CHICAGO, Oct. 15 -- Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group will launch new CREO digital color servers with more than 50 percent improved performance for KONICA MINOLTA C6500 and IKON CPP650 digital printers. Early acceptance tests with the new INTEL CORE2 Duo CPU using INTEL VPRO technology demonstrated a leap in server performance. CREO digital color servers are renowned for their exceptional image and color quality, and for their great efficiency in demanding production environments. The workflow tools and solutions that enable high levels of automation and productivity from CREO digital color servers also demand high performance in parallel operations such as RIPing files and long variable data printing (VDP) at engine rated speeds. Spooling files while managing queues, setting job parameters, previewing and RIPing files simultaneously also consume many system resources. Employing the new INTEL CORE2 Duo CPU significantly boosts the performance of these tasks. The INTEL CORE2 Duo processor features two execution cores in a single processor. The dual core processor enables outstanding performance and responsiveness while running multiple demanding applications. The dual core processor is also energy efficient, which results in cooler and quieter desktop systems. “Productivity is critical to our on demand printing customers and we are delighted to offer this performance boost,” said Benjamin Shimshoni, Director of Marketing, Kodak’s Print On-Demand Solutions. “Intel’s new processor will dramatically improve job turnaround for our customers by optimizing the productivity of CREO digital color servers.” The IKON PowerPro 650 controller with the INTEL CORE2 Duo Processor for the IKON CPP650 will be available in December. Other CREO digital color servers will integrate the new CPU in the year ahead.