Adobe

News: With a heavy focus on its new Creative Cloud subscriptions lately (currently 60% off), TechHive confirmed with Adobe yesterday that it is cutting off physical, boxed sales of its Creative Suite apps.

As Adobe continues to focus on delivering world-class innovation through Creative Cloud and digital fulfillment, we will be phasing out shrink-wrapped, boxed versions of Creative Suite and Acrobat products.”

Google Shopper version 3.2: Google has updated its Google Shopper app for iOS today with new features including a new category result page, larger product images in a new slideshow mode, as well as “improvements to search locale detection, stability, and performance.”

Calendars by Readdle: Readdle has rebranded its paid Calendars app to “Calendars+” today in order to make room for a brand new free app that takes over the “Calendars by Readdle” name. The new free app features a UI and features similar to Readdle’s previous Calendars app, which the company tells us now has over 500,000 users.

Calendars lets you manage events both online and offline. Thanks to the unique interface you can move events simply with Drag & Drop, navigate quickly between dates, change event time and reminders rapidly with custom keyboards. Calendars supports everything you can find in Google Calendar: appointments, SMS reminders and more. Sync is really fast and your information is always up to date.

Roku version 2.1.2: The app that allows you to control your Roku from your iPhone gets official support for the Roku 3 player today:

• Support for Roku 3 player
• Minor fixes

Snapguide version 1.1.3: New photo editing features, search filters, and more:

– Introducing photo editing features! When creating a guide, you can now rotate and enhance images.
– Easily find guides you have liked. You can now filter liked guides by topics such as Food, Arts and Crafts and more!
– Bug Fixes.

Cubasis version 1.2: A massive update today for Steinberg’s iPad version of Cubase brings a ton of new features and fixes:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe announced updates on Thursday to many of its HTML5 design tools for Creative Cloud users. Among the updates, we get new features for Edge Animate, Dreamweaver, and Edge Code. Adobe is also releasing the first public preview of its Adobe Edge Reflow responsive web design tool. Head below for all the details:

Adobe Edge Reflow: After giving us a look at its new responsive design tool Adobe Edge Reflow in September, Adobe is finally releasing the first public preview free of charge to all Creative Cloud users. Adobe said the tool provides designers with the ability to create responsive layouts and high-fidelity web designs using CSS, a resizable design surface, and real-time previews with Edge Inspect. Users will also be able to extract the CSS for use in Dreamweaver, Edge Code, or another editor. Adobe detailed today’s public release in the video above.

Adobe Edge Animate: Today’s update to Edge Animate brings new features, including: “gradients, CSS filters, and enhanced font support.” Adobe highlighted new CSS capabilities that consist of the ability to style and animate linear and radial gradients, new CSS filters such as blur, greyscale, brightness, contrast, sepia, and saturate filters, and a visual web font selector to add typography and live preview web fonts.

Adobe Dreamweaver: As for Dreamweaver, Adobe has updated the app exclusively for Creative Cloud members to bring integrated access to typography and a new fluid grid layout. The fluid grid layout feature was first introduced in Dreamweaver CS6, but it now includes “class tags in addition to ID tags” and a new editing UI. Users will also be able to preview and select Edge Web Fonts in Dreamweaver.

Adobe Edge Code preview: Adobe also highlighted new features of the latest Adobe Edge Code preview:
Expand
Expanding
Close

.

As noted by ArsTechnica, Adobe just released an unscheduled patch to address two vulnerabilities that could be the source of malware attacks on both OS X and Windows. Apple has also issued a KB urging users to update. According to the advisory posted by Adobe, the attacks targeted Firefox or Safari users on Mac:

Adobe is also aware of reports that CVE-2013-0634 is being exploited in the wild in attacks delivered via malicious Flash (SWF) content hosted on websites that target Flash Player in Firefox or Safari on the Macintosh platform, as well as attacks designed to trick Windows users into opening a Microsoft Word document delivered as an email attachment which contains malicious Flash (SWF) content.

The update is available through Adobe’s website here.

Yesterday, Adobe finally took the wraps off its Retina versions of Photoshop and Illustrator CS6, and now the company is continuing its announcements at the CreateNow event with the introduction of a major update to its Creative Cloud service. To kick things off, Adobe announced new features for Creative Cloud users with perhaps the most notable being “access to over a dozen exclusive new features for Adobe Photoshop.”

On top of the new features, Adobe is also unveiling a new “Creative Cloud for teams” service, showing off new Creative Cloud features of Adobe Muse, as well as launching Creative Cloud Connection to allow “desktop synching and collaborative sharing.” In its press release announcing the features, Adobe also shared some stats for the service that is now home to more than 1 million free and paid members—326,000, of which, are paying members.

Among the new Photoshop features available to Creative Cloud users:

· Immediate support for HiDPI (Retina) displays for Apple MacBook Pro. This feature was also made available to perpetual license customers as a free update.
· Smart Object support for Blur Gallery and Liquify.
· The ability to quickly export CSS code for text and objects, and import color swatches to easily design incredible websites.
· New workflow timesavers including Crop tool refinements.
· 3D enhancements including improved live (OpenGL) previews of shadow effects and additional control over illumination using 32-bit color picker to create glow effects.
· Conditional Actions that automatically select the appropriate Action based on user-defined rules, giving users enhanced image processing speed.

One of the bigger announcements, Creative Cloud for teams, will provide users with same Creative Cloud service plus the following team-oriented features: “easy management of virtual workgroups, 100GB of cloud storage per user (versus 20GB for the individual Creative Cloud offering), expert support services, centralized administration for the quick and easy deployment of new seats, and centralized billing and efficient license management.”

Adobe walked us through the new Creative Cloud Connection desktop sync app, updates to Adobe Muse, and Cloud Training tutorials:

Expand
Expanding
Close

[slideshow]

Many apps updated, went on sale, or made announcements recently, and 9to5Mac gathered the most noteworthy ones in our regular round up below. Today’s selection includes a couple of announcements by Adobe and MyFitnessPal, a big update from QuickOffice, a few smaller tweaks to popular games and apps, and notable price drops. Per usual, we will continue to update this list throughout the day.

Check them out:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe recently announced the latest Mac versions of Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11, and I had a brief opportunity to glance at some of their shiny, new add-ons. Version 11 of both programs notably boast new looks, new experiences, new features, and new functions; but more importantly, they effectively tout prosumer video- and photo-editing solutions for the average consumer.

For those unaware, Adobe Photoshop Elements essentially provides iPhoto users with a Photoshop or Aperture-ish editing experience without the hefty price tag; and similarly, Premiere Elements gives iMovie users the more pocket-friendly bells and whistles of Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro X.

Go below for the full review.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe just announced on its blog that Photoshop CS6 would recieve a Retina update this fall:

John Nack, Adobe’s principal product manager, has taken to his usual forum on the Adobe blogs to share a new HTML5 gallery recently debuted by developer Felix Turner. Turner is known for his PostcardViewer and other Photoshop-compatible image gallery applications that inspired Adobe to include Flash support in Photoshop’s built-in Photo Gallery. Turner’s new HTML5 gallery, called “Juicebox“, also works through Photoshop and Lightroom plug-ins (or through the company’s own app), and it has impressive options for iOS galleries.

A simulation of a Juicebox-Pro gallery on an iPhone (here), and demos of all the customization options are on the company’s website. Juicebox is available through a free lite version and paid licenses ranging from $50 to $99 for 1 to 5 domains, and it has a WordPress plug-in available. The Pro version packs over 70 additional configuration options, the ability add audio and watermarking, a Javascript API, and access to CSS and PNG files. Slick and responsive HTML5 galleries like these on iOS are definitely needed.

Late last month, Adobe launched its CS6 suite of 14 apps alongside its Creative Cloud service.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Previously available only to Android users, Adobe released its Adobe Collage app to iPad users today for assembling “modern, conceptual moodboards.” It also released the Adobe Proto app for iPad that allows you to create prototypes of websites and mobile apps.

The Collage app allows users to import content from select Adobe Creative Suite applications, including PDFs, PSDs, and AI files, as well as upload and access existing content stored in your complimentary 2GB Adobe Creative Cloud account. Once you have content imported from Adobe apps or the Web, the app provides a canvas, multiple pen types, text tools, various fonts, and other tools for incorporating images, video, text, and drawings into a collage-style piece of art.

Adobe’s Proto app allows you to “sketch website and mobile app wireframe layouts with simple finger strokes on your tablet’s touchscreen” using a CSS grid system, WebKit preview, jQuery support, and the ability to sync wireframes to Creative Cloud and to Dreamweaver CS6.

The Adobe Collage app for iPad is available on the App Store now for $9.99, and the Adobe Proto app is available for the same price (here). Adobe also updated its Photoshop Touch iPad app today with a ton of new features including new 2,048-by-2,048 resolution settings, auto-sync for Creative Cloud, new languages, and much more. A full list of features for Proto and Collage is below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

[slideshow]

Along with the $80 Photoshop Elements, Premiere Elements and Revel, Adobe now offers its popular pro/sumer photo management software Lightroom 4 in the Mac App Store for $150.

Though it generally gets better reviews than Apple’s own $80 Aperture, it is almost double the price and can often be found offline for less.

Adobe fans are hoping the titles continue and with the recent release of Creative Suite 6, there are many other opportunities for Adobe in the Mac App Store. Apple, as always, gets 30 percent of the take in the Mac App Store, so Adobe might not be willing to throw a huge chunk of its cash cow Apple’s way.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 description follows:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe Systems, Inc. just announced it would give the first demonstrations of Adobe Creative Suite 6 Production Premium at the 2012 National Association of Broadcasters while unveiling major updates.

The famed Photoshop-maker will “showcase new software and innovations that improve how broadcasters, filmmakers and video professionals create, deliver and monetize high-quality productions across multiple screens,” according to a press release.

In addition to the presentation and interacting with the public at booth No. SL2624 during the event, Adobe will also reveal update highlights for Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and Adobe After Effects CS6 (10 percent discount here).

Vice President and General Manager of Video Solutions Jim Guerard said the company plans to feature the upcoming softwares’ fast performance and firm integration that allows video professionals to effectively streamline workflows:

“This is a perfect opportunity to show off the new and breakthrough performance innovations in Creative Suite 6 Production Premium and demonstrate how it’s possible to work at the speed of your imagination, making workflows more efficient and audience experiences more compelling. From planning to playback, Adobe and its broadcast and media customers are leading the industry and reshaping how the digital video industry creates and consumes rich media.”

Adobe executives, Steve Wozniak, key Fusion-io scientists, and visual effects guru Steve Forde will also hold a “How Creativity and Technology Merge to Influence Storytelling and Film” keynote April 15 at NAB to discuss the advances of digital technology with modern storytelling.

The 2012 NAB Show is at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 14 to April 19. Creative Suite 6 Production Premium will display in more than 60 partner booths throughout the event.

The full press release is below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sAbCJTcPws&context=C400dec6ADvjVQa1PpcFO6DGYpmn_yT6FydbMMuTkIdc7VzuOoj_4=]

On the Photoshop Blog, Adobe today said it passed 500,000 downloads with its free Photoshop CS6 Beta software.

• As soon as it was announced, Photoshop CS6 beta was a worldwide Trending Topic
• Our sneak peek video playlist on YouTube has received nearly 3 million views
• The Photoshop CS6 beta videos have already received half a million views

We rounded up the reviews the night it released, which were positive overall. Download Photoshop CS6 from Adobe Labs (just under 1 GB).

Oh, and Adobe also previews Illustrator CS6.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ZHtNGrhIA]

Photoshop maker Adobe, Inc. today announced in a blog post general availability of its Aperture competitor Lightroom. A free beta of Photoshop Lightroom 4 was posted two months ago and today the software is available for education customers on both Mac OS X and Windows platforms. The company’s Vice President of Products and Creative Media Solutions Winston Hendrickson billed Lightroom 4 “a stunning new release that will enhance photography workflows and help photographs stand out from the crowd.”

Amongst the new features, Adobe touts the new shadow and highlight recovery capabilities, the ability to soft-proof images, improved auto adjustments to dynamically set values for exposure and contrast, and added local adjustment controls, such as noise reduction, moire, and white balance. The new Books and Map modules let you order photo books and display geotagged images on a world map with reverse geo-tagging controls, respectively. You also get new video controls to play, trim, and extract frames from video clips and export in H.264 to Facebook and Flickr.

More information about Lightroom 4 is available at the Adobe website. You can order the application for $149.99 as a standalone download or pay $79 for an upgrade. Alternatively, customers who purchased Photoshop CS5, Photoshop CS5 Extended, or any Creative Suite 5.5 edition can get Lightroom 4 for $99.

The full press release is below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe makes a compelling suite of creative applications, which are the de facto industry standard, but Adobe’s high price points have traditionally put off many prospective Creative Suite buyers. To make matters worse, a change in upgrade policy last year enraged customers as it pushed them towards pricier subscription-based offerings. Well, if you already own Adobe Creative Suite 3 or CS4, you are in for a surprise as the company just announced a special upgrade offer towards CS6 purchases. According to a blog post, special introductory upgrade pricing on Creative Suite 6 to customers who own CS3 or CS4 is available from the time CS6 is released until December 31, 2012. Details will be announced here when CS6 and Creative Cloud are released later this year.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe just -the No. 1 e-signature service used by over four millions users- for both iPhone and iPad as a free universal iOS application. The new app is available now, and it allows users to send documents and have them signed with a legally binding e-signature on the iPad or iPhone.

Users will access their EchoSign account, search and send from the EchoSign library, or send documents from their photo album, an email attachment, or apps like Box.net and Dropbox. There is also built-in, real-time status tracking, and the ability to quickly view signed agreements in an EchoSign account. Adobe promised the signing process within the app includes all of EchoSign’s “key authentication and privacy, fraud protection, and consumer disclosure”.

Out of EchoSign’s four million users, some of the estimated 50,000 paid subscribers include Twitter, Google, Facebook, VMware, Dell, and Groupon. Jason Lemkin started the company in 2006, and it was eventually acquired by Adobe in July of 2011 when the company had around 35,000 paid subscribers.

You can grab the app for free from the App Store now (iTunes link). Apple iPad screenshots are below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Update: Photoshop Touch is now available for the iPad

I am hands on here at Adobe Max where they are demo-ing Photoshop touch.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_-2oFbt4e4]

They said the Android version was further along(!!).  Adobe Collage Touch and others below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe today quietly released Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10, bringing with them new Facebook and YouTube integration, video editing and burring features, object-based search, and new color correcting and text curving and flowing effects.

New Facebook features allow you to auto analyze your images to identify people and tag them based on your Facebook friends. Those tags are then carried over to Facebook when uploading from Elements. A new object-based search is one of the most impressive enhancements, allowing you to find images containing a particular object such as a house or vehicle.

Other features include auto enhance and color correct for video footage, allowing you to “Automatically boost tone and vibrance without affecting skin tones, or use sliders to adjust color with complete control”. You can now also paint 1 of 100 new paint effects onto specific photo areas, add new text effects, and immediately upload video clips to Facebook and Youtube. Learn more about all the new features in these latest releases here.

Adobe’s store now has Photoshop Elements 10 or Premiere Elements 10 for $99 each (upgrade $79/ea) or both for $179.

Or, you can grab Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10 for $99 each on Amazon now.  Curiously, Adobe hasn’t yet updated Photoshop Elements 9 Editor in the Mac App Store.  It will be interesting to see what happens there.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe is finally bringing decent Flash video support to iOS, only it will have to do an on the fly transcoding to do so. The latest release of Flash Media Server, version 4.5, implements new features that will allow same source video delivery thanks to “on demand repackaging” to both Flash and iOS via HTTP Dynamic or Live Streaming.

“Now publishers can simplify their video publishing and protection workflows with Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 with protected HLS support, audio channel extraction, DVR/PVR live, on demand and variant playlists. One set of content without any preparation or additional storage and deliver safely to both Adobe Flash with HDS and to Apple devices using HLS.”

Expand
Expanding
Close