News

Dell makes a play with digital image, printing giants

January 8, 2004

LAS VEGAS -- Dell Inc. took a big step forward yesterday in its bid to grab a chunk of the $100-billion consumer electronics market when it announced technology agreements with a trio of imaging and printing giants.

According to an article in the National Post, Dell offered few details but said it has signed deals with Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. and struggling photo company Eastman Kodak Co. to develop new camera and printing technologies.

The agreements may see one company develop a technology that is later marketed and branded by the other, the article said.

It's a move that comes less than a year after Dell entered into a partnership with printer giant Lexmark International Inc., with which the computer maker has collaborated since launching its first inkjet and laser printer products in March.

In recent years, Dell has been moving beyond personal computing into computer servers, MP3s and now, it appears, digital cameras.

Pairing up with a successful computer maker is good news for Kodak, which has seen its film camera business decimated by the digital revolution. Rochester, N.Y.-based Kodak is counting on sales growth at Picture Maker kiosks, where digital camera users choose the images they want to print.