News and information for 21st Century photo businesses – Imaging

Kodak Professional launches AI-powered photo selection for photographers

November 30, 2020December 3, 2020 GaryPageau

Kodak Professional has launched Kodak Professional Select, an artificial-intelligence-based service to help portrait photographers select their best images. The company says the KPro Select algorithm evaluates images on two major criteria: Technical Evaluation: color, focus, brightness, exposure, contrast, sharpness Aesthetic Evaluation: eyes open, smiles, faces centered The photographer uses a multi-step process to upload event photos to the Kodak Professional cloud,... Read More

News

Dreamstime introduces all-in-one plan

November 30, 2020December 5, 2020 GaryPageau

The Dreamstime stock photography community, with a library of 150 million files and 33 million, announced it added a universal subscription. The All-in-One service applies to any size and format, including stock photos (RAW, TIFF), illustrations, vectors, stock videos (HD, 4K), music and audio tracks. The cost is $199 a month for 10 downloads and $410 a month for 25... Read More

News

PastBook named to the Deloitte Fast50

November 28, 2020December 2, 2020 GaryPageau Pastbook

Amsterdam-based PastBook was named to the Deloitte Fast50 for the second year in a row. Pastbook is a “global platform for one click photo products” founded by Italian entrepreneur Stefano Cutello. This year, the company ranked 15th with a growth rate of 803%. In 2019, the company won the category award as the #1 fastest growing technology company in the Media... Read More

Events

Industry notes for the week of Nov. 28

November 28, 2020November 28, 2020 GaryPageau

Retail news Delays, surcharges and returns: Holiday shipping headaches have just begun RetailDive provided tips and advice for the service providers relying on the USPS, FedEx and other carriers, in anticipation on record holiday-shopping volume. “Carriers, to accommodate for the demand surges, have also made clear cutoff dates for when orders need to be placed to be received in time... Read More

Marketing

CEWE counters discount positioning with “What Really Counts” campaign

November 27, 2020December 5, 2020 GaryPageau

Europe’s largest photo printing company, CEWE, launched a campaign to be the antithesis of deep discounts and promotional prices fo the holiday season by emphasizing the emotional appeal of photo products. “Every day, our customers entrust us with their most personal things in the form of their photos,” says Thomas Mehls, CEWE board member. “That is why it is extremely... Read More

Events News Opinion

Koelnmesse cancels photokina “for the time being”

November 27, 2020 GaryPageau Agfa, Apple, Eastman Kodak, Fujifilm, HP, Koelnmesse, Microsoft, Photokina, PMA, PMA Show, Polaroid

Koelnmesse, the organizer of the leading worldwide photo/imaging exhibition, photokina, has canceled the Cologne event “for the time being” after 70 years. The 2020 edition had already been canceled but dates for May 2022 were announced. It’s an ignoble end to the largest and, arguably, the most influential photo/imaging trade event. For most of its existence, photokina was held every... Read More

New Products Updates

Fujifilm releases infrared version of FUJIFILM GFX100 large-format mirrorless camera

November 25, 2020November 28, 2020 GaryPageau Fujifilm

FUJIFILM North America Corp. announced the launch of FUJIFILM GFX100 IR digital camera (GFX100 IR), a uniquely specialized version of its GFX100 large-format mirrorless digital camera for the forensic, scientific, and cultural preservation fields. Infrared images can now be made at 100MP – and even at 400MP through GFX100 IR’s new Pixel Shift Multi-Shot function – to reveal intricate details... Read More

Market research Marketing

IDC says smartphone shipments to grow in holiday quarter

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 GaryPageau IDC

Following a stronger than expected third quarter, the global smartphone market is expected to return to growth during the holiday quarter this year, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The IDC predicts smartphone shipments are forecast to grow 2.4% year over year in the fourth quarter, followed by 4.4% year-over-year growth in 2021. The market... Read More

Earnings reports

Best Buy reports strong third-quarter results

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 GaryPageau Best Buy

Best Buy Co., Inc. announced third-quarter results showed comparable stores sales were up 23%, compared to the 13-week third quarter ended Nov. 2, 2019. Best Buy’s domestic revenue of $10.85 billion increased 21.0% versus last year., driven by comparable sales growth of 22.6%, which was partially offset by the loss of revenue from permanent store closures in the past year.... Read More

Earnings reports

HP reports 2020 net revenue down 3.6%

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 GaryPageau HP

HP Inc. announced fiscal 2020 net revenue of $56.6 billion, down 3.6% (down 2.3% in constant currency) from the prior-year period. In the printing segment, net revenue was $4.8 billion, down 3% year over year (down 2% in constant currency) with a 14.8% operating margin. Total hardware units were up 14% with Consumer hardware units up 18% and Commercial hardware units... Read More

New Products News

Advertek launches photo puzzles

November 24, 2020 GaryPageau Advertek

Toronto-based personalized product company Advertek Printing Inc. has, after extensive research and development using existing equipment within its production facility, developed its own print-on-demand photo puzzle product line for its partners. Advertek’s customizable puzzles can be made to any size up to 5-by-10 feet and with a variety of the number of pieces. The puzzles are made from a durable,... Read More

New Products

Epson debuts UV flatbed printer, SureColor-V7000

November 24, 2020November 24, 2020 GaryPageau Epson, Epson America, UV printers

Epson introduced the SureColor – V7000, the company’s first UV flatbed printer designed for printing outdoor signage, promotional goods, and more. Capable of printing on a variety of rigid substrates up to 3-inches thick, the new Epson UV flatbed printer is a flexible, reliable, entry-level flatbed solution, the company says. “The SureColor V7000 was specifically designed to address common pain... Read More

News Podcasts

The Dead Pixels Society podcast: Photo personalization growth potential with Andrew Cousin, CEO, Circle Graphics

November 24, 2020November 24, 2020 GaryPageau Bay Photo, Circle Graphics

Gary Pageau of the Dead Pixels Society talks with Andrew Cousin, CEO, Circle Graphics, about the acquisition of Bay Photo, the growth in photo personalization market and the challenges faced by eCommerce companies in the age of COVID-19. Circle Graphics is a leader in grand and large-format digital graphics, outdoor advertising, business signage, wall decor, art reproduction, and professional photographic output. Sponsored by Mediaclip Mediaclip strives to... Read More

News

NRF expects holiday sales will grow between 3.6 and 5.2 percent

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 GaryPageau NRF

With retail sales rebounding strongly due to continued consumer resilience, the National Retail Federation (NRF) forecast holiday sales during November and December will increase between 3.6 percent and 5.2 percent over 2019 to a total between $755.3 billion and $766.7 billion. The numbers, which exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, compared with a 4 percent increase to $729.1 billion... Read More

News

MailPix personalized photo puzzles featured on “Today All Day” on the Peacock service

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 GaryPageau MailPix

MailPix, the photo-printing, canvas and gifting site, announced its popular photo puzzles product were featured today, Nov. 23, on the “Today All Day” show on the NBC 24/7 streaming service, Peacock. Photo puzzles were once again featured by lifestyle presenter Jill Martin as part of a special two-hour “Holiday Steals and Deals” segment. Mailpix puzzles, which were also selected by... Read More