|
January 5, 1999 - The KODAK DIGITAL SCIENCE Scanner 3500 was named Product of the Year by Imaging & Document Solutions. The magazine cited the scanner’s reliability, robustness, and optics as the significant factors in its success, as well as its ability to handle many paper types. Banking, insurance, healthcare, and government organizations are the primary customers. The scanner’s robust paper feeder allows the scanning and processing of hundreds of documents such as invoices, bank checks, insurance claims, and other office documents, regardless of size or paper quality. Users need only place the documents in the feeder and press a button-—the scanner does the rest. The award came only six months after introduction of the scanner.
February 17, 1999 - Four Kodak digital products were cited at the Excellence in Imaging award ceremony held at PMA in Las Vegas.
 |
- The KODAK DC260 Zoom Digital Camera, which combines a zoom lens with enough resolution to provide photo-realistic 8 x 10-inch prints
|
 |
- The KKODAK PROFESSIONAL DCS520 Digital Camera, which is the company's first single-lens-reflex digital camera
|
 |
- The KODAK ADVANTIX FD 300 Film Drive, which allows computer users to scan Advanced Photo System negatives for manipulating, printing, and e-mailing
|
 |
- The KODAK Picture CD, which incorporates on a single disk a customer's pictures and the software necessary to easily use, store, organize, share, enhance, and print the images using the customer's own computer
|
February 18, 1999 - Philips Electronics and PictureVision, Inc. (an independent subsidiary of Kodak), signed an agreement, which paves the way for accessing online digital photo applications over television. This agreement supports two growing trends--online interactive TV and digital photography. PictureVision will develop a TV-based version of its popular KODAK PhotoNet Online Service, and Philips will make the service available to its customers. Anyone with a TV will be able to enjoy digital photography.
March 2, 1999 - The KODAK PROFESSIONAL DCS 560 Digital Camera received awards from the Digital Imaging Marketing Association (DIMA) and from Photo Electronic Imaging. The DIMA award was a special honor, because PMA voting members and show attendees were the ones choosing it. Studio and location photographers particularly appreciated the DCS 560's high-quality images, flexibility, and portability and that it combines the image quality and workflow familiarity of traditional imaging with the return-on-investment advantages of digital imaging.
March 9, 1999 - Kodak and Direkt Post teamed up to earn a place in the Guinness Book of Records by digitizing 1,686,000 documents in 24 hours. One hundred employees of the Mannheim, Germany direct mail center participated in the 24-hour effort to scan the documents non-stop, using 12 Kodak Digital Science document scanners 9500, duplex. The digitization operation also included Kodak Digital Science high-volume capture software for automatic border removal and document skew detection.
Direkt Post (a subsidiary of Deutsche Post AG) provides insurance companies, banks, order houses, and industrial companies with response cards, questionnaires, and other mailings as electronic documents. Pieces of mail are scanned, transferred to an image server, read by intelligent OCR software, and sent in digital format directly to the requesting company.
March 15, 1999 - Kodak added two new models to its line of personal digital projectors. The KODAK DP1100 and DP900 Digital Projectors appeal to the serious, but cost-conscious presenters who have been waiting to convert to digital. Taking advantage of the advanced technology of today's laptop computers, they can now unpack, plug-in, and make presentations like pros. The Kodak cable hub connector eliminates setup difficulties, but it's the Kodak image manager that really sets these projectors apart. By automating the complex color management and projection mathematics, even novices can create presentations that look good every time.
March 17, 1999 - Kodak and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG announced that they have entered into an agreement regarding Kodak's Office Imaging business. Kodak will sell its digital printer, copier/duplicator, and roller assembly operations to Heidelberg; and the two companies will expand their joint venture, NexPress. This agreement will build on Heidelberg's leadership in equipment manufacturing and digital printing, while enabling Kodak to leverage their core competencies to supply Heidelberg and NexPress with consumables such as photoconductors and raw materials for toner and developer manufacturing.
March 18, 1999 - Kodak announced that it is expanding Cinesite, Inc. to help drive the rapid convergence of film, digital, and hybrid motion imaging technologies in the motion picture industry. Cinesite will have three separate divisions with the following emphases:
- Digital Mastering - offering its powerful tool for the release of motion pictures in all formats for the cinema and television to help ensure that today's films will be a long-term asset compatible with future distribution formats.
- Film Scanning and Recording - making high-quality digital film conversion services accessible and affordable wherever motion pictures are produced, forming alliances with film labs and postproduction facilities around the world, and installing and supporting Kodak digital film scanners and recorders at these sites.
- Cinesite Visual Effects - operating visual effects facilities with large creative and technical staffs in Los Angeles and London for the creation of motion pictures and TV commercials.
March 18, 1999 - For the Academy Awards celebrations, Kodak posted Red Carpet and theater pictures on the Internet to profile the cinematographers nominated for an Oscar. "Shooting the Movies" featured on the kodak.com web site took an in-depth look at these films, describing the techniques each cinematographer used to achieve each unique "look". More than 90% of all movies are shot and printed on Kodak film. Kodak has won eight Oscars and numerous other honors for its technological achievements in the film industry, where film reliability and consistency is essential.
March 22, 1999 Kodak Document Imaging extended its expertise in mid- and high-volume scanning to the low-volume market with its new duplex rotary Kodak Digital Science Scanner 2500, which was unveiled at CeBIT '99. The scanner featured a rotary transport for duplex scanning of up to 62 pages per minute.
April 7, 1999 Kodak announced it would give all U.S. moms who have a baby on Mother's Day (May 9) a free Kodak Advantix T550 camera valued at approximately $150, a roll of film with free processing and a coupon for a free Picture CD. The Kodak offer also included moms who adopted their children on Monday, May 10.
April 13, 1999 Kodak Document Imaging showed a range of new products at the Association of Information and Image Management (AIIM) annual conference in Atlanta, including: the Kodak Digital Science Electronic Microimager solution enabling an operator to create analog and digital images simultaneously, a tabletop microfilm processor, a new 16 mm microfilm scanner, and new flatbed document scanners for color and black-and-white scanning.
April 27, 1999 Kodak announced a revolutionary new photographic paper for snapshots called DuraLife paper. The innovative, laminated, multi-layer photographic paper sets new industry benchmarks in virtually every performance category, including tear-resistance, durability, brightness and whiteness, image sharpness, color highlights, resistance to curling, and opacity. The paper was available only for prints provided with Kodak processing and was marketed under the name "Kodak Picture Processing."
April 29, 1999 The company announced the completion of its 10-year, $180 million program to upgrade and eliminate storage tanks at its largest manufacturing faclity, Kodak Park in Rochester. Beginning in 1989 with about 1100 tanks, 600 of which were underground, the program had two primary objectives: To eliminate as many tanks as possible and to ensure that the tanks in use are installed, equipped, operated, and maintained in a manner that is as leak proof, and as safe as technology permits.
May 3, 1999 Kodak introduced the Digital Science KLI-8801 Image Sensor, a high resolution (8,800 pixel), high speed linear CCD designed for digital copiers, document scanners, and machine vision applications. The new sensor featured improved sensitivity and lower noise. Also introduced was a high-resolution infrared sensor for use in reconnaissance applications.
May 13, 1999 Kodak received the BBBOnLine privacy seal from the Better Business Bureau, which assures consumers how the company's web site handles personally identifiable information. "We have had a privacy policy in place since our online store launched in November 1997, making us one of the first companies to take this issue so seriously," said Marianna O'Brien, director, kodak.com Relationship Marketing, in accepting the recognition. "People can be certain we don't sell, rent or give any of their information away. They can come to kodak.com and be confident that their personal information is not going anywhere." Kodak posted the seal on its site that morning.
May 14, 1999 The company introduced an improved Blue Plus image sensor, a front-illuminated full-frame charge coupled device (CCD) with improved blemish specifications, improved packaging to simplify system integration, and improved sensitivity. The image sensor was especially suited for astronomy, microscopy, spectroscopy, and medical imaging applications.
May 15, 1999 Kodak Professional, in conjunction with the International Center of Photography (ICP), honored the winners of the Fifteenth Annual International Center of Photography's Infinity Awards. The gala ceremony, held in New York City, recognized and honored imaging professionals in ten categories for their outstanding contributions in photography. The ceremony marked the 12th year that Kodak has sponsored the ICP Infinity Awards.
May 19, 1999 Kodak.com launched its Kodak Picture Playground online to revolutionize the way pictures are seen, manipulated, used and shared on the Internet. The playground allows consumers to easily enhance, manipulate and then share their pictures. It provides fun, easy-to-use and free photo-manipulating and sharing applications, including Cartoon Maker, Antique Maker, You Animal You, Super Saturator, Flower Power, Solarizer, Oil Paint, and Classic Black-and-White.
May 25, 1999 The company announced a consumer picture-taking promotion enabling consumers to buy a camera for themselves and send another to someone else free. During a month long promotion just in time for graduations, Father's Day, weddings and summer vacations, purchasers of a select Kodak Advantix cameras could fill out a gift certificate for a second Advantix camera to be sent to the designated recipient as a gift from the original buyer.
May 27, 1999 Kodak's environmental efforts reached a new milestone this month with the recycling of 250 million one-time-use cameras. Lined up end-to-end, these cameras would stretch two-thirds of the way around the equator. More importantly, this recycling effort avoided putting 40 million pounds of waste into landfills. In 1998, Kodak recycled one-time-use cameras at a rate of 72 percent in the U.S. and about 60 percent worldwide.
June 9, 1999 The Kodak Board of Directors announced the election of Daniel A. Carp to the post of Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2000. Carp was then currently President and Chief Operating Officer. He would retain those responsibilities upon becoming CEO. George Fisher, the then current Chairman and CEO, announced he would continue as Chairman until January 2001.
June 14, 1999 Kodak introduced the fastest digital image management system for echocardiography laboratories at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) in Washington, D.C. The Kodak G4 Image and Information Management System offered nearly instantaneous response times, making it faster and easier for cardiologists to view studies.
June 16, 1999 Koak said it would launch a new youth marketing program focusing in teenage girls, beginning with this year's back-to-school season. The multi-faceted, multi-million-dollar marketing campaign supported Kodak Max one-time-use cameras and included advertising, promotional and public relations activities. The program was intended to make the taking and sharing of pictures a "must" in teen social life.
June 17, 1999 Kodak's Earth Imaging Services business announced an agreement to market high-resolution, color aerial images through Internet e-commerce technology. The service provided complete coverage of major U.S. and Canadian metropolitan areas precision image data from one-meter resolution black and white to six-inch resolution color images.
June 25, 1999 Kodak Document Imaging was one of several leading U.S. technology companies to receive Vice President Al Gore's Hammer Award for its role in developing an electronic claims processing system designed to ensure timely delivery of benefits to military veterans.
June 25-- Kodak Document Imaging was one of several leading U.S. technology companies to receive Vice President Al Gore's Hammer Award for its role in developing an electronic claims processing system designed to ensure timely delivery of benefits to military veterans. VA Under Secretary for Benefits Joseph Thompson presented the award. This was the first time the award was presented to a public-private partnership.
June 28, 1999 The company announced the development by Kodak scientists of CD-PROM technology, making possible the production of "hybrid" compact discs that combine mass-duplicated CD-ROM technology with recordable CD capability. The new Kodak CD-PROM discs combine mass-replicated CD-ROM content with a recordable area for adding customized information. Kodak was the first company to develop a practical, manufacturable solution for the hybrid discs -- and one that can also be applied to DVD.
June 29, 1999 Kodak heated up the summer months by launching the Max Facts $1 Million Challenge promotion, offering consumers game debit cards with chances to win up to $1,000. Specially marked packages of Kodak Max film and one-time-use cameras contained a Max Facts card that could be a winning debit card worth $20, $100, or $1,000. The promotion was designed to give away a total of up to $1 million.
July 4, 1999 Kodak sponsored "The Photo of the Century" to commemorate the coming millenium. A once-in-a-millennium opportunity, The Photo of the Century was shot in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 4, and featured a century of Americans, one born each year on July 4 from 1900 through 1999. In addition, all 50 states were represented in the photograph. The photo's photographer, Paul Hosefros, was himself born on the 4th of July.
July 14, 1999 Kodak Professional E100VS slide film was voted "the best transparency film of 1998-99" by editors and technical writers from Europe's top photographic magazines. The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), representing 29 independent magazines from all over Europe, cited the film's high color saturation, neutral color blance and the ability to push-process to ISO 200 with minimal loss in quality.
July 19, 1999 Kodak's Commercial & Government Systems business introduced a space-qualified, Earth-imaging digital camera, capable of providing images from low Earth orbit showing surface objects as small as one meter in length. The 220-pound device is small enough to fit low-cost rocket launch vehicles and is fully functional in space conditions.
July 23, 1999 When the space shuttle Columbia mission STS-93 blasted off, it carried into space NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the most advanced X-ray telescope ever built. Kodak people assembled, aligned and tested two of the telescope's three components, which allow scientists from all over the world to study supernovae, black holes, galaxy clusters and other space phenomena. Chandra has captured unprecedented X-ray images of these exotic environments and has provided long-sought answers to some of astronomy's biggest mysteries.
July 23-25, 1999 Kodak provided the professional digital cameras used to upload to a number of websites more than 10,000 images taken at the Woodstock 99 concert, held July 23-25, at Griffiss Park in Rome, N.Y. In addition to capturing the photos for the photo gallery at woodstock.com, pictures were also available dring and following the event on kodak.com.
August 12, 1999 Kodak expanded its line of consumer digital cameras with four new models, announced new inkjet papers and CD media, and Kodak Quick Prints -- a new service to provide consumers with silver halide prints of their digital picture files. New cameras included: the DC290 zoom digital camera with 2.1-megapixel resolution, the Kodak DC280 zoom digital camera with two-megapixel resolution, the pocket-size DC215 camera with one-megapixel resolution, and the DVC325 digital video camera with a high-speed USB connector.
September 20, 1999 Kodak and Lexmark Internation, Inc. teamed up to introduce the Kodak Personal Picture Maker by Lexmark, a color inkjet printer optimized for printing photo-realistic pictures. The printer could be connected to a computer or used as a stand-alone printer. With an onboard digital camera card reader that loads, manipulates and prints digital photos, without having to connect cables to a computer or digital camera, the printer could print color photos directly from both CompactFlash cards and Smart Media.
September 27, 1999 " All dressed up and ready to shoot," Kodak introduced its newest megaxel digital camera -- the DC240i -- in five different "mouth-wateing colors." Designed to match the colors of the iMac personal computer, the 240i was available in blueberry, grape, strawberry, tangerine and lime. Like the DC240 camera, the new models featured 1.3 megapixel resolution, zoom capability, and a compact design.
October 1, 1999 Kodak's newly remodeled Imagination! pavilion opened at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The pavilion displays new technologies in digital imaging that are changing photography and expanding the category by providing new opportunities for people to take, be creative with, share and save memories through digitization. The pavilion also features hands-on opportunities for people to discover new ways to use their pictures.
October 1, 1999 Kodak's Health Imaging business announced the worldwide availability of the Kodak DryView 8600 Laser Imaging System for mammography. The system allows medical practitioners to quickly print high-quality medical images from a variety of image-capture devices used in breast-cancer screening.
October 5, 1999 Kodak and Sanyo Electric Co. unveiled the world's first commercial model of a full-color, active matrix organic electroluminscent (OEL or OLED) display at the Japan Electronics Show in Chiba, Japan. Using Kodak-developed technology, the 2.5-inch display featured a 190,000-pixel display panel that produced vivid colors and an easier to view display than conventional lquid crystal displays (LCD). OLED displays are as thin as a dime, weigh less than half their LCD counterparts and require much less power.
October 13, 1999 Kodak announced the formation of a new 15-member senior management team known as the Executive Council, reporting to Daniel A. Carp, then President and Chief Operating Officer. George Fisher, then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, announced his intention to retire January 1, 2001. The company also announced that the office of Chief Operating Officer would be discontinued when Carp assumed the role of CEO, effective January 1, 2000. Carp then became President and CEO and Fisher remained as Chairman through the end of 2000.
October 21, 1999 The company launched a new on-line service for consumers just in time for the holiday season called Kodak Photo Greetings. The service offered consumers a low-cost way to make greeting cards using their own pictures simply by selecting a themed frame, uploading a personal digital picture, adding a personal message and order photo prints and envelopes.
November 24, 1999 Kodak entered the digital radiography market with the announcement of three state-of-the-art digital systems for capturing x-ray images. The Kodak DR 9000 System is a full-room system for general purpose radiology for customers who are installing new x-ray rooms or converting to fully digital environments. The Kodak DR 7000 System is a cost-effective means of converting an existing x-ray room to digital capture. The Kodak DR 5000 System is designed for dedicated chest exams.
|