NEW YORK, Pier 59--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 25, 1997--The evolution to full-fledged Web photography is being accelerated through the combined efforts of Hewlett-Packard Company and PictureVision(R), Inc. The two companies today announced that they intend to expand the functionality of PictureVision's current offering, PhotoNet(R). PictureVision will leverage and contribute to HP's Internet-imaging initiative to create opportunities for new Web-based photography applications.
PhotoNet is an imaging infrastructure that enables photofinishers to give their customers a service that offers an additional medium for viewing and sharing photographs on the Internet. Working together, HP and PictureVision will expand the functionality of PhotoNet to provide advanced solutions for Web photography while they jointly grow the market for digital photofinishing and other vertical-market applications.
By leveraging HP's Imaging for Internet initiative, PhotoNet will provide consumers more flexibility in how they upload, download and manipulate images with their home PCs. This initiative also will enhance the ability to capture digital-camera and home-scanner input and store it on the PhotoNet. Most exciting to many will be the ability to print photographs at home with their own photo-quality printers, such as HP's PhotoSmart photo printer. The combination of HP's Imaging for Internet technologies and the existing PhotoNet environment will enhance the printing of images at consumer-accessible locations outside the home (for example, kiosks, film finishers and so on).
Digital images, created by a home scanner, digital camera, or by a traditional film finisher, are stored on PhotoNet, accessible to anyone with a PC and an Internet link. They also can be used by other Web-enabled applications to do such things as put a favorite photo on an American Greetings stock card or create gifts such as calendars, mugs or T-shirts.
"The combination of PictureVision and HP technologies is a winning formula for the entire industry," said Cliff Whitney, vice president of digital imaging at Wolf Camera and Video. "This will increase the utilization by our customers of digital images on a global basis by providing an open, scalable approach to photography applications."
ABOUT PHOTONET AND PICTUREVISION
PhotoNet is available at thousands of participating film finishers worldwide, including Wolf Camera and Video, Black's Photo, The Camera Shop, and Mystic Color Lab, as well as at Giant Eagle and Pathmark grocery stores through Konica Quality Photo.
Based in Herndon, Virginia, PictureVision, Inc. (http://www.picturevision.com) provides the imaging industry with easy-to-use, turnkey strategies and solutions for profitably growing their businesses by leveraging the evolution to digital photography. PictureVision is the developer of PhotoNet, the world's first service that allows consumers to view, share, manipulate, and store photographs over the Internet simply by having film developed by a participating PhotoNet partner. Consumers may also use their digital camera or home scanner in the PhotoNet environment. PictureVision also markets Photoshow, which allows consumers to receive their photographs on floppy disks along with self-contained software they can use to share and use their photographs on their personal computers.
ABOUT HP'S INTERNET-IMAGING INITIATIVE
HP's Internet-imaging initiative, built on an integrated family of imaging technologies, products and services, is designed to revolutionize the way people communicate, collaborate and conduct business over the Internet. The initiative brings together the components of an end-to-end solution that will make it easy for businesses and consumers to create scan, edit, store, share, print and transmit photo-quality images online. HP's Internet-imaging initiative's key strategic thrusts include the Web-photography program and the Imaging for Internet Developers Program.
ABOUT HP
Hewlett-Packard Company is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament and the 1997 Tournament of France. Selected for its technology and skills to support and manage mission-critical applications, HP will help create an information-management infrastructure for handling game-scoring; media centers; personnel accreditation; hotel information; and various ticketing, stadium, warehouse and back-office operations.
HP is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. It is the second-largest computer supplier in the United States, with computer-related revenue in excess of $31.4 billion in its 1996 fiscal year. HP has 114,600 employees and had revenue of $38.4 billion in its 1996 fiscal year.
Information about HP's Internet-imaging initiative can be found on the World Wide Web at http://image.hp.com .
Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com .