Corporate behemoths Microsoft and Eastman Kodak exchanged harsh words Tuesday over the digital photography features that are built into Windows XP, the forthcoming upgrade to Microsoft's ubiquitous operating system. The showdown took place at an event in New York City where Microsoft and 20 companies extolled the features in Windows XP for loading, manipulating, storing and printing digital photos. Kodak, however, sought to grab the spotlight and divert it to some features of XP that it claims limit consumer choice. "We believe that Windows XP restricts consumers' choice when it comes to digital photography applications," Kodak spokesman Anthony Sanzio said in an interview. "We also believe that Microsoft gives its own application preferential treatment...and steers consumers' transactions toward Microsoft's (offerings) or Microsoft-preferred vendors." Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan countered that "Kodak is just not being forthcoming in the truth about the situation." He added that Kodak, which launched an expanded photo service with America Online on Tuesday, would like to limit consumers to its own photography software. "They want their software in Windows (XP) to basically handle everything to do with pictures."