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Epson PictureMate revolutionises digital photo printing in South Africa
Johannesburg, 19 January 2005: With sales of digital cameras increasing, more people are turning to digital as a simpler, more flexible method of taking photos. This is driving the need for a high quality, easy to use, and cost effective method of printing in the home as a real alternative to retail photo printing. In response to this demand, Epson has launched PictureMate, a new generation personal photo-dedicated printer.
Designed to satisfy the needs of digital camera users, PictureMate removes the need for a computer or the necessity to visit a photo lab by offering an easy to use photo printing solution. Epson PictureMate supports all popular memory card formats and offers direct printing from PictBridge and USB Direct Print enabled digital cameras.
Epson has developed an intuitive interface, which guides users through a simple one-touch printing process. It couldn't be simpler. A printed proof sheet lets the consumer preview pictures to print beautiful glossy borderless 10x15cm photos. Print selection options allow for printing all photos, just one photo, a range of photos, or several non-sequential photos from the camera memory card. PictureMate automatically optimises each photo for colour and quality and allows consumers to print their colour photos in black and white or sepia tones. For consumers who would like to have more creative flexibility they are able to crop photos, add classic borders and make wallet-sized photos all at the touch of a button - without a computer.
One of PictureMate's key differences is its low cost per photo. Designed to make purchasing consumables easy and hassle-free for consumers, Epson will introduce the PictureMate PicturePack. This economical and convenient pack contains a PictureMate photo ink cartridge and PictureMate photo paper to print approximately 100 glossy 10x15cm photos and makes the cost per photo transparent for consumers. The photo pack will retail for R300 making the cost per print a very attractive R3. The PictureMate PicturePack makes purchasing consumables as convenient and easy as purchasing a roll of film.
Epson PictureMate prints are superior to photo lab prints and to prints from other 10x15cm photo printers. According to Wilhelm Research Laboratory they resist fading about two to four times longer than the leading brands of photo lab prints and about four to 20 times longer than prints from other dedicated 10x15cm digital photo printers. PictureMate photos resist fading up to 100 years displayed in a frame and are also water-, smudge- and fingerprint-resistant for worry-free handling.
PictureMate uses Epson's Advanced Micro Piezo ink jet technology, exclusive archival 6-colour pigment printing for rich colour, perfect skin tones and the smoothest images that match the look and feel of traditional photo lab prints. It also features up to 5760 x 1440 optimised dpi with microscopic droplets for the sharpest detail, and seamless gradations.
"PictureMate marks a new era in digital photo printing" says Hans Dummer, general manager EPSON SA. "With quality reaching, and in this case exceeding, photo lab standards, we have focussed on offering the consumer hassle free photo printing. PictureMate can be connected to a PC or Macintosh computer, but it is primarily a device that is more of an extension of the digital camera or camera-enabled mobile phone rather than a peripheral for the computer."
Using the optional Bluetooth module, available in South Africa in the next 2 months, PictureMate can print photos from compatible mobile phones. Users simply point and click, connect to the printer wirelessly over Bluetooth and print. For added flexibility and support, Epson has created a dedicated mobile phone printing application specifically for Bluetooth enabled mobile phones offering users further print options.
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Key Features include:
• High quality photo lab style photos using Epson's unique Micro Piezo technology
• 6-Colour Epson Hi-gloss inks for borderless, high-quality, durable photographic output, up to 5760 dpi print resolution and microscopic droplets of 2.5 pl
• New PicturePack consumable pack for an affordable low cost-per-photo of approx R3
• Easy to use hassle-free operation using the new Epson Print Wizard
• Highly durable photo prints lasting up to 100 years
• Optional Bluetooth adapter for printing from compatible mobile phones or other compatible Bluetooth devices (Avail in SA in the next 2 months)
• High connectivity: Includes slots for all popular memory card formats, PictBridge, USB Direct Print, DPOF and Print Image Matching
• Various print options such as cropping function or printing photos in black and white or sepia
• Back up function from an integrated memory card directly to externally connected devices such as CD-R writers or zip drives
• Compact and stylish design that makes PictureMate fit to the consumers' household.
• Handle to easily transport PictureMate from one room to another or storage in a cupboard
• Using the PictureMate Photo Cartridge and PictureMate Photo Paper, prints are predicted to last up to 100 years in a glass frame in indoor display conditions. See www.wilhelm-research.com for test conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to image and storage or display conditions. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints.
Leading Projector Manufacturers Fujitsu, Hitachi, Panasonic, Sanyo and Sony Join Forces with Epson to Educate the Market about Benefits of Three-Panel Liquid Crystal Display Technology
11 January 2005: Five of the world's leading and most-recognised consumer and business electronics manufacturers - Fujitsu, Hitachi, Panasonic, Sanyo and Sony - have joined forces with Epson to educate consumers and video display professionals about the significant benefits of three-panel liquid crystal display (3LCD) technology.
“3LCD is clearly the dominant microdisplay technology worldwide when you look at the total number of customers who have purchased front and rear projection products so far," according to Dr. William Coggshall, Pacific Media Associates. "Based on our calculations, over nine million projection products using 3LCD technology have been purchased to date, surpassing any other microdisplay technology on the market, and that figure continues to grow at a rapid pace."
As this technology continues to advance and the overall number of 3LCD product offerings continues to expand over the next several years, the 3LCD Group's mission will be to educate consumers and professionals about its benefits through promotional activities, product demonstrations and industry news updates. Furthermore, it will communicate the features of 3LCD technology that make it unique to other display systems on the market.
“The explosive popularity of high resolution digital video formats such as DVD and HDTV, along with a steady increase in projection-based business applications, have contributed to a massive surge in demand for front projectors and large-screen televisions, said Kazuhiro Kaizaki, president, Hitachi Home Electronics. “And, as the number of products has increased dramatically, so has a new level of confusion among shoppers and AV professionals who are trying to sort through an overwhelming selection of display technologies. We're very excited to be working with these major manufacturers who share our vision in a unified program that will help the industry better understand the benefits of 3LCD technology and why it serves as the foundation for so many reliable, next-generation, high definition products.”
In addition to the 3LCD Group's official unveiling, several other promotional elements and activities will be introduced that will be shared among participating companies, which include a 3LCD logo that will appear prominently on new products featuring this technology, and in industry-wide marketing materials, as well as the launch of an educational Web site, www.3lcd.com. The Web site will not only highlight the benefits of the technology in general, but also communicate how 3LCD projection actually works through detailed text and illustrations, showcasing the ever-growing array of 3LCD products on the market and providing 3LCD-related news and product announcements across the industry.
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Following is a list of statements about the 3LCD Group/technology from some of the participating manufacturers:
- “Every major microdisplay technology realizes picture quality improvements by employing a three-imager design, said Jim Hall, director, Business Projector Marketing and Product Management, Epson. “Some technologies reserve this design for only their highest end products, but 3LCD-based display manufacturers ingeniously pack this powerful imaging maxim into every tiny 3LCD projection engine they build.”
- “As the U.S. market leader in microdisplay televisions, Sony has always been committed to providing consumers with video products that exceed their expectations,” said Mike Fidler, senior vice president in Sony Electronics' Home Products Division. “3LCD technology fulfills this role by offering an ideal balance between superior performance, overall reliability and manufacturing efficiency.”
- “Fujitsu General is very pleased to be a part of the 3LCD Group to educate dealers and end users about the benefits of 3LCD technology,” said Tedd Rozylowicz, president and chief operating officer, Fujitsu General America Inc. “Fujitsu General is committed to high-performance home entertainment display technology and our flagship model LPF-D711 which uses full HD (1,920 x 1,080) 3LCD technology will be another great option for our customers who expect the best. We can now leverage our expertise into full HD front projection technology and even larger screen sizes with our new LPF-D711, which also incorporates our new AVM-II digital video processor used in our industry-leading Plasmavision® plasma displays.”
- Dr. Katsumi Terada, senior engineering manager, Projector Business Unit, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., said, “From the start of our liquid crystal projector business, we used a 3-panel LCD system, and were soon able to gain the trust of our customers and grow our business. Going forward, we intend to answer the needs of our users by leveraging the benefits of 3LCD to develop a full lineup of projection products, from small to large. We firmly believe it is the best projector technology available on the market today.”
About the 3LCD Group
The 3LCD Group consists of industry-leading projector manufacturers dedicated to educating consumers and video imaging professionals about the benefits and unique features of 3LCD technology. Participating manufacturers use the 3LCD logo, currently under license from Epson, positioning it prominently on their products and marketing materials.
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