Lucidiom Newsletter

March 16, 2004 • Issue #5

Spring is coming and great deals are in the air! Paper prices are low and all paper ordered will be SHIPPED FREE via UPS Ground. Click here for the magic prices!

Thank you to all our customers who stopped by our booths at the PMA show in Vegas and the Focus show in the UK. Those who saw the new features coming up in the 2.0 version were quite impressed. Thank you for all the compliments and suggestions about the APM.

APM 2.0 will be released this week! This version has a ton of new features you will love. Click here for the release notes (i.e. exactly what is contained in 2.0).

We release the new APM 2.0 on March 17th! Existing customers will need the 2.0 Update. If you want the update right away (on March 17th) or if your APMs are not connected to the internet, you can download it from lucidiom.com/support and install it yourself on each APM.

An automatic update (using Remote Update) is scheduled for the end of March. You must have the APM connected to the internet to take advantage of the Remote Update feature. If you do not want this update automatically installed at the end of the month, you must send an email to support to opt out.

The APM has a new set of add-on features, available for purchase. Click here for a description of each add-on.

- Photo IQ Suite...$250 (included on APMs purchased after Jan. 1, 2004).
- VIP Event Software...$300.
- Bluetooth Hardware...$100.
- APMAnywhere...$30 paid monthly or $300 paid yearly.
- APMPhotos.com...$1500 + $80 paid monthly or $800 paid yearly.
- Merchant Services...$400.
- Print Station software...$1500.

Lucidiom offers 2 important websites that you should visit. Use your APMNetwork.com password to log on to APMNetwork.com and Lucidiom.com (specifically, the Marketing and Support sections) and experience a whole new world of APM! Need your username & password? Email Support. 1. APMNetwork: Monitor your APM's statistical information www.apmnetwork.com (*statistics available only if your APM connects to the internet) 2. Lucidiom.com: Free marketing materials (posters, decals, advertising materials, monitor frames...for you to customize!) 3. Lucidiom.com: Technical Support site and detailed FAQ, manuals, and instructions 4. Lucidiom.com: Archived newsletters-enjoy them again! 5. Lucidiom.com: Promotions and rebates! (posted periodically)

We posed 5 questions to our friend, Dian Miller, of Techlab Photo Imaging. Techlab has two APM 1000s in each location: Baltimore and Columbia, Maryland.

Q: First, can you describe your lab?
A: We have two locations with the same configuration. Both locations have a Noritsu 3001 and two APM 1000s. Originally, we had a CT-1, but switched to the Lucidiom APM 1000s for the features.

Q: After receiving your APMs, how long was it until your first order?
A: I would say they APMs were up and running in less than 2 hours. Our first order would have been that day. We had an existing digital business and so our customers were already requesting these features.

Q: How are your APMs connected to your Noritsu Labs?
A: The APMs are printing to the Noritsu Labs through the network. We currently use a hot folder interface. However, we are excited about trying the new direct driver for the Noritsu machines in the new version of the APM*. We will lose some flexibility, but the efficiency should be worth it.

Q: Has the APM been more successful, less successful, or as successful as you anticipated?
A: The APM has been as successful as we anticipated. We were very comfortable that our market was ready for this product. We had the CT-1 for a while. The APMs allowed us to add features and ease of use to an already existing customer demand.

Q: What is your favorite feature of the APM?
A: We really like the cropping feature. The Lucidiom product has the most user-friendly system. Also, the Red-Eye and color correction features are nice.

*Note: The APM 2.0 software supports both Nortisu DPOF and NetOrder interfaces.

Click to enlarge.

Techlab has done an excellent job of marketing their APMs. They use large, brightly colored signs and a neat, open display to create two welcoming ordering stations for their customers. Services and features are advertised and prices are clearly displayed. Great job, Techlab! Does your APM setup look great? Want to share tips and photos or volunteer for our next newsletter interview? Email news@lucidiom.com.

Have you recently applied the latest Windows Updates?
Click here for information on how to apply a Windows Update on your APM. (Click "FAQ" for instructions or "Windows Update" for a link to Microsoft's site.) The updates will help keep your APM up-to-date with all the latest operating system fixes and patches that will help keep your APM running at optimal performance.

I have an APM, why do I have to pay extra for the new Photo IQ?
Photo IQ is an advanced upgrade, meaning you have to purchase it. We charge a fee for this feature to cover the per-copy licensing fees we pay for the technologies included in Photo IQ. New APM purchases come standard with Photo IQ because we included it in the price. Photo IQ is well-worth the money. In our pre-release testing, response to the auto red eye has been phenomenal. People are amazed to see all the red eyes gone with the touch of one button. The one-touch color enhancement is equally as excellent; making photos bright and vibrant!