WIRELESS WEB AND DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONVERGENCE TO DRIVE VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS EXPLOSION

San Mateo, Ca - February 26, 2001 - Future Image Inc., the leading publisher of digital imaging information and analysis for business executives, investors, and entrepreneurs, today released its ground-breaking research study on the next major trend to impact both the Imaging and Internet industries.

Described by prominent industry executives including Polaroid CEO Gary DiCamillo as "the seminal work on wireless imaging," "Wireless Imaging - Overcoming The Challenges - Infrastructure And Players" is the comprehensive reference work executives, entrepreneurs, and investors need to guide them through this complex, ultra-high stakes topic. Its 368 pages include 168 charts, graphics, and illustrations, results of primary research conducted by Future Image, and transcripts of conversations with key executives on both the business and engineering side of wireless imaging. The following topics are covered:

	The Wireless Imaging Value Chain: Describes the eight classes of products and services that must be integrated to establish end-to-end wireless imaging solutions, and identifies the key companies contending in each class.
	The Road to 3G - U.S., Europe, and Asia: Describes the wireless telecommunications infrastructure as currently implemented in the U.S., Western Europe, Japan, China, and Korea; describes the technical underpinnings of the next generation networks referred to as 3G, and the four migration paths that lead from existing infrastructures to 3G networks.
	Understanding the Challenges: Explains the technical challenges inherent to implementing imaging applications over wireless personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), and wide area networks (WANs). Discusses infrastructure issues (bandwidth, coverage, latency, error correction, and multiple standards), device issues, standardization issues, and business issues. Includes an assessment of Bluetooth and WAP with respect to imaging applications.
	End-user Expectations: Presents the results of Future Image's survey of 700 end-users of both the Web and Digital Imaging with respect to product configurations, key features, and price points for wireless imaging.
	Equipment Field Tests: Describes the function and performance of the first commercially available wireless imaging solutions under real world conditions.
	In-depth profiles of 13 companies active in the wireless imaging field, reviewing standardized criteria including vision, financing and management, business model, technology, alliances, competition, and future prospects, with standardized summary sheets for each company. The players profiled include Imaging Companies (Concord Camera, Eastman Kodak, Polaroid Corp.), Telecommunications Companies (Ericsson, Nokia) and Wireless Imaging Startups (ActivePhoto, C Technologies, FlashPoint Technology, iPIX, LightSurf Technologies, PhotoAccess, PhotoJet, and Zing Network)
	Conclusions and Outlook
	A Glossary of more than 800 technical terms used in wireless imaging

"The intersection of the Wireless Web with Digital Imaging is one of the key forces driving the Visual Communication revolution," said Alexis Gerard, President of Future Image. "In a few short years, most of us in Western society will routinely carry a compact wireless digital recording device that enables us to send and receive images and video over the Internet, in order to exchange information for work, and keep in touch with friends and family. We are at ground zero right now, with respect to determining which companies will profit from that megatrend."

Among the findings presented in the report:

	While proceeds from auctions of next-generation spectrum in Europe have receded significantly from the astronomical figures raised last year - $35B in the U.K. and $45B in Germany - the recently completed FCC auction showed no such signs of restraint. U.S. carriers bid more than $17B for 422 licenses covering 195 markets.
	The WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) and Bluetooth standards, developed and promoted by telecommunications companies, enable only rudimentary imaging, initially favoring those betting on low-resolution, non-traditional applications. Next generation standards are required to enable photographic-quality applications.
	While industry insiders expect cell phones to be the center of the communications universe, less than one-third of U.S. respondents think viewing pictures on a cell phone will be even "somewhat interesting" (vs. 71% for digital cameras and 66% for PDAs). Creating consumer demand in the U.S. will require the introduction of color-capable handsets and services that offer compelling capabilities and benefits.
	Due to commercial and political pressures, 3G (3rd Generation) will in fact be implemented as a "family" of standards whose data rates won't reach advertised specifications for years to come. Companies who develop the technology to overcome the bandwidth limitations of current infrastructures are therefore likely to enjoy a significant time-to-market advantage over those who wait for major infrastructure changes.

"Given the current state of the U.S. infrastructure, the earliest opportunities for consumer applications of wireless imaging are likely to be in Japan, Korea, and Europe," says Tony Henning, senior analyst for imaging infrastructures at Future Image and author of the report. "Near-term opportunities in the U.S. will be in a broad range of vertical business markets like security and law enforcement, healthcare, emergency services, photojournalism, insurance, real estate, transportation - any setting where getting a picture from point of capture to point of distribution quickly results in operational efficiencies or competitive advantages. Implementing such targeted solutions now will also yield a significant edge in the race to mass markets."

"Wireless Imaging - Overcoming The Challenges - Infrastructure And Players" is available now, and can be ordered from the Future Image Web site (www.futureimage.com) or by contacting Customer Service at 650-579-0493 x42. The purchase price of the report includes one year of weekly and monthly updates via Future Image's Executive Information Service. In addition, two partial versions of the report are available for electronic download from the Future Image Web site.

About Future Image
Future Image's primary research focuses on emerging trends in Internet photo imaging. In addition to "Wireless Imaging - Overcoming The Challenges," recent studies published by Future Image include "Funding Trends in the Digital Imaging Industry" "Web Photo Services 2000 - A Competitive Analysis," "Wedding and Event Photos Online - New Content Strategies to Drive Consumer Traffic and Revenues," "Protecting Visual Assets on the Internet - Turning Pictures into Profits," and "Worth 1,000 URLs - Visual Strategies for eCommerce." Future Image also produces a series of supplements on the Digital Imaging industry jointly with the Red Herring magazine. Founded in 1991, the company is headquartered in San Mateo (CA). Business leaders in over fifty countries worldwide subscribe to its Future Image Executive Information Service. www.futureimage.com.

Note to Editors: Excerpts of the report are available for publication.

Contacts:
Heidy Bravo
Customer Support Manager
Future Image Inc.
650-579-04 93 x42
hbravo@futureimage.com

Tony Henning
Senior Analyst, Imaging Infrastructures
Future Image Inc.
650-579-04 93 x44
THenning@WirelessImaging.info