Get Smart about Business Spending
The companies said they hope to spark consumer and business interest in digital photography by setting specifications that will make it easier for users to take, edit, and transmit digital images between different cameras and PCs.
The most important development could be portable PC camera specifications, which would increase ease of use and compatibility with the PC platform. The specifications should make it easier for end users to connect a portable PC camera to their computers to downloading images.
Intel said it will support FlashPix, an image file format developed by HP, Eastman Kodak, Microsoft, and Live Picture.
The companies will both support the use of Universal Serial Bus connectivity for digital still cameras. HP's Pavilion PCs currently support USB connections.
For image storage away from the desktop, the two companies are promoting their flash memory miniature card, a device containing solid-state flash memory that can be used to store images taken with a digital camera. The card can then be used to transfer images to a computer for editing.
The Intel-HP agreement follows a March announcement by Intel and Kodak that they would attempt to establish digital photography standards. Intel promoted many of the same standards such as USB through that agreement.
