ASF's Digital ICE to be Integrated Into Pacific Image's Film Scanners Digital ROC and Digital SHO Plug-Ins Will Also be Distributed With All Scanners

COLOGNE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2002--ASF: Pacific Image Electronics (P.I.E.) and Applied Science Fiction, Inc. (ASF(TM)) announce an agreement to integrate Digital ICE(TM) technology into P.I.E. film scanners, and to distribute trial versions of ASF's Digital ROC(TM) and Digital SHO(TM) plug-ins in P.I.E. scanners and scanners manufactured for third parties.

P.I.E. has emerged as a leading innovator in scanners in two short years, and Applied Science Fiction is the creator of the award-winning Digital ICE and Digital ICE3(TM)technologies, the leader of automatic photo restoration applications and the inventor of the Digital PIC(TM)cutting-edge digital dry film processing system.

"Our company has firmly positioned itself in the film scanner arena in a very short amount of time," said Johnny Kao, Chairman, Pacific Image Electronics. "We recognize that our relationship with ASF will foster continued growth by providing these popular image correction applications with our equipment. Our valued customers for whom we manufacture film scanners will also enhance the value of their branded film scanners by distributing the Digital ROC and Digital SHO plug-ins."

"The integration of our industry-leading Digital ICE technology into Pacific Image's line of film scanners will certainly provide additional traction to their rapidly growing market share," said Dan Sullivan, president and CEO of Applied Science Fiction. "Plus the distribution of our plug-ins with Pacific Image's manufactured film scanners will allow more consumers to benefit from our technologies which allow them to restore and enhance their images. As our relationship expands it will include other ASF technologies further making automatic image correction and enhancement easily accessible to the consumer and professional alike."

Digital ICE Technology

The award-winning Digital ICE technology automatically removes surface defects such as dust and scratches from a scanned image. Digital ICE differentiates itself from software-only solutions because it does not soften, blur or otherwise alter any underlying details or composition of the original image. Instead, ASF's patented Digital ICE technology works from within the scanner during the scanning process to provide the user with a clear, authentic base image that improves the original image. The user does not need to learn or install any additional software to make the Digital ICE solution work.

Digital ROC Plug-in

ASF's Digital ROC plug-in automatically restores the color quality of digital images regardless of the condition of the original. The application analyzes color gradients to remove color cast including tungsten and fluorescent light effects and determines the optimum tone curve for each color channel. Digital ROC plug-in works on any image digitized by a digital camera, flatbed scanner, film scanner or pictures stored on CD. Digital ROC plug-in is compatible with most host applications which accept Adobe® Photoshop® plug-ins and is available for both Windows® and Macintosh®.

Digital SHO Plug-in

ASF's Digital SHO(TM) plug-in automatically adjusts the light-levels of darker and light image areas to optimally reveal details. Typically, details in some portions of an image are sacrificed to provide adequate exposure in other areas. Examples of these exposure problems are common, such as pictures in which the subject is backlit, and flash photography pictures. Digital SHO's proprietary algorithms present the user an overall pleasing image at the touch of a button. Digital ROC plug-in is compatible with most host applications which accept Adobe® Photoshop® plug-ins and is available for both Windows® and Macintosh®.

About Pacific Image Electronics

Pacific Image Electronics was founded in September 1993. Through the ingenuity and dedication of our experienced engineers, Pacific Image has emerged as a leading innovator in film scanners in two short years. Pacific Image is the market share leader for film scanners designed for the consumer market (83.5% based on units sold, PC Data, August 2001). Our mission is to develop, manufacture, market, and sell innovative desktop color imaging peripheral products that would consistently break price/performance barriers and provide all levels of users with practical and affordable desktop imaging productivity tools. From entry-level flatbed scanners, high-end professional quality slide and film scanners, Pacific Image's products satisfy the needs of users ranging from novices to graphics, desktop publishing and even medical professionals. Pacific Image is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. For more information, visit http://www.scanace.com.

About Applied Science Fiction

Applied Science Fiction develops proprietary technologies for the imaging industry that link traditional photography with the digital age. ASF licenses its branded technologies through Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that provide products for the professional and consumer imaging markets. Additionally, ASF directly distributes Adobe® Photoshop® compatible plug-ins for automatic image correction and enhancement.

ASF's product portfolio consists of the Digital ICE3 film scanner suite, Digital ICE, Digital ROC and Digital GEM(TM), the individual components of the suite, Digital ICE and Digital ROC for flatbed scanners, Digital ROC plug-in for color restoration and Digital SHO plug-in for revealing details of dark image-areas. ASF is also the innovator in digital dry film processing, with its environmentally friendly Digital PIC technology. Digital PIC develops exposed film directly into a high-resolution RGB digital format file in minutes. Digital PIC produces a DigiPIX(TM) CD that contains the image files from which photographic quality images can be easily printed and distributed electronically. More information can be found on ASF's Web site at www.asf.com.

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