LAS VEGAS, Nov. 18, 2002 — Last night during his keynote address at COMDEX Fall 2002, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates was joined on stage by Kinko’s Inc. President and CEO Gary Kusin as the two companies unveiled plans to deliver a
“File, Print…Kinko’s” service. The new service will be built with Microsoft® .NET and will use XML-based Web services to enable customers to conveniently print directly from Microsoft Office to any U.S. Kinko’s®
location.
“Kinko’s is so excited to work with Microsoft to deliver the ‘File, Print…Kinko’s’ capability, a service that will act like a virtual printer cable connecting your PC to Kinko’s network of more than 1,100 locations,”
said Dan Connors, senior vice president of corporate strategy at Kinko’s.
“Making technology accessible and easy is part of Kinko’s corporate DNA. Thanks to the Web services capabilities of Microsoft .NET, Kinko’s will be able to deliver exceptional convenience and functionality for customers in need of outsourced printing services.”
Microsoft .NET software connects information, people, systems and devices. Built fundamentally around the standards-based interoperability of XML Web services, Microsoft .NET enables customers to communicate and connect across different systems and technology platforms. With Web services, companies can connect and integrate not only their internal systems, but can extend those systems and services to customers and partners in easy and compelling ways that help expand their business, such as the planned
“File, Print…Kinko’s”
capabilities for Kinko’s.
“Businesses are increasingly recognizing technology as a strategic asset and a key driver for delivering customer value,”
said Eric Rudder, senior vice president of Developer and Platform Evangelism at Microsoft.
“With Web services and Microsoft .NET, Kinko’s is able to quickly and easily extend its core business services to create closer connections to customers and deeper integration with its business partners.”
Unlike printing to a standard office or home printer,
“File, Print…Kinko’s” will work from Office- and Windows®
-based PCs with any Internet connection to help users find the most convenient Kinko’s location, select options such as stapling and binding, and incorporate payment and delivery methods — directly from a familiar print dialog box. For example, a business traveler using
“File, Print…Kinko’s” from a hotel room could print a presentation to a Kinko’s in another city, get a notification from .NET Alerts when it is done, and have it delivered to the client, all conveniently from PowerPoint®
or another Office application.
The new solution will use multiple Microsoft technologies with native support for Web services to rapidly develop and deploy as well as manage the
“File, Print…Kinko’s” service, including an add-in to Office that will enable smart-client integration with Kinko’s Windows Server-based Web services infrastructure. Microsoft technologies contributing to this solution will include Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET and the .NET Framework, .NET Alerts and MapPoint®
.NET.
Rollout of the service in the United States is expected in mid-2003.
About Kinko’s
Kinko’s is the world’s leading provider of document solutions and business services. Its global network of more than 20,000 team members and 1,100 digitally connected locations offers access to technology for color printing, finishing and presentations services, Internet access, videoconferencing, outsourcing, facilities management, Web-based printing, and document management solutions. Dallas-based Kinko’s is a privately held corporation with locations in nine countries. More information is available at http://www.kinkos.com/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, Windows, PowerPoint, Visual Studio and MapPoint are either a registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Kinko’s products, services and hours vary by location.
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