Category — Updates

Adobe has released version 2.0 of Photoshop Lightroom (beta release). Looks like some exciting new changes including:

• Smart Collections
• Dual-Monitor Support
• Localized Editing (and, apparently, nondeconstructive dodge and burn)
• Suggestive Keywording
• 64 Bit support for Macs running OS 10.5

Lightroom 2.0 beta is available as a free 30-day download. Existing Lightroom 1.0 customers will be able to test the beta for an extended period until August 31, 2008 and can invite friends to take part in this trial period.

I’ll follow up with more as I get some play time in! Please feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Today Apple released another relatively major update to Aperture, its professional image editing and management software. Version 2.1, available through direct download or through your computer’s Software Update feature, adds a number of improvements.

[Read more →]

If you are user of Aperture, Final Cut, or Logic, you’ll be interested to know that Apple has released the Plugin Manager version 1.7.3 for its Pro applications. According to Apple:

This update improves reliability for Apple’s professional applications and is recommended for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Express, Aperture, Logic Studio and related SDKs.

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I reported a while back that it was coming, and now it’s here. Microsoft released today Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) for public download. Current users of Vista should use Windows Update to retrieve and install the download.

I’m just reporting here. I don’t have Vista installed on anything to test it out. Enjoy.

Oh…I can’t help it. If you’re thinking about getting Vista, you might just want to click here instead.

I can’t seem to give it up. My favorite web browser is still Safari.

I know, I know… Firefox is more widely used, Opera has that cool “speed-dial” thingy, but I love Mac. And I love iLife integration. And I love trying to use Apple applications for everything I can. (I’m still holding strong with Aperture!)

Anyway, this morning, Apple made version 3.1 of Safari available for free download. It’s available for both PC and Mac here.

One of my favorite new features (I haven’t spent much time exploring yet) is the Develop menu that can be activated in the program’s preferences. As a web developer, it allows me to quickly analyze a page’s scripts, CSS, image elements, etc, and compare their performance in different browsers. Previously, I’d used the Web Developer extension in Firefox for this purpose.

The detailed documentation on Safari 3.1 from Apple is available here.

I reported on Friday that Adobe had released version 1.4 of Lightroom and version 4.4. of Camera Raw. They have since pulled those updates from their site. Check out this MacWorld article for more information.

Today, Adobe released version 1.4 of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and version 4.4 of the Camera Raw plug-in for Bridge/Photoshop/Elements. Among other things, it adds support for Mac OS X (Leopard) printer driver compatibility and support for additional cameras including the Canon Rebel XSi, Nikon D60, Sony A350, and more.

Click here to download version 1.4 of Lightroom.

Click here (or use the Adobe Updater) to get Camera Raw 4.4.

As predicted, Apple updated their MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops today, and there are some exciting changes…enough to make my MacBook Pro feel inferior.

Both models now feature the Intel Penryn Pro Core 2 Duo processor with faster processor speeds. As is typical of Apple, the price points for the machines stay about the same while the performance and capacity of the machines goes up.

Read on for the details…

[Read more →]

For anyone who may find themselves needing or wanting to make an occasional international phone call or two, I would recommend Skype. Calls from one Skype-equipped computer to another (text chat, voice, or full video chat) are always free, no matter where the computers are located. But for me, I pay the $3 per month for unlimited calls from my computer to any phone in the US or Canada (as long as I’m in the US or Canada when originating the call). Those who know me understand that I have a very valid reason to call Canada all the time so this plan saves me quite a bit…especially when you compare it to the $0.60 /minute or so that Alltel would like to charge me to call Canada. Not that it’s any harder for them to get a call up there…anyway…I digress.

The $3 per month “SkypePro” account also gives me free Skype Voicemail, a discount on a “SkypeIn” number (an actual phone number you could give out that would ring to your Skype account) if I wanted one, the ability to transfer any incoming Skype calls that I miss to my cell phone (for free…less any cell phone minutes I might use), and…very cool…”Skype To Go.” Skype To Go allows me to call internationally from any landline that I designate at very low rates. So even when I’m away from my computer, I can call Canada for $0.02 per minute (I added the Skype To Go number to my “My Circle” numbers on Alltel, so…no minutes used there). Not too shabby…talk 30X as long for the same price!

But, again, I digress. The point of this post was simply to tell you that version 2.7 of Skype has been released. At a quick glance, I can see that it has immediately added all of my Address Book contacts as possible numbers to call, and there are a few other minor interface changes. If you already have Skype, choose “Check for Update” from the menu to update, or download it from here.

Yesterday I told you about the Mac OS 10.5.2 update, but that wasn’t the only news that Apple had in store.

Shortly/immediately after releasing the OS update mentioned above, Apple released a video graphics update. To see this update, you have to first install the OS 10.5.2 update (if you’re running Leopard, obviously), restart, and run Software Update again.

This morning, Apple released an iLife ‘08 update (version 8.2) to, among other things, improve compatibility with…wait for it…Aperture 2!!!! That’s right. This morning Apple released a major upgrade to Aperture. Aperture is Apple’s professional image editing software that, quite frankly, had been rather taken for granted by Apple. Or so it seemed…

I’ve been a loyal Aperture user since, quite literally, day one. I pre-ordered Aperture (and payed highly for it) because it was, far and away, the best image management/RAW processing software on the market…plus, I love Apple. Lately I’ve been entertaining a switch to Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom for my main image management/RAW processing software. I’m very experienced with Lightroom and teach others about it daily during the summer months. Now…I don’t know what to do!?!

Well, I’ll certainly think much harder about sticking with Aperture now. Here are some details:

• If you want to try Aperture 2, there is a 30-day free trial available here. If you are a current Aperture 1.5 user be sure and read the sidebar notes on that page before you go playing with the free trial. You may end up permanently altering your library to a state where you’ll be required to purchase version 2 to access it.
• If you already own Aperture, you can upgrade to version 2 for just $99.
• The full retail price of Aperture 2 has been lowered to just $199! This sets Aperture’s price point $100 lower than that of Adobe’s Lightroom ($299). So, even if you aren’t an Aperture user, or if you are [shudder] a PC user, it’s possible that this may help to bring down the price of Lightroom in the future. Stay tuned for more information.
• Click here to see the “100+ New Features” in Aperture 2. I haven’t looked too closely, but there are few things taken from iPhoto ‘08 that were pretty awesome features!
• I didn’t see this advertised anywhere…I just stumbled across it…but if you purchased Aperture 1.5 recently (basically in the year 2008) you are eligible for an upgrade to version 2 for only $9.95. Click here for details.

I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted with my thoughts about Aperture 2. I will say that this did not come a moment too soon. I was ready to make the switch to Lightroom on a wildlife shoot that I have coming up on Monday!