Epson Scrapbook Central Brings Consumers Full Selection of Digital Scrapbooking Services at Retail Locations.

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Retail Solution Addresses Growing Demands of Digital Scrapbookers for Archival Prints, Photo Restoration and Other Digital Scrapbooking Services

Epson America announced Epson Scrapbook Central(TM), a new solution that will provide scrapbooking enthusiasts with the broadest selection of digital scrapbooking services at their favorite retail scrapbook specialty store. Available late fall 2005, Epson Scrapbook Central is an all-inclusive workstation-on-wheels for retailers who want to generate high-quality scans and archival photographic prints for their scrapbook clients who are going digital.

Epson Scrapbook Central features an innovative yet versatile design that allows retailers to wheel it around within the store as needed for comfortable operation by trained store personnel and customer convenience. Scrapbooking enthusiasts can bring photographs and scrapbook pages to be scanned, restored, edited, copied and printed in a variety of sizes and finishes, including 8" x 8" and 12" x 12" borderless. Images can be imported from a customer's CD, DVD or flash memory card as well as burn images to a CD they either retain or leave on file with the retailer. Greeting cards and calendars can also be produced at Epson Scrapbook Central.

Epson Scrapbook Central is powered by a Windows-based PC and includes an EPSON Expression(R) 10000XL large format scanner, an EPSON Stylus(R) Photo R800 printer and the new EPSON Stylus(R) Photo R1800 printer for high quality scanning and archival digital prints.

The workstation is simple for novice or experienced store personnel because it uses an easy-to-navigate touch-screen monitor and customized software to enter all the information needed to complete a customer's project and manage the workflow. Epson Scrapbook Central software is also password protected to keep customer information and project data secure.

"Only Epson is capable of providing such a robust, high-quality digital imaging solution designed specifically for scrapbookers. Our photo printers combined with archival inks and specialty media are optimal for preserving cherished photographs and scrapbook pages for many generations," said Rajeev Mishra, director, convergence products, Epson. "Epson Scrapbook Central is unique to the industry because it provides a one-stop solution for scrapbook enthusiasts who want high-quality scans, copies, digital prints and more."

The solution includes training for up to four workstation operators and up to two supervisors. Training for additional operators or features will also be available. Epson Scrapbook Central will undergo beta testing this spring and be available late this fall.

About the EPSON Expression 10000XL scanner

The Epson Expression scanner is ideal for photographic and graphic arts projects that require fast, highly accurate scans of photographs, negatives, slides and transparencies regardless of their condition. It is estimated that billions of photographs are being stored in albums, frames, or shoeboxes that either show signs of fading or have already faded. A variety of factors cause fading and can range from processing chemicals to paper types and environmental conditions such as sunlight or humidity. The Epson Expression scanner easily captures and restores fading memories with its exclusive Epson Easy Photo Fix(TM) technology allowing one-touch color restoration, dust removal and grain reduction to ensure superior image accuracy.

About the EPSON Stylus Photo R800 and R1800 Printers

Epson Scrapbook Central also includes Epson's most advanced photo printers, the Epson Stylus Photo R800 and Epson Stylus Photo R1800, featuring exclusive Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss(TM) pigment ink systems, optimized for archival prints on matte and glossy media including borderless 12"x12" to meet the demands of today's savvy digital scrapbookers. The printers are capable of delivering reproductions of full-bleed prints up to 13" wide as well as multiple copies of the same image on one sheet of paper.

About Epson

Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for consumers, businesses, photographers and graphic artists. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

Note: Specifications are subject to change. Epson and Epson Stylus are registered trademarks and Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Epson Expression is a registered trademark and Epson Scrapbook Central and Easy Photo Fix are trademarks of Epson America Inc. Third party and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.