Kodak and Ritz Camera Centers Partner to Bring Kodak’s New Digital Photo Kiosks to 1100 Stores Nationwide

Just in Time for the Holidays, the New KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 Makes Digital Photography Faster and More Convenient for Consumers

Kodak Press Release Summary:
NEW YORK, Dec. 8 -- Eastman Kodak Company and Ritz Camera Centers, the largest retail camera and imaging photo chain in the U.S., today announced a partnership to deploy Kodak’s new digital photo kiosks in all Ritz Camera stores across the country, totaling approximately 1,100 locations. Ritz Camera will be the first retailer to install Kodak’s new G4 kiosks, which make KODAK-quality digital print in just eight seconds – 35% faster than prior models.

The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 makes prints from a wide range of digital media sources, and the kiosk also creates KODAK Picture CDs and passport photos, among other features.

Introduced in November 2005, the KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 will appear at Ritz stores just in time for the busy holiday printing season. The kiosks offer performance improvements and new features designed to elevate and expedite the printing experience, including a high-performance processor doubling the image upload speed from memory cards, thereby allowing multiple pictures to appear on screen for selection and editing in just seconds.

The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 family is the latest evolution in Kodak’s award-winning, innovative line of photo kiosks. With more than 70,000 photo kiosks installed at retail locations worldwide, Kodak is, by far, the world’s leading supplier of photo kiosks.

“By partnering with Ritz Camera, the largest and one of the most trusted photo retail chains in the country, people will be able to experience the enhanced features, ease of use and improved speed of these next generation G4 kiosks,” said Christopher Sliva, General Manager, Kiosk Business, Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak and Ritz Camera are committed to providing consumers with multiple options to instantly print and share their memories during the holiday season and beyond.” 

“It is an exciting and tremendous opportunity to be the first place where users can experience the new KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 family,” said Rich Tranchida, Executive Vice President, Ritz Camera Centers. “Digital photography enthusiasts of all levels have long trusted Kodak’s kiosks to provide them with high quality prints in a few simple steps, in addition to further enhancements in their printing options that elevate the overall kiosk experience.”

The KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 supports all popular digital media formats (e.g., memory cards, USB drives, CDs/DVDs), digital scanning, and wireless printing via BLUETOOTHâ and infrared technologies. The kiosks apply an XTRALIFEä coating to the prints to provide extra protection against stains, spills and fingerprints. The kiosk also offers services beyond standard printing such as KODAK Picture CDs, a range of printing sizes and editing options, customized borders and even photo calendars. Inside the attractive new body is a high-performance processor — 35 percent faster than prior models — combined with an improved user interface. This will reduce transaction times and increase retailer productivity. The new design allows for easier serviceability, helping to maintain peak performance while simplifying upkeep for retailers.

About Eastman Kodak Company

Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images – for memories, for information, for business, and for entertainment. With sales of $13.5 billion in 2004, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on four businesses: Digital & Film Imaging Systems – providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services; Health – supplying the medical and dental professions with traditional and digital imaging and information systems, IT solutions and services; Graphic Communications – providing customers with a range of solutions for prepress, traditional and digital printing, and document scanning and multi-vendor IT services; and Display & Components – supplying original equipment manufacturers with imaging sensors as well as intellectual property and materials for the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and LCD display industries. More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.

About Ritz Camera Centers, Inc.

Ritz Camera Centers, headquartered in Beltsville, MD, is the largest retail camera and photo chain in the United States with approximately 1,100 locations in 45 states and the District of Columbia. The chain of stores now includes Ritz Camera, Wolf Camera, Kits Camera, Inkley's and The Camera Shop. All stores have Big Print Central Departments offering both traditional and digital prints "in minutes." The Ritz Camera Centers, Inc. website, http://www.ritzpix.com offers customers a one-hour printing and in-store pick-up service. Ritz Camera Centers, Inc. also owns and operates Boater's World Marine Centers, a leading marine specialty retail chain with 123 stores nationwide.

KODAK and XTRALIFE are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company. The Bluetooth word mark is owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
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