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DNP Photo Imaging America Revolutionizes photo Kiosk Software With TomoŠ
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 31, 2008 - TomoŠ, the retail photo printing industry's most versatile self-service kiosk software - and the Japanese word for "friend" - lives up to its name. The latest software release from DNP Photo Imaging America makes transforming digital media files into prints at a photo kiosk a fast, friendly experience and provides consumers with a variety of editing and printing options.

The company introduced Tomo at the Photo Marketing Association 2008 International Convention.

Tomo is designed to make self-service photo kiosks easier to use while providing consumers with a host of additional image enhancements and capabilities. Because of its standard platform roots, Tomo can be adapted to meet a variety of retailers' needs.

"While digital cameras have evolved by epic proportions, becoming both more versatile and user friendly, the kiosk software that consumers use to print their photos has not," said Brett Cameron, CEO of DNP Photo Imaging America. "In the self service photo printing arena, Tomo bridges the gap between today's technology and the expectations of the tech savvy photo enthusiast."

Virtually any type of digital media - including digital camera cards, memory sticks, and CDs - can be used to order prints and other products such as archive CDs, calendars, and index prints from a touch screen.

Among its friendliest offerings: multilingual capabilities that enable consumers to choose from 18 languages in which to communicate with the kiosk. The kiosk offers voice instructions in the chosen language while the touch screen provides a guided interactive experience.

From the opening page, consumers know what printing and gift item options are available for their pictures, courtesy of a scrolling product carousel and customizable video presentations. Tomo's user interface is animated and immersive, making the touch screen both active and interactive, while carefully navigating consumers through each step of the way. For instance, selected images automatically grow in size for better viewing and consumers can watch color adjustments, rotation, and other modifications in real time.

Tomo is equipment agnostic - meaning it is designed to work with photo kiosks and digital minilabs from not only DNP Photo Imaging America but from many other providers as well. And an available third-party application programming interface (API) allows other solution providers to integrate directly into Tomo.

For example, vendors who manufacture photo gift items off-site, - such as photo books, T-shirts, and mugs - can integrate their products into the Tomo "catalog." Even a music download or ringtone application can be included in the product catalog.

Tomo instantly uploads and sorts thumbnail images for quick viewing and identification, eliminating one of the downsides of previous kiosk software - waiting for thumbnail images to appear on screen. Additionally, as it loads each image, Tomo intuitively applies red-eye removal and color correction as needed, although consumers also have the option to manually make these corrections.

"The software automatically takes care of some of the more routine tasks while making it very easy for photo consumers to take advantage of several extra options for enhancing their pictures and creating prints," Cameron said.

Tomo supports a wide range of print and package print sizes, including wallet, 3.5x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, and 8x12. And while offering this greater selection, Tomo can support multiple printers to produce high-quality prints quickly. Using two printers in tandem, for example, can cut output times from about eight seconds per 4x6 print to as fast as four seconds per print.

Finding the single photo or collection of photos you want to print can be a challenge, particularly on digital camera media. That's why Tomo is equipped with a sort function that can quickly group images either by date or by file name.

"Memory cards are increasingly able to hold hundreds and hundreds of images, and consumers often don't clear them," Cameron said. "That means that Billy's birthday, a family picnic, and the school play can all easily be on the same card with five other events. Tomo can take those images and separate them into groups, making it very easy to print just Billy's birthday if those are the only photos you want."

The software will be available to photo retailers March 3. Tomo is a member of the Fotolusio portfolio of photo printing solutions from DNP Photo Imaging America.

About DNP Photo Imaging America
DNP Photo Imaging America Corp. is the world's leading innovator of dye-sublimation photo printing solutions - digital minilabs, kiosks, and kiosk software for retailers and professional printers. The company is the world's largest supplier of dye-sublimation ribbon and media (photo paper, medical, proofing, and identification cards).

DNP Photo Imaging America provides retailers with store-branded digital imaging equipment for minilab and kiosk photo printing, as well as dye-sublimation and silver halide media supplies. The company's technologies enable retailers to bridge the gap from traditional to digital photography and to win and retain both traditional film and digital printing consumers by making digital photography easy, convenient, and fun. DNP Photo Imaging America is solely owned by Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd. of Japan.

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