News

Wacom Technology Corp. has introduced Bamboo, an all new family of pen tablets.
Bamboo and Bamboo Fun are two distinct pen tablets that provide a natural, personal
and creative digital input experience in any home or work environment. See Bamboo
and Bamboo highlights at the www.wacom.com/wacombamboo
microsite.



Both Bamboo and Bamboo Fun sport elegant designs with increased functionality
and ease of use in mind. Four programmable ExpressKeys are situated on the tablet
surface to customize commonly used commands, such as "undo" or "copy."
A finger-sensitive Touch Ring has been positioned to allow for quick and easy
zooming and scrolling. The textured work surface of the tablet provides an intuitive
pen-on-paper feel, while the stylish and ergonomically designed pens allow users
to experience seemingly unlimited levels of pressure sensitivity, to create variations
of pen strokes, from fine lines to bold brush marks. Additionally, Bamboo and
Bamboo Fun work elegantly in both Mac and PC (including Windows 2000, Windows
XP and Windows Vista) environments.



Available to consumers immediately in two sleek sizes and four cool colors, Bamboo
Fun provides all the tools needed to have fun exploring digital creativity. Ideal
for digital photo enthusiasts or those just wanting to satiate their creative
hunger, Bamboo Fun makes it easy to enhance photos and create artwork for scrapbooks,
craft projects and slide shows.



Bamboo Fun includes valuable software applications that embrace pen support and
deliver greater control when editing photos or creating works of art. These applications
include Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 (Elements 4 for Mac users), which make it possible
to quickly and easily edit and organize digital photos. Many of the retouching
and brush strokes required in Photoshop are accomplished more accurately and rapidly
with the use of a pen. Additionally, Nik''s Color Efex Pro 2 GE filtering
software allows one to simply select and apply high-quality photographic enhancements
with the stroke of a pen. For those with an artistic flair, the natural feel of
the Bamboo Fun pen combined with the capabilities of Corel Painter Essentials
3, also included, makes creating great looking artwork easy and fun. When used
with a Bamboo Fun pen, Painter Essentials 3 can take on the look and feel of just
about any natural art tool and is perfect for creating original digital artwork
from photos.



In addition to Wacom's patented cordless, battery-free pen, the Bamboo Fun
mouse, uses the same electro-magnetic resonance technology as the pen, offering
quick response times and accuracy. Because the mouse has no ball, wires or batteries,
users discover a virtually maintenance free experience. When used alternately
with a mouse, the Bamboo pen can effectively reduce repetitive motion and increase
comfort and control.



Bamboo Fun is offered in two sizes (small and medium) each in black, silver, white
or blue.



Bamboo is a rugged and elegant pen tablet designed specifically for the mainstream
home or office computer user. Building on Wacom's extensive experience developing
pen-based input devices, the small pen tablet, in black only, provides the same
hardware features as Bamboo Fun, except for the pressure-sensitive pen eraser
and mouse.



Mac OS and Microsoft Windows Vista operating systems introduce significant pen
input features to Bamboo users for a faster, easier and more efficient computing
experience. For those on a Mac, Inkwell offers a variety of pen input features,
allowing one to enter handwritten text anywhere typed text is accepted. Bamboo
pen users working on a PC will covet the new Windows Vista-enabled note taking
resources, handwriting recognition and time-saving gesture controls. All versions
of Windows Vista (except Home Basic) provide complete pen functionality with Bamboo.
Select aspects of the Bamboo and Windows Vista pen experience include:



· Note Taking -- Microsoft Journal is an application
exclusively for the benefit of Bamboo or those working with another pen tablet,
interactive pen display or Tablet PC. Journal simulates a physical notebook, but
with all the advantages of a digital medium. The Bamboo pen can be used in Journal
to jot notes and capture quick sketches, providing valuable collaboration options
for use at home, school and work. Journal also incorporates a powerful search
engine that can even locate handwritten content.



· Handwriting Recognition -- Windows Vista introduces
intelligent handwriting recognition as a natural supplement to keyboard input.
This new recognition technology efficiently and accurately converts a wide variety
of handwriting styles into typed text. For example, during a brainstorming session,
Bamboo users can scribble down ideas and sketch concepts for collaboration with
colleagues. The user has the option to share the information in handwritten form
or convert it to typed text.



· Gestures -- There are a variety of pen gestures
available within Windows Vista that enable Bamboo users to navigate faster and
enhance the overall computing experience. Flicks offers eight customizable gestures
with actions determined by the user and Scratch Out allows pen users to delete
text automatically with a scratching motion of the pen over the targeted text.
...

Legion Paper has launched a comprehensive eco-friendly paper classification system
as part of their website, www.legionpaper.com. This new tool is the first of its
kind within the paper industry to provide a powerful `green' search
engine.

In line with the market transition from the darkroom to the digital arena, Ilford
set itself the benchmark of producing the equivalent of a classic air-dried, gloss,
black and white fiber based silver image print using current inkjet digital technology.
The product that meets this benchmark is now available in the Galerie Brand Inkjet
Line from Ilford and it is formally tagged as Galerie Gold Fibre Silk.



Galerie Gold Fibre Silk is a 310gsm inkjet media featuring a traditional barium
sulfate (baryta) base. The baryta base enhances the media surface producing the
creamy whites and velvety blacks that form part of the unique look and feel of
a traditional fiber based print; the standard amongst art photographers worldwide.
The media also produces real high definition images with an extended tonal range,
making it a must for exhibition quality images, ranging from vivid color to dramatic
black and whites.



The assembly is completed by a backing layer, which ensures that the final printed
image has minimal curl. Galerie Gold has been specifically designed with no unnecessary
additives in the media to guarantee the image lasts and lasts just like a traditional
photo print.



Just as traditional silver halide photographs demonstrate, extreme emotions can
be captured in an image through warm or cold tones. These same results can be
produced digitally, and Ilford has created specific recommendations on using filter
factors to create 'digital toning'. Ranging from standard black and white, warm
tone, cool tone and sepia to gold, selenium and blue, the only limit is the photographer's
imagination. These filter factors together with custom ICC profiles are available
for free on the website: www.ilford.com.




Availability

Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk will be available from October 2007, in the following
sizes:

8.5"x11", 13"x19", 17"x22" in 10 and 50 sheet packs


17", 24" and 44" wide (40' long) rolls

For more information on Ilford, please visit www.ilford.com...

Imaging USA (www.ImagingUSA.org) will take place in the Tampa Convention Center
from January 6-8, 2008. Presented by an alliance of the Professional Photographers
of America (PPA), the Society of Sport and Event Photographers (SEP), Commercial
Photographers International (CPI), and Evidence Photographers International
Council (EPIC), the convention features a 500+ booth trade show, several all-inclusive
parties and bonus presentations by some of the industry's biggest names.

...

For people who want a quick and easy way to print stacks of durable, professional
quality photos, Epson America Inc. is launching its newest line of compact photo
printers. PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom are perfect companions to any
digital camera, enabling consumers to easily print professional quality 4"x6"
photos at home or on the go, day or night, with or without a computer.

...

Epson America Inc. has announced that John Paul Caponigro and Mac Holbert, two
of the pre-eminent leaders in digital photography and fine art printing, are joining
forces to conduct the "Fine Art of Digital Printing" workshop for
a second time in the state-of-the-art digital printing labs of Brooks Institute
of Photography. Offered due to the overwhelming response to their first joint
session in June, the encore workshop Oct. 29-Nov. 2 in Santa Barbara, Calif.,
will provide one-on-one instruction with access to today's leading digital
printing technology.



"This workshop format is so unique in that it gives Mac and me the chance
to work one-on-one with attendees throughout the week -- something that isn't
usually seen with traditional workshops," said Caponigro, world-renowned
digital photographer. "The first workshop was such a great experience for
everyone involved, we couldn't wait to do it again."



Caponigro and Holbert created the Fine Art of Digital Printing workshop to foster
growth and creativity among professionals and serious advanced amateurs. The workshop
covers topics impacting the entire printing workflow and employs innovative techniques
with the industry's leading printing technology. Committed to producing
the finest digital photographs, as well as teaching with the highest quality products
in the industry, Caponigro and Holbert have arranged again for students to work
with Epson's award-winning Epson Stylus® Pro printers, inks and media.



Additionally, in an effort to provide the highest quality teaching environment,
the workshop takes advantage of Epson's latest generation of 3LCD projectors
for both accuracy and clarity of all projected tutorials.



"We were thrilled by the enthusiastic response from participants about the
first workshop," said Holbert, master printmaker and co-founder, Nash Editions.
"We look forward to another opportunity to share our knowledge and experience
of digital fine art printmaking with others who are passionate about photography."



To ensure an intimate learning environment, the Fine Art of Digital Printing workshop
is limited to 24 attendees. Valued at $1,995, this workshop is offered at an exclusive
price of $1,495, thanks to the support provided by Epson. This fee includes all
lab costs, complete access to the digital printing lab until 11 p.m. Monday through
Thursday, unlimited use of ink and media, and materials and postage to properly
ship any prints made during the workshop. In addition, catered lunches will be
provided each day to allow attendees to maximize the amount of time they have
with the instructors and in the digital labs. For more information, or to register
for the workshop, please visit www.thefineartofdigitalprinting.com.