Perfectly Clear®, the Leading Automatic Image-Correction Technology, Expands its Capabilities, Licensees, Markets and Applications

Imaging’s Only ‘Real Color’ Solution on Display at photokina ‘08, in Operation Worldwide

CALGARY, Alberta, Canada (27 August, 2008) – Athentech Imaging Inc. is preparing to exhibit the latest version of its remarkable Perfectly Clear® automatic turnkey image-correction solution at photokina ’08, even as it continues to add licensees and extend its reach into more countries around the world – including the fast-growing BRIC economies – and into powerful, profitable new imaging applications, the company said today.

Athentech President Brad Malcolm said his company will arrive in Cologne, Germany, next month with new, powerful Perfectly Clear® inventions available for license. In addition, Athentech will introduce new, improved image-correction solutions for both consumer and lab applications – and offer a peek at its “pro” image-correction solution currently under development (please see accompanying press release).

Meanwhile, over the past year, Athentech Imaging has enjoyed tremendous growth and acceptance as the very best solution for imaging enterprises whose interest in offering an image-correction (IC) capability has led them to search for a reliable IC developer to team up with. A lengthening list of imaging professionals agrees Perfectly Clear® has helped deliver on the promise of digital imaging – and breathed welcome new life into retail and online photo printing, which had been heading in the wrong direction.

To demonstrate Perfectly Clear®’s expanding reach and impact, Malcolm today announced his company’s most recent licensees:

• PXL Soft, located in India, a full-service imaging solutions company, is initially incorporating the Perfectly Clear® solution into its back-end lab software
• In Brazil, Digipix, a large wholesale lab that introduced photo books to its country, has integrated Perfectly Clear® into its silver halide and HP Indigo printer workflow
• Australia’s Momento has integrated Perfectly Clear® into its photo book software
• ExtraFilm, part of the Spector Photo group in Belgium, is using Perfectly Clear® at the back end to correct all photos used in its consumer specialty photo products
• FotoMart in Latvia has incorporated Perfectly Clear® for online correction of its photo books and other consumer products
• In the U.S., Smilebox, an online photo products and sharing service, is utilizing Perfectly Clear® to improve the consumer experience
• Another U.S. company, Sequoia Media, has integrated Perfectly Clear® into its aVinci consumer photo products workflow
• photocom, a new online photofinishing service and photo community, also in the U.S., is using Perfectly Clear® in its online platform to allow customers to correct uploaded photos and view the result before sharing or printing
• Labo Network, providing central lab support to more than 1,000 retail outlets in Japan, is integrating Perfectly Clear® into the workflow of its wholesale labs, into retail photo kiosks, and into its home software ordering system
• And in China, Imetto Digital Imaging Technology is integrating Perfectly Clear® into its minilab equipment

These companies join the global community of Perfectly Clear® licensees that also includes PhotoWorks, Fotokasten, Albumprinter, Digilabs, Pixilu Imaging, Arcadia Software, River Co., Bibble, Exclaim, PixPert, Preclick, SoftWorks Systems, Digital Portal, DuNord, Express Imaging, FixFoto, Janna Systems, Lucidiom, muvee Technologies, Pixology (Photochannel), Simple Star, KIS/Photo-Me Group, Oblo Multimedia, Photobot, Worksunit, SeeFile Software and others, as well as a host of large retailers around the world.

“Our multi-patented Perfectly Clear® solution is now represented in every major market in the world, including the dynamic BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China,” Malcolm said. “We’re pleased that wherever digital photography is gaining ground and becoming more sophisticated, Perfectly Clear® is in demand. This solution, which is the smallest ‘auto’ image-correction technology available for visually pleasing, error-free, color-accurate pictures, continues to attract a growing list of quality imaging partners, retailers and licensees.”

Malcolm explained that the uniqueness of Perfectly Clear® lies in its ability to “perfectly preserve the photographer's memory.” It does so by accurately restoring the original image that the photographer saw but that the camera did not capture due to improper exposure, color imbalance or some other inaccuracy. “We’ve learned that an accurate correction will re-trigger memories better than an inaccurate correction,” he said, “which is why we are unique in our ability to offer ‘Real Color’ and therefore help drive prints.”

Along with its integration into a variety of imaging software products, online fulfillment sites and editing systems, Perfectly Clear® is currently installed in more than 50,000 retail photo kiosks, several thousand minilabs, multiple online photo sites and labs, and millions of copies of imaging software in nearly 40 countries, according to Athentech. The company is exhibiting Perfectly Clear® at the photokina ‘08 international trade show, 23-28 September (Hall 4.1, Aisle B, Booth 11), where interested parties can find out more about what is fast becoming the de facto industry standard for automatic image correction. Information also is available online at: www.athentech.com.

Perfectly Clear®, invented for the digital world, is modeled on the physics principles of light. Unlike traditional analogue-based approaches that can actually damage true color, create artifacts and cause clipping, Perfectly Clear® is the only solution that operates like the human eye – optimizing and correcting the light in each and every pixel. The result is stunning pictures regardless of whether they are viewed as electronic files or prints. In one second, Perfectly Clear® for photographic applications optimizes lighting in each pixel while maintaining true color with zero clipping and no artifacts.