CHICAGO, Illinois (April 6, 1992) -- Iterated Systems, Inc. today announced Images Incorporated, an image compression, enhancement and conversion tool containing a clip art library of 250 full color images. Targeted at the desktop publishing market, the Windows-based application retails for $299 and is available now from Iterated Systems and its distributors. "Images Incorporated marks two important milestones," said Dr. Michael Barnsley, Iterated chairman, "First, the debut of software-based fractal compression, which will extend the benefit of fractal compression to a much broader audience. Second, the premier of 'Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement,' a unique lossless image enhancement technology." Software-Based Compression Traditionally, Iterated Systems focused its development on the needs of developers, VARs and OEMs, using custom ASICs to build powerful hardware compressors. The software-based compressor is targeted towards end users, especially in the desktop publishing arena. Like Iterated's hardware products, Image Incorporated's software compressor is based on the revolutionary Fractal Transform discovered by Dr. Barnsley in 1988. Though slower, Images Incorporated's software-based compression comes close to matching the ultra-high compression ratios and outstanding image quality produced by Iterated Systems' hardware-based compression. The compressed images also share the unique fractal advantages of resolution independence and software only, real time decompression. Tom Gilkey, of Pegasus Imaging Corporation, who has developed a fractal image database, finds Images Incorporated's price performance characteristics extremely compelling. "Everyone familiar with compression knows that fractals are the best technology", Gilkey said. "Many customers just couldn't afford the hardware solution. Images Incorporated lets a much broader range of customers access fractal technology, which should increase Iterated's market share. It's a great product;" "As fractal-based applications proliferate, inexpensive compression becomes key," added Dwight Jones, president CARDZ, developer of FracTerm, a fractal-based terminal graphics program. "Images Incorporated fits the bill perfectly." Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement Michael Barnsley explained. "Our new Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement provides truly lossless increased resolution. Additional detail and image quality is generated by the fractal process while the original image data is accurately preserved. The result is unparalleled resolution enhancement." Alice Peters, from Jones and Bartlett Publishers, an Iterated Systems OEM and reseller, agrees. "The constant challenge in publishing is to match image resolution to output device, which typically requires 'stretching' images to match output resolutions. This invariably introduces pixelation or other distortion. By contrast, Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement produces remarkably clear images even at high magnification levels." Other Features Images Incorporated can convert images to and from Targa, Tiff, PCX, Raster and BMP images of various color depths. The product also features editing functions such as cut and paste, vertical and horizontal flip and image re-sizing. These provide critical standalone functionality and greatly increase access to Images Incorporated's compression and zooming capabilities. For example, users can "cut" an image segment, and perform resolution enhancement with one simple command. The segment is enhanced and automatically restored to the original format. Similarly, users can compress images or image segments in any supported format without the pre-conversion required by most other compression products. This integrated design enables the synergistic use of Images Incorporated's features and greatly increases its utility and overall usability. A "clip-art library" of 250 high quality (640x400x24 bit) compressed color images produced by Iterated Systems is also included. These images represent 192 MB of uncompressed high-resolution color image data on just three floppy disks. These images can be decompressed into any supported format and included in desktop publishing or desktop presentation applications. System Requirements Images Incorporated requires an 80386SX or higher processor with 4MB or RAM. The PC should be equipped DOS 4.01 or higher and Windows 3.X, with VGA (SuperVGA strongly recommended) or any Windows supported higher resolution card. The product requires approximately 4 MB of fixed storage for the program and clip art, and 5 MB free hard disk space for a Windows permanent swap file. -------------------------------------------------------- Chicago, Illinois (April 6, 1992) -- Iterated Systems today announced two new developer systems, P.OEM Fractal Transform Compressor Developer's Kit and P.OEM Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement Developer's Kit. P.OEM Fractal Transform Compressor Dr. Michael Barnsley, Chairman of Iterated, who made the announcement. stated "developers have included fractal decompression in their applications for several years. but compression was always expensive. Now developers can offer compression and decompression in one affordable package, which will dramatically increase the penetration of fractal compression in imaging applications." The P.OEM Fractal Transform Compressor Developer's Kit contains OBJ and DLL modules for the integration of software-based fractal compression into DOS and Windows application programs. The kit is targeted at developers of imaging applications such as desktop publishing, image data base and multimedia. Like Iterated's hardware products, the new software compressor is based on the revolutionary Fractal Transform discovered by Michael Barnsley in 1988. Though slower, the software-based compression comes close to matching the ultra-high compression ratios and outstanding image quality produced by Iterated Systems' hardware-based compression. The compressed images also share the unique fractal advantages of resolution independence and software only, real time decompression. Tom Gilkey, of Pegasus Imaging Corporation, developer of a fractal image database, agrees that inexpensive fractal compression will greatly expand Iterated's market reach. "Everyone familiar with compression knows that fractals are the best technology", Gilkey said. "But many customers couldn't afford the hardware solution. Now fractal compression can be incorporated into virtually any imaging application, providing greater access to a broader range of customers. This will definitely increase the use of fractal compression." P.OEM Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement Michael Barnsley described the new technology. "Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement provides truly lossless increased resolution. Additional detail and image quality is generated by the fractal process while the original image data is accurately preserved. The result is unparalleled resolution enhancement, making this technology a natural for all applications that edit, manage or manipulate images." (see enclosed photograph). Alice Peters, from Jones and Bartlett Publishers, an Iterated Systems OEM and reseller, agrees. "The constant challenge in publishing is to match image resolution to output device, which typically requires 'stretching' images to match Output resolutions. This invariably introduces pixelation or other distortion. By contrast, Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement produces remarkably clear images even at high magnification levels. The P.OEM Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement Developer's Kit contains OBJ and DLL modules for the integration of resolution enhancement into DOS and Windows application programs. The kit is targeted at developers of applications for the desktop publishing, color printing and high resolution display market. Both developer's kits will be available from Iterated Systems on April 30. Pricing and royalty schedules were not established at the time of this printing. -------------------------------------------------------- Chicago, Illinois, (April 6, 1992) -- Iterated Systems, Inc. today announced a major new application for its breakthrough Fractal Transform technology, lossless resolution enhancement. "Lossless resolution enhancement of images will be key as images are increasingly used in digital format," said Dr. Michael Barnsley, Chairman of Iterated Systems and discoverer of the Fractal Transform. The Fractal Transform offers image users the same resolution independent approach to storage, display and printing as Adobe's Postscript has offered to text and comparatively simple graphics." The technique builds losslessly from the original image maintaining texture and crisp edges through fractal prediction. The result is unparalleled resolution enhancement. "Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement is like the Hippocratic oath of imaging - we promise only to help, not to harm", quipped Barnsley, referring to the fact that the original image data is fully preserved. Alice Peters, from Jones & Bartlett Publishers commented "The constant challenge in publishing is to match image resolution to output device, which typically requires 'stretching' images to match output resolutions. This invariably introduces pixelation or other distortion. By contrast, the Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement technique produces remarkably clear images even at high magnification levels". This unique technology is available immediately to end users within Images Incorporated, an image management system for the desktop publishing market. A Fractal Transform Resolution Enhancement developer's kit is also available. Both products are available from Iterated Systems. Iterated Systems is also in negotiation with a number of hardware OEM's to license this breakthrough. Iterated Systems, Inc. a privately held company headquartered in Norcross, GA, provides revolutionary fractal image compression products that enable computers to handle pictures in a resolution independent manner at ultra-high compression ratios. The company is committed to fundamental mathematical research to establish and advance the Fractal Image Format. -------------------------------------------------------- Stop Press -- Tuesday April 21,1992 11:00 a.m. U.S. Government invests $2,000,000 in Fractal Chip The U.S. Commerce Department announced today that it plans to invest $2,000,000 in Iterated Systems, Inc., for the development of a Fractal Image Decompression Chip. The funding comes from the Advanced Technology Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce Technology Administration, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The name of the funded project is Eligh Fidelity Digital Image Compression. The description of the project is as follows: In communication, a picture can be worth far more than a thousand words, but to represent a detailed image in a digital format requires huge amounts of data storage. One full-color television-screen, for example, requires nearly a million bytes of storage. At normal display rates, a 150 megabyte disk could hold only about 5 seconds worth of video. Highly detailed images such as might be used in medicine could require as much as 4 megabytes each. Fast, efficient, and cheap methods of compressing and decompressing digital images are essential to the communication technologies of the near future high definition TV, multimedia computer systems, receiving still and video images by telephone, and the like. Iterated Systems, Inc. proposes to develop a prototype of a low-cost computer chip to decompress digital images fast enough to keep up with the frame rate of television - an important feature for inexpensive video applications. The planned chip will use a fractal image compression technology pioneered by Iterated Systems. Unlike most image compression schemes, fractal transform compression gives high compression ratios with little loss of detail, yet allows the image to be decompressed to any resolution without additional processing. -------------------------------------------------------- March 31, 1992 -- Norcross, Georgia. Iterated Systems today announced that it has licensed its fractal compression technology to Amaze, Inc. Under the non-exclusive agreement, Amaze will utilize Iterated's technology in the PC, Windows and Macintosh versions of their best selling product, The Far Side Computer Calendar. Iterated President Michael Barnsley, who announced the agreement, quipped "We hoped for significant penetration in 1992, but never thought fractals would reach the "Far Side" of the market. In all seriousness, we're delighted to work with Amaze, and to become associated with their market leading product." Introduced in October, 1991, the Far Side Computer Calendar combines a fully functional appointment calendar and the Gary Larson's unique menagerie of intellectual carnivores, philosophical insects, bespectacled scientists and nerd kids. Leveraging the phenomenal success of Larson's cartoon's and desk calendars, the Far Side Computer Calendar quickly became a best seller. Available in Windows, DOS and Macintosh versions, the Far Side Computer Calendar is engineered in two modules, a perpetual calendar engine and one year supply of Far Side cartoons. This allows owners to update their calendars with "graphical refills," and preserve the underlying appointment and contact data. According to Dan Elenbaas, president and co-founder of Amaze, "A one year supply of Far Side cartoons is a lot of images, making compression a natural. After reviewing our options, we found that fractal technology provides the highest usable compression on the market and that its unique scalability produces great looking high resolution images. Overall, fractal compression helps us deliver a better product to our customers." In a related story, Iterated also announced QuickTime compatible still image fractal decompression for the Macintosh, scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 1992. "We promised our developers Macintosh technology by mid-1992, and we're delivering," Barnsley continued. "It's an obvious move, given the Mac's strategic importance in desktop publishing and multimedia, two key target markets, and imaging applications in general." Bill Caffery, Gartner Group Vice President, agreed. "Additional application support for fractal technology is important," Caffery commented. "But what's really significant about this announcement is the Macintosh support. Iterated is obviously committed to the development work necessary to dominate the image compression market. This agreement, in conjunction with the recent Microsoft agreement. signals to us the beginning of the commercial acceptance of fractal compression approach." Caffery was referring to the January agreement between Iterated and the Microsoft Multimedia Publishing Group, where the CD-ROM publishing division of Microsoft licensed Iterated's fractal compression for use in upcoming CD-ROM titles. The Microsoft agreement has been touted by industry analysts as a milestone technical validation of the fractal approach. Iterated Systems, a privately held company headquartered in Norcross, Ga., provides revolutionary fractal image compression products that enable computers to handle pictures in a resolution independent manner at ultra-high compression ratios. The company is committed to fundamental mathematical research to establish and advance fractal image technology for implementation in a wide variety of applications. The company's products are based on the "Fractal Transform" discovered by co-founder and co-president Dr. Michael Barnsley. Amaze, Inc, is located in Kirkland, Washington and is a leading developer in content software publishing. In September 1991, Amaze released the Far Side Computer Calendar, a multi-functional calendar the combines functionality with the magically animated cartoons of Gary Larson. By December 1991, the Far Side Calendar had become the first fully-functional daily planner available on the DOS, Macintosh and Windows operating systems; and the best-selling software in the business application category. In March 1992, Amaze announced the Random House Word-A-Day Daily Planner, a computerized personal organizer that makes a daily test out of vocabulary expertise. In developing its software, Amaze focuses on fun and functionality, and will continue this focus as it expands its line of theme-based computer calendars. -------------------------------------------------------- Jan 30, 1992 -- Norcross, Georgia. Iterated Systems today announced that it has licensed its fractal compression technology to Microsoft's Multimedia Publishing Group. Under the non-exclusive agreement, Microsoft's Multimedia Publishing Group will utilize Iterated's still image fractal compression in their multimedia products. Iterated Co-President Michael Barnsley, who announced the agreement, commented "The multimedia market is one of the key targets for our still image technology. We're delighted to have Microsoft as our first major partner." Greg Riker, Microsoft Multimedia Publishing Group Director of Product Development, stated "The image content of several planned titles made compression a requirement. Obviously, software-only decompression was key. After reviewing all of our compression options, we selected fractal technology as the best overall mix of compression, image quality and speed." "Fractal technology offers the highest usable compression on the market," he continued. "We can include more images and deliver a better product. Fractal images decompress very quickly, without the decompression lag noticeable with other technologies. Finally, fractal images just look better than images compressed with other methods. They're softer and more pleasing to the eye." Under development since 1987, fractal technology only recently surfaced as a bona fide player in image compression. The Microsoft agreement is the first announced multimedia implementation of fractal compression, and could catapult Iterated from "dark horse" into a leadership role in the nascent multimedia market. Bill Caffery, Vice President of Advanced Technologies at consultant Gartner Group, clearly thinks so. Caffery commented "This is a breakthrough agreement in the commercial acceptance of fractal technology, potentially ushering in the multimedia era at a increasing rate. Multimedia is unquestionably an arena where the unrivaled superiority of fractal decompression is a boon to end users or consumers, and therefore developers and publishers. This deal is a net win for everyone, vendors, end users. developers, publishers and of course, Iterated Systems." Iterated Systems, a privately held company headquartered in Norcross, Ga., provides revolutionary fractal image compression products that enable computers to handle pictures in a resolution independent manner at ultra-high compression ratios. The company is committed to fundamental mathematical research to establish and advance fractal image technology for implementation in a wide variety of applications. The company's products are based on the "Fractal Transform" discovered by Dr. Michael Barnsley. -------------------------------------------------------- Iterated Systems, Inc. 5550-A Peachtree Parkway Norcross GA 30092 (404) 840-0310 FAX (404) 840-0806 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | From the America Online New Product Information Services | +===============================================================+ | This information was processed with OmniPage Professional OCR | | software (from Caere Corp) & a Canon IX-30 scanner from data | | provided by the above mentioned company. For additional info, | | contact the company at the address or phone# indicated above. | | All submissions for this service should be addressed to | | BAKER ENTERPRISES, 20 Ferro Drive, Sewell, NJ 08080 U.S.A. | +---------------------------------------------------------------+