After several months of private beta-testing, PicScout's ad-supported image application is open to the public. While still officially in beta, PicApp now offers bloggers and publishers access to free editorial and creative imagery.
Pro-Imaging, a Abergavenny-based professional photographer organization with a global membership base, has issued a protest against One NorthEast, the U.K. Regional Development Agency for the Northeast of England and part of the U.K. Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Pro-Imaging is challenging the terms of entry to One NorthEast's Student Challenge 2008, which invites submissions of creative ideas with a regional theme.
Within days of each other, two U.S. government agencies issued decisions in ongoing proceedings concerning Getty Images. On March 13, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission closed its 16-month inquiry into Getty Images' equity compensation grant practices. On March 18, the Federal Trade Commission cleared the way for the company to go private. Despite the good news, Getty still has to contend with several lawsuits.
The World Intellectual Property Organization continues to labor over the updates needed to international laws, which have been greatly affected by technological developments. Though the March session of WIPO's copyright committee reported little progress, issues like orphan works are beginning to make it onto the global IP agenda.
X-Rite, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based color-management company that recently acquired Pantone, has introduced the ColorMunki product brand. Targeting the professional photography and design communities, the products ensure accurate color from inspiration to final output.
iStockphoto is extending a year-old program that makes low-resolution images freely available to Microsoft Office users. Due to the success of the pilot, the two companies plan to increase the number of available images and expand the program to new languages and countries.