Kodak and Skype Give a New Voice to Online Storytelling with KODAK Photo Voice

Kodak launches the first Skype certified online photo sharing experience, helping people talk live to friends, family and colleagues around the world while viewing a shared photo album

LAS VEGAS, January 3 ― Eastman Kodak Company and Skype™, the global Internet communications company, announce the availability of the latest innovation in digital storytelling ― KODAK Photo Voice ― that combines live voice and online photo sharing. The beta version of KODAK Photo Voice, the first Skype certified online photo sharing experience, is now available as a free download at www.kodakgallery.com/photovoice.

“Today’s families and social networks are scattered around the globe. Staying connected through photo sharing remains an important element in maintaining closer personal relationships,” said Sandra Morris, general manager of Consumer Imaging Services at Kodak. “Traditional social gatherings that once took place around the radio, television or telephone are now happening around the computer, mobile phone or camera. KODAK Photo Voice marks the next step in this evolution.”

KODAK Photo Voice is a brand new way to relive memories, empowering two people to simultaneously view a customized slideshow, and to reminisce and react to each picture. Imagine if Grandma could see pictures from her grandson’s first day at school while he narrates every moment of the experience over Skype. Perhaps an old roommate could share detailed photos and recount stories of his new life in London, as his friend back home in California reacts to each picture.

“Our goal is to make technology easy to use and Skype is a simple Internet communications service that is changing the way people stay in touch,” said James Bilefield, vice president of business development for Skype. “The combination of Skype’s service and KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery’s photo sharing capabilities will make sharing memories even more simple and rewarding for consumers around the globe.”

After downloading KODAK Photo Voice and Skype, the host selects pictures from a KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery album or from their computer, quickly and easily compiles them into a KODAK Photo Voice presentation and “calls” a friend via Skype to watch the slideshow live. Hosts submit orders for prints and other merchandise that guests select through KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery and have them mailed directly to the guest’s home.
About Eastman Kodak Company

Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, print and view images—for memories, for information, for business, and for entertainment. With sales of $13.5 billion in 2004, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on four businesses: Digital & Film Imaging Systems—providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services; Health—supplying the medical and dental professions with traditional and digital imaging and information systems, IT solutions and services; Graphic Communications—providing customers with a range of solutions for prepress, traditional and digital printing, and document scanning and multi-vendor IT services; and Display & Components—supplying original equipment manufacturers with imaging sensors as well as intellectual property and materials for the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and LCD display industries. More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.
About Skype

Skype is the world’s fastest-growing service for Internet communication, allowing people everywhere to make unlimited voice and video calls for free. Skype is available in 27 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium service offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, as well as voicemail and call forwarding services. Skype also has a growing network of hardware and software partners. Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). To learn more visit skype.com.

#

Kodak and EasyShare are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company. Skype is not a telephony replacement service and cannot be used for emergency calling.

Contact Information

Liz Scanlon

Kodak EasyShare Gallery

Eastman Kodak Company

Contact via E-mail