NWA-PCUG 12/1999 NewsLetter Article 18861 N. Hwy 112, Springdale, AR 72762-9303 Kodak, Lexmark Plan Products For PC-free Digital Photography A Ken Korner TidByte by Ken Fermoyle Kodak and Lexmark claim digital camera customers will benefit from a new relationship between the two firms. They promise higher quality, easier to use and more affordable digital photography output from a long-term co- development and marketing relationship announced in the 4th quarter, 1999. As proof, they point to their first joint effort, the Kodak Personal Picture Maker by Lexmark, a $149 printer (estimated street price) that allows digital camera users to crop, personalize, print or store photos without using a PC. Lexmark's earlier effort at what it calls "appliance printing" was the Lexmark Photo Jetprinter 5770, the world's first non-PC- attached digital photo printer, introduced in 1998. The new Lexmark and Kodak alliance, along with the co-branded products resulting from the alliance, will further advance PC-free digital photography so that it comes even closer to providing photo-realistic prints, executives from both companies agree. For more information, readers can surf to the Kodak website at www.kodak.com or to Lexmark's site, www.lexmark.com.