Kodak EasyShare Gallery
Encyclopedia
The Kodak Gallery offers online photo sharing, Kodak
prints and photo gifts from consumer digital photo
s. Its features allow you to view pictures on your mobile phone
. The service was originally called Ofoto, and was acquired by Kodak in 2001 and renamed Kodak EasyShare Gallery in 2005. It is currently referred to simply as "Kodak Gallery". Kodak Gallery serves over 60 million users and billions of images as of 2008.
Kodak Gallery offers several different functions: sharing photos online, getting Kodak prints of digital pictures, creating personalized photo gifts and online photo storage.
. The company was founded by Lisa Gansky and Kamran Mohsenin. Gansky had previously been CEO of 1990s internet pioneer GNN
, while Mohsenin had previously run Tunes Network, Inc., parent of the Tunes.com music discovery Website.
The Ofoto website launched to the public on December 13, 1999, the same day as competing service Shutterfly
. While Shutterfly was funded in part by Silicon Valley businessman James Clark
, Ofoto was funded in part by Jim Barksdale
, Clark's former partner and co-worker from Netscape. This led to the brief "Clark vs. Bark" photo wars.
Ofoto started by simply allowing users to upload JPEG
images to the online service, to share online photo albums with friends, and to purchase physical silver-halide prints of photos.
In 2000, Ofoto added a 35mm online film processing service and an online frame store. In following years, Ofoto added 4-color offset printed invitations and cards, and services for mobile phones.
In May 2001, Ofoto was purchased by Eastman Kodak
. Ofoto, Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kodak and later became the Kodak Imaging Network, Inc.
In 2005, the Ofoto web service was rebranded as the Kodak EasyShare Gallery
.
In October 2006, Kodak Gallery launched a new line of products designed by Martha Stewart
.
In July 2008, Kodak decided to mail the Kodak Gallery users obliging them to purchase something through their website. If not, consumers would lose their pictures as Kodak blocked their photo albums after their proposed deadline.
Kodak Gallery has received a number of awards. In the July 2006 issue, PC World named Kodak EasyShare Gallery one of The 100 Best Products of the Year. In August of 2007, the Wall Street Journal selected Gallery as the winner in an online photo services shootout. . In October 2008, the Boston Globe selected Kodak Gallery as the winner in a review of online photo service web sites.
The minimum purchases required is between $5 and $20, depending on the amount of pictures stored.
Kodak has received some negative press for deleting photos if users do not order prints after a certain amount of time. Digital photo frame customers complain that web connected photo frame (often costing $300 or more) galleries are not exempted from the policy. Further criticism has come from a former executive who alleges that she was wrongfully fired for complaining about a plan to reduce image quality in order to save on storage costs without giving adequate notice to customers.
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
prints and photo gifts from consumer digital photo
Digital photography
Digital photography is a form of photography that uses an array of light sensitive sensors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on light sensitive film...
s. Its features allow you to view pictures on your mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
. The service was originally called Ofoto, and was acquired by Kodak in 2001 and renamed Kodak EasyShare Gallery in 2005. It is currently referred to simply as "Kodak Gallery". Kodak Gallery serves over 60 million users and billions of images as of 2008.
Kodak Gallery offers several different functions: sharing photos online, getting Kodak prints of digital pictures, creating personalized photo gifts and online photo storage.
History
Ofoto, an online photography service, was started in June 1999, in Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. The company was founded by Lisa Gansky and Kamran Mohsenin. Gansky had previously been CEO of 1990s internet pioneer GNN
GNN
GNN can stand for:* *Global Network Navigator*Global News Network, a news channel in the Philippines*Goodnight Nurse, a New Zealand alternative rock band*Government News Network*Guerrilla News Network*The Great News Network...
, while Mohsenin had previously run Tunes Network, Inc., parent of the Tunes.com music discovery Website.
The Ofoto website launched to the public on December 13, 1999, the same day as competing service Shutterfly
Shutterfly
Shutterfly is an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service. Shutterfly's flagship product is its photo book line. It is based in Redwood City, California.-Features:...
. While Shutterfly was funded in part by Silicon Valley businessman James Clark
James H. Clark
James H. Clark is an American entrepreneur and computer scientist. He founded several notable Silicon Valley technology companies, including Silicon Graphics, Inc., Netscape Communications Corporation, myCFO and Healtheon...
, Ofoto was funded in part by Jim Barksdale
Jim Barksdale
Jim Barksdale was the president and CEO of Netscape Communications Corporation from January 1995 until the company merged with AOL in March 1999.-Early life:...
, Clark's former partner and co-worker from Netscape. This led to the brief "Clark vs. Bark" photo wars.
Ofoto started by simply allowing users to upload JPEG
JPEG
In computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
images to the online service, to share online photo albums with friends, and to purchase physical silver-halide prints of photos.
In 2000, Ofoto added a 35mm online film processing service and an online frame store. In following years, Ofoto added 4-color offset printed invitations and cards, and services for mobile phones.
In May 2001, Ofoto was purchased by Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
. Ofoto, Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kodak and later became the Kodak Imaging Network, Inc.
In 2005, the Ofoto web service was rebranded as the Kodak EasyShare Gallery
Kodak EasyShare Gallery
The Kodak Gallery offers online photo sharing, Kodak prints and photo gifts from consumer digital photos. Its features allow you to view pictures on your mobile phone. The service was originally called Ofoto, and was acquired by Kodak in 2001 and renamed Kodak EasyShare Gallery in 2005. It is...
.
In October 2006, Kodak Gallery launched a new line of products designed by Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
.
In July 2008, Kodak decided to mail the Kodak Gallery users obliging them to purchase something through their website. If not, consumers would lose their pictures as Kodak blocked their photo albums after their proposed deadline.
Kodak Gallery has received a number of awards. In the July 2006 issue, PC World named Kodak EasyShare Gallery one of The 100 Best Products of the Year. In August of 2007, the Wall Street Journal selected Gallery as the winner in an online photo services shootout. . In October 2008, the Boston Globe selected Kodak Gallery as the winner in a review of online photo service web sites.
Free services
Uploading photos to Kodak Gallery is free, but unless purchases (e.g., of prints) are made on the site, the pictures are only stored for 90 days and then deleted. The site's terms of service specify that:-
- To maintain free storage, you need to meet the following minimum purchase requirement within 90 days of first uploading images, and then every 12 months thereafter ... If you do not purchase the required amount as set forth above from us for a period of 12 months, we may delete the images stored in your account.
The minimum purchases required is between $5 and $20, depending on the amount of pictures stored.
Kodak has received some negative press for deleting photos if users do not order prints after a certain amount of time. Digital photo frame customers complain that web connected photo frame (often costing $300 or more) galleries are not exempted from the policy. Further criticism has come from a former executive who alleges that she was wrongfully fired for complaining about a plan to reduce image quality in order to save on storage costs without giving adequate notice to customers.
Products and services provided for a fee
In addition to standard custom photo merchandise (such as prints, photo books, stickers, calendars, mugs, cards, apparel, etc.), Kodak Gallery also provides the following services:- Archive CDs
- DVD Slideshows via Photoshow by RoxioRoxioRoxio is a division and brand of Sonic Solutions . Roxio branded products are sold online, through over 15,000 retail outlets, to organizations through volume license agreements and pre-loaded onto OEM PC's and devices...
, a division of Sonic SolutionsSonic SolutionsSonic Solutions, acquired by Rovi Corporation in 2010, was a computer software company headquartered in Novato, California. In addition to having a number of offices in the U.S., the company also maintained offices in Europe and Asia.-History:... - PhotoStamps (via Stamps.comStamps.comStamps.com is a Los Angeles, California-based company that provides Internet-based mailing and shipping services. Stamps.com is a public company and trades on the NYSE exchange under the symbol STMP.- History :On April 13, 1998, the U.S...
) - Traditional Picture Frames for prints
- Digital Picture Frames along with preloaded Picture Cards
- Kodak Gallery Premier Service - for monthly or yearly fee, provides unique web address, full-resolution downloads, optional password protection, credit if photos destroyed in a natural disaster or due to hard drive crash or theft.