design more creatively while shortening design cycles, outsourcing more of their production needs and reducing the time to introduce new products to market,” said Kopin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr. John C.C. Fan.

World Wide Licenses, a designer and developer of digital interactive products for global distribution, entered the digital camera market in June 2000 and has rapidly become a major supplier in this dynamic category with total shipments of digital cameras in excess of two million units worldwide.

The Kopin CyberDisplay 113K EVF includes the world’s smallest color microdisplay which, at 0.16-inch diagonal, is as small as a grain of rice. The 113K EVF consumes far less battery power than other offerings, yet when used with an appropriate optic provides a virtual image size as large, clear and vibrant as full-size displays. In addition to the display, the CyberDisplay 113K EVF includes the lens, polarizer, backlight and housing.

The display in the CyberDisplay 113K EVF utilizes ultra-small color-producing pixels for exceptional image quality. Each pixel is comprised of a red, green and blue sub-pixel, each of which measures a mere 6.3 x 11.3 microns. There are a total of 113,578 sub-pixels in the 0.16-inch diagonal display, a density which has never before been achieved. The display will extend battery power by consuming a mere 10 milliwatts of power while displaying a vivid full-color video image.

About World Wide Licenses Ltd.
World Wide Licenses Ltd. is a Hong Kong-based wholly owned subsidiary of The Character Group plc. Founded in 1991, The Character Group is a public company in the United Kingdom with its shares traded on the London Stock Exchange’s market for listed securities. World Wide Licenses Ltd. designs and develops digital interactive products for global distribution. For more information, please visit their website at www.cool-icam.com or www.polaroid-digital.com

About plawa
plawa-feinwerktechnik GmbH & Co.KG is a Germany based company. Founded in 1969, plawa-feinwerktechnik GmbH & Co.KG designs digital cameras based on the latest technology. For more information, please visit their website at www.plawa-digital.com or www.spypen.com

About Kopin
Founded in 1984, Kopin is pioneering the use of nanotechnology to manufacture nanosemiconductor products that make mobile electronic devices small, fast, bright, lightweight and power efficient. With an intellectual property portfolio of more than 200 issued and pending patents, Kopin supplies the world’s largest electronics manufacturers and government agencies with breakthrough semiconductor products. The company’s liquid-crystal microdisplays, ultra-efficient transistors and high-brightness GaN LEDs enhance the delivery and presentation of voice, video and data. Kopin technology is currently used in nearly one-third of the world’s cell phones and camcorders and is the microdisplay standard for the U.S. military. For more information, please visit Kopin’s Web site at www.kopin.com.

Statements in this news release about the introduction and expectations of the CyberDisplay and CyberDisplay 113K EVF are made under the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could materially affect future results. Among these risk factors are: general economic and business conditions and growth in the flat panel display; the impact of competitive products and pricing; availability of third-party components; cost and yields associated with production of the Company’s CyberDisplay 113K EVF; loss of significant customers; acceptance of the Company’s products; continuation of strategic relationships; availability of integrated circuit fabrication facilities; and other risk factors and cautionary statements listed in the Company’s periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These include, but are not limited to, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003.

CyberDisplay is a trademark of Kopin Corporation.