Adobe Updates Product Line With New Photoshop Elements Application

Adobe has announced a new image editing application aimed squarely at mid-range consumer users, Potoshop Elements. Adobe has released the new program in an attempt to win over the growing number of consumer oriented, amateur digital photographers that may not want, or need, the ultra powerful, and equally pricey Photoshop. According to Adobe:

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements, a new product designed specifically for amateur photographers, hobbyists, and business users who want a powerful yet easy to use digital imaging solution. Based on Adobe Photoshop software, the world-standard image editing solution, Photoshop Elements delivers unique, new features that give users access to many of the same, advanced tools used by graphics professionals. With enhancements that simplify capturing and editing photos, Photoshop Elements software makes it easy to prepare images for both print and the Web. The product will be publicly unveiled today at the PMA tradeshow.

As sales of digital cameras and scanners accelerate, photo enthusiasts are increasingly seeking the power, quality, and creative freedom offered by professional image-editing tools but also want ease-of-use at an affordable price. With powerful tools, an intuitive interface and an affordable price, Adobe Photoshop Elements combines the power of Photoshop with customized features that enable users to freely explore their creativity while mastering the elements of digital imaging.

Photoshop Elements software delivers powerful features for quickly performing the necessary steps to retouch images while mastering the essentials of using professional image editing tools. The unique Hints palette provides context-sensitive illustrations and tips that help users learn to use the sophisticated Photoshop tools and palettes. The exclusive Recipes palette interactively teaches more complex editing techniques for task-oriented activities and can be updated with fresh content over the Web.

Photoshop Elements satisfies usersi creative urges with more visual access to existing features, as well as useful new capabilities not available in competitive products. For example, Adobe Photomerge technology automatically arranges and blends multiple photos into panoramas by resizing and skewing any portion of the images to fit seamlessly together into a single image. The Filter Browser lets users visually scan the 95-plus special effects filters then drag and drop the desired filter onto an image to apply it. Previews save time on trial and error by letting users immediately see the effect of a filter on an image.

Photoshop Elements software also provides flexible image capture and output options. Users can work with images from digital cameras, traditional cameras and scanners and prepare them for posting on the Web, ordering prints online, or ouputting their images to a desktop printer. For posting photos to the Web, the Save for Web command and Web Photo Gallery help users optimize their photos for screen viewing. In the U.S., customers can also use the integrated, award-winning Shutterfly service to take advantage of Web-based photo printing and send high-quality, personalized prints and photo greeting cards to friends and family. When printing to the desktop, Photoshop Elements saves time and money with its unique Picture Package feature that maximizes the use of expensive photo-quality paper by formatting multiple copies of a photo on a single page.

Photoshop Elements is expected to be available in the 2nd quarter of 2001 for US$99. You can find more information at the Adobe Web site.