Showing posts with label easy to use. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy to use. Show all posts

Photo Explosion Deluxe 3.0 Review

Photo Explosion Deluxe 3.0
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I used to have Microsoft's Image Composer (now discontinued) that came with FrontPage '98. What a great, intuitive little program that was for cutting out parts of photos and combining them into collages or new photos! It came with no manual, yet I was able to teach myself to use it just by playing around and trying things out. It was that easy, and it was a lot of fun!
This program claims to have many of the same functions IC did: cutting out pieces of pics by tracing an outline, resizing or recoloring or otherwise manipulating these pieces, and then combining them into a new 'photo.' Unfortunately, this program is so counter-intuitive and inflexible that you can't just play with it to figure things out.
Which would be tolerable if the manual was helpful but, of course, it's useless. It spends 70 pages describing the 'workspace' and how to 'organize your photos' (as if any moron can't do that by creating directories on their PC). After all that, there are only 10 pages on how to use the selection/trace function, how to resize, etc. And it doesn't seem to explain anywhere what to do to 'select' something once you've cut it out of a photo.
The worst part of the program is that you have to create a separate file for the place you want to combine all your images. This is stupid. Why can't you just work on one base photo, add to and alter it, and then do a 'save as...'? That would be simple. This program makes you create a 'project,' which requires sifting through dozens of their templates to find one that you can twist into something like what you want. Why not just let me work without a template? Not fun and certainly not functional.
The templates are very restrictive. For example, you can't size the space of the project once you create it. So if what you create needs to be a little larger or smaller than the template size, you have to shrink everything to fit into the template.
Further, the program's logic doesn't make much sense. If I cut out a piece of a photo and then go to resize it, the program resizes the original picture only (even though the cut-out is highlighted as selected). There's no obvious way to tell the program what I want to manipulate: the original or a cut-out. This is just one example, but there are many others I could offer.
I think the program MIGHT be good if all you want is real basic photo editing (i.e. cut a square shaped piece out of a photo and plop it into some inane greeting card template provided), but otherwise this is very limited and difficult to work with.
I can't see shelling out the bucks for Adobe. And I don't understand why someone doesn't offer an inexpensive version of Adobe (like Image Composer was)? I think I'm going to hunt for an old copy of FrontPage '98 at used software stores and reload IC.

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Photo Explosion® Deluxe made history as the first software of its kind to deliver powerful editing features spectacular special effects and professional-quality photo projects all together in one program.Now Photo Explosion Deluxe 3.0 makes digital photography even easier. And it s packed with exciting new features all designed to let you get the most out of your digital camera.System Requirements:Windows 98 2000 Me XP or Vista; 32 MB RAM; Pentium 166Mhz or faster; CD-ROM DriveFormat: WIN 98ME2000XPVISTA Genre:PRODUCTIVITY UPC:727298403831 Manufacturer No:PRW

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Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 & Adobe Premiere Elements 4 Review

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 and Adobe Premiere Elements 4
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The Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 and Premiere Elements 4 bundle is one of the best values for the home photo/video editor. I use the full version of Photoshop and a fairly pricey video editing (Sony Vegas) package at our business, but needed a powerful yet inexpensive (a relative term, I know) package to use at home. Here are my observations on each package:
Photoshop Elements 6:
At first glance I was disappointed and thought I had made a big mistake as the default interface is fairly simplistic (which is a GOOD thing for most users). Being used to the some of the more advance features (such as "Curves") and the ability to load in templates, the one click tools (while great for the casual user) were a little underwhelming. Not to fear though, the more powerful tools are still available by getting into a different editing mode, which I would have found faster if I had read the somewhat skimpy manual. All in all, it is nice to be able to "one click fix" all of my family photos, and still have the ability to get more powerful tools for the work I bring home with me. This is a fantastic value for the money!
Premiere Elements 4:
Since most of my editing is done on higher dollar packages at work, I was just looking for a home software package to quickly assemble clips, make photo slide shows, and to convert clips for upload to YouTube. This package surprised me with it's drag and drop ease of use. It is fantastic for the home user and does exactly what it says it is going to do. One note about the YouTube integration, it is nothing short of fantastic! I had a clip that was just too big to upload and my expensive work software just was too hard to get the file size and quality they require. Using Premiere Elements, I was able to drop in the large clip, indicate it was for YouTube, and the software did the rest...Including logging in and uploading it to my account right from inside the program. No muss, no fuss, just as advertised!
All in all, I think this is one of the best home user packages available. Simple enough for the basic user with access to the more powerful tools if needed.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 & Adobe Premiere Elements 4

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 & Adobe Premiere Elements 4 software combines two powerful yet easy-to-use products to deliver the most complete photo and video-editing solution. Enjoy all the great functionality of Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 and Adobe Premiere Elements 4 software as well as additional functionality that lets you easily create with photos and videos. Take advantage of one-click fixes, step-by-step assistance that makes editing easier than ever. Then explore advanced options for making finer adjustments; add artistic effects; and experiment with easy-to-use compositing tools. Make customized photo creations using new themed layouts and even create dazzling interactive web galleries. Take advantage of online offerings to upload photos and creations directly to the web, order prints, and more, and easily share on mobile phones and other devices. Easily share your movies on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, broadcast far and wide by uploading your movies directly to YouTube or your personal sharing website, or play movies on mobile phones and other devices.Share photos in fun, imaginative ways Easily find and view all your photos and video clips Get started quickly with easy moviemaking options Show your style with amazing effects Share your movies on YouTube, your own website, disc, and virtually anywhere else Access files from a central location, no matter which product you're using Use new compositing tools to create perfect group photos Jump-start your video editing with Movie Themes System requirements -Intel Pentium 4, Pentium M, or Intel Centrino 1.3GHz or compatible processor, Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista, 256MB RAM, Color monitor with 16-bit color video card, 1024x768 monitor resolution at 96dpi or less, Microsoft DirectX 9 compatible display driver, Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, Netscape Navigator 7.0, Mozilla Firefox 1.5, 4.5GB of free space, DVD-ROM drive and

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Microsoft Greetings Workshop (Ver 2.0) Hallmark Connections Review

Microsoft Greetings Workshop (Ver 2.0) Hallmark Connections
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Its a great item to use when you want special cards and other things that are different and personal. it contains more than most card making cds do.

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System Suite 10 Professional Review

System Suite 10 Professional
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SystemSuite was a great product when it was owned and run by VCOM - there was absolutely no better suite of tools to protect your computer.
But since Avanquest took over, the program's quality and features have started to slide dangerously downhill, and Avanquest would love it if you would crash at the bottom.
Remember those days when Symantec would deliberately discontinue antivirus definitions for a product in the hopes of scaring you into buying a new version? Well, Welcome to Avanquest! Once your version of SystemSuite is more than two or three years old, they will stop providing you with updated antivirus definitions. Oh, and THEY WILL NOT TELL YOU. That's right, Avanquest will DELIBERATELY leave your precious computer exposed to viruses. Sort of like not knowing your car's airbag doesn't work - until you look down and find yourself covered with blood.
Today, to celebrate the joy of this season of love and happiness, Avanquest discontinued antivirus updates for SystemSuite 7 & 8 and didn't tell anybody. Merry Christmas! Make sure you clean off the blood.
Yes, that's a program that is only TWO years old and is only TWO versions old. Don't bother begging for support from Avanquest - they want you to spend big $$$ on SystemSuite 10 (same name, but a totally different program) so that they can discontinue antivirus on you AGAIN two years from now! Imagine sitting down to Christmas dinner and the joy on your family's faces when you tell them that all their computers are now vulnerable. Imagine the yelling and the guilt they'll lay on you to buy them all new antivirus programs to replace the one you told them to trust. Imagine how much they won't trust you in the future. Imagine Avanquest's indifference.
Avanquest has two words for you this holiday season - and they aren't "Merry Christmas". It's a phrase synonymous with "Get Infected".


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60+ Powerful Tools Included

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H&R Block Taxcut 2006 Premium Federal Review

HandR Block Taxcut 2006 Premium Federal
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Are you looking for TaxCut 2006 Basic? It seems this year it is available as a free download. Fire up your favorite search engine and type in "taxcut basic 2006" and you should find it for download.

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New! H&R Block TaxCut Premium Federal has everything you need in one comprehensive program for any tax situation, from 1040EZ to Schedule C. Step-by-step interviews provide guidance customized to your unique needs.

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Hallmark Card Studio 2008 Review

Hallmark Card Studio 2008
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This is a great piece of software. I have XP and it was load and go right from the start. It is simple to use and does a lot of tasks too. Unlike other cardmakers - you don't even have to put the cd in the drive (once it's loaded of course...). Even my 70 year old father has made great cards using this. You can import you digital pictures for your cards too. Projects are easily saved to be worked on later if you wish. Buy this product - it is worth the money.

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For more than 90 years Hallmark has designed greeting cards for life s special moments. Hallmark Card Studio 2008 extends this tradition making it easy to create one-of-a-kind Hallmark cards as unique as the people you care for. In three simple steps you can add personal photos sentiments and clip art images of your choosing.Our new 2008 version includes: 4400+ Hallmark Cards and Projects: Design cards for all occasions birthdays holidays weddings and more 500+ New Designs 8000+ Clip Art Images: Complement your cards with sensational artwork. Brand New User Interface NEW! 3D cards and projects NEW! Spanish language cards Exclusive Hallmark Fonts Event Planner: Stay organized with address books mailing lists and date notification. Digital Picture Placer: Easily add your own photos to give your cards a personalized touch. Hallmark E-Cards: Send your customized cards and projects via e-mail with just one click.But cards are just the beginning. Commemorate events and bridge the miles between family and friends with custom calendars photo frames stationery invitations scrapbooks certificates and more!System Requirements: Windows XP or Vista Pentium® III 500 MHz or faster 256 MB RAM 600MB of hard disk space (2GB for full install) 1024 x 768 screen w/16-bit color Color printerFormat: WIN XPVISTA Genre:PRODUCTIVITY UPC:727298405736 Manufacturer No:HQW

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Hallmark Card Studio 2009 Review

Hallmark Card Studio 2009
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This product does not work well at all. It's okay for printing cards but it would be cheaper to buy a card from the store. Sending the card by email creates fuzzy graphics, your inserted text does not show, and high quality jpeg photo files results in a blocky appearance when sent by email. (The same card printed well so it wasn't a problem with the jpeg photo.) There are not enough selections of cards, clip art, or music files to warrant the cost. There is no way to reach customer support by email. I tried to return the product to Hallmark but had clipped off the UPC for a rebate even though I had not sent it in, it made it uneligible for return.

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For more than 90 years Hallmark has designed greeting cards for life's special moments.Hallmark Card Studio 2009 extends this tradition, making it easy to create one-of-a-kind Hallmark cards as unique as the people you care for.In three simple steps you can add personal photos, sentiments, and clip art images of your choosing.

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Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade Review

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade
Average Reviews:

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this is much the same as CS4 but with a few new features,but one thing you should know is that most plug-ins currently only work in 32bit,therefore you must start it in 32bit(double click on the PS icon in finder and "get info",then tick the box "open in 32bit").The problem here is that PS CS5 can only access 2gb ram max,unlike 32bit CS4 which can access 4gb ram,so perhaps it would be wise to hold on to your cs4 until all the plug-ins are re-written as 64bit,most will be available in the next 3 months.apart from this its a nice upgrade!

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Adobe Photoshop CS5 delivers breakthrough capabilities to help you create images with impact. Refine your images with reengineered photography tools for removing noise, adding grain, and creating high dynamic range (HDR) images. Get precise results when making complex selections. Remove any image element and see the space fill in almost magically. Paint with naturally textured brushstrokes and realistic color blends. Also work fast with cross-platform 64-bit support and dozens of other time-savers.

Upgrade to Adobe Photoshop CS5 To install an upgrade version of Photoshop CS5 software, you must have an eligible earlier version of Adobe software:
Photoshop CS2, CS3, & CS4
Photoshop CS3 & CS4 Extended

For more information on eligibility, visit www.adobe.com/go/upgradeinfo.
Top reasons to upgrade to Adobe Photoshop CS5
Complex selections made easy Get precise results in fewer clicks when selecting intricate image elements, such as hair, and eliminate background color around selection edges. Automatically vary selection edges and perfect masks using new refinement tools.
Content-Aware Fill Remove any image detail or object and watch as Content-Aware Fill magically fills in the space left behind. This breakthrough technology matches lighting, tone, and noise so it looks as if the removed content never existed.
Superior HDR imaging Create photorealistic or surreal high dynamic range (HDR) images with unprecedented speed, control, and accuracy. Get better-than-ever results thanks to automatic ghost removal and greater control with tone mapping and adjustments, and even give single-exposure photos the look of HDR.
State-of-the-art raw image processing Use the Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 6 plug-in to nondestructively remove image noise while preserving color and detail; add grain to make digital photos look more organic; enjoy more control as you perform post-crop vignetting; and more.
Extraordinary painting effects Achieve natural and realistic painting effects with the Mixer Brush, which offers on-canvas color blending, and Bristle Tips, which let you create lifelike, textured brushstrokes.
Puppet Warp Precisely reposition or warp any image element. Swing a raised arm to a person's side in a photo, stretch text to create new effects, and more.
Automatic lens correction Save time with automatic correction of lens distortions, chromatic aberration, and vignetting. Photoshop CS5 uses an image file's EXIF data to make precise adjustments based on the type of camera and lens you used.
Efficient workflow Enjoy productivity and creativity boosts thanks to dozens of features and enhancements requested by Photoshop users. Straighten images automatically, pick colors from an onscreen color picker, adjust the opacity of many layers at once, and more.
Better media management Easily manage media with more flexible batch renaming, and access your assets in the context of what you're working on by using the customizable Adobe Mini Bridge panel in Photoshop.
Faster performance across platforms Speed up day-to-day imaging tasks and process very large images up to 10 times faster by taking advantage of cross-platform 64-bit support. (Requires a 64-bit-capable computer with a 64-bit version of Mac OS, Microsoft Windows 7, or Windows Vista. Actual performance varies depending on amount of RAM, driver types, and other factors.)
Streamlined creative reviews through integration with CS Live services Use Adobe CS Review, part of new CS Live online services, to initiate a more secure review without leaving Photoshop. Reviewers can add comments to your images from their browsers, and you see those comments appear automatically on your screen. Adobe CS Live online services are complimentary for a limited time. Visit www.adobe.com/go/cslive for details.
New GPU-accelerated features Take advantage of GPU-enabled enhancements to everyday tools. Crop with the Rule of Thirds grid; zoom with click-and-scrub functionality; and sample colors with better visualization and an onscreen color picker.
Easier user interface management Use the collapsible Workspace Switcher to quickly navigate and choose among favorite user interface configurations. Live workspaces automatically record your user interface changes so panels will remain in place even if you switch away for a while.
Superior black-and-white conversion Explore an endless variety of black-and-white looks. Use the integrated Lab B&W Action to interactively convert color images; create gorgeous HDR black-and-whites with greater ease and speed; and experiment with new presets.
Create powerful images with the professional standard
Easy access to core editing power Get just the tools you need--exactly when you need them--as you perform common editing activities. Adjustments and Masks panels guide you in making precise adjustments and masks.
Extraordinary creative tools Achieve realistic painting effects with the ability to mix colors on canvas and create natural brushstrokes. Merge multiple exposures into stunning high dynamic range (HDR) images. Move, remove, warp, or stretch any image element.
State-of-the-art photography Easily merge multiple exposures to extend the dynamic range with more power, precision, and fidelity than ever before. Convert to black-and-white in new ways. And use Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools that intelligently preserve color and tone details.
Industry-leading raw image processing Enjoy superior results when you convert raw images with the Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which offers support for over 275 camera models plus nondestructive editing so you can experiment without harming your original photo.
Automated compositing tools Easily create a single image from a series of shots that have different focal points, smoothly blending color and shading and extending your depth of field. And take advantage of accurate, automatic layer alignment.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom integration Enjoy tight integration with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software (sold separately), easily moving files from Lightroom to Photoshop CS5 to create HDR images, panoramas, and multilayered Photoshop documents. Roundtrip your files back to Lightroom.
Efficient media management Manage your media visually with Adobe Bridge CS5 software. Enjoy more flexible batch renaming plus the ability to access files in the context of your work using the customizable Adobe Mini Bridge panel.
Powerful printing options Get outstanding prints in less time with automation, scripting, and a print dialog box that's easier to navigate.
Broad file format support Import and export hundreds of image file formats, including PSD, AI, PDF, NEF, CRW, TIFF, BMP, Cineon, JPEG, JPEG2000, FXG, OpenEXR, PNG, and Targa, and video formats including 3G, FLC, MOV, AVI, DV Stream, Image Sequence, MPEG-4, and FLV.
Extensibility Personalize Photoshop and extend its capabilities with custom panels that developers create to accomplish specific tasks, the Adobe Photoshop Marketplace for third-party plug-ins and resources, and Adobe Community Help for tips and tricks.
Top new features of Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended
Intelligent selection technology Photoshop CS5 takes the time and frustration out of making precise image selections and masks, providing you a faster way to extract subjects from their backgrounds and create realistic composites. New intelligent selection technology offers better edge detection and faster, more accurate masking results of complex subjects, like hair. Automatic color decontamination helps you eliminate background color around the edges of a selection, resulting in more seamless compositions when placing extracted subjects on new backgrounds.
Experienced Photoshop users know that the best selections are created by constantly adapting the selection technique for differences in the subject's edges--one method for hair and another for the edge of a building. With Photoshop CS5, you can produce highly accurate masks and selections faster and more simply than before with a set of new adaptive selection-edge modification controls. Smart Radius automatically matches the best selection approach with the subject's changing edge characteristics, and the extra view modes assist you in previewing the quality of your selections. The Refine Radius and Erase Refinements tools customize your masks and selections as you make them. These tools, in combination with the color decontamination settings, help eliminate any residual background color from around the edges of your selections.
Content‐Aware Fill One of the most exciting new features in Photoshop CS5 is the remarkable ability to remove an image element and magically replace it with details that match the lighting, tone, and noise of the surrounding area so that it looks like the content never existed. Now, you can make substantial changes to photo composition quickly and easily, as even large complex subjects can be seamlessly erased.
You can use Content-Aware Fill with the Spot Healing Brush or as an option of the Fill feature to replace content in an active selection. Selecting the Content-Aware setting with the Spot Healing brush changes the way the tool fills in the areas you paint. This retouching approach is designed to account more fully for the structure and detail of the image elements that surround the painted area, providing a near-invisible result when removing unwanted objects. Alternatively, you can select the object to be removed, and then replace the area with synthesized details from the area surrounding the selection, simply by using the Content-Aware option in the Fill dialog box.
HDR Pro for creativity and precision with the next generation of high dynamic range imaging With just a few clicks, you can go beyond the capture capabilities of your camera by combining multiple exposures into a single high dynamic range (HDR) photo that preserves the full tonal range of a scene with high contrast. Photoshop CS5 introduces HDR Pro for more control over the HDR merging process and greater adjustment power over the mapping of tones and the styling of HDR output, resulting in images that range from photorealistic to highly surreal.
HDR Pro offers extended controls, an enhanced dialog box, and improved image processing. New algorithms enable more accurate alignment of source files and automatically deghost any problem areas that occur when trying to merge source photos where subjects have moved during capture. You can even select a source file to be used as the sole reference for any ghosted areas or allow the feature to do this automatically for you.
New tone-mapping tools and adjustment controls give you the power to implement your own HDR vision, producing photos that range in style from fully textured images of high-contrast scenes to wildly hyper-realistic creations. Save your favorite styles as presets and apply them to multiple groups of source files to provide a common look and feel to your HDR photos. And for times when you don't have multiple source files, create the look of an HDR-processed image from a single photo with the new HDR Toning feature that allows you to mimic the tone-mapping results traditionally achieved in high dynamic range photos.
Together with the existing Photomerge feature (which allows for image stitching), the exposure-merging capabilities of HDR Pro can add up to high-bit-depth, 360-degree panoramas ideal for composite photography, video, and beyond.
The Auto Stack Panorama/HDR files option in Adobe Bridge CS5 and the new panelized Mini Bridge groups source files together into stacks for quicker creation of HDR images in Photoshop CS5. You can even start the creation of an HDR file by choosing Tools > Merge To HDR from the Mini Bridge panel inside Photoshop.
State-of-the-art raw-image processing The Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which ships with Photoshop CS5, now supports more than 275 camera models as it continues to provide you with the industry-leading conversion of raw files. In addition, the utility provides advanced, nondestructive image editing and enhancement for raw files, as well as for other standard formats, including JPEG and TIFF. Now you can remove noise, achieve better quality sharpening, and creatively apply new styles of vignettes and film-like grain.
You can now shoot at higher ISO settings with confidence, because the updated controls in the Adobe Camera Raw 6 plug-in remove the noise common in such high-ISO images (as well as in photos captured with long exposures and pictures from consumer cameras) while still preserving excellent color and detail.
New controls for adding grain and additional post-crop vignetting settings join many creative options already available in this utility, such as the Adjustment Brush and the Graduated Filter. For the first time, you can add grain-like texture to photos as part of your nondestructive editing workflow. Adjust amount, size, and roughness of grain to easily give composites a more natural, seamless appearance by matching levels of grain across all source images--or simply use the feature to make a digital photo look more organic or film-like.
Updated post-crop vignetting options offer more creative control over the corner darkening and lightening process, and your favorite vignette effects can be saved as presets for quick application across multiple files.
Upgraded sharpening options produce clearer photos with fewer artifacts while providing better control over key details, especially when working with high-resolution pictures produced by multi-megapixel cameras.
Extraordinary painting effects With a new Mixer Brush, a Bristle Tips feature, and a new mechanism for blending colors, Photoshop CS5 redefines the way you paint. You can take advantage of more natural and realistic painting effects, making it easy to take your imagery and designs in new artistic directions.
The Mixer Brush lets you define multiple colors on a single tip, and then mix and blend them with the underlying hues on your canvas, achieving creative results that rival traditional painting media. When starting with a photo original, you can use a dry, empty brush to blend the existing colors while at the same time adding a painterly effect to the image. Mixer Brush settings provide extensive control over the wetness of the canvas colors, the load rate that determines amount of paint loaded on the brush, the mixing rate between brush and canvas colors, and whether the brush is refilled, cleaned, or both after each painting stroke.
In conjunction with these new mixing features, Photoshop CS5 incorporates unprecedented control over stroke characteristics of its painting tools with Bristle Tips. Bristle Qualities define key bristle properties such as shape, length, stiffness, thickness, angle, and spacing, which affect how the color is laid on the image as you paint.
The Bristle Brush Preview feature provides a visual representation of these changes, and you can save your tip configurations for future use, allowing you to build a customized collection of Bristle Tips to experiment with when using Photoshop brush tools.
Puppet Warp Puppet Warp gives you more freedom when pushing and pulling elements within an image. The feature lets you recompose an image to make it more appealing, or to fit a specific layout, by allowing the precise repositioning of any element within a Photoshop document, or selection, by simply clicking and dragging. After you reposition an object, Photoshop adjusts the rest of the image to account for the shifted pixels.
After choosing Edit > Puppet Warp, click on your image to drop pins establishing anchor points where you want image parts not to move, and handles that you can use for warping. Then drag any of the pins to reposition the picture elements. Use Puppet Warp to swing a raised arm to a person's side, warp and stretch text to create new effects, or reposition intrusive objects in a photo to create a more pleasing composition.
Automated lens correction The Lens Correction features in Photoshop CS5 create better quality captures by removing or correcting the three most common lens-based errors: geometric distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting. This means you can use a wider range of lenses with the confidence of producing images of the highest quality. With the aid of the Adobe Lens Profile Creator (available separately as a free download from labs.adobe.com) you can produce custom profiles characterizing the optical aberrations of your camera lenses. When installed and selected in the Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS5, the profile automatically removes or corrects the three types of distortion.
The Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS5 is redesigned to include manual adjustment controls under the Custom tab, and settings for locating and applying custom Lens Correction Profiles (LCP files) under a new Auto Correction tab. Installed profiles that match your camera and lens combination are used to apply precise distortion corrections to your photos. Suitable profiles can be located easily based on the EXIF data automatically recorded with the image, and if a suitable profile is not present in the Lens Correction filter, then with a single click within the dialog box, you can search online for the correct profile to meet your needs.
Individual error types can be selected in the filter's settings, as can options for handling any transparent areas that surround the corrected image.
User-inspired productivity enhancements Photoshop CS5 helps boost productivity and creativity throughout the editing workflow with dozens of enhancements inspired by Photoshop users. Some of these include:
A neutral-density preset for the Gradient tool
The ability to save 16-bit Photoshop documents in 8-bit JPEG format in a single step
An option for reversing the clone source using the flip buttons in the Clone Source panel
A Don't Show This Message Again option when saving files with maximum compatibility
Default value for Shadows/Highlights changed from 50% to 35%
The ability to move a selection while the active layer is hidden
An on/off option for trackpad gesture support on Mac and in Microsoft Windows 7
A new layer command for deleting all empty layers via scripts
A Straighten button on the Ruler tool options bar
A Close All Open Images Without Saving option
A Save As option for always defaulting to the folder to which you last saved an image
The ability to drag and drop a file onto an open Photoshop document to create a new layer
Multiple improvements in Lens Correction filter options, including:
Grid Display is off by default
Show Grid, Grid Size, and Grid Color settings are now sticky
Default grid size is increased from 16 to 64 pixels
Decimal point adjustments are allowed as values for the Chromatic Aberration sliders
A third Chromatic Aberration slider enables the correction of green/magenta fringing
The Background Color Edge setting is replaced with the Black Color entry
A White Color option is available in the Edge menu
Reset options are changed so that only the calibration settings are reset, not the Grid options

A new Cache Tile Size control in the Performance section of the Preferences dialog box
Zoom in and out with the new scrubby zoom tool
Presets for setting Cache Tile Size and Cache Levels simultaneously
The ability to use keystrokes to set values in the Adjustments panel text fields
Performance increases of up to 50% when importing OBJ files
Sample colors faster using the new on screen color ring built into the eyedropper tool
Customizable default values for Layer styles
New creative resources, including actions, tools, presets, brushes, swatches, shapes, gradients, styles, and tool presets
Window and Door shapes added to list of meshes that can be created from a layer
An option for changing the opacity of multiple selected layers
The ability to create a mask from the transparent areas of a layer
Pick colors faster using the new on-screen color HUD
Print settings saved with the image file, allowing one-button printing with user-selected values
Selecting a printer automatically lists the profiles installed for that printer at the top of the profile list
Printer-specific profiles are selected automatically when choosing a printer
Customized print settings can be recorded as part of a Photoshop Action
An overlay grid can be displayed when using the Crop tool
Layer groups can be nested more than five levels deep
New Paste Outside and Paste Inside commands, along with the previously existing Paste In Place option, are included in a new Edit > Paste Special menu

Streamlined creative reviews through integration with Adobe CS ReviewCollaborate with colleagues and seek client comment quickly and easily with Adobe CS Review, a new CS Live online service* designed to simplify and accelerate the design review process.
With CS Review, you can avoid the hassles of large email attachments, logon problems with FTP servers, and time-consuming next-day air deliveries usually associated with client reviews by instead initiating a secure, shared review. Comments are displayed in near-real time and in context, providing convenient feedback on your images and designs. You can access the CS Review service from within Photoshop CS5.
Faster performance with cross-platform native 64-bit support Tight deadlines and large file sizes make performance a high priority for many Photoshop users. Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended deliver cross-platform 64-bit support, allowing you to perform day-to-day imaging tasks up to 10 times faster. Video and photo professionals, especially, benefit from the extra performance, as gains are even greater if you regularly work with very large files, where processing can be up to ten times faster when you take advantage of higher addressable RAM amounts--limited only by what your hardware accommodates.
To help you tweak the performance of your setup, Photoshop CS5 lets you adjust history, tile, and cache controls in combination.
Greater access to key resources via flexible custom panels Photoshop CS5 offers easy ways to integrate and extend your workspace with customized panels. With the aid of the Configurator 2.0 panel utility (available separately as a download from labs.adobe.com) you can produce your own panels, bringing together your most used tools and menu selections and incorporating your favorite web feeds or video tutorials.
Stay connected to the greater Photoshop community and all facets of your digital life directly from within Photoshop CS5 by using panels you create or those produced and distributed by other users. You can access anything that lives on the web--favorite blogs, video content, even your email--with these integrated panels. You can even expand content beyond a panel's standard viewing area when you need a magnified view.
Easier interface management with Live Workspaces and Workspace Switcher Creating dedicated, task-specific workspaces that mimic your individual workflow increases productivity and efficiency by hiding the features you don't use and exposing the ones you do. New Live Workspaces auto-save any changes you make to a task-specific workspace, so that if you switch to a different workspace and then back again during an editing session, your panels remain exactly where you left them. The number of entries displayed in the collapsible Workspace Switcher can be altered, and the position of each workspace can be rearranged. This provides quicker navigation between frequently used setups.
Superior black-and-white conversion Photoshop CS5 continues to support the tradition of producing finely crafted monochrome photos with the inclusion of new ways to explore an endless variety of black-and-white looks. You can use the integrated Lab Black & White Technique action, located in the Default Actions group of the Actions panel, for an easy and interactive way to convert color images. Create gorgeous HDR black-and-whites with greater ease and speed by taking advantage of the new and updated features in HDR Pro. Take your monochrome creations in new directions with conversion presets in the Black & White panel.

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Bitdefender Total Security 2010 - 3Pc/2Yr Review

Bitdefender Total Security 2010 - 3Pc/2Yr
Average Reviews:

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I have been using Bit Defender Total Security 2009 for the past year and it has served me well, so I was very eager to try the 2010 edition when it became available. Overall I am happy with the new version and can recommend it but there are some surprises that merit mention.
First, the installation was not smooth. Rather than uninstall the old version I simply popped in the CD and let it go. Bit Defender recognized that the old version was present and uninstalled it before proceeding with the new install, which would have been nice had it been successful. After it installed itself my system did not work quite right, though basic protection was there. I did a complete uninstall, wiped directories and even did a defrag (one application complained of no disk space, though I had 50GB free) and installed fresh. This time, Bit Defender identified 5 applications that it did not like and wanted to uninstall, yet it would not list which applications and telling it to uninstall them did nothing. From this point, installation was actually smooth and uneventful.
Once installation was finished, everything was clean and ready to go. The first noticeable change is the boot time at initialization. Bit Defender 2010 is definitely faster to load than the 2009 edition and as a result the system comes up to a ready state faster.
A lot of changes have been made to the user interface, making the dashboard look much more up to date and organized. I run the dashboard in expert mode, which gives access to everything that can be set, and my overall impression is that, while most settings remain and are available as they were, more thought went into the interface to make it more intuitive. Though predominantly cosmetic, the updated interface is welcome.
I threw some tests at the firewall and was unable to get it to fail. It leaves no ports open, and it does not allow two-way traffic without checking or at least notifying the user. The operation of the firewall has not changed - it is solid.
One feature of the firewall I have grown to really appreciate is the activity monitor and process list. I like being able to look at the network traffic and see what processes are "calling home", eating up bandwidth (though the firewall notifies the user when initially allowing access to an application). It does not allow you to directly terminate a connection, but it at least shows what is happening so that you can take some action if necessary.
The initial scan done by the antivirus took a couple of hours and it scanned over 600,000 files. Overall this is not the fastest antivirus I have ever used but it is not the slowest either. In testing it seems to do an acceptable job. With the 2009 edition I got an occasional false positive, but so far I have not seen any with this new version.
There is one setting that caused me some grief and required some research to identify and correct. By default, Privacy Control is turned on, and for most that may be fine. In my case it interferes with my connectivity for some reason, breaking my connection to my POP3 server. After turning this off, my connectivity was fine. I am not sure why this is so, but it was frustrating until I figured it out.
Parental controls seem to work better now, though I think they are perhaps a little too aggressive (better that than being too permissive). When I turned them on for my account, it identified me as a teenager and blocked me from news sites. I switched my profile to adult and it corrected the issue. It seems a bit odd that news sites would be blocked for anyone, but it demonstrated that parental controls work. There is also a new option for specifying time frames in which applications can be run, which is a nice-to-have feature when there are kids in the house.
The Total Security edition includes a few extras not found in the other editions that may or may not be of use. The tune-up section of the interface provides an easy-to-find connection to some of the system tools like the defragger and a file shredder. Also provided is an online backup feature that offers 2GB of free storage (2GB is not a lot of space but it is sufficient for documents and most data files).
Bit Defender Total Security is a nice package and has been my solution of choice for the past year. The 2010 edition offers some improvements over the 2009 edition that make it even better. There are some rough spots in it that should be taken into account when installing and using, but there is nothing that cannot either be worked around or turned off. My experience with Bit Defender has been a good one and I can in good conscience recommend their security suites.

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The Industry's Best Value! Provides 3 PCs 2 full years of protection against viruses, spyware, hackers, and other e-threats, without slowing them down. Includes: online backup; firewall; IM Encryption; File Vault (encrypts sensitive documents); File Shredder (eliminates all traces of deleted files); Parental Control; system maintenance tools; and more.


BitDefender Total Security 2010 Features
Securely download music, movies, and files from the Web, friends, and family.
Scans and removes viruses and spyware
New--Advanced protection that continually monitors your system to catch threats that lay dormant, before they attack
Scans all Web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic in real-time
Proactively protects against new virus outbreaks using advanced heuristics

Protect your identity: shop, bank, listen, and watch, privately and securely.
Blocks attempted identity theft (phishing)
Prevents personal information from leaking via e-mail, Web or Instant Messaging
File Vault encrypts and stores personal information or sensitive files
File Shredder permanently erases all traces of deleted sensitive files

Maximum security that doesn't sacrifice performance.
New--Scans 30% faster than even last year's lightning-fast edition!
Uses minimal system resources
Laptop Mode prolongs battery life
Removes unnecessary duplicates of files and registry entries

Automatic Online Backup! (2GB)
Backs up your important files to a secure website
Safeguards against data loss in the event of hardware failure or PC theft
Allows you to share your online files with family and friends

Guard your conversations with top-of-the-line encryption.
Instant Messaging Encryption (Yahoo! and MSN Messenger)

Connect securely to any network at home, in the office, or on the road.
Automatically modifies firewall protection settings to suit location
Wi-Fi monitor helps prevent unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network

Parental Control
Blocks access to inappropriate websites and e-mail
Schedules and limits kids' access to Internet and to applications, such as games

Gamer Mode
Reduces the system load and postpones scans/updates, allowing for secure gaming at top speed

Be in control, stay in control.
Manages the security of your entire home network from one PC
Use the dashboard to fix security issues with just one click
Automatically decides best security actions to take

Designed for ease of use.
New--User Profiles (Typical, Parent, Gamer, Custom)--set up your security to best match your computing activities
New--See only what you need! Select from Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced views


New and Improved in BitDefender 2010
More Protection Many of today's stealth viruses are designed to avoid antivirus detection by initially laying dormant only to attack your PC when it is most vulnerable. BitDefender 2010 features a cutting-edge security system, Active Virus Control, which constantly monitors all of the processes on your PC, 24/7, blocking any malicious behavior before it can cause any damage.
More Speed The abundance of new viruses calls for faster ways to detect them. BitDefender's Optimized Scanning avoids the scanning of files that are known to be safe. The result? BitDefender 2010 scans your PC in half the time needed by previous versions, while using less resources.
Easier to Use Whether you're a security expert or a novice, with the new BitDefenderUser Profiles you can easily manage your PC's security. The product interface adapts to the chosen profile and provides quick access to the main security functionalities you are most likely to need (Parental Controls for parents, or Gamer Mode for gamers). BitDefender 2010 also features three dashboard views--Novice, Intermediate, and Expert--to better accommodate users with different levels of PC knowledge.
Improved Parental Control The Parental Control module features a newly added reporting system allowing parents to view what websites their children visit. Moreover, parents can set specific time intervals in which their children are allowed to access the Internet or use certain applications.
Improved Intrusion Detection BitDefender detects and blocks attempts to change critical system files or registry entries on your PC and warns you about attacks performed by code injection (DLL injection).
Improved In-Product Technical Support You can get answers to the most common product-related questions or contact technical support directly from the product using its easy-to-use self-service module.



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Microsoft Outlook 2007 Review

Microsoft Outlook 2007
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The new version of Outlook is VERY similar to the previous version. Cosmetics are neater, but wholesale revamping of the user interface that took place in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint missed this version. Usability is good, and I hope that security is improved, but I see no "burning" need to upgrade to the new version.

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Microsoft Outlook 2007 Win32 CD

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Adobe Premiere Elements 9 (Win/Mac) Review

Adobe Premiere Elements 9 (Win/Mac)
Average Reviews:

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I'll start off by stating that I am just an everyday dad who wants to take the HD videos he shoots of family vacations, kids' birthdays, fishing trips, etc and transfer them to DVD without any loss in quality. I am not out to produce the next "Citizen Kane" nor am I out to challenge Steven Spielberg to a directorial throwdown.
I do not want to have to convert files, combine files, or compress files. I just want to transfer my family memories to disc for future viewing. If I can also chop out those moments when I forgot to turn the camcorder off and you get a good view of what footwear everyone was wearing that day, even better. If I can also include a title screen, with a neat little visual of what's on that disc, with an area where you click "play" to start the video, better still.
This sounds like a fairly simple request, no? Nevertheless, I have had trouble finding video editing software that will do this in a straightforward and simple fashion. I have bought Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11.5 Plus and Corel VideoStudio Express 2010. I have also tried Windows Movie Maker and have downloaded trials of PowerDirector 8 Ultra and Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum. They all either produced bad images, required video conversions, froze up, locked up, or spit up. As far as my hardware, my PC consists of a Quad Core i7 chip with six GB of RAM and with Windows 7 64-bit.
I was scanning Amazon one day and noticed that Adobe Premier had among the highest reviews when compared to the other options and was decently priced (with a rebate). After my other experiences, I decided to download their trial version before I made the purchase. I was elated with the results.
Finding the files (which were raw, .mts files that I had transferred from an SD card to my hard drive) and loading them into the workspace was simple. Arranging them was equally simple (oldest to newest, which I chose, or newest to oldest). Burning them to Blu-ray disc (I have both a Blu-ray disc burner and a standard disc burner on my PC) was also an easy process. In no time I had the disc produced and was watching video with stunning clarity on my 67-inch HD television.
Here are some things to note:
1. Processing time for 45 minutes of HD video took about two hours. The software has to process the files prior to burning, which takes a while. It seems like slow going sometimes, but just leave it alone and be patient.
2. When it actually starts burning the disc, for some reason the process bar for this activity stays at 1 percent. Just ignore this...it is actually making progress, although it doesn't show it on the screen.
3. If you load the trial version, the disc you make will have an ugly black bar across the middle of the entire video, indicating that it was made from a trial version of Adobe Premiere. I found this annoying, but understandable. The other trial versions I tried did not do this.
4. I saved my trial project, and then opened it with the Premiere version that I bought. The full-version software retrieved it and the black bar was gone. So, if you do a project with the trial version and later buy the software, save your project to avoid re-work.
5. On my second DVD, I managed to put in a title screen and insert captions (e.g. "On our way camping," "Arriving at our hotel in Naples) just by fumbling around. This software is especially easy to navigate.
6. I like the fact that Adobe Premier has so many resources...some online, that I have not yet explored, and some in book form, including this one that was just released. Adobe Premiere Elements 9 Classroom in a Book I may end up getting more involved in this as a hobby than I thought I ever would or could. I am optimistic about this since thus far the fundamentals have proven so user friendly.
In summary, I highly recommend this product against all others. It is great for the novice, the "point-and-shoot" user, and apparently will allow you to gain more expertise with practice. Time will tell.
Lastly, I apologize for the lengthy review, but after trying so many editing software choices out there I am really pleased I finally found one that works, works well, and is so user friendly. My only gripe at this point is that by the time I downloaded the trial version and tested it, the price had increased by $10 when I went to make the purchase! Even at that, though, I still consider it a good value.
If my opinion changes (for better or worse) as I continue to work my way through this software, I will update the review.


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Incredible movies, effortlessly! Adobe Premiere Elements 9--the newest version of the #1 selling video-editing software--delivers powerful, automated moviemaking options, professional-quality effects, and optimized HD and SD editing. Share quickly via convenient web DVD viewing experiences and on disc, mobile devices, Facebook, and YouTube. Automatically organize and help protect all your video clips and photos. And now enjoy a complete solution for videos whether you use Microsoft Windows or Mac OS.
Quickly find, view, and protect your clips and photos in a powerful media-management hub.

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