Epson Launches PictureMate Dash(TM) and PictureMate Zoom(TM)

No. 1-Selling Brand of Compact Photo Printers Offers Two New Models with

Faster Printing, Larger Premium Photo Viewer

    LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
     A PictureMate model has been the best-selling dedicated 4"x6" photo
 printer at retail for the last three years. This line is designed for the
 Chief Memory Officer(TM) (CMO) of the family who wants long-lasting,
 durable photos to document not only life's milestones but also the
 "ministones." Using Epson's exclusive archival printing technology with
 vibrant color and crisp detail, PictureMate transforms digital images into
 beautiful, long-lasting prints that resist fading generations longer and
 have better image quality than traditional lab or kiosk prints. PictureMate
 prints last up to 96 years in a glass frame and over 200 years in an album
 and are even smudge, scratch and water resistant(1). In fact, no other
 small format printer offers such remarkable durability.
     Both PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom produce borderless 4"x6"
 prints in as fast as 37 seconds(2) -- a truly unbeatable speed that is more
 than 17 percent faster than the previous generation and also faster than
 all other small format printers(3) without compromising quality. This means
 consumers can get stacks of photos in minutes at their convenience without
 ever having to leave home or wait for the lab. Both models feature a large
 built-in premium photo viewer with a 3.6" total viewing area that makes it
 even easier to select and print photos and can also be used as a digital
 picture frame to watch a slideshow of photos. The printers also have
 easy-to-use options for cropping and editing photos using the viewer and
 menu button.
     Getting the best prints possible is automatic with PictureMate. With
 Epson's industry leading Auto Photo Correction, PictureMate Dash and
 PictureMate Zoom automatically adjust photos to correct improperly lit
 images. It's like having a trained lab technician inside the printer to
 fine-tune photos. Additionally users can remove red eye or enhance colors
 using these printers without a computer and preview all changes immediately
 to see the results before printing.
     PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom enable users to automatically
 resize photos the way they want, offering 18 layout options -- including
 five new portrait package layouts -- and three color options, all without a
 computer. Layouts include true BorderFree(R) 4"x6" photos, photos with
 classic borders, traditional wallet-size, mini wallets, digital size, U.S.
 passport photos, jumbo wallet-size, 2"x2", 3"x3", CD index and portrait
 packages (4, 6, 10, or 12 photos to a page). The color options include
 color, black-and-white or sepia tones.
     Epson's exclusive Print by Date option is an innovative way to select
 and print photos taken on particular dates, which is useful for sorting
 through large capacity memory cards. Users can print all photos, selected
 photos or a range of photos.
     PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom's built-in memory card slots
 support all popular memory card types and can also be used as a card reader
 to transfer files to and from a computer or a USB flash drive. The printers
 also support wireless printing from cell phone cameras and PDAs with the
 optional Epson Bluetooth Photo Print Adapter, as well as printing from USB
 flash drives, PictBridge-enabled cameras, and DPOF (Digital Print Order
 Format).
     "If consumers are in the market for a compact photo printer or just
 want a simple way to get their photos out of their digital camera,
 PictureMate is it," said Kristi Fox, associate product manager,
 PictureMate, Epson. "With PictureMate, it's easier and faster than ever to
 get beautiful family photos which last as much as two to four times longer
 than photos from a lab or kiosk and outlast prints from other dedicated
 4"x6" printers. You won't believe what amazing quality photos these cute
 little machines are capable of printing."
     PictureMate Zoom is the ultimate photo archiving solution with the
 ability to save photos onto a CD hassle-free all without a computer through
 a built-in CD burner. This feature enables users to back up photos from
 their memory cards or copy friends' memory cards to CDs and instantly share
 them with family and friends, simply by pressing the "Save to CD" button on
 the control panel. PictureMate also makes it easy to catalog those archived
 photos with the ability to print a CD proofsheet that can be inserted into
 a CD jewel case. Users can also print photos previously burned on a CD or
 DVD.
     PictureMate makes it convenient and affordable to print photos with the
 PictureMate Print Pack, which contains everything needed to print about 150
 glossy or about 100 matte photos satisfaction guaranteed.(4)
     Optional Accessories
     PictureMate can be taken on-the-go with the waterproof carrying case
 available on Epson's website for an estimated price of $34.99. For even
 greater portability, the optional battery is available for an estimated
 price of $49.99 and supports printing up to 140 photos or six hours standby
 time with PictureMate Dash and 120 photos or four hours standby time with
 PictureMate Zoom and automatically recharges with AC(5). For printing
 photos directly from a cell phone, PDA, or laptop computer, the Bluetooth
 Adapter is available for an estimated price of $39.99. The PictureMate
 Print Pack is available for estimated prices of $39.99 for the 150-print
 glossy photo pack and $34.99 for the 100-print matte photo pack.
     Pricing and Availability
     PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom are now shipping and will be
 available for estimated street prices of $99.99 and $199.99, respectively,
 in major computer, office, mass merchant, and electronic superstores and
 can also be purchased through mail order, PC manufacturers, the Internet,
 and Epson's own retail site, http://www.epsonstore.com.
     In conjunction with the launch of PictureMate Dash and PictureMate
 Zoom, Epson has also launched a new microsite that includes a video
 overview, a virtual tour demonstrating key product features and a
 convenient accessories finder. This site can be found at
 http://www.myPictureMate.com. Product information is also available by
 calling 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766).
     About Epson America Inc.
     Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning digital imaging
 products for the consumer, business, photography, and graphic arts markets.
 The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS)
 printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975,
 Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson
 Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology
 products that meet customer demands for increased functionality,
 compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc.
 is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.
     Note: Epson, PictureMate is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson
 Corporation. PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom are trademarks of Seiko
 Epson Corporation. BorderFree is a registered trademark and Chief Memory
 Officer is a trademark of Epson America Inc. All other trademarks are the
 property of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any rights in those
 marks.
     (1) Using the PictureMate cartridge and PictureMate paper, prints can last
         more than 200 years in a dark storage album and up to 96 years in a
         glass frame in indoor display conditions. See Wilhelm-research.com for
         test conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to image
         and storage or display conditions. Epson does not guarantee the
         longevity of prints.
 
     (2) Color photo without a PC in borderless layout, measured from start of
         paper feed. Additional print time will vary based on system
         configuration, software application and page complexity. See
         http://www.epson.com/printspeed for more information about print
         speed.
 
     (3) Based on Epson measurement of the PictureMate printers' speeds,
         compared to published speeds by competitive printers as of August
         2007.
 
     (4) Please see http://www.mypicturemate.com/satisfactionguarantee for
         details.
 
     (5) Based on testing by Epson, using a brand new battery, with images from
         a memory card. Charge capability declines over the battery's lifetime.
         Number of prints based on continuous printing; number per charge will
         vary with printer usage patterns and photo file sizes. Standby viewing
         time and the number of photos printed is substantially less when using
         a CD drive rather than a memory card.
 
 

SOURCE Epson America Inc.