Oct. 6, 2003 - Epson America Inc. introduced the EPSON Stylus C64 today - the company's most affordable all-purpose DuraBrite ink jet printer to date. The Stylus C64 replaces the Stylus C62, is available for an estimated street price of $59 and offers several features designed especially for value-driven customers who are looking for a simple printing solution at home.

The Stylus C64 is equipped with Epson's exclusive and renowned DuraBrite ink for water resistance, smudge resistance and light resistance for durable, long lasting results that make it easy to preserve cherished photos or important documents. This printer enables anyone to print brilliant borderless 4" x 6" snapshots, as well as text and graphics with ease and offers up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi and variable size ink droplets-as small as four picoliters-for sharp, vivid output. The Stylus C64 is able to speed through tasks with print speeds of up to 17 pages per minute (ppm) for black text and up to 9 ppm in color*.

"The EPSON Stylus C64 offers an outstanding value for customers who not only want a printer to handle their documents quickly and easily, but who also want to be able to print high-quality photographs. Epson's newly launched Durabrite Glossy Ink Photo Paper enhances the printer's photo quality on glossy paper," said Rodrigo Catalan, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. "This printer provides one of the best overall balances between photographic output, clear text, high speed and low cost of operation compared to any ink jet printer in its class."

The printer features a sleek more compact design and a DC motor for quiet printing of any output from the start to the finish. It is both Windows and Macintosh compatible and offers USB connectivity for quick and easy set up.

DuraBrite Inks

The Epson Stylus C64 utilizes the newest and most advanced formula of DuraBrite ink, a pigment based ink that produces vivid, sharp images, and is also specially formulated to resist water, smudges and light. DuraBrite inks can be submerged in water without the ink coming off the page, unlike dye-based inks, which typically run and smudge. This feature is designed to give creators of photographs, fliers, menus, signs, postcards and any other printed output the ability to produce documents and images that will withstand damage caused by moisture-based threats such as rain, spills, humidity or people with wet hands.

DuraBrite inks also have a light-resistance rating of up to 80 years on certain specialty media and an unmatched 70-year** rating on plain paper, making it possible to safely place prints in areas where light would normally cause images to fade quickly. Bleed-through is reduced since DuraBrite inks rest on the surface of the paper, which is ideal for applications that require double-sided printing.

Individual Ink Cartridges
The Stylus C64 also includes individual ink cartridges for a more convenient, affordable home printing solution. Additionally, each cartridge contains a chip that relays ink level information on screen to the user via the printer driver, while self-sealing valves preserve the inks up to six months once removed from the printer. Therefore, reinserted cartridges that haven't been fully depleted can be reinserted for later use.

Availability, Warranty and Support
The EPSON Stylus C64 is currently shipping to computer superstores and specialty retail stores nationwide and can also be purchased from Epson authorized dealers, mail order, computer superstores, and on the Epson retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com). The printer carries a one-year Epson Exchange Limited Warranty, enabling customers to receive a replacement printer if a problem cannot be corrected by telephone technical support. It is also supported by the EPSON ConnectionSM, a customer support and technical assistance line. Formore information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit our Web site at www.epson.com.

About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output 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.

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*Pages per minute based on text memo in Economy Mode on plain paper. Additional processing time may vary based on system configuration, software application and page complexity.

** Light-resistance ratings based on accelerated testing of prints displayed indoors, under glass. Actual print stability will vary according to image, display conditions, light intensity, paper or specialty media, humidity and atmospheric conditions. Ratings based on ink only; some papers may discolor over time. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or lamination or properly store them.

Note: EPSON, EPSON Stylus, and Micro Piezo, are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.