Panasonic Launches Compact Mixed-Media Front Office Scanners; Under $1100* Units Offer Unparalleled Combination of Advanced Features and Speed

KV-S1025C/1020C Highlights:

-- Innovative Double-Exposure(1) technology automatically scans both sides of ID cards and documents and saves them as a single-page file.

-- Multiple hard-ID card scanning is ideal for quickly capturing identification information from driver's licenses, insurance cards, credit cards, etc.

-- Automatic scanning of mixed batches of plastic ID cards and paper documents of widely differing sizes and thicknesses.

-- Compact size and weight (12.5"Wx7.6"Dx6.8H; 8.8 lbs.) is ideal for limited-space front-office environments such as registration counters.

-- Unique multi-color dropout capability enables elimination of up to three distinct colors and color ranges for enhanced OCR recognition.

-- MultiStream(R) technology for speeds of up to 104 images per minute(2).

-- Double-Feed-Prevention Long-Life Roller System minimizes missed scans.

-- Automatically activated operation upon document loading.

-- Auto Color/Monochrome Distinction eliminates need for pre-sorting batches.

-- Dual three-line color CCD sensors(3) with fluorescent lamp and replaceable CCD lenses designed to eliminate most costly repairs and downtown from staple scratches or other abrasions.

-- Onboard image optimization and enhancement via a highly integrated Application Specific Integrated Circuit.

-- Base price includes scanner, ISIS-certified driver, TWAIN-compliant driver, Panasonic's RTIV document capture and User Utility programs, ABBYY's FineReader 7 Professional OCR application and USB 2.0 cable.

Panasonic Digital Document Company (PDDC), unit of PanasonicCorporation of North America, today announced the release of twolow-cost, industrial-strength color scanners designed to streamlinefront office workflow, particularly in applications requiring identitydata collection in accordance with HIPAA, Patriot Act, Check 21 andsimilar regulations.

The $1049* KV-S1025C Color Duplex Workgroup Scanner featuresPanasonic's exclusive "Double-Exposure" technology for automaticallyscanning and combining the content of both sides of an ID card ordocument into a single electronic image, single-pass color, grayscaleand binary scanning speeds to 52ipm(4), powerful multi-color dropoutcapability for automatically removing up to three colors or colorranges from a document during scanning, and advanceddouble-feed-prevention paper-handling.

"The KV-S1025C and the $949* non-duplex KV-S1020C were designedfor front-office, decentralized scanning environments such as those inhealthcare, pharmacy, transportation, insurance and financialservices," said Gary Bailer, PDDC product manager for scanners. "Suchapplications require that data be captured at its point of entry froma wide variety of media including hard ID cards and traditional papermedia including NCR forms, onion-skin paper, plain paper and specialtylong forms, such as EKG's."

InfoTrends Consultant Jon Franke and Document Imaging ReportEditor and Publisher Ralph Gammon agree.

"The Panasonic KV-S1025C scanner is ideally suited for anyapplication with two-sided and/or color-coded forms or cardsrequirements," Franke said. "The KV-S1025C and KV-S1020C's multi-colordropout capabilities and low price make them very attractive solutionsfor a number of imaging-intensive industries."

"Panasonic has zigged in a market filled with zaggers," Gammoncommented. "The KV-S1025C features some innovative technology. Thismodel should help establish Panasonic as a force in the workgroupscanner segment."

Engineered for a post-9/11 world

Bailer noted that post-9/11 compliance regulations such as PatriotAct, HIPAA and Sarbanes Oxley "require businesses to look at documentdata in a new way. Being able to capture data from paper documents aswell as hard ID cards gives organizations a tool to dramaticallyimprove their overall business-process management.

"For example, in the healthcare industry, a patient is required toprovide a variety of ID cards and paper documents. These may include adriver's license, a primary insurance card, a secondary insurancecard, a patient information form, a HIPAA release form, a consent fortreatment form, an authorization for release of medical informationform, etc. Unlike the KV-S1025C and S1020C, competing scanners are notspecifically designed to handle a mixed batch of a flat and embossedID card, and paper documents - all with varying sizes, thicknesses andtexture."

Bailer also noted that traditional duplex scanners output eachside of an ID card, check or other document as two separate pageswithout any correlation data associating the pages with each other.

"Having to manually link data from the front and back sides of atwo-sided document creates a tremendous gap in the automated workflowprocess," Bailer said. "Panasonic's KV-S1025C is the world's firstworkgroup document scanner to close this gap.

"With its Double Exposure feature enabled, the KV-S1025C can scantwo-sided color, grayscale, or monochrome documents in a single passand output the two pages into a single TIFF, PDF, JPEG or bitmap imagein either vertical or horizontal orientation."

The right scanners at the right time for the right market

The marketing experts, industry analysts, and deploymentstatistics all confirm that workgroup scanners comprise the fastestgrowing segment of the scanner market with, according to InfoTrends,an industry-leading 80 percent growth in shipments from 2004 to 2005.

Looking into the future, John Franke expects "the segment tocontinue its strong growth thanks to trends such as the rise ofdistributed scanning and ongoing compliance initiatives."

According to Raimund Wasner, Managing Director of the RheinnerGroup, a leader in document systems education and consulting services,"the KV-S1025C is such a radical departure from the norm in documentscanner design that it is a literal breakthrough. Rather than fillinga device with generic features that the customer has to supply theimagination to customize and implement, the KV-S1025C is actuallydesigned with features specifically tailored for several industriesand has the out of the box features they want.

"It's hard to imagine a bank, or insurance company, medicalpractice, car rental agency or government agency (just to name a few)without hundreds of these," Wasner said.

"At Panasonic, we design new models based upon input from ourcustomers and the market, not our own preconceived ideas," Bailersaid. "What we've heard recently is a growing demand for a compact,high-speed, high-efficiency, cost-effective workgroup scanner thatempowers streamlined front office data collection and digitalizationprocesses. The KV-S1025C and KV-S1020C are our answer to that demand."

Upgraded imaging, enhanced OCR accuracy, smaller file sizes

Dual three-line CCD wide-range-focusing image sensors(3) combinewith a long-life, high-performance fluorescent lamp, on-board imageenhancement, and smooth-background technology to produce images ofexceptional clarity and fidelity. Panasonic's innovative Vertical LineReduction Tool automatically eliminates artifacts from most lensscratches from finished scans.

In addition to a maximum 600dpi optical resolution, both newscanners incorporate Panasonic's unique multi-color dropout technologyto enhance optical character recognition accuracy and shrink filesizes.

"While many other scanners can drop out a red, a green or a bluecolor; only Panasonic scanners can eliminate up to three differentcolors of any hue or three ranges of colors including graduatedcolors," Bailer said. "Dropping unnecessary colors such as shadedcolor boxes in pre-printed forms, color watermarks, and color-codedrouting in hospital patient records dramatically improves OCRrecognition and significantly reduces data storage forforms-processing applications."

Panasonic's on-board Dynamic Threshold functionality automaticallycompensates for background density to ensure maximum image clarity andOCR recognition.

Console speed, desktop footprint, user friendly

The KV-S1025C and KV-S1020C have more than enough raw speed tomatch the sophistication of their features. The former offerssingle-pass color, grayscale and binary duplex-scanning rates of up to52 images per minute(4) and the non-duplex KV-S1020C offerssingle-sided scanning at up to 26ppm(4). Multistream(TM) technology toautomatically generate and save both black-and-white and color imagesfrom a single scan effectively doubles speeds when both a monochromeimage for OCR and color image for on-screen retrieval filing arerequired.

The latest additions to Panasonic's award-winning scanner line,the KV-S1025C and KV-S1020C were designed for space-challengedenvironments. Compact yet powerful, they can be positioned onregistration counters and desktops. A removable stand allows them tofit in locations - such as under a shelf or window frame - "offlimits" to competing scanners.

Productivity-enhancing features include a double-feed-preventionroller system that virtually eliminates missing scanned pages causedby feeding more than one page at a time, long-scanning mode fordocuments up to 100-inches - such as EKG's, automatic blank-pageremoval, and long-life, easy-swap rollers.

Contributing to operator efficiency, the units can handle mixedbatches of flat and embossed cards and it can even scan multiple hardID cards. It also features an automatic application launcher triggeredby a single button push or insertion of a document.

Meeting standards and exceeding expectations

Panasonic's policy of supporting open-market standards is evidentin both new Workgroup Scanners. Both ship with industry-standard ISIScertified (AIIM MS161S) and TWAIN-compliant drivers, are certified byKofax for VRS compatibility and incorporate a high-speed USB 2.0interface capable of up to 480Mbps transfer rate.

The units offer an auto-erasure feature that securely eliminatesimage data after the data has been transmitted. They also comply withISO standard 7810 ID-1 for ID cards, ISO 9001 Quality ManagementSystem manufacturing standards, ENERGYSTAR(TM) guidelines for energyefficiency and offer many Section 508 C. accessibility features.

Manufactured in Japan, they meet GSA "of origin" requirements,comply with the latest RoHS guidelines for reduction of hazardoussubstances and are backed by Panasonic's Limited One-Year AdvanceExchange Warranty. Extended 2nd and 3rd year Limited Advance Exchangeand Depot Warranty plans are also available.

Panasonic offers a full line of color scanners that support avariety of application environments. The company has a solid workingrelationship with a number of service providers and softwaredevelopers, many of whom use color document scanners in theirapplications. Panasonic is the brand of choice for many of theseproviders, who rely on the dependability of these scanners in meetingtheir clients' requirements.

ABOUT PANASONIC

In the United States, Panasonic Digital Document Company, a unitof Panasonic Corporation of North America, markets a broad line ofdigital imaging systems, computer peripherals and office systemproducts designed specifically for business use. Products availableinclude fax and Internet fax machines, digital copiers, networkmultifunction devices, document management systems, scanners,electronic whiteboards, color and monochrome laser printers and impactprinters. Headquartered in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation ofNorth America is the principal North American subsidiary of MatsushitaElectric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC) of Osaka, Japan. For moreinformation, visit http://www.panasonic.com/office.

All brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks oftheir respective companies.

EDITOR'S NOTE

End users may obtain sales information by visitinghttp://www.panasonic.com/office or by contacting Panasonic at1-800-742-8086 or 201-348-7000. Please do not publish the editorialcontact telephone number. If you wish to review this or any otherPanasonic document-imaging product, please contact Jeff Ayers at 516609 9500 or Janet Rodgers at 201 392 6075.

Product images can be downloaded from Panasonic's extranet site atb2b.Panasonic.com. Username: images, Password: images. Select ImageGallery from the dropdown menu, select a Product Category, choose theappropriate image file.

*Manufacturer's suggested retail price. Resellers must decide forthemselves the prices at which our products are actually advertisedand sold.

(1) Model KV-S1025C only

(2) Model KV-S1025C, 104ipm; Model KV-S1020C, 52ppm

(3) Single sensor in Model KV-S1020C

(4) Based on letter-size documents at 200dpi