PANTONE HUEY IMPROVES COLOUR

Family of Monitor Colour Correction Tools Delivers Accurate Digital Images, Intensifies Online Gaming, Enhances e-Commerce and Web Experiences

Pantone, Inc., the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries, today announced the availability of huey, an easy-to-use monitor calibration tool designed for digital photo enthusiasts, gamers and any computer user wanting absolute colour and clarity.

Developed in partnership with GretagMacbeth and brought to market by Pantone, huey is based on GretagMacbeth’s technology for professional-level products and delivered in an easy-to-use, affordable device – a true breakthrough in terms of form, function and usability. About the size of a small marker pen, huey delivers excellent results on LCD, laptop and CRT displays without requiring users to have any knowledge of colour management. In addition, huey is the first monitor calibration device to continually adjust the monitor as room lighting changes.

"The convergence of publishing, the Internet and entertainment has led to a generation of computer users whose primary media is the computer screen," explains Helmut Eifert, vice president of Pantone Europe. "This has big implications in terms of colour. In printed media, colour can be carefully controlled during the printing process to ensure the viewer sees the intended colour. Different monitors, on the other hand, interpret colour differently, leaving a big question mark in terms of colour accuracy. With huey, wondering if your colour is right is a thing of the past."

"huey breaks new ground in terms of size, performance and ease-of-use," adds Iris Mangelschots, vice president and general manager of digital imaging at GretagMacbeth. "We’ve been able to leverage the technology used in our professional products, package it in a very affordable and convenient form factor and combine it with new software designed specifically for the non-technical user. Our partnership with Pantone and their ability to reach consumers is important to the success of huey. "

huey

huey is the newest gadget for any consumer or photo hobbyist looking for absolute colour and clarity. huey is distinctly different from professional monitor calibration tools on the market that require a basic understanding of colour management to operate. Plus, it is the only device that continually adapts a monitor for changing room lighting.

In less than five minutes, huey can calibrate a user’s monitor and adjust it based on their primary viewing activity – viewing photos, playing games, creating graphics or browsing the Web. With an affordable £59 (ex VAT) price tag, huey delivers accurate onscreen colour, a crucial component for anyone who cares about colour fidelity.

"huey may be the coolest tool I’ve seen for achieving colour accuracy. With its portable, sleek design and professional-level technology, it’s a great tool for any digital photography enthusiast who might want to edit or print digital images," said professional photographer and PANTONE Innovator, Jon Canfield. "huey makes sure the reds, greens and blues are all true. This is something anyone who uses a monitor will appreciate."

A Complete Family of Monitor Calibration Solutions

As part of its strategic partnership with GretagMacbeth (see separate release), Pantone is bringing two additional monitor calibration tools to market specifically for professionals, Eye-One Display LT and Eye-One Display 2. Eye-One Display LT is designed for creative professionals just getting started with colour management and Eye-One Display 2 lets advanced professionals control every aspect of colour management onscreen.

Eye-One Display LT

Eye-One Display LT features more advanced controls than huey. A software wizard calibrates the monitor to produce consistent, predictable colour in just a few simple steps. Eye-One Display LT can also be used to calibrate multiple monitors connected to a single workstation. It is the ideal entry-point for the price sensitive creative professional and can also easily be upgraded to the capabilities of the Eye-One Display 2 as the user’s needs expand.

Eye-One Display LT includes a profile summary reporting capability that shows target colour temperature, luminance and gamma, and stores all the information in a profile, which is ideal for post profile analysis.

Eye-One Display 2

Eye-One Display 2 includes all the features of Eye-One Display LT and also provides unlimited control and customization capabilities over the gamma and whitepoint settings. Its lightweight, sleek design comes with an ambient light head that easily snaps onto the device, also acting as a dust protector designed to ensure the sensor’s longevity. Eye-One Display 2 creates high-quality ICC profiles for accurate, onscreen soft proofing.

Pricing, Availability and System Requirements

huey, Eye-One Display LT and Eye-One Display 2 are available immediately from Colour Confidence (www.colourconfidence.com / 0800 977 4167) and Pantone’s network of resellers. huey is priced at £59 (ex VAT), Eye-One Display LT is priced at £112 (ex VAT) and Eye-One Display 2 is priced at £165 (ex VAT). Eye-One Display 2 is also available through GretagMacbeth. All of the devices work with LCD, CRT and laptop monitors and are compatible with Mac OSX 10.3 and Windows 2000 and XP.

The Beginning of a Strategic Partnership with GretagMacbeth

huey and the Eye-One Display solutions are the first products from Pantone as a result of its strategic partnership with GretagMacbeth. By combining Pantone’s relationship and understanding of the creative community with GretagMacbeth’s innovative technology, the two companies hope to make colour management more accessible for a wide variety of users, ranging from consumers to professionals.