View all newsletters
Receive our newsletter - data, insights and analysis delivered to you
  1. Technology
August 27, 1997updated 03 Sep 2016 2:29pm

KODAK LAUNCHES INTERNET PHOTO BUREAU SERVICE

By CBR Staff Writer

Photography giant Eastman Kodak Co has launched an internet photo bureau service, called the Kodak Picture Network, designed to allow consumers to store, reprint, edit and exchange their photos on the internet. The service comes as an extra service on top of photo development, where customers can have their photos digitally scanned and uploaded to a Kodak-hosted web page, which is accessed via a password. The scanning service will be offered at 30,000 processing facilities, or photos can be uploaded directly from digital cameras onto the web. Once the photos are online, consumers will be able to electronic mail them to their friends, create virtual photo albums, and have photos reprinted. The Picture Network uses Kodak’s image display protocol FlashPix, the replacement for its Photo CD protocol, which uses JPEG Image compression and is 10 times faster (CI No 2,982). Each 35mm print takes up 1.5MB of space. Kodak believes the service will only attract a few thousand subscribers in the first year, but in five years will have millions of users as digital cameras become consumer items. Kodak has no worries about the site being used as a pornographic bulletin board, with the potential to severely embarrass Kodak, because safeguards have been put in place. The service is free for 90 days, with a $4.95 charge per month for up to 100 prints, with $0.01 per month per extra photo, and an extra charge of $5 for each roll of film scanned. Kodak believes the picture network will be profitable, but would not disclose the level of investment, or the time it would take to reach profitability. It believes that this will not clash with its other digital photograph service, Photo CD, which is aimed at professional digital archive use, rather than the more consumer- orientated Photo Network. Kodak’s system is similar to Digimarc Corp’s MarcCentre professional image forum service (CI No 3,223), and Japanese camera manufacturers Konica Corp which introduced a similar service last year (CI No 2,194), in partnership with the Virginia-based PictureVision Inc.

Content from our partners
How businesses can safeguard themselves on the cyber frontline
How hackers’ tactics are evolving in an increasingly complex landscape
Green for go: Transforming trade in the UK

Websites in our network
Select and enter your corporate email address Tech Monitor's research, insight and analysis examines the frontiers of digital transformation to help tech leaders navigate the future. Our Changelog newsletter delivers our best work to your inbox every week.
  • CIO
  • CTO
  • CISO
  • CSO
  • CFO
  • CDO
  • CEO
  • Architect Founder
  • MD
  • Director
  • Manager
  • Other
Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.
THANK YOU