Eastman Kodak Co and Intel Corp are to collaborate in a bid to promote digital imaging in a series of announcements they plan to detail in an announcement this summer. The two, which signed their first digital imaging pact a year ago (CI No 3,128), plan to start joint development in digital imaging products and platforms using Intel processor technology and Kodak’s image science and photography. Products will be aimed at professionals and consumers, but primarily at consumers. The agreement also includes a broad cross-licensing agreement covering each other’s patents. And Kodak says it will be upgrading its its Qualex photofinishing laboratories with Intel-based systems and new scanning equipment, as part of an effort to push Kodak Picture CD-ROMs into the consumer market. Users will be able to use the CDs to store their photos, either in their home computers or at retail kiosks. These agreements are to be supported by a $150m consumer-oriented marketing push over the next three years, to promote the products resulting from the agreement. Last year Kodak agreed to optimize its FlashPix image file format for Intel’s MMX multimedia extensions, agreed to support the Universal Serial Bus on its digital cameras, and Intel’s Miniature Card digital exchange format on consumer devices.
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