AMSTERDAM, Netherlands--May 16, 2006-- EFI, the world leader in digital controllers, superwide format printers and inks, and print management solutions for commercial and enterprise printing, today announced EFI Colorproof(TM) XF Version 3.0. Significant new features and enhancements include a new output option for gravure printers, a new production option for wide format production environments and the Fiery Option, which seamlessly integrates Fiery-driven devices into the Colorproof XF workflow. Including Best Technology and designed for print and prepress professionals, publishers, creatives and photographers, the newest version of EFI's industry-acclaimed, scalable and versatile client/server-based proofing solution will premiere at Fespa Digital Europe, Stand B450, Hall 9. EFI Colorproof XF turns inkjet and laser printers into powerful proofing and production devices, and Version 3.0 improves upon the solution's unrivalled combination of color quality, power, flexibility and ease of use. A key component of Colorproof XF is the Fiery Option, fully integrating Fiery controller technology, which is used by more than 14 million customers worldwide. The Fiery Option enables these customers to deploy Colorproof XF to proof on an inkjet printer and then seamlessly utilize their Fiery for color management and workflow on a production laser-based printing system. Among the more than 50,000 installations of Colorproof XF is the Leipzig, Germany-based advertising agency L-ARTS. L-ARTS and its subsidiaries depend on Colorproof XF to meet the high demands made by their clients, including BURGER KING, and deploying EFI technology supports L-ARTS' company philosophy of growth, innovation and reliability. "The unique color quality of the products produced with Best Technology is indisputable and we've been consistently pleased over our many years of use. The client/server architecture and the unlimited number of printers enable us to adapt EFI Colorproof XF perfectly to our needs and it grows with our business," said Lorenz Ismer, CEO, L-ARTS. Stefan Spiegel, general manager, EFI Graphic Arts Solutions, adds, "EFI is committed to continuous R&D across our entire range of solutions in order to address our customers' evolving needs. Colorproof XF 3.0 offers more output options and key feature enhancements, allowing print and prepress professionals, publishers, creatives and photographers to produce even greater results." Powerful new features include: The new Production Option enables EFI Colorproof XF users to transform their large-format printers into fast, flexible and productive sources of new revenues from posters, banners and similar added-value products. Advanced step-and-repeat features not only print multiple copies of images -- by defining whether images are repeated horizontally, vertically or mirror-fashion, they create striking patterns quickly and easily. The Production Option also features a tiling function that prints images larger than the printer's width. Overlaps, crop marks and tile numbering are freely definable to simplify reassembling of total image, which can be previewed before final output. A new Gravure Output Option provides a cost-efficient solution to produce data needed for gravure cylinder production: users simply create anti-aliased and separated grayscale TIFFs to drive digital engraving machines. An enhanced EFI Colorproof XF user interface delivers new levels of productivity. In the basic package, a new simplified interface is built around just two views -- Job Explorer and System Manager. Job Explorer offers new tools and selection criteria, while new functions such as copy-and-paste make setting up workflows in System Manager easier than ever. Other new features include the ability to create a virtual printer that prints directly into a hot folder -- facilitating hot folder technology and simplified sharing of networked printers -- and support of seven-color input and simulation profiles. All Colorproof XF packages now incorporate 3D Optimizer, a new easy-to-use tool embedded in the software to optimize printer output to a specific reference, whether a printing press or another printer. Optimizer supports the Gretag Macbeth Eye-One iO automated measurement device, providing fast, accurate reading of test charts in addition to supporting the linearization tool of the basic Colorproof XF package, along with the Color Manager and Color Verifier Option. The functionality of the Color Manager Option -- now also available for Mac OS X -- has been greatly extended, enhancing RGB workflows for photographic applications and allowing the creation of device link profiles based on up to three different ICC profiles. Also new in the Color Manager Option is support for multi-color profiles for inkjet printers -- for example CMYK + orange + green. Version 3 closes the loop for six-color proofing, since Colorproof XF can also process six-color input and simulation profiles. A number of new features in Version 3 further improve Colorproof XF's already outstanding color quality. EFI Colorproof XF Version 3.0 also incorporates new functions for creating proofs that provide the closest match to "real-world" press output. Users can define the first printable dot, according to the characteristics of specific presses, and also simulate the "noise" intensity arising from particular ink/paper/press combinations. Availability Supporting the latest printers from HP (the Photosmart Pro B9180 and DesignJet 4500), Canon (imagePROGRAF W6400D and W8400D) and Epson (Stylus Photo R2400), Colorproof XF 3.0 will be sold through certified EFI dealers and distributors. Version 3.0 will be available starting in June 2006, and shown at Fespa Digital Europe, Stand B450, Hall 9.