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Adobe announces Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11 with new filters, more beginner-friendly UI
Earlier this year Adobe announced Photoshop CS6 with a new user interface, and now Elements, its line of beginner-level products, are getting a facelift too. The company just introduced Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11, and while the two apps include a handful of new photo- and video-editing features, the bigger story is that they’re designed to be less intimidating to newbies. Both have a more readable UI, for instance, as opposed to the old theme with the dark background and low-contrast icons. Things like preview thumbnails have been brought to the forefront so that they’re easier to find. Also, both pieces of software ship with a re-tooled image organizer that puts commonly used functions front and center, with lesser-used features like keyword tagging hidden in the menus. The organizer also now has Google Maps integration, so you can view your shots on a map. You can also for the first time view by event, or by the names of people tagged in photos.
As for new features, Photoshop Elements is getting a series of new comic-inspired filters, including “Pen and Ink,” “Graphic Novel” and, yes, “Comic.” It’s also been updated with Refine Edge, a tool previously reserved for Photoshop, which uses an edge detection brush to cut things and people out of photos, taking into account fine edges like hair. Photoshop Elements now allows European customers to upload photos to Cewe, while Premiere Elements supports Vimeo uploads. (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly and SmugMug sharing were already built in.) Amateur videographers will also enjoy a series of new Hollywood-inspired filters, including Red Noir, a “Sin City”-esque effect with red accents, and “Pandora,” which is meant to evoke “Avatar.” Finally, you can use Time Remapping and Reverse Time to speed up footage or slow it down, respectively.
Fans of the software will notice the pricing hasn’t changed: the two apps cost $100 each, or $150 as a bundle. Folks who are upgrading will pay $80 a pop, or $120 for both. Look for both on Adobe’s site today, with the old-fashioned box software hitting retailers soon.
Maingear brings Intel i7-3960X Extreme Edition chip, Epic Audio Engine to desktops, extreme gamers
Apple product managers respond to Final Cut Pro X criticism
During our call to discuss Final Cut Pro X earlier this week, an Apple product manager boasted about the product’s low price, media management, and ground-up redesign. Unfortunately, when starting from scratch, developers seem to have overlooked a few features that professional users have come to depend on, prompting widespread backlash — both on internet forums and even on Apple’s own App Store, where the $300 download-only app currently has a rating of just 2.5 stars (out of five), including nearly 500 one-star ratings. (Note: you must purchase the app before submitting a rating or review.) The New York Times spoke to product managers about these issues, which include an inability to import old FCP files, no multicamera editing, no support for RED cameras, and no ability to specify QuickTime export settings, among many others. Apple says there are (pricey) workarounds available, or fixes on the way for all but the first issue, but head over to the source link for the full rundown at NYT.
Apple Final Cut Pro X now available on Mac App Store
At last! Just as promised, Apple’s long-awaited Final Cut Pro X is now available on the Mac App Store for just $299.99, meaning keen editors can immediately grab hold of this suite to crack on with some real-time 4K video editing. Of course, this is assuming that you have a 64-bit Mac rig with beastly specs in the first place — check with Apple to make sure that you’re all set to go. Accompanying this major software release are Motion 5 and Compressor 4 kits, both of which will cost you an extra $49.99 each, so make that roughly around $400 for the full monty. Press release after the break, but we guess you folks are already busy trimming clips on that magical Magnetic Timeline, so good luck in next year’s Oscars.
Vimeo's gratis iOS video editing app punks iMovie in its own house, available now
Still waffling over that bank-shattering $4.99 iMovie purchase? We get it. Thankfully, you’ve held out long enough for the free market to come and rescue you (again) — Vimeo has just launched a legitimate alternative into the App Store today with a far, far more luscious price tag: $0.00. The official iOS app checks in at 20.1MB, and offers the ability to upload, manage, edit and watch your videos (as well as those conjured up by others, naturally). It’ll handle edits and uploads for both SD and HD footage, and there’s even support for pausing / resuming uploads, sharing via your favorite social networking website, and a view to statistics — if you’re into that type of narcissistic thing. The app’s up for grabs down in the source link below, and while we’re hearing that some folks are hitting upload snags every so often, we’re sure the v1.0 build will be refreshed in short order. Oh, and for the iPad and Android contingent? Your copy is en route, but a helping of patience is requested.
GarageBand and iMovie come to iPad, iPhone gets iMovie refresh
If you occupy the planet Earth, you’re probably aware that last week saw the unveiling of the iPad2. During said reveal, Steve Jobs made a couple of other, perhaps not as monumental, but no doubt notable announcements: specifically that the new slate will offer iMovie and GarageBand. Well, it looks like they’ve decided to let the cats, or apps, as it were, out of the bag a day early. That’s right, Mac movie makers and rock star hopefuls can download them now for $5 a pop — and, this just in, it looks like iMovie for iPhone’s getting a simultaneous upgrade. If you’ve already started rockin’ or docin’, let us know what you think in the comments.
iMovie, GarageBand for iPad announced — $4.99 on March 11th
iMovie for iPad
