AOL, Kodak launch digital photo service

Eastman Kodak Co. and America Online Inc. have joined forces to offer the digital experience at a glossier price.A new service will allow people dropping their film off at the photofinishers the option of having electronic copies of their pictures e-mailed to their AOL account. From those accounts, consumers can arrange photos in online albums, send them as e-mail to friends and family, or order reprints and enlargements. The e-picture service - You_ve Got Pictures - will cost AOL subscribers $5.95 per roll of film. It is being tested in Rochester and a few other cities this month. Subscribers need only to check the "You_ve Got Pictures" box on the traditional photofinishing order envelopes, enter their AOL screen names and let Kodak and AOL do the rest. The service represents a crucial building block in Kodak_s quest for a winning business model in the era of digital photography. Digital cameras cost roughly twice as much as conventional cameras producing photos of comparable quality. By aligning with AOL, Kodak gets access to a potential audience of 20 million online consumers. AOL is seeking to broaden its service with offerings that keep subscribers online longer and buying more. If testing goes smoothly, national rollout is set for fall.