Post by Leafs_Pam on May 14, 2003 18:51:41 GMT -5
The members that have been here more than a year knew I had been laid off my job and that I was working at Hewlett-Packard as a contractor. I haven't been able to say anything until now about the group I was working with.
I am working in the Digital Imaging Photofinishing R&D group at HP. My group had come up with a new way to develop pictures for the General Public, and were doing the testing of the software and equipment. I've got to say it had the potential to make lots of money for HP. But then last Wednesday, the VP of our Organization and Carly Fiorina (HP's CEO) pulled the plug on the project. Now everyone including me has to find a new job. What a waste!! I'm not kidding when I say they pulled the plug on a huge money making project.
FutureShop in Vancouver, BC, has had units in their store for at least 5 months, and FutureShop in Calgary has units in their store for at least 4 months. Best Buy had already done the install in their Cleveland Store to get it going. (FutureShop is owned by Best Buy)
The news was broken to the public today.
biz.yahoo.com/rc/030514/tech_kodak_hp_2.html
NEW YORK, May 14 (Reuters) - Rival imaging companies Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE:EK - News) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ - News) on Wednesday parted ways on a three-year-old joint venture aimed at making digital inkjet mini-labs, saying their investments would be better spent elsewhere.
HP, the No.1 printer maker, and Kodak, the top maker of photographic film, formed the Phogenix venture in 2000 to develop digital inkjet photo-finishing machines for retail outlets.
"Based on the anticipated return on invested capital for the parent companies, each company has separately decided to focus its own investments on other opportunities," HP and Kodak said in a joint statement.
Digital inkjet mini-lab machines, used by retailers to develop customers snapshots, were seen as simpler to operate, less dependent on employees handling chemicals and, at about $40,000 to $50,000, far cheaper than the more-than-$100,000 price tag of traditional mini-labs.
Experts suggested the move came as the result of a possible rift between the two companies, leaders in their respective categories but rivals in sales of such products as digital cameras.
"From the beginning, they had decided that Kodak would go after the traditional photofinishers, and HP would go after the consumer electronics stores," said InfoTrends analyst Kerry Flatley. "(For HP) it was going to be more of a struggle to make the sales. But they were almost a month away from making their first shipment."
Products developed by the Phogenix venture were being tested by some potential customers. Flatley said that users she had spoken to were generally pleased with the machines' performance.
Both companies said that it was in the best interests of those customers, employees and investors to terminate operations at this time, before any mini-labs were installed on a commercial basis.
Ironically, Kodak in April hired Antonio Perez, a 25-year veteran at HP, as its chief operating officer. Perez, who left HP in 2000 after serving as president of its consumer operation, which included its $10 billion-a-year printer business, told Reuters that he was a key player in launching its digital photography line.
I am working in the Digital Imaging Photofinishing R&D group at HP. My group had come up with a new way to develop pictures for the General Public, and were doing the testing of the software and equipment. I've got to say it had the potential to make lots of money for HP. But then last Wednesday, the VP of our Organization and Carly Fiorina (HP's CEO) pulled the plug on the project. Now everyone including me has to find a new job. What a waste!! I'm not kidding when I say they pulled the plug on a huge money making project.
FutureShop in Vancouver, BC, has had units in their store for at least 5 months, and FutureShop in Calgary has units in their store for at least 4 months. Best Buy had already done the install in their Cleveland Store to get it going. (FutureShop is owned by Best Buy)
The news was broken to the public today.
biz.yahoo.com/rc/030514/tech_kodak_hp_2.html
NEW YORK, May 14 (Reuters) - Rival imaging companies Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE:EK - News) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ - News) on Wednesday parted ways on a three-year-old joint venture aimed at making digital inkjet mini-labs, saying their investments would be better spent elsewhere.
HP, the No.1 printer maker, and Kodak, the top maker of photographic film, formed the Phogenix venture in 2000 to develop digital inkjet photo-finishing machines for retail outlets.
"Based on the anticipated return on invested capital for the parent companies, each company has separately decided to focus its own investments on other opportunities," HP and Kodak said in a joint statement.
Digital inkjet mini-lab machines, used by retailers to develop customers snapshots, were seen as simpler to operate, less dependent on employees handling chemicals and, at about $40,000 to $50,000, far cheaper than the more-than-$100,000 price tag of traditional mini-labs.
Experts suggested the move came as the result of a possible rift between the two companies, leaders in their respective categories but rivals in sales of such products as digital cameras.
"From the beginning, they had decided that Kodak would go after the traditional photofinishers, and HP would go after the consumer electronics stores," said InfoTrends analyst Kerry Flatley. "(For HP) it was going to be more of a struggle to make the sales. But they were almost a month away from making their first shipment."
Products developed by the Phogenix venture were being tested by some potential customers. Flatley said that users she had spoken to were generally pleased with the machines' performance.
Both companies said that it was in the best interests of those customers, employees and investors to terminate operations at this time, before any mini-labs were installed on a commercial basis.
Ironically, Kodak in April hired Antonio Perez, a 25-year veteran at HP, as its chief operating officer. Perez, who left HP in 2000 after serving as president of its consumer operation, which included its $10 billion-a-year printer business, told Reuters that he was a key player in launching its digital photography line.