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X-Rite's New Imaging and Media Group Unveils Integrated Product Portfolio for Digital Photography Market

X-Rite, Incorporated, a global leader in color measurement, today unveiled its new integrated portfolio of solutions, combined from former GretagMacbeth and X-Rite solutions, for the digital photography market. The creation of this portfolio was one of the first priorities for the company’s new Imaging and Media group. The new portfolio enables X-Rite to offer customers best-in-class solutions built on leading edge technology, delivering improved measurement consistency for accurate color communication throughout the creative workflow and the digital supply chain. In addition, by better leveraging its substantial investment in research and development, the company can accelerate innovation so it can continue to deliver solutions that break new ground in terms of functionality, ease-of-use, and price/performance.

An integration task force comprised of X-Rite and GretagMacbeth employees addressed products from the two former companies that featured similar functionality and performance. Decisions were made based on a number of factors including product performance, existing installation base, underlying technology platforms, customer partnerships, inter-instrument correlation and related conversion risks. A presentation detailing the product integration strategy for all markets is available at www.xrite.com/productintegration.aspx.

“By integrating the portfolios of the two companies prior to acquisition, we believe we can ultimately improve accurate color communication between creatives working in a collaborative environment – an issue that we believe is the next horizon in color management for photographers and designers alike who want to ensure that specific colors within their photos and designs remain true throughout the production process,” explains Dr. Iris Mangelschots, vice president of Imaging and Media at X-Rite. “In addition, by establishing technology platforms that can serve as the building blocks for the future, we can accelerate innovation and increase the value we deliver to our customers.”

About the roadmap
X-Rite’s new product portfolio for digital photography includes display solutions, semi-automated color management solutions, automated profiling devices, profiling software and ColorChecker charts. The former GIA Global Services group of GretagMacbeth, now known as X-Rite Color Services will play an integral role in providing seminars, training and support for the new portfolio.

In the area of hardware, the company has established the Eye-One technology as the platform for color measurement devices moving forward to enable accurate communication of color through the entire production process – from design and photography to prepress and production. With its large installed base and support from the leading printer, monitor and digital imaging software manufacturers, the Eye-One has established itself as the defacto standard in the market over the last several years. This technology can also be found in the Eye-One iSis automated chart reader, as well as in several embedded instruments the company is delivering to its OEM customers. The former X-Rite and GretagMacbeth both had excellent color management software technology and the company will continue to leverage both of these technologies in the future.

X-Rite’s new product portfolio for the digital photography market is as follows:

Display Solutions
Leading technology designed toprovide precise color to the monitor.
# huey: The first low-cost monitor color correction tool for digital photo enthusiasts that automatically adjusts the color of the monitor and adapts for changing room lighting.
# Eye-One® Display LT: Professional color monitor calibration for the cost-conscious creative professional and discerning digital imaging enthusiast.
# Eye-One® Display 2: Advanced monitor profiling for professionals who want maximum functionality and control over the monitor color quality. Workgroup Match ensures the most accurate match from monitor to monitor, while Ambient Match provides accurate match to viewing booths.

Semi-Automated Color Management Solutions
Designed to provide consistent color from monitors, scanners, digital projectors and cameras to both RGB and CMYK printers, these solutions provide exceptional price/performance in a variety of hardware/software bundles, tailored to the workflow and budget of the end-user.
# Eye-One Design: Entry level solution for designers that enables accurate soft-proofing so there are no color surprises.
# Eye-One Photo/SG: Provides a complete solution for digital photographers that ensures accurate and predictable color for monitors, digital cameras and digital RGB printers.
# Eye-One Proof: Provides accurate and predictable color for monitors, scanners and CMYK printers.
# Eye-One XT: A complete package for profiling monitors, scanners, digital cameras and digital projectors as well as RGB and CMYK printers.

Automated Profiling Devices provide accuracy in chart reading
Designed for high production environments that need to profile a lot of printers, these devices deliver high productivity and hands-free, error free results.

# Eye-One iO: Fast, versatile, automatic scan table  that can be added to any Eye-One Pro spectrophotometer for accurate test chart reading on various substrates up to 10 mm, including polybag, fine art rag, photo, corrugated, ceramic and textile.

# DTP70 / 41: Dedicated chart reader that can automatically scan charts with thicknesses between 0.08 mm and 0.36 mm, as e.g Inkjet paper, photo paper, copier paper.

Profiling Software
Customer preference clearly demonstrated a value and demand for both the MonacoPROFILER and ProfileMaker.  Both software solutions will continue to be supported by X-Rite.  X-Rite will be offering attractively bundled packages that include both MonacoPROFILER and ProfileMaker.

ColorChecker Charts
The ColorChecker Charts are the standard color reference charts designed to address the requirements of digital photographers for calibrating, profiling and evaluating color reproduction in both studio and on-location environments. Photographers can choose between the standard 24 patch ColorChecker chart, the Digital ColorChecker SG (semi gloss) reference chart, the White Balance chart and the Gray scale chart.

As of Dec. 1, 2006, Optix and Pulse will be retired from the X-Rite product family. “The new product portfolio provides comprehensive workflow support to the digital photography industry,” Mangelschots says. “Nevertheless, we will continue to support Optix and Pulse for seven years or until the hardware becomes obsolete. In addition, we are committed to providing upgrade paths for these customers as we introduce new solutions in the future”

About X-Rite
(NASDAQ: XRIT)(SWX:XRI) X-Rite who recently acquired GretagMacbeth, is the global leader in color measurement solutions, offering hardware, software and services for the verification and communication of color data. The Company serves a range of industries, including imaging and media, industrial color and appearance, retail color matching and medical.  X-Rite serves customers in more than 100 countries from its 21 offices in Europe, Asia and the Americas.  Visit www.xrite.com for more information.

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