Kodak tests printing kiosks for camera phones in India

I got this information from a four-month-old article but I thought it added a bit of information to the article I wrote about Kodak, Nokia and Cingular Wireless working to enable U.S. camera phone users to easily print photos using Kodak's kiosks.

Kodak is replacing its Picture Maker printing kiosks with more advanced kiosks that can print a photo in five seconds. The photos from camera phones will be transferred via infrared and Bluetooth. Kodak Mobile in the U.S. offers subscribers the ability to post photos to its Ofoto Web site for $2.99 per month after a 90 day free trial.

An article in The Economic Times in September 30, 2003 discusses Kodak's commercial ventures and beta testing in India. Kodak signed an agreement with Nokia that enables Kodak to sell Nokia camera phones in its retail stores. Nokia will incorporate a "feature" (not specified; software, infrared, Bluetooth?) that allows camera phone users to easily print photos.

So India has served as a test market for the camera phone-kiosk effort. Just thought you'd like to know!

Comments

[L. Cosh-Ishii]

I just tought you might enjoy this web video report we did in early Dec. 2003.

Magic Machine for Camera Phone Photos:
Japan is famous for cool camera-phones and its massive vending machine industry, put them together and you've got a significant business opportunity. We visited Pinchange Co. Ltd, and got a step-by-step demo. of their lean, mean Print Club Sticker making vending machine. Spun out of Panasonic’s Central Research Institute in 2001, the company is making a digital photo printing unit thats sure to follow in the foot steps of digital cameras - on phones or otherwise - around the world. By allowing users to input their photos from almost any type of memory card or even straight from the handset IR Port, we think they've tapped into a global goldmine.
http://www.wirelesswatch.jp/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=477

Best Regards,

Lawrence.