August 16, 2007 -- Reston, VA -  GRAPH EXPO 07 visitors will gain a first-hand glimpse into what the new Microsoft XML Paper Specification (XPS) might mean to the graphic communications industry in the first-ever "XPS Land Showcase" (booth #5451) , at the show to be held September 9-12 at McCormick Place in Chicago.  The goals for the XPS Land Showcase are to educate the graphic communications industry about what XPS is, inform visitors where they can purchase the technology to implement XPS, and demonstrate how these tools fit into their workflow.
In the new pavilion, show goers will explore XPS, from document creation to CtP to print, and see live XPS-driven applications printing on both offset and digital equipment.  Live production of a Show Daily insert is also planned for the show, and a possible on-demand book printing application to tie-in with GRAPH EXPO's "Books & Bound Documents Day" on Tuesday, September 9.  The new pavilion's XPS Land Theater will supplement visitors' on-site experience with complete information about the user benefits this new page definition language can deliver.
"Though it's relatively new to the market, the XPS document format promises to have a major impact on this industry. Yet many graphic communications professionals don't know much about it.  XPS Land offers GRAPH EXPO attendees the opportunity to learn more about what XPS will mean to their businesses, and how this new document format will work in a real-world environment," says Ralph Nappi, President of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC).
Like Adobe's well-known PDF, the XPS format touts portability and fixed-page features-that is, a file output in XPS can be accessed later, and looks the same on any
screen or printed to any device. The XML-based file format also features its own internal print ticket to which document creators can input printing specifications. Because XPS comes bundled with Microsoft's popular new Vista operating system, pundits predict its ultimate ubiquity in the corporate office environment as well as the graphic communications market.
According to Bruce Harrison, president of Gate City Imaging in Hollis, NH, a systems consultancy and one of the architects behind XPS Land, Microsoft installations of Vista-and thus, XPS-are expected to reach 400 million desktops worldwide within two and a half years.  He adds that 49% of all conventionally printed material comes from the desktop.
Promising visitors to GRAPH EXPO an unsurpassed opportunity to see and explore "everything print", the new XPS Land Showcase is an innovative addition to the show which offers live running applications of every step of the print process from prepress, to finishing, to converting and package printing, to wide format printing, to mailing and fulfillment, and the latest new profit opportunities utilizing digital technologies.  This all-inclusive blend of offset and digital printing equipment, products, software and supplies presented by 640 exhibitors in the 460,984 net sq. ft. of exhibit space, reconfirms GRAPH EXPO's status as the largest graphic communications exhibition and conference in the Western Hemisphere.
The XPS Land Showcase is sponsored by Xerox, Quark, Screen, Global Graphics, Xitron, Software Imaging, Zoran, Quality Logic and Konica Minolta.
Complete information about the XPS Land Showcase and registration for GRAPH EXPO are available online at: www.graphexpo.com.