ROCHESTER, N.Y.--March 6, 2006-- Quickly turning paper documents into digital files once required both patience and a computer. But a breakthrough in office innovation from Eastman Kodak Company now lets users simultaneously scan, store, and share documents on an office network, and send them anywhere-without a computer. Today, Kodak announced the KODAK Scan Station 100. Designed to increase office productivity, the desktop Scan Station 100 enables users to convert paper documents-color, black-and-white and grayscale-into digital images for: * Sharing via e-mail * Routing to network folders * Sending to networked printers or copiers * Saving on portable USB flash drives In addition, a portable USB drive allows users to personalize and enable one-touch operation from the Scan Station 100's color touch screen. The touch screen also allows users to preview documents scanned prior to sending. "The KODAK Scan Station 100 has taken the design qualities that people appreciate most in our digital cameras and walk-up kiosks and brought them into the office environment," said Erwin Schwarzl, General Manager, Document Imaging, and Vice President, Kodak Graphic Communications Group. "While sharing paper documents in a digital environment shouldn't be difficult, a lot of copier-based, multi-functional devices make it that way for the average user. The Scan Station 100 is designed to improve the user experience and office productivity by keeping a simple office function just that-simple." A 2005 study, by worldwide information technology industry consultant Gartner, cites that while the total cost of ownership in document management expenses in office environments can be hard to quantify, they are very real in terms of user time, fax phone line charges, floor space, training, help desk inquiries, external software, service, and, of course, purchasing equipment, paper and supplies. What today can take several frustrating minutes to do either using a number of office products or costly multi-functional devices - which require PC communications, third-party software and training - can now be done directly and quickly on the KODAK Scan Station 100. For example, the Scan Station 100 can transmit documents six times faster than a fax sent via a multi-functional device. Cutting costs, improving image quality Unlike other products on the market today, the Scan Station 100 does not require a dedicated computer, additional software or training to operate because it connects to existing network infrastructure and features intuitive and interactive operation from the touch screen. It can scan a wide variety of paper documents of up to 34 inches in length - as well as smaller and thicker items including plastic insurance cards or driver's licenses. Once scanned, the Scan Station 100 can save these images in a variety of file formats, including Searchable PDF, and uses Kodak's Perfect Page technologies to produce high-quality scanned images. "One of the biggest issues all-in-one users face when scanning documents on their multi-function devices is the poor image quality," said Ron Glaz, Program Director at IDC, a leading industry analyst firm. "Kodak is addressing this issue head-on by integrating its image-quality features into a networked device that essentially performs similar functions as other multi-function devices when connected to a network." Applications include finance, accounting, insurance, healthcare, transportation, law offices, and government administration. Here are examples of a few ways in which the Scan Station 100 can help improve office productivity: * Office staff in a physician's practice can quickly scan a new patient's information sheet, privacy forms, insurance cards, medical charts, test results and all related paperwork to the same patient file on the practice's private network. * A law firm's administrative assistant scans vital client documents that are simultaneously outed to a network file available to its legal team and e-mailed to co-counsel at another firm across the state. * A delivery service driver scans daily package tracking documents, which are quickly and easily transferred to the delivery company's internal billing system and subsequently to each customer's respective account. The KODAK Scan Station 100 does not generate additional and often much costlier expenses for consumables, such as toner or ink cartridges. It works with existing networked printers with lower per-page costs, making it a smarter purchase for an office or purchasing manager. Further, easy installation and quick set-up helps users save time and effort, requires little training, and dramatically limits IT staff's involvement to get up and running. "The Scan Station 100 is easy to install, easy to use, and easy on the supply budget - all while increasing productivity and delivering outstanding image and color quality, especially on challenging documents in terms of color rendition and physical condition," Schwarzl said. The Scan Station 100 has an expected list price under $3,000 and is backed by KODAK Service & Support, the benchmark service provider for the document imaging industry. It will be available through Kodak's channel partners, serving business-to-business customers in the middle of May.