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New Color Management System for Windows Vista Highlights Alliance Between Microsoft and Canon New Windows Color System to Provide Greater Color Accuracy and Fidelity for Windows-based PCs REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT)
and Canon Inc. today announced another major milestone resulting from the
companies' strategic alliance: a new color management system for the upcoming
Microsoft(R) Windows Vista(TM) operating system. The new Windows(R) Color System
will enable greater fidelity and predictability of color throughout Microsoft's
new operating system. The system will provide better screen-to-print matching,
better overall color appearance, and support for higher fidelity printing,
giving users new tools to take advantage of the capabilities of today's powerful
color devices such as digital cameras and color printers. (Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO ) "Devices such as digital cameras, color printers, high-definition displays
and cell phones all have made the use of color pervasive across many walks of
life," said Will Poole, senior vice president of Windows Client Business at
Microsoft. "The relationship between Microsoft and Canon is a natural outgrowth
of this synergy. The Windows Color System in Windows Vista is one way that
Microsoft and Canon are working together to deliver great innovations for our
customers." As a result of the alliance, the two companies are working on a host of
technologies to enhance consumers' experiences with digital photography,
including native support for Canon RAW images. Other developments, including
products utilizing connectivity innovations based on Extensible Markup Language
(XML) Web services, and offerings using the XML Paper Specification, are
expected to come to fruition in the Windows Vista time frame. "We are very excited that Canon's Kyuanos technology will help provide
next-generation color management capabilities in Microsoft's new operating
system, Windows Vista," said Masaki Nakaoka, chief executive of Office Imaging
Products Operations for Canon Inc. "Through this new alliance, we will continue
to work with Microsoft to provide even more advancements in the field of color
technology." Canon's Kyuanos supports extended color space, greater bit depth and color
appearance technology for a wide range of use. Based on this next-generation
color-management technology, Windows Color System will provide a new color
infrastructure and translation engine for Windows Vista that compensates for the
differences in color performance that can occur between various input and output
devices, to achieve uniform color reproduction. The new system will support
higher-fidelity color with greater bit depths, multiple color channels and
alternative color spaces. The system will also provide an improved user
experience through a centralized color control panel and easy-to-use monitor
calibration wizard. In addition, the system will provide broad extensibility, through which
hardware and software developers can enhance and extend Windows Color System for
their own applications and devices. About Canon Inc. Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ)
, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leader in the fields of professional and
consumer imaging equipment and information systems. Canon's extensive range of
products includes copiers, inkjet and laser printers, cameras, video equipment,
medical equipment and semiconductor-manufacturing equipment. With over 100,000
employees worldwide, Canon has manufacturing and marketing subsidiaries in
Japan, the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania; and a global R&D network with
companies based in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia. Canon's
consolidated net sales for fiscal 2004 (ended December 31, 2004) totaled $33.3
billion (at an exchange rate of 104 yen = US$1). Visit the Canon Inc. website
at: www.canon.com/index.html. About Microsoft Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and
solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. NOTE: Microsoft, Windows Vista and Windows are either registered trademarks
or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners. For more information on Windows Color System technology: Please see the white paper located at http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/color/WCS.mspx . |