News

Sharp Introduces Its Broadest Line of High-Performance Business Workgroup MFPs and Printers

ORLANDO, FL, May 7, 2008 -- In a product launch that is unprecedented in scope and size, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) is unveiling its largest line of multifunctional peripherals (MFPs) copier and printers ever at its National Dealer Meeting, kicking off today. The new line features 18 different A4 MFP and printer products designed to meet the needs of small and medium workgroups and bring the superior performance of Sharp technology closer to the end-user. The line will roll out over a period of six months and feature a contemporary, clean design that will change the way people think of MFPs.

“Sharp is one of the only companies to bring experience with enterprise-level solutions directly to the workgroup,” said Ed McLaughlin, President, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “With enhanced levels of networking and security, as well as a stylish new design, this new line will thrust the A4 space in to a new frontier –the center of activity in every office.”


Sharp OSA Platform Reaches New Frontiers with Enhanced Support and Capabilities

ORLANDO, FL, May 7, 2008 -- Kicking off its annual National Dealer Meeting in Orlando, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced the expansion of its Sharp OSA™ development platform, introducing new opportunities to drive growth by bringing the point of customization closer to customers through next-generation technology. Building on the success of the Sharp OSA platform, now with more than 100 developer members to date, Sharp is introducing new programs and products that will streamline development of Sharp OSA-enabled solutions, enabling dealers to more easily and effectively bring solutions to more customers.

“Since it was introduced, Sharp OSA technology has led the market in offering dealers the opportunity to move beyond pushing hardware and get closer to the customer by offering tailored business solutions,” said Ed McLaughlin, President, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “With the enhancements we are making to Sharp OSA technology and the support we’re building around it, Sharp is taking the Sharp OSA platform into new frontiers.”


Sharp Enters the Next Frontier at National Dealer Meeting with New Products, Services and Technologies That Boost Dealer Opportunities

ORLANDO, FL, May 7, 2008 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) today opened its 2008 National Dealer meeting in Orlando with a number of new introductions aimed at presenting its dealers with new business opportunities and moving both Sharp and its dealers into the next frontier of opportunity. Sharp is debuting a groundbreaking line of A4 MFPs and printers with a unique, broad set of features, functionality and sleek appearance that will make them the hub of today’s workspace. Sharp will also introduce the next evolution of the Sharp OSA™ platform and surrounding programs, which will help dealers and developers realize new business opportunities.

Sharp opened the meeting by taking a look back at the last 5 years of dealer meetings. The company highlighted the revolutionary products and technology innovations that had been introduced at previous dealer meetings – products that have gone on to win numerous awards and critical acclaim and innovations that have changed the face of the market. The company then took a deeper look at one of those market changing technologies, the Sharp OSA platform, with a diverse panel of customers, including Stewart Title Corp, The Biltmore Hotel, Plumbers Supply, Corp., and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, who are running their businesses more efficiently thanks to customized solutions made possible by Sharp OSA technology.


700 Strong: Xerox Premier Partners Program Expands Global Digital Print Network

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 07, 2008  -- Xerox Corporation's (NYSE: XRX) Graphic Arts Premier Partners Program has reached 700 members, with the addition of Asahi Kosoku Printing Co., Ltd., from Osaka City, Japan. The global network of leading print providers - dedicated to developing new business opportunities with digital technologies - grew its membership 32 percent last year with 164 graphic communications companies worldwide joining the program.

Members now can be found in 48 countries on six continents. The rapid growth in the Xerox Premier Partners membership was led by North America, which grew by 39 percent, adding 87 new members for a total of 328. There are 210 members in Europe, 89 in the Asia-Pacific region and 75 in other geographies.


HP Labs Opens Research Opportunities to Academia

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 7, 2008 - HP today made it possible for colleges, universities and research institutions worldwide to participate in joint research with HP Labs, the company’s central research facility, through an open and competitive process.

The new HP Labs Innovation Research Program invites the worldwide academic community to submit proposals related to current research in the areas of information explosion, dynamic cloud services, content transformation, intelligent infrastructure and sustainability.

The program is the first offering of the HP Labs Open Innovation Office, which was established earlier this year as part of HP Labs’ new approach to research. The office is responsible for deepening HP Labs’ strategic collaborations with academia, the government and the commercial sector to produce mutually beneficial, high-impact research.


Océ transforms wide format printing industry with introduction of new Océ CrystalPoint color technology

Trumbull, CT, May 7, 2008 – Océ, an international leader in digital document management, today announced the launch of a fundamentally new printing technology called Océ CrystalPointTM. The first product based on this new technology is the Océ ColorWaveTM 600, also unveiled today in The Netherlands and being debuted in the US at the IRgA 2008 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, NV, May 13-15.
Best of both toner and inkjet printing
Océ CrystalPoint technology changes the way wide format prints are made by combining the best of both toner and inkjet printing. The Océ CrystalPoint process converts color Océ TonerPearlsTM toner into a gel. This tonergel is then jetted and crystallized onto any type of paper, producing crisp, water fast high quality images with extremely accurate dot placement.


ABBYY FineReader Engine Complements Kirtas' Sophisticated Digitization Systems

FREMONT, Calif., May 6 — ABBYY USA, a leading provider of recognition, data capture and linguistic technologies, today announced that Kirtas Technologies, a company that specializes in the digitization of books in libraries, government archives and corporate storerooms, uses theABBYY FineReader Engine to accurately capture text and images from published works.

Kirtas Technologies developed an innovative solution that gently turns the pages of even the most fragile documents and books for clients such as Microsoft, LexisNexis, Yale University, Cornell University, and Johns Hopkins University. From its inception, the Kirtas team knew it would need a powerful and accurate tool to capture text and graphics and keep the elements intact and exact. Their needs mandated that they use an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) solution that could capture information in multiple languages and convert into multiple file formats, including PDF, XML, Word and text. With its intelligent recognition technology, the ABBYY FineReader Engine is utilized by Kirtas to precisely reconstruct documents and books in electronic form with original layout and formatting attributes.


Fax Enable Your World with FACSys and Sharp

Bridgewater, NJ - May 6, 2008 - emFAST Inc., publisher of the FACSys Fax Messaging Gateway solution, is pleased to announce the release of the FACSys Connector for Sharp OSA-enabled MFPs. The FACSys Connector fully integrates with Sharp OSA-enabled MFPs, allowing users to transmit and print incoming faxes directly from the LCD touch screens. The company will demonstrate the product at Sharp's 2008 National Dealer Meeting, May 6-9 in Orlando, FL.

"The FACSys Connector leverages the inherent print functions of a Sharp MFP and takes them to the next level," announced Paul Bird, Managing Director, emFAST Inc. "Instead of just sending faxes, users will be able to route and print documents securely through the easy-to-use touch interface."


Sharp and MWA Intelligence Form Technology Relationship for Enterprise M2M Solution

Orlando, FL —(May 6, 2008) – Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, and MWA Intelligence, Inc., today announced a strategic relationship to deliver enterprise-level remote asset management capabilities to Sharp customers. With this powerful alliance, MWA Intelligence – a leader in enterprise-class M2M (machine-to-machine) and M2P (machine-to-people) solutions and services – will develop and market innovative workflow automation solutions for Sharp’s best-in-class MFPs to enable businesses to optimize productivity, operational efficiency and customer service.


iDatix CEO finalist in Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Ultimate CEO Awards

Tampa, FL — iDatix Corporation CEO Steve Allen was recently named as a finalist in the inaugural Tampa Bay Business Journal “Ultimate CEO Awards”. iDatix provides technology solutions that allow users to innovate their approach to managing content within the enterprise while simplifying their daily work environment.

Judges picked 30 finalists in six categories.  Mr. Allen is one of 8 CEO finalists in the Small Private Company category.  The winners will be named at the awards reception on May 29 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Tampa at 211 N. Tampa St., Tampa, FL.


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