Konica Corp has linked up with online community GeoCities Japan Corp, in which Softbank Corp holds an equity stake, to expand its digital imaging service, Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported. The service – which mirrors one offered in the US by a partnership between Eastman Kodak Co and America Online Inc (CI No 3,414) – will allow users to call up photos on their PCs via the internet. The deal will see Konica connect its digital image service, Picture Box, with GeoCities’ servers, allowing members of GeoCities to access the Picture Box service. Picture Box- affiliated developing outlets will transfer photo prints or negatives to Konica’s servers, allowing customers to access them via designated ID numbers and view them on PCs. The partnership will enable 130,000 GeoCities members to place photos on their home pages.
