Sonic Solutions, Novato, Calif., a leader in digital media software, recently entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Simple Star Inc., a privately held software products and online service provider based in San Francisco, Calif. Simple Star is the developer of PhotoShow, a storytelling platform and online community that enables consumers to turn photos and video clips into slide shows that can be watched on PCs, televisions, handhelds, or published to popular social media sites. PMA Newsline International recently spoke the Matt DiMaria, general manager, Roxio division, Sonic Solutions, about the SimpleStar purchase and the changing nature of software sales.

Roxio's Mark DiMaria says the packaged software business is going through some big changes.

Newsline International: Roxio is probably best-known for its disc-burning products. What products do you have in the photo space?

DiMaria: Within the Easy Media Creator products, we have a set of photo applications, the most notable of which is PhotoSuite. It provides the average, mass-market consumer a set of easy-to-use tools for performing basic operations like cropping and red-eye removal, but also a set of more advanced capabilities for those who care to fiddle a bit deeper.

  In addition, we've got some specialty products, like a panorama tool that would allow you to take composite images and apply some algorithms to construct a panorama of your photo collection. There's a set of applications within the Creator products that are targeted on the photo area.

Newsline International: How does SimpleStar's PhotoShow application fit in?

DiMaria: The PhotoShow service is at the core of what SimpleStar is all about. The core of the user experience was, in the span of about 30 seconds, to select a collection of photos and deliver those as a show, a produced piece with transitions, music and everything, and then be able to very quickly share that with any number of mechanisms, whether that's through an e-mail link to an embedded RSS video feed into a Facebook or other destination site. You also had the option of burning it to a DVD, so that video production could be sent to a fulfillment facility; the user would do the layout and the cover art, and it would send you back a Hollywood quality DVD package. Or you could download the lightweight PhotoShow PC application, which allowed you to burn it yourself on your local machine.

  They had a variety of mechanisms in place for sharing. The most notable, though, is it's a web-based experience with a Flash-based UI, and when you want more client-side stuff, you need to put it on your local PC. Another output option is to go to TimeWarner and Comcast [cable] set-top boxes, where it's a video-on-demand user experience, where the recipients, via a community-casting type of model, can go to a particular channel on their set-top box and get personalized PhotoShows of this weekends baseball game or what have you.

Newsline International: How is this going to integrate with your existing products?

DiMaria: The value to our customer is to provide the one place to go to meet all of your digital media needs. One of the gaps we had was in the online sharing, Web 2.0 style of digital media. This becomes a key piece in place now to allow customers to get their online digital media needs met.

  I should mention, as it is now, the PhotoShow name is a little deceptive, because it does handle short-form video. You can have video clips incorporated into your show. From a technical perspective, the end-user playback experience is a Flash video playback. We're going to expand that capability even further and we'll get it more deeply integrated into our product sets.

Newsline International: SimpleStar traditionally was a Windows-only publisher, but you have some Macintosh products. Do you plan to bring this to the Mac?

DiMaria: The answer is, yes. The one nice things about web-delivered experience is that it's platform agnostic, not only for the Mac, but also for mobile devices. You can look for us to take this entirely cross-platform as well.

  I think it's fair to say we are at the beginning of an evolving set of capabilities that will broaden, including physical goods in a variety of forms. The DVD is the most logical and, if you look at some of the other businesses we are involved in, like the QFlix business, for example, which deals with Hollywood or DSS encrypted content, there are other adjacencies we are going to look at.

Newsline International: Will SimpleStar be operated as a division or absorbed?

DiMaria: Last year, we structured the Roxio business into three lines of business. We have a web products and services business, a consumer products business, and an OEM business. The SimpleStar group will roll into an existing structure that we set up last November which is Web Products and Services.

Newsline International: How did the opportunity come up to purchase SimpleStar?

DiMaria: I joined Sonic in September of last year, and since then, we've looked at the overall strategy for Roxio. One of the areas we felt we should get more aggressive with was the online capability. In November, we set up the Web Products and Services Unit, and took as core group of employees and dedicated them into this area and began laying out our strategy. The SimpleStar acquisition fits within the context of a broader online strategy.

Newsline International: Are there more steps coming or have you rounded out the portfolio?

DiMaria: There's more we can do. There are so many things going on in the technology category, so there's more innovation that can be done. Also, consider China and some of the emerging economies in the world, their youth are getting handheld devices for video and photo capture with increasingly excellent quality, I think we're at the beginning.

  We're approaching that from a unique position, given we have some 300 million users in the world, using some version client-side software, and continue to acquire new customers at a high rate.

SimpleStar's PhotoShow interface now emphasizes sharing.

Newsline International: You have some challenges with other sites that offer similar photo services for free.

DiMaria: Today, users can access and author PhotoShows for free. Part of the new model we are all involved with is that the ability to offer the customer meaningful things with products and services is a key part of the customer acquisition strategy. It falls within the broader context of the open-source movement. You can't use traditional approaches to building that kind of business, like you would have used to build a PC packaged software business. They are different businesses and there are different customer demographics. Over time, it's enabling newer, more service-based revenue streams. It puts pressure on the vendors to deliver value to the customer that they are willing to pay for. Arguably, it gives us a much deeper opportunity to service the customer throughout the life of their digital media, rather than just buying a box of packaged software and have that be the only time there is a value exchange.

  There's also a tremendous value of online and mobile that are more business-to-business relationships. What's unique is we have an enormous audience for our client-side applications, and a world-class network of partnerships -- PC companies, CE providers, Hollywood relationships -- we are really confident in our ability to compete. Where there's value, there's business.

-- By Gary Pageau, publisher, PMA Publications

Japan-based HOYA Corp. announced it will sell its Pentax-brand mobile printer business to Brother Industries on July 31, reports JPEA International PEN News Weekly. It becomes the first business HOYA sells since merging with Pentax. The sale price was not made public. The business, which generated revenue of about ¥1.5 billion (US$14.3 million) in fiscal 2007, includes both mobile thermal printers and scanners.

HP Co., Palo Alto, Calif., will open a customer service facility in Rio Rancho, N.M., that will phase in 1,300 jobs over the next 4 years, according to the New Mexico Business Weekly.

  The announcement came from Gov. Bill Richardson's office. There were no details on where the new client service and technical support center will be located or how large it will be. Officials with HP are working with Rio Rancho officials and developers on a site and its design and construction. HP said it is also opening a new customer service and technical support center in Conway, Ark.

CEIVA Logic Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Frame Media Inc., Wellesley, Mass., and Digital Spectrum Solutions Inc., Irvine, Calif., in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. CEIVA asserts Frame Media's FrameChannel photo sharing services and Digital Spectrum's Web-enabled picture frames and systems infringe CEIVA's United States Patent No. 6,442,573 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Distributing Picture Mail to a Frame Device Community." CEIVA 's patent involves systems and methods for distributing images to electronic picture frames.

  CEIVA 's federal lawsuit asks the Court for damages for patent infringement and for an injunction to prevent Frame Media and Digital Spectrum Solutions from making, using or selling infringing products or systems that infringe CEIVA 's patent. 

DBL Distributing LLC, Scottsdales, Ariz., announced appointments in their product purchasing team. The appointments of Robert Terkelsen and Jack Southwick are geared to expand the DBL purchasing team in consumer electronics distribution. Terkelsen, the new buyer of Photo/Video, Batteries and Video Game Accessories, will manage the relationships with key manufacturers in the photo/video, batteries and video game accessories product segments. In his position, Terkelsen will enhance the existing relationships with DBL manufacturer partners, as well as secure new product lines that increase the company's overall product scope and selection.
  Southwick was appointed buyer for Custom Installation, Cable Zone and all NXG product initiatives. In this position, he will manage all product pricing and selection, assortment planning, vendor management, and customer outreach activities. Southwick has held several positions at DBL of increasing responsibility in Sales, ecommerce and Product Merchandising.

Japan-based HOYA Corp. launched two new endoscopes under the Pentax brand in late May, reports JPEA International PEN News Weekly. The 90i two new endoscopes each designed for upper gastrointestinal tract such as stomach and esophagus and lower alimentary tract (bowel), and they are equipped with 1.3-megapixel CCD image sensors. Other various improvements have been made by reviewing camera designs as well as positions of nozzles in the front ends. In addition, computing power has been enhanced by about 50x, compared to that conventional Pentax endoscopes.

Liquid Planet, Missoula, Mont., will host the International "Birth of Coffee" exhibition from June 27-Aug. 4. Based on the book of the same name by Daniel and Linda Lorenzetti, the photography exhibit chronicles the life of coffee from seed to cup.

  The Lorenzettis traveled over a quarter of a million miles to five different continents in a span of 5 years to trace the birth and life of the second most globally traded commodity. The duo-toned silver gelatin photographs specially processed with actual coffee celebrate the distant landscapes, cultural vitality, and individual labor that infuse the coffee trade, says Liquid Planet.

  Liquid Planet is a coffee house and bistro dedicated to providing products good for the body, spaces that feed the soul and profits that give back to the earth, says the company. The company was founded in Missoula in 2003 by a University of Montana music professor and prides itself on educating the consumer about all things beverage.

Sony Electronics Inc., San Diego, Calif., is expanding its Alpha system of accessories to include the new HVL-F58AM flash unit with features for versatile and flexible external lighting control. This flash features a new and innovative Quick Shift Bounce system, says the company.

  The flash head can pivot 90 degrees left and right on a horizontal axis in addition to the conventional up and down vertical adjustment. With this system, the camera and flash unit can keep the same orientation regardless of portrait or landscape shooting. This gives a higher degree of flexibility when arranging the direction of light.

  The HVL-F58AM flash unit features a maximum guide number of 58 at 105mm and ISO 100. It recycles (or recharges) in as little as 5 seconds, approximately 55 percent faster than the predecessor HVL-F56AM model, so you are ready to capture the next shot, says the company. It also has a large, easy-to-read LCD screen and an intuitive control layout.

  The new flash has wireless auto flash control so users can remove the flash unit from the camera and easily light subjects from different angles. Photographers can create soft shadows to add depth to their images and avoid the strong shadows and hot spots that can occur with front lighting. The HVL-F58AM flash unit can also control the ratio of lighting from several off-camera flash units.

  One of the flash's most advanced features is its sophisticated zoom control that automatically optimizes illumination angles that are suitable for either APS-C size or 35mm full frame sensors, says the company. This control reduces light "fall-off" at the periphery of images.

  It also has an advanced white balance compensation system that gathers color temperature information, complimenting the white balance information reading of the camera. This achieves more accurate results when the main unit is in auto white balance mode.

  Other features include: high-speed synchronization at shutter speeds of up to 1/4000 of a second, ADI flash metering, manual flash and zoom (six levels), multiple-flash, and a supplied mini-stand for greater wireless freedom. The HVL-F58AM flash unit will ship in September for about $500 at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores, military base exchanges, and authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders begin online today.

Pinnacle Systems Inc., Mountain View, Calif., the consumer division of Avid Technology Inc., announced new video archiving and editing solutions, Dazzle DVD Recorder and Dazzle Video Creator Plus. The new Dazzle products allow all users to transfer, enhance and preserve their videos on DVDs. Dazzle Video Creator Plus also includes Pinnacle Studio video editing software with its Pinnacle Montage feature and the ability to export to Apple iPods, Sony PSPs and upload directly to YouTube and Yahoo Video.

  The Dazzle DVD Recorder is aimed at users who want a simple way to back up videotapes to DVD but who are not interested in editing them. Consumers can transfer video footage to a DVD using a PC by connecting a VCR, DVD player, camcorder, or almost any other video device with analog outputs, to the Dazzle USB 2.0 hardware. With the Pinnacle Instant DVD-Recorder software included in both Dazzle products, users can record from video source to DVD with one-click. Pinnacle Instant DVD-Recorder makes an exact copy of the tape to DVD through its direct-to-disc feature, and automatically adds DVD menus and chapter points by detecting scene changes.

  Dazzle Video Creator Plus Pinnacle Studio video editing software to restore and transform into movies with effects, transitions, titles and soundtracks. Pinnacle Montage automatically generates multi-layered effects, animated graphics and titles.

  Pinnacle Systems Dazzle DVD Recorder and Dazzle Video Creator Plus can be used with Windows XP or Windows Vista systems. The Dazzle products will be available by June 22 for $49.99 and $89.99, respectively.
  In separate news, Pinnacle announced version 12 of Pinnacle Studio, its consumer video editing software. The new version includes Pinnacle Montage, and more than 25 new features like more titles, DVD menus and templates. The software also includes professional audio and video controls and a complete HD workflow with Blu-ray authoring.

  The Pinnacle Studio version 12 family consists of three versions to meet the needs of consumers ranging from novices to dedicated video enthusiasts. In addition to Pinnacle Studio, the basic version, Pinnacle offers Studio Plus and Studio Ultimate with more advanced audio and video tools, including a complete HD workflow.

  The Pinnacle Montage feature includes more than 11 pre-defined themes with more than 80 single templates. In addition, all Pinnacle Studio version 12 products now offer marker tools for the timeline. Format compatibility has also been expanded to include photo import in Photoshop's native PSD format and the GIF format. With the new export options, users can create MP3, Flash Video, WAV and 3GP files or upload files direct to YouTube.

  Pinnacle Studio version 12 now incorporates advanced capabilities for audio, with numerical audio volume, master volume controls, a timeline VU meter and peak indicators. The new version also offers improved effects performance on lower-end PCs, advanced 2D editing, the ability to rotate effects and new content for titles and DVD menus.

  Designed for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista systems, the Pinnacle Studio version 12 family includes Pinnacle Studio, as well as Pinnacle Studio Plus and Pinnacle Studio Ultimate with full HD support. Pinnacle Studio family is $49.99, the Plus version is $99.99 and the Ultimate version is $129.99. Pinnacle Studio family is available now for pre-orders at the Pinnacle Systems estore and will be at e-tail and retail stores later this month. Upgrades from all of the previous Pinnacle Studio versions to version 12 will also be available from the Pinnacle Systems website with prices ranging from $69.99 to $99.99.

The Imaging Source Europe GmbH, Bremen, Germany, manufacturer of imaging hardware and software for industry, medicine and astronomy, is now offering amateur astro-photographers a series of low noise astronomy cameras to capture quality images of the night sky. The astronomy cameras ship in blue and black anodized aluminium and zinc industrial housing, measure 50-by-56mm and weigh 260 grams. The included nose piece is mounted onto a C/CS mount on the front of the camera. On the rear, a USB or FireWire connector is available, and a threaded tripod adapter on the bottom rounds off the exterior of the camera.

  Monochrome and color models are available with and without an IR cut filter in three resolutions: 640-by-480, 1024-by-768 and 1280-by-960. The astronomy cameras deploy low noise CCD chips from Sony, which have an exposure time of up to 60 minutes and a maximum frame rate of up to 60 fps. The cameras ship with the camera control and acquisition software IC Capture.AS, which allows image sequences and singular images to be written to disk. The astronomy cameras are available worldwide starting at US$350 or euro 290. They can be purchased online and from an international network of dealers.