SEATTLE, Sep 15, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- PhotoWorks(R) Inc. (OTCBB:FOTO), the company that puts the enjoyment back into the entire "click to print" photo experience, and Colour-Science AG today announced that PhotoWorks has licensed Colour-Science's i2e color enhancement technology. This technology improves the brightness and contrast of photographic prints as well as enhances colors. This will improve underexposed and overexposed pictures and correct the limitations of some digital camera images. By implementing this new technology, PhotoWorks will provide its customers with prints with more vibrant colors and details.
"We searched the world for the best color enhancement technology and found i2e to be the best," said Mickey Lass, Executive Vice President at PhotoWorks. "Through our testing, we found that it consistently makes bad photos look good and can make good photos even better."
PhotoWorks plans to use this new color enhancement technology in their digital printing facility and in their new digital camera software. With this new software slated for release this fall, users can click on "Instant Fix" and watch their photos transform before their eyes. In the lab, the color enhancement technology will be applied to every print in addition to being personally inspected during the printing process.
"PhotoWorks was one of the first online photofinishers to offer affordable digital prints, and is now focused on improving the value of being a PhotoWorks customer," said Jill Aldort, Senior Research Analyst at InfoTrends Research Group. "This new partnership with Colour-Science reflects a new emphasis on photo quality at PhotoWorks' and is one more step in the company's recent efforts to establish its position as a top-tier online photofinisher."
While some other companies require customers to request or even pay for this type of service, PhotoWorks plans to offer this special service on every print and to every customer.
"It's just part of our mission," said Alan Housley, Vice President of Marketing at PhotoWorks, "to provide real, professional quality prints on Kodak paper at the best quality and price possible."
About PhotoWorks Inc.
PhotoWorks has been a leading innovator of high-quality photofinishing services for almost 25 years. Based in Seattle, PhotoWorks (OTCBB:FOTO) was founded in 1978 and has led the industry in delivering a number of popular and valuable consumer photo print offerings to millions of customers, allowing them to print, keep and share their memories. Offerings include professional-quality digital prints, online and mail ordering, retail kiosk services and more. Leveraging its unique insight into photo and consumer buying trends, its innovative product line and alliances with strategic channel partners, PhotoWorks is committed to helping digital photographers capture, manage, store, share and enjoy real, professional-quality prints. More information about PhotoWorks is available at www.photoworks.com or by calling (800) 746-8696.
About Colour-Science AG
The Swiss company, Colour-Science, has been founded to make the latest image enhancement technology available for photo labs and consumer devices like digital cameras, ink-jet printers or smart phones. In the past 20 years, the image ehancement scientists of Colour-Science developed image enhancement algorithms for minilabs and high speed printers of the leading photofinishing companies like Gretag, Noritsu, DigitalNow and others. Another aim of Colour-Science is to establish the use of modern color management and quality monitoring tools in the photofinishing industry with the goal of offering the consumers the highest possible print quality. More information about Colour-Science is available at www.colour-science.com or by calling +41 1 938 39 90.
PhotoWorks(R) is a registered trademark of PhotoWorks, Inc. Other registered trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: PhotoWorks
PhotoWorks Sarah Schwitters, 206-272-9858 pr@photoworks.com or Pembroke Resources Valerie Chan, 206-352-8814 valerie@pembroke.com