The full text of the Kodak press release follows:

“Jan 14, 2010 09:33 ET

Kodak Alleges Patent Infringement by Apple and RIM

Files ITC Complaint Alleging Apple and RIM Camera Phones Infringe Kodak’s Digital Imaging Technology; Also Files Suit Against Apple in U.S. District Court

ROCHESTER, N.Y. –(Business Wire)– Jan 14, 2010 Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) announced today that it has filed lawsuits against Apple Inc. and Research In Motion Limited (RIM) alleging the infringement of Kodak digital imaging technology.

The Kodak complaint, filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), specifically claims that Apple’s iPhones and RIM’s camera-enabled BlackBerry devices infringe a Kodak patent that covers technology related to a method for previewing images. Separately, Kodak filed two suits today against Apple in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York that claim the infringement of patents related to digital cameras and certain computer processes.

“Kodak has a long history of digital imaging innovation and we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars creating our industry-leading patent portfolio,” said Laura G. Quatela, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “In the case of Apple and RIM, we’ve had discussions for years with both companies in an attempt to resolve this issue amicably, and we have not been able to reach a satisfactory agreement. In light of that, we are taking this action to ensure that we protect the interests of our shareholders and the existing licensees of our technology.

“Our primary interest is not to disrupt the availability of any product but to obtain fair compensation for the use of our technology,” Quatela said. “There’s a basic issue of fairness that needs to be addressed. Those devices use Kodak technology, and we are merely seeking compensation for the use of our technology in their products.”

Kodak has licensed digital imaging technology to approximately 30 companies, including such leading mobile-device companies as LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson, all of which are royalty bearing to Kodak.

On Dec. 17, in an action involving Samsung and Kodak, an ITC Administrative Law Judge issued a ruling declaring that the Kodak patent covering color image preview (No. 6,292,218) was valid and enforceable, and that Samsung’s camera-enabled mobile devices infringed upon that Kodak patent.

In the complaint against Apple and RIM, Kodak is seeking from the ITC a limited exclusion order preventing the importation of infringing devices, including certain mobile telephones and wireless communication devices featuring digital cameras.

In the first suit against Apple in U.S. District Court, Kodak alleges infringement of two patents generally covering image preview and the processing of images of different resolutions. In the second suit, Kodak alleges infringement of patents that describe a method by which a computer program can “ask for help” from another application to carry out certain computer-oriented functions. The allegations in the second suit apply to any Apple product that uses the processing method described above. The patents at issue in the second suit were previously the subject of litigation between Kodak and Sun Microsystems Inc., and in that case, a federal jury determined in a 2004 trial that Sun’s Java programming technology had infringed the patents. Kodak later settled the suit by agreeing to a payment from Sun in return for a license for the patents at issue.

In both District Court actions against Apple, Kodak is seeking to permanently enjoin Apple from further infringement as well as unspecified damages.

“We remain open to negotiating a fair and amicable agreement with both Apple and RIM, which has always been our preference and our practice with other licensees,” Quatela said. “We seek to avoid litigation in our licensing programs whenever possible. But when the infringement is persistent, we will act to defend the interests of our shareholders and licensees, and to promote the fair compensation that is the bedrock of innovation.”

Kodak has a long history of digital innovation. In 1975, Kodak invented the digital camera, and in 1976, Kodak invented the Bayer color filter array, which allows digital cameras to capture images in color. The company has a portfolio of more than 1,000 digital imaging patents, and to this day, Kodak continues to bring innovation to the marketplace. At the most recent Consumer Electronics Show, the KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera won an Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Award from the International Consumer Electronics Association. These awards, sponsored by the CEA and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America, honor superior design and engineering among the year’s most technologically advanced products.

About Kodak

As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

More than 75 million people worldwide manage, share and create photo gifts online at KODAK Gallery–join today at www.kodakgallery.com.

2010

Selected Kodak Milestones in Digital Innovation

1975
Kodak developed the world’s first digital camera prototype. This electronic still camera was the size of a large toaster and weighed 8-1/2 lbs. It utilized a Fairchild CCD area array as the camera sensor and recorded images only 0.01 megapixel in size. The optics from a Kodak XL movie camera were used as the zoom lens, and it took 23 seconds to record a digitized image onto an audio cassette tape. The camera was powered by 16 rechargeable AA batteries.

1975 -1976
Color imagers, using an integral color filter array, were developed by Kodak. Color filter arrays are used in all consumer digital cameras, camcorders and camera phones built today. The exact color pattern invented by Bryce Bayer of Kodak is the most common array used in consumer digital cameras.

1985-1990
Digital Image Processing. Kodak developed digital image processing algorithms and integrated circuits to produce crisp, colorful, high-quality images from color filter array sensors.

1989
Kodak SV 9600 Still Video Transceiver using DCT compression was used by CBS news in China in 1989. It was be able to transmit a single color video frame in under a minute using dial up telephone lines. It was Kodak’s first implementation of digital image compression in a product. The image scientists correctly chose to work with this approach based on Descrete Cosine Transform as the way to best compress pictorial images years before the rest of the world did (JPEG standard finalized in 1994).

1991-1994
Kodak Professional DCS Cameras. Kodak developed digital SLRs for the photojournalism and desktop publishing markets. Significant advancements were made in the areas of removable media, image compression, and LCD displays. During this period, Kodak made the decision to shift to the computer for image processing and better quality image output.

1995
Kodak introduced its own consumer digital camera— the DC40.

1997
Kodak introduced the DC210 — the world’s first consumer 1.0 megapixel digital camera. It was priced under $1,000.

1998-1999
Kodak DCS 520 and DCS 620—the first truly integrated Pro digital SLRs, using Canon and Nikon bodies and lens systems. It established the benchmark for the DSLR market to follow in image quality, performance and professional usability.

2000
Kodak launched the DC4800, its first consumer digital camera with advanced photographic controls and 3.0 megapixel resolution.

2001
The KODAK EASYSHARE System was introduced. It included a camera dock, cameras and software to auto-upload pictures from camera to PC for e-mailing and printing and storing pictures. Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) standard was used for transferring the pictures from the camera to the computer via a standard USB cable.

2003
Kodak launched the EASYSHARE LS633, its first digital camera with an emphasis on small and stylish looking cameras. It had a large bright display using Kodak OLED technology.

2005
Kodak introduced the EASYSHARE One digital camera with WiFi capability, the world’s first wireless consumer digital camera with the ability to e-mail images directly from the camera and to browse photo albums stored online at the KODAK Gallery.

2006
Kodak introduced the EASYSHARE V570, its first commercially available dual-lens digital camera. The camera included one ultra-wide angle lens and a second optical zoom lens, each with its own 5 megapixel sensor. Both sets of lenses and sensors were built into a sleek, pocket-sized package.

2010
Kodak introduces the SLICE Touchscreen Camera, which takes sharing to a new level by uniting the power of photography with the rich experience of sharing memories. The sleek and stylish camera has the ability to store up to 5,000 pictures in HD resolution. Consumers can use the onboard face recognition feature to easily sort through thousands of pictures by person, place, date, or occasion in order to locate and share a collection of treasured moments.

Kodak
David Lanzillo, +1-585-781-5481
david.lanzillo@kodak.com
or
Gerard Meuchner, +1-585-724-4513
gerard.meuchner@kodak.com“

Technorati Tags: Kodak, Apple, Research In Motion

Anyone else see the new Kodak “Print and Prosper” campaign on TV? I saw recently (can’t remember if it was this morning or last night but I did in fact see it) and I have to admit – it caught my eye. In this economic climate, it’s incredibly smart of Kodak to go after the cost factor of ink jet printers – the ink itself.  Kodak’s new ad campaign publicly exposes what most of us already knew – we overpay for ink jet printer ink. How else could companies sell inexpensive ink jet printers? They price the printers for cheap and then overcharge on the cartridges (and then force you to buy it directly from them).

According to the company’s press release, consumers overpaid for inkjet printer ink by roughly 5 billion dollars in 2008 alone. These numbers are apparently based on 2008 U.S. annual desktop printer ink revenue and average ink savings using a Kodak ESP 3/5/7 or 9 All-In-One printer.  The company has even launched a new website (www.printandprosper.com) that allows consumers to calculate how much they overpaid for printer ink – and of course how much they could potentially save with Kodak. You can check out their lists of print performance and ink value data (separated by countries) here.

Truth is in the past – I simply replaced my cheapo ink jet printer with a new printer instead of buying an outrageously priced cartridge. Of course, I’ve gone color laser.. (plus I don’t print photos at home anymore) so none of this really affects me per se….

[Check  it out]

[Check out the press release]

Technorati Tags: Kodak, Print and Prosper Campaign

OK.. so the final (YAY!) new Kodak product of the day is the EASYSHARE Z1015 IS Digital Camera.  As you can tell from the picture above, Kodak wants to make sure you realize the Z1015 IS has HD capabilities. What are these HD capabilities you ask? Well the camera can take HD still shots in 16:9 aspect ratios as well as 720p HD video. Other features include”

• 10 megapixel resolution
• SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH 15x optical zoom and 28mm wide-angle lens
• Smart capture feature
• < 0.22 second click to capture speed
• Up to ISO 6400

Expect the camera in September for an MSRP of $349.95.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Kodak EASYSHARE Z1015 IS Digital Camera

Now here’s a truly interesting new product from Kodak. It’s the new Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera which is Kodak’s first dedicated pocket digital video camera. This unit is designed to make video capture fun and simple to perform as it captures 720p 16:9 video at 60 fps. According to PluggedIn Kodak blog site, the Zi6 features:

• 2.4 inch TFT LCD screen
• Comes with dedicated ARCSOFT video software
• Built-in USB connector
• SD/SDHC card slot
• Cables for viewing videos on an HDTV
• Pre-charged AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and battery charger
• Play back video in slow motion

The ARCSOFT video software allows users to quickly edit, personalize, and share videos as well as easily upload videos to YouTube. It’s due out in September although no word on pricing.

If the price and the video quality is right, this can truly be a compelling product for the average consumer.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera

Kodak added two new digital photo frames to their product line with the introduction of the new EASYSHARE W1020 and W820. Both models offer 800 x 480 resolutions and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The W1020 is a 10 inch display while the W820 has an 8 inch panel. Just like current Kodak digital photo frame models, the new W series models come with the Quick Touch Border which allows a user to control operations through touch or a slide of a finger.  Other features include:

• 512MB internal memory
• Two memory card slots
• Wi-Fi connectivity

Oh yeah – the Wi-Fi support also allows these frames to connect to photo sharing sites such as Kodak Gallery and Flickr. Nice touch.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Kodak, EASYSHARE W1020, W820 Wireless Digital Frames

Kodak released a number of high definition related products today related to content creation, content viewing, and content sharing. The first product we’ll be talking about is the new Kodak Theatre HD Player – a standalone networked media player designed to display personal and web-based content on your HDTV set. The unit connects to your home Wi-Fi network and allows you to retrieve pictures, videos, music, web-content from all types of sources including your PC, USB flash drive, SC memory card, or online websites like YouTube, Kodak Gallery, Flickr, or RadioTime. Pictures can be displayed in 16:9 aspect ratios while videos are displayed at 720p resolutions.

Technorati Tags: Kodak, Theatre HD Player

Motorola looks to get back on track in the mobile phone front with the introduction of the new MOTOZINE ZN5 handset. Designed in collaboration with Kodak, the ZN5 features Motorola’s ModeShift Technology and Kodak’s Imaging Technology all in one handset. Features of the ZN5 handset include the following:

• 2.4 inch 240 x 320 262K TFT display
• Fastest click to click times available
• 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, Xenon flash
• One touch access to photos
• Pictures can be uploaded to KODAK Gallery with Gallery Link
• 350 MB onboard memory
• Capture and edit modes: panorama, grayscale, sepia, negative, reddish, greenish, blueish
• Digital viewfinder
• 3.5 mm headset jack
• Wi-Fi enabled
• FM radio
• 349 to 574 minute talk time
• Measures 50.5 x 118 x 12 mm
• Weighs 114 grams
• Supports GSM 850/900/1800/1900, EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12
• CrystalTalk technology
• SMS, MMS, IM, email support
• Full HTML open source browser
• Windows Media Player 11 support
• Stereo Bluetooth support
• Video – C/P 15 fps, MPEG4, H263
• TV out

The ZN5 is the first phone from the new MOTOZINE product line which is Motorola’s new label for multimedia optimized devices. The ZN5 will be available in China in July and will be rolled out globally during the remainder of the year.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Motorola, Kodak, MOTOZINE ZN5

Belkin and Eastman Kodak have teamed up to introduce the new Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter with KODAK Picture Upload Technology (wow that’s a long name) which allows users to save, print, and share digital images captured from camera phones. The device is basically a Belkin Bluetooth USB adapter outfitted with additional Kodak software (Kodak Picture Mover). Users with a premier membership on Kodak Gallery will also be able to use the Bluetooth USB adapter for automatic picture uploads and full resolution online backup from their camera phone to Kodak Gallery. 

Features of the Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter with KODAK Picture Upload Technology include:

• Automatically transfer photos at from your Bluetooth enabled camera phone to your PC
• Share pictures on your favorite sites like MySpace, Facebook, or Kodak Gallery
• Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR support
• Works with other Bluetooth enabled devices such as PDAs, headsets, and printers
• Includes $5 dollar off prints or a mini photo book at Kodak Gallery for new members

The Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter with KODAK Picture Upload Technology has an MSRP of $49.99.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Belkin, Kodak, Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter with KODAK Picture Upload Technology