What Happens When a Billion People Worldwide Become Equipped With the Tools of Visual Communication?

SAN MATEO, Calif. -- Actually, it's happening now. The number of cameras -- standalone and embedded -- used worldwide has increased by 600 percent in just the past four years and it will double again over the next five years. Total number of cameras of all kinds sold in 2000: 85 Million units. Projected 2008 sales: One Billion units. The surge in image capture devices and the spread of the Internet and wireless communications are democratizing the power of visual communication on a global scale.

So what happens when a billion users of many cultures, and scores of engineers and entrepreneurs, focus on new ways to enrich customers' lives through imaging? What happens when R&D is fueled by an order-of-magnitude increase in economic reward? And what happens to the industry's business models and value formulas?

To answer these questions the two leading industry organizations in imaging -- the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) and the Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) -- have partnered with Future Image, Inc. (publisher of The Future Image Report since 1993 and host of the Mobile Imaging Summit executive conferences) to create the 6Sight(TM) Future of Imaging Conference which debuts at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa in Monterey (California) October 24 and 25.

The 6Sight program is an innovative and unique mix of information and entertainment that will feature thought-provoking new perspectives, opinions by expert industry insiders, and first looks at exciting new products and technologies in development. The full agenda is available at www.6sight.com. A few of the highlights include:

--Renowned forecaster, strategist and author Paul Saffo will discuss how the shift to an economy of creators is erasing the distinction between product and service, and potentially redefining our shared culture.

--Not Your Father's Optics. Cameras have transitioned from silver halide to electronic sensors, but the other key component, lenses, has remained largely unchanged. Until now. The camera-phone market is driving the development of miniaturized, rugged, low-cost, low-power, high-performance lenses that will eventually find their way into all cameras. The latest and most promising innovations -- liquid lenses, specialized software-enhanced optics and more -- will be demonstrated live, followed by a discussion of their readiness for market, and respective pros and cons.

--Content is Still King. CNET Network's Senior Vice President Martin Green will unveil the results of a joint Webshots.com/Future Image research project investigating the profiles of the content creators who are driving the explosive audience growth of online picture and video sharing.

--Democratizing Visual Eloquence: Except for visual arts professionals, none of us have been taught when to "speak with images," or how to do it with fluency. Multimedia pioneer Kristina Hooper will present her work in the area of Visual Eloquence: Empowering vast amounts of interesting and compelling content to be generated at the "grass roots", to the benefit of the entire imaging ecosystem.

--The Global Video Revolution: At last, and all of a sudden, consumer video has become mainstream - and it's in the form of the "clip." What's up with that?

--Our already ultra-popular Dinner Reception at the Monterey Bay Aquarium will be enhanced this year with a New Tech Fair, and a program of user-generated visual entertainment in the Aquarium Theater.

--Building the Visual Enterprise: A "fireside chat" between Bob Goldstein, co-author of "Going Visual" (J. Wiley & Sons 2005) and Russ Mason, the man responsible for Clear Channel's global visual systems - a resource which permeates the company's operations from Sales to IT and from Maintenance to Accounting.

--Senior Analysts from Frost & Sullivan, GFK Marketing Services, Imerge Consulting Group, PMA and Wainhouse Research, in addition to the Future Image team, will present and debate their views on market growth factors and projections, and competitive dynamics.

Attendees will have opportunities to examine exciting new imaging technologies and to interact with their developers during the New Technology Showcase sessions and at the New Tech Fair, which takes place during the 6Sight gala dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The New Tech Fair will also feature the latest developments in imaging software and hardware from throughout the industry.

The technology show Into Tomorrow with Dave Graveline, which covers the latest in consumer electronics and technology, will broadcast from 6Sight and the New Tech Fair.

6Sight is hosted and produced by Future Image Inc., and co-hosted by the two leading imaging industry associations: PMA (Photo Marketing Association International) and I3A (International Imaging Industry Association). Corporate sponsors include Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Sprint, Corel, WebShots (a division of CNET), Nethra Imaging, and ShoZu. New Technology Showcase presenters include Artificial Muscle, Avago, dBlur, CAP-XX, DxO, IvenSense, Johnson Electric, New Scale Technologies, OmniVision, PerkinElmer, Scalado, and Varioptic. Media and Association sponsors include Photokina (Koln Messe), the Mobile Imaging and Printing Consortium (MIPC), Cellular News, SymbianOne, Wainhouse Research, and the 3G World Congress.

About 6Sight

6Sight (www.6Sight.com) is a two-day executive event focused on the explosive global spread of imaging technology, and its potential for exciting new opportunities to improve people's lives in the personal, work, and community spheres. It is hosted and organized by Future Image, Inc. publisher of The Future Image Report since 1993 and host of the Mobile Imaging Summit executive conferences, and co-hosted by the two leading industry organizations in imaging -- the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) and the Photo Marketing Association International (PMA). The annual event brings together technologists, marketers, futurists, artists, educators, customers and members of the media for a program emphasizing innovative use cases, breakthrough technologies, and creativity. The inaugural 6Sight conference will be held on October 24 and 25, 2006 in Monterey, Calif. in conjunction with the 6th edition of the Mobile Imaging Summit conference. For information about participating in 6Sight, please email Joe Byrd, Future Image's VP of Conferences & Alliances at [e-mail].

About Future Image

San Mateo, CA-based Future Image Inc (www.futureimage.com) is the leading independent center of expertise on the convergence of imaging, technology and business. Future Image hosts the 6Sight and Mobile Imaging Executive Summit conferences, and publishes two continuous information services, The Future Image Report which monitors the impact of new technologies on the imaging industry as a whole, and the Future Image MIR (Mobile Imaging Report) which focuses on camera-phones and the intersection of imaging and wireless communications. Future Image also underwrites and publishes primary research studies on the impact of emerging imaging-focused technologies or business trends, and provides consulting services to vendors, investors and large-scale users. Future Image is the official information and research partner of the International Imaging Association (I3A).

About the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A)

I3A is the leading global imaging industry association, driving growth of and setting standards for the photographic and information imaging markets. As the industry focal point, I3A offers a framework and environment where members can quickly find resources to solve critical issues and develop market solutions. Members of I3A work together to find common ground for advancing the industry and to enable better products and services for their customers.

I3A is an accredited Standards Developing Organization, serving as secretariat for the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 42 (ISO/TC42) on Photography, and as administrator for the USA Technical Advisory Group for this committee. Information about I3A can be found on the World Wide Web at www.i3a.org or by phone at 914-285-4933.

About PMA

For 81 years, PMA(R) has served as an international trade association for the changing needs of the expanding photo imaging industry with more than 20,000 members in 100-plus countries, headquartered in Jackson, Mich. In addition to the United States, there are membership offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Latin America, New Zealand, Russia and the United Kingdom.

PMA membership is open to any firm doing a substantial portion of its business in photo imaging retailing, scrapbook and custom framing retailing, processing (digital and silver halide) or service work. Cooperating memberships are held by firms that manufacture or distribute products or services for the imaging industry. PMA provides more than 100 services to its members, and holds the world's largest annual international photo imaging trade show, typically drawing well over 600 exhibitors and 20,000-plus attendees.

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