Apple Unveils PhotoFlash
The Fast, Easy Way to Add Photos to Documents

SAN FRANCISCO, California--October 18, 1993--Underscoring its ongoing
commitment to desktop publishing, Apple Computer, Inc. announced a new
software product called PhotoFlash for the Apple Macintosh personal
computer that simplifies the process of getting photos into documents.
PhotoFlash is designed to help users of page layout and presentation
software quickly and easily access, enhance, and place photos in
documents. PhotoFlash helps customers create visually appealing documents
that communicate information with more impact. Apple plans to unveil the
product on October 21, 1993 at Seybold San Francisco, an electronic
publishing conference and exposition.

PhotoFlash has three key components: an integrated browser that simplifies
selection of images, unique photo preparation tools that enhance images,
and scripting capabilities that place images into popular page-layout
applications and automate routine tasks.

"We want to make it easy for people to get photos into documents," said
Kirk Loevner, vice president, AppleSoft Products Group. "The simplicity of
PhotoFlash helps enable general business users to get photos into
documents without the steep learning curve of more complex products. Its
integration with page layout programs and advanced scripting capabilities
make it a time-saver for professional designers who want to automate
routine tasks. We believe PhotoFlash will become the essential software
for anybody who wants to create photo-rich documents without a lot of
hassle."

Browser: Easy Access and Viewing of Photos

The integrated image browser in PhotoFlash is designed to make it easy for
users to find and place photos quickly. The browser displays thumbnails
(small previews) of images that have been saved in industry-standard file
formats. The browser also provides a direct link to other applications, so
users can simply 'drag and drop' to place images into applications such as
Aldus Pagemaker and QuarkXPress.

Photo Enhancement Tools: Quick and Simple Photo Preparation

PhotoFlash includes selected enhancement tools that are designed to enable
users to adjust images instantly, with advanced options available for
finer control. Users can adjust the brightness and contrast of photos,
remove scratches and dust from pictures, straighten scans, and quickly
sharpen, blur, resize, rotate and crop images. All adjustments can be
previewed instantly to allow the user to better anticipate and control the
photo manipulation effects.

Fully Scriptable: Link to Applications and Automate Repetitive Tasks 

PhotoFlash is AppleScript-savvy, allowing for scripting and recording to
automate tasks and link PhotoFlash with other software applications to
streamline workflow. Using one-button scripts that are included with the
product, PhotoFlash can automatically place photos into documents created
with page layout applications, such as Aldus PageMaker and QuarkXPress. In
addition, users can use the integrated script recorder to automate
repetitive tasks--it's as easy as pushing a button on a tape recorder.
Once a script has been recorded, users can instantly accomplish the tasks
performed most often, such as adjusting photos, creating contact sheets
and performing file format conversion. New scripts can be recorded with
PhotoFlash or easily extended using the included AppleScript script
editor.

"PhotoFlash is a great match with PageMaker," said Lori Birtley, senior
product marketing manager at Aldus Corporation. "It allows PageMaker
customers to integrate graphics into their publications quickly and
easily."

The key elements of PhotoFlash - browsing, photo enhancement and scripting
- are tightly integrated and optimized for fast and efficient operation.
PhotoFlash also provides an open architecture for easy integration of
peripherals and other file formats.

Fast and Efficient Operation 

Most imaging applications require a substantial amount of memory and disk
space in order to run. PhotoFlash, however, is optimized to manage digital
images. As a result, it requires much less memory and disk space.
PhotoFlash also comes with integrated image compression technology and a
unique selective compression feature that allows users to compress
different areas of a photo at different levels, offering users the quality
they need and the file size they want. Furthermore, PhotoFlash can be
accelerated by PhotoFlash-compatible accelerator cards, including the
ThunderStorm and Thunder II series from SuperMac Technology and Charger
series from DayStar Digital. The technology for PhotoFlash was developed
by Storm Technology of Mountain View, CA and is licensed to Apple
Computer, Inc.

"Storm's expertise in high performance image handling and Apple's
innovative core system technologies combine to create a product with a new
level of performance, simplicity and automation for customers who work
with photos," said Bill Krause, president and CEO at Storm Technology.
"More importantly, we believe PhotoFlash will make it possible for
thousands of Macintosh users to get photos into documents for the first
time."

Support for Peripherals and Other Formats, including Kodak Photo CD 

PhotoFlash accepts Adobe Photoshop plug-in modules for special effects, as
well as import and export capabilities, giving users the ability to work
with many scanners, printers, digital cameras and other peripherals.
PhotoFlash supports a wide variety of file formats, including PICI, TIFF,
JPEG, Photo CD, PhotoShop, EPS, and DCS, and can work with RGB, CMYK or
grayscale images. In addition to optimized file access routines for other
formats, PhotoFlash incorporates accelerated Photo CD routines to speed
image access.

"This is a good example of how Kodak and Apple technologies are expanding
the market for digital images," said Katherine M. Hudson, Kodak vice
president and general manager for Professional, Printing and Publishing
Imaging. "PhotoFlash is designed to enable people of all skill levels to
use Kodak's scanners, digital cameras, and Photo CDs to easily access,
enhance, and output their images."

Product Contents and System Requirements 

PhotoFlash includes the PhotoFlash application, integrated browser,
automated scripts for use with Aldus PageMaker and QuarkXPress, scripts
for automating PhotoFlash functions, and the AppleScript and QuickTime
system extensions. A sampler of color photos is also provided, along with
a tutorial, a comprehensive user's guide, and unlimited customer support.
Apple recommends PhotoFlash customers use the software with an Apple
Macintosh or PowerBook computer with a 68020 or faster processor, at least
8MB of RAM (3.5MB of application RAM), and Macintosh system software
version 7.0 or later.

Pricing and Availability 

Apple plans to make PhotoFlash available for a suggested retail price of
$279 beginning in late November of 1993. The company also plans to
distribute it through software resellers, Apple authorized resellers, and
through Apple's volume licensing program.

In addition, a number of companies are also announcing agreements today
with Apple to include PhotoFlash with their products. These companies
include PressLink, SuperMac Technology, Inc., and UMAX Technologies.

* PressLink, a subsidiary of Knight-Ridder and a leading supplier of news
photos and text to the news publishing community, plans to bundle
PhotoFlash with a front-end communications application, giving users a
complete solution for acquiring images and text from the PressLink on-line
service. 

* SuperMac plans to bundle PhotoFlash with the company's line of graphics
and image processing acceleration cards - Thunder II GX-1360, Thunder
II-1360 and Thunder II Light products. 

* UMAX Technologies plans to bundle PhotoFlash with its 600dpi color
scanner, the UC630LE/Mac.

Apple Computer Inc, 20525 Mariana Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014
408-996-1010

 ============================================================
 From the  'New Product Information'  Electronic News Service
 ============================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 above mentioned company. For additional details, contact 
 the company at the address or telephone number indicated.
 OmniPage Pro is now used for converting all printed input! 
 ============================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  U.S.A.
 Email: RBakerPC (AOL/Delphi), rbakerpc@delphi.com (Internet)
 ============================================================
