Xerox melds dual-mode scan pack into Win95 desktop
The Pagis Pro 97 package (£200 + VAT) integrates with the Windows 95 or NT desktop and lets users drag and drop scanned highly compressed image files into Windows Explorer, and open them with Microsoft Office applications, fax, e-mail or browser software.
The program scans a document by dividing it into picture objects which can later be manipulated. It dithers images to produce high quality rendering, and uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to convert scanned text into text files. "We didn't add image editing software because we thought it would be redundant ... most scanners bundle it," said Steve Ricketts, Xerox's director for product management software products.
The product is intended to work with flatbed and sheet-fed scanners and will be available in the first quarter of 1997.
Separately, Ricketts commented on OCR rival Caere's acquisition of Recognita: "I don't quite know what they're trying to do. "Maybe they want to move into other languages. It gives them a few of the Eastern European languages." He added that Xerox itself will shortly include a Russian language pack in its OCR packages.
Xerox Imaging Systems can be contacted by telephone on 01734-668421.