Kodak brings Facebook, Picasa photos to in-store kiosks

Eastman Kodak Co. recently announced the availability of what it’s calling "the most flexible connected solutions ecosystem in the industry, providing opportunity for large and small retailers alike to increase their photo profit opportunity."

This new photographic "ecosystem" gives consumers access to their Facebook, Kodak Gallery and Picasa Web Album pictures. With billions of photos uploaded to Facebook each month alone, the company says it is creating enormous opportunity for retailers to sell prints, premium products and more. Kodak also intends to connect to more social networking sites around the globe, the company says.

Among other photo retail solutions, the new ecosystem also includes Kodak's Remote Business Services for its connected fleet of more than 30,000 photo kiosks. Using the newest version of Remote Business Services, Kodak can deliver content, patches, pricing changes and fleet monitoring, providing the backbone for the world's leading connected fleet of photo kiosks, according to a company release.

"Kodak's Emotional Technology initiative is the backbone that helps consumers share their life stories and preserve their memories, and at the same time, lessens the workload for retailers," said Nicoletta Zongrone, general manager of retail systems solutions and vice president, Eastman Kodak Company. "Kodak is continuing to leverage our unmatched expertise in digital image science and material science to deliver new products, services and solutions with one button simplicity for consumers and retailers. These new innovations provide consumers with more ways to share and retailers with more ways to profit."