Canons New imageRUNNER and imagePROGRAF Devices, imagePRESS Technology and imageWARE Solutions Debut At Leading Industry Event

PHILADELPHIA, May 16, 2006 Raising the curtain on a new era of color, Canon U.S.A, Inc., the nations market share brand leader in black-and-white and color laser printer/copier solutionsi, today will showcase a number of new corporate Color imageRUNNER  models, and large-format imagePROGRAF devices, as well as imagePRESS technology and new imageWARE software solutions at AIIM On Demand (Booth #1624). 

At the show, Canon debuts the Color imageRUNNER C5180 for corporate environments.  In addition, Canon will demonstrate four new large format printers  - the imagePROGRAF iPF9000, Canons first 60-inch large format printer, and the imagePROGRAF iPF700/iPF600/iPF500 - for the graphics arts, corporate and computer-aided design (CAD) markets.  Also, Canon will display the imagePRESS C7000VP and imagePRESS C1 digital press technologies developed to meet the growing digital color demands of the commercial print and graphic arts markets, and imageWARE software solutions, including imageWARE Accounting Manager Version 5.0, imageWARE Enterprise Management Console and imageWARE Remote. 

Canon is uniquely positioned to offer a broad range of solutions, both hardware and software, to fit any organization and help to solve real document handling, management and workflow challenges, said Tod Pike, senior vice president, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc.  Todays announcements further demonstrate Canons commitment to delivering devices, solutions and technologies that help shape our industry and herald in new eras of innovation. 

Highlights of todays announcements include: 

• Color imageRUNNER C5180* Using Canons next-generation color imagePlatform system architecture, imageCHIP (Concurrent Hyper Intelligent Platform), the new Color imageRUNNER C5180 Series brings fast engine and data processing speed and reliable color to office and professional users alike.  The robust imageCHIP system architecture, with its dual CPU design and increased memory capacity (up to 1.5GB RAM and 80GB Hard Drive) from previous imageRUNNER series, helps to simultaneously process documents that are scanned, copied or printed quickly and efficiently.

Based on four-drum technology, the Color imageRUNNER C5180 models, the first of several new Color imageRUNNER models scheduled for launch this year, operate up to 51 pages-per-minute (ppm)ii for both black-and-white and color.  The new Color imageRUNNER C5180 Series, which is available as a Base model that can be expanded to fit ones particular printing or scanning needs or an i model that is configured standard with print and enhanced send features for general office environments, leverages Canons proprietary Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform (MEAP), which enables organizations to tailor their system functions to specific industry or business needs with customized applications.

• imagePROGRAF iPF9000* (60-inches), iPF700* (36-inches)/600 (24-inches)/500 (17-inches) Canon looks to round out its portfolio of large format printers with new imagePROGRAF devices, including the new iPF9000, Canons first 60-inch large format printer, to help meet the needs of the graphic arts professionals.  The iPF700/iPF600/iPF500 large format printers will target users in the corporate and CAD markets.  These products will join the imagePROGRAF iPF5000, introduced earlier this year at the Photo Marketing Association Show, in the most comprehensive line-up of Canon-branded large format printers ever. 

Canons new iPF9000 large format printer will be equipped with a 12-color printing system, featuring Canon LUCIATM pigment inks and the companys proprietary Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) high-precision print head technology.    

• imagePRESS C7000VP*/** and imagePRESS C1*/** The new imagePRESS C7000VP and imagePRESS C1 are poised to revolutionize the commercial print and graphic arts markets.  When available, the imagePRESS C7000VP will print at 70 pages-per-minute (ppm) for letter-sized output in color and black & white, and the imagePRESS C1 will deliver up to 14ppm color and 60ppm black & white, based on letter-sized output. 

Both new imagePRESS devices use Canons new generation color imagePlatform controller, Gloss Optimization technology, finishing capabilities and improved toner to deliver job-to-job, day-to-day, week-to-week color consistency that rivals offset quality printing. 

• imageWARE Accounting Manager Version 5.0, imageWARE Enterprise Management Console and imageWARE Remote The new imageWARE offerings provide users with a centralized, cost effective document management solutions for their imageRUNNER devices.

Canons imageWARE Accounting Manager is an effective cost accounting and recovery solution that tracks all hardcopy document output across the network and automatically calculates the cost per user and/or per device.  The second imageWARE solution introduced today is imageWARE Enterprise Management Console, a Web-based management and monitoring utility that can assist with the discovery, installation and management of printing devices on the network.  Finally, imageWARE Remote is a solution that allows for remote meter reading and service monitoring for device error and service notifications.

Individual press releases on the new Color imageRUNNER, imagePRESS, imagePROGRAF and imageWARE offerings can be found at the Canon U.S.A. Web site (www.usa.canon.com).  All of the new products mentioned above will be on display at the Canon booth (#1624) at the AIIM On Demand Show in Philadelphia, May 16th-18th. 

In addition to its new products, Canon will be showing Canon brand and third-party applications based on Canons MEAP technology.  Companies demonstrating MEAP based applications include Ribstone, eCopy, Pharos and GBCBlue. 

Business Machines Heritage of Canon
From the original laser-based copier and the networking and digitalization of the workplace to todays shift to color documents, Canon has strived to set the standard for digital imaging in departmental, workgroup environments and high-end production applications.  Canon entered the business machines industry in the 1960s, and went on to achieve world-class status for its technological innovations, quality and reliability.  In 1968, Canon introduced the first plain-paper copying machine with a laser.  Canon further improved electrophotography technologies to create the full-color copying machine family the CLC Series in 1983, the first digital copier in 1984 and the award-winning imageRUNNER line in 1999, among other industry milestones. 

According to Gartner Dataquest, Canon has been the overall market brand leader in the U.S. color laser copier market for the past 19 consecutive years and the overall number one brand leader in the black-and-white copier market for 23 out of the last 24 yearsi. 

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is rated #35 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking second overall in the U.S. in 2005, with global revenues of $31.8 billion. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com. 

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* This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission.  This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained. 
** A Product Report required by 21 C.F.R. 1002.10 has not been submitted to the United States Food and Drug Administration for this product.  This product is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until the required report has been submitted. 

 All availability dates, specifications and prices are subject to change without notice.

i  Source Gartner Dataquest Printer Quarterly Statistics United States Database, Camille Iorns February 2006.