The client-server system provides a variety of integrated engines natively processing both PDF and job ticket files. All tasks are integrated with no need for intermediate files and hot- or drop-folders to process complex chains of tasks.

PuzzleFlow modules handle most pre-press tasks: job pre-flighting, page geometry correction, personalization, imposition, tiling, resampling, OPI image downsampling and image resolving, ICC-based color management and separations.

Atex will offer the IWS solution to each of its Atex Enterprise advertising system users worldwide, and incorporate the technology into its new Enterprise 2 system, the next-generation advertising system currently under development. Additionally, because the IWS product can easily operate with any number of database management systems -- including Oracle, IBM, and Microsoft -- in addition to Sybase, Atex will further market IWS to non-Atex system users within the media market.

The Cumulus ZIP AssetProcessor allows users to convert assets cataloged in Cumulus into Zip archives. Using this option, large assets can be easily compressed within Cumulus and later sent via e-mail considerably faster than previously. The ZIP AssetProcessor can also be used in conjunction with Web Publisher, so that e-commerce providers employing Web Publisher can give their visitors the option to download compressed Assets.

The corporate rollout calls for upgrades of the current EdgCapture systems at the VILLAGE VOICE in New York, and the LA WEEKLY and OC WEEKLY in Los Angeles. New system installations are scheduled for SEATTLE WEEKLY, CLEVELAND FREE TIMES, CITY PAGES in Minneapolis and the NASHVILLE SCENE.

Each site will integrate EdgCapture with Mactive's AdBase advertising system to process credit card, debit card and electronic check draft transactions.

Group 1's address data quality, customer matching and geographic and demographic intelligence systems will provide Knight Ridder with verified, enhanced and consolidated information about subscribers and advertisers, enhancing target marketing programs.

In addition to greater subscriber and advertiser intelligence, Group 1's systems will enable Knight Ridder to achieve savings from the United States Postal Service by standardizing addresses, validating postal codes and presorting mailings. The CHARLOTTE (N.C.) OBSERVER (240k) is the first Knight Ridder newspaper implementing Group 1's data quality systems.

The primary AdPower module includes an integrated graphics subsystem, Internet publishing and data warehousing capabilities. York will also be using the AdWebster and Goldmine contact management systems. AdWebster helps customers create their own classified ads when they visit a newspaper's web site.

Ifra said its involvement in this new standard dates from 1999.

Unlike the PDF/X-1 and PDF/X-1a standards -- which address the use of cyan-magenta-yellow-black (CMYK) data only -- PDF/X-3 is designed for color management workflows. PDF/X-3 is a universal data exchange format for output data designed especially for digital advertising and brings the benefits of an international standard to conventional workflows for digital data transfer. With the deployment of PDF/X-3, data can be further processed straightforwardly in color management workflows with Adobe Acrobat and the usual tools being used for separation and exposure.

In cooperation with the German Printing and Media Industries Federation (bvdm) in Germany and the EMPA Research Institute and Ugra Research Association (both of Switzerland), Ifra has financed the development of the freeware utility, PDF/X-3 Inspector.

AdStar's core technology is a classified advertising transaction service that enables newspapers to receive classified ads directly from advertisers, either on-line or through other electronic delivery channels. By adding AdStar's new Rimfire photo service module, newspaper customers can outsource on-line photo services to generate new classified ad revenue. The Rimfire module integrates into a newspaper's network and creates a new revenue stream for the newspaper and a value-added service to the advertiser.

Rimfire is an imaging platform allowing on-line customers to instantly publish media to live web pages. Users can drag-and-drop photos of any size, format and dimension from their hard drives into the system where the user can crop and rotate photos within the browser window before finalizing the ad. Upon submission, Rimfire performs all photo file format conversions, sizing, compression and watermarking and sends the photo data back to AdStar's or the newspaper's database to appear with the on-line and/or print ad seamlessly.

The combined conference will be held June 16-21 in Las Vegas. In coming years, the gathering may be moved earlier in the year, with more venues in the Northeast. NEXPO will be in Washington, D.C., in 2004. Future NEXPOs will be held in conjunction with other NAA conferences as well.

The changes come after several years of static, if not declining, attendance and rising costs. Attendance at NEXPO 2002, held June 21-25 in Orlando, was up 12 percent over last year, the NAA announced.

The NAA also has reported that capital expenditures on newspaper technology continue at the same rate as last year. Total spending for the 196 newspapers responded to an NAA survey is expected to be $476 million, almost the same as 2001's actual $478 million in expenditures. The largest category, new press equipment, will consume $117 million, almost one-quarter of the total. An additional $10.5 million is planned for used press equipment.

Large increases are expected in spending for inserters and collators, waste management, warehouse equipment and pallet handling and roll handling.

NxNews provides newsroom workflow with integrated user management, wire, e-mail, web client, text archiving, staff assignment management and editorial event-calendaring.

The company said the system could be used as a "front-end" to any pagination or web-publishing system, including Net-Linx' own Insiight.

NxNews is live at several newspapers, including several hundred seats at the papers of Associated Newspapers in London -- including the DAILY MAIL, the MAIL ON SUNDAY, the EVENING STANDARD and the new London METRO -- as well as the Marlborough Express in New Zealand and the SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN in the United States.

The company also said that it had entered into an agreement with WoodWing Software of The Netherlands for the distribution and integration of WoodWing's Adobe InDesign and Adobe InCopy plug-ins. Already a WoodWing reseller, Net-Linx will now include several WoodWing plug-ins as standard in its Adobe-based Insiight clients.

Lastly, the company said that it has relocated its offices in the United Kingdom, Michigan and California.

The Michigan office is at 3915 Research Park Drive, Suite A-1, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48108; phone, (734) 677-4700; fax:(734) 677-4747.

The United Kingdom office is at Richmond House, Bath Road, Newbury, RG14 1QY, United Kingdom; phone: {011} 44 (01635) 553047; fax: {011} 44 (01635) 36242.

The California office is at 1740 North Market Blvd., Sacramento, Calif, 95834. The phones remain the same; they are: (916) 929-9481 and main fax: (916) 918-9863.

In order to improve database marketing, the DAILY BREEZE will be able to append external data lists to Household Management through List Matching and cleanse addresses using the Postalsoft components of Circulation Management.

Under a three-year, multinational agreement, Reader's Digest plans to connect numerous sites and staff via the WAM!NET network. Additionally, with WAM!BASE, WAM!NET's digital content archive and distribution system, Reader's Digest will provide its staff with secure, remote access to more than 50 gigabytes of Reader's Digest content.

READER'S DIGEST magazine is produced in 48 editions and 19 languages, and distributed monthly to about 100 million readers in more than 60 countries.

The company also said that Time Inc., the New York City-based publisher of such titles as TIME, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED and ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, has renewed its agreement with WAM!NET under which WAM!NET services connect the company's headquarters with 10 U.S.-based printers and provide secure, remote access to almost one terabyte of digital content used in the creative and production processes. Time Inc. has been a WAM!NET customer since 1997.