Industry Notes for the week of Sept. 5

GaryPageau

 

Retail news

Kenosha’s Rode’s Camera Shop destroyed

Rode’s Camera Shop, a downtown Kenosha, Wis,, business for more than 100 years, was completely destroyed in civil unrest Monday, Aug. 31, according to the Kenosha News.  It’s unclear, from the report, whether owners Tom Gram and Paul Willette will reopen the camera store and lab.

Pixel Connection named DI Reporter 2020 E-tailer of the Year

Digital Imaging Reporter named Pixel Connection, Avon, Ohio, as its 2020 E-tailer of the Year. Congratulation to Rahul Tuteja and team!

Canon Australia to shut down direct-to-consumer website

Australia’s Inside Retailing reports Canon Australia will close its online store and shift its focus back to selling through retail partners. In an announcement posted on its website earlier this week, the company said the online store closure would help streamline its efforts to support local retailers that have been hit hard by the drop in spending due to Covid-19. Inside Retailing added Canon Australia will continue to sell products directly to customers at the Canon Experience Centre and at Sunstudios locations in Sydney and Melbourne.

Printing News

Canva adds photobook templates

Popular graphics site Canva has launched templates for photobooks, including printing. Books are available in a choice of hard or soft cover finishes in both square and landscape formats. Delivery is free. (If you listened to our podcast with Aaron Day, global partnerships lead, from Canva, you already knew this…)

Events

SPAC annual conference will be Jan. 27-30, 2021

The School Photographers Association of California (SPAC) announced the group will conduct its virtual conference Jan. 27-30, 2021. Details will be announced next month. Registration opens Oct. 1.

PRINTING United adds details for 14-day virtual event

PRINTING United Alliance, producer of the PRINTING United Digital Experience replacing this year’s in-person expo, announced more details about the Oct. 26 – Nov. 12 event.

App news and website updates

Ever extends deadline to download photos to Sept. 30

Ever extended to Sept. 30 the deadline for users to download their photos from now closed EverAlbum service. The service shut down Aug. 31.

Skylum aims to reinvent traditional photo editing with LuminarAI

Skylum unveiled its new approach to photo editing, LuminarAI, to be released as an application and plug-in this holiday season. LuminarAI will be available as a stand-alone application and plug-in for macOS and Windows.

MorePhotos integrates with Full Color Inc.

Northern Michigan-based photo website provider MorePhotos announced integration with Full Color Inc. in Dallas, Texas.

Financial News

CNBC: Kodak shares spike as fund takes stake

The shares of Eastman Kodak Co. jumped as high as 65% to $9.87 after D.E. Shaw disclosed 5.2% passive stake in the company. “D.E. Shaw is a quantitative trading firm meaning the stocks they buy and sell are not necessarily aligned with the company’s long-term view of a particular stock. In other words, their new position could simply be a short-term trading bet, ” according to CNBC.

Interesting items from around the web

District Court finds GoPro infringes Contour camera patents

Drone DJ is reporting the on-going legal battle between GoPro Inc. and Contour IP Holding reached a new stage when a District Court judge found GoPro infringed on two streaming patents held by Contour. Contour filed a claim against GoPro for infringing on two patents – US8890954B2 and US8896694B2 – both titled, “Portable digital video camera configured for remote image acquisition control and viewing.”People on the MoveAPTech seeking nominations for boardThe Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) is seeking nominations of qualified individuals to serve on our board of directors. Interested persons should contact Thayer Long, president, APTech at [email protected].

Walgreens Boots Alliance taps former Rite Aid CEO to head its U.S. operations

Walgreens Boots Alliance appointed John Standley as president of Walgreens, effective immediately. He will lead all Walgreens operations, with responsibility for the development, growth and management of the business, according to Chain Store Age. Standley served as president, CEO and chairman of Rite Aid Corp.