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Adobe is now shipping After
Effects 4.0. Adobe After Effects 4.0
software serves two distinct audiences:
motion graphics designers and visual
effects artists. After Effects 4.0 is
available in two versions: a Standard
Version and a Production
Bundle.
The
Production Bundle includes all of the
features in the Standard Version plus
warping effects (Bezier Warp, Mesh Warp
and Reshape), and a set of motion control
and keying capabilities that offer more
precise control for visual effects
professionals. Particle Playground is a
new Production Bundle visual effect that
allows users to create realistic
simulation effects such as swarming bees,
falling leaves or exploding text. Six new
Adobe After Effects 4.0 audio effects are
also available in the Production
Bundle.
After
Effects 4.0 is priced at $995 U.S. for the
Standard Version and $2,195 U.S. for the
Production Bundle. For complete system
requirements on Power Macintosh, Windows
'98 and Windows NT 4.0 platforms, refer to
the Adobe Web site.
<www.adobe.com
web page "After
Effects">
Macromedia says it will be shipping
Fireworks 2 for Windows 95/98 &
NT 4.0+, and MacOS 7.5.5+ in March, 1999.
This upgrade will be available as a
standalone application or integrated with
Macromedia Dreamweaver 2, in the
Dreamweaver Fireworks Studio.
Fireworks
2 new features include graphic and text
Styles that can be shared among
workgroups, and a Find and Replace
function that can globally update text,
fonts, colors, and URLs. The batch
processing feature automates common tasks
and generates JavaScript Scriptlets,
drag-and-drop pieces of code. A new URL
manager helps keep links consistent
throughout a site; and a Behaviors palette
makes creating interactivity simpler.
Fireworks adds a Project Log to assist in
task management.
Other
enhancements include tabbed, dockable
palettes, support for scanners and digital
cameras, onion-skinning for precise GIF
animations, and the ability to preview
animations in the workplace. Fireworks 2
also introduces color-locking and a Web
Dither Fill, used to create unlimited
Websafe colors. Fireworks 2 optimization
includes better JPEG compression and an
"Export to Size" wizard that automatically
creates the highest quality graphics for a
user-specified file size.
For
use with Dreamweaver a new "Optimize in
Fireworks" menu item in Dreamweaver 2
launches just the Fireworks Optimization
engine. Fireworks' new JavaScript
behaviors appear as native behaviors in
Dreamweaver. The two applications include
a number of additional workflow features
that enable roundtrip editing of graphics
and HTML code.
Estimated
street price is US $199. Current
registered Fireworks users can upgrade to
Fireworks 2 for US $129. For a limited
time customers who own the previous
version of Fireworks plus any other
Macromedia product can upgrade to
Fireworks 2 for US $39 until June 15,
1999.
<www.macromedia.com/software/fireworks/>
Macromedia is offering two free
seminars in a series being held around the
country. Both extensively cover their
tools (of course!) with one devoted to
general Web graphics while the other is
devoted to their Generator
product.
The
remaining schedule for Add Life to the
Web! and Generating Continuous Web
Graphics is:
- Miami
Feb 17 (today!)
- Boston
Mar 1
- Detroit
Mar 9
- Montreal
Mar 11
- Portland
OR Mar 16
- Seattle
Mar 18
- Chicago:
Mar 24
You
can register on the web.
<www.macromedia.com
web page "Events">
Nikon has officially announced
the Coolpix 950 and Coolpix
700 cameras. Priced at under $1,000
and under $600 respectively, these
megapixel cameras will be available in
early April 1999.
New
innovations include two-second bootup, a
256-element matrix metering and high
precision autofocus. Both cameras feature
high-speed continuous shooting of up to 2
frames per second. Battery life has been
extended to up to two hours on the Coolpix
950 and up to three hours on the Coolpix
700. Both the Coolpix 700 and the Coolpix
950 accept Nikon's optional wide-angle and
fisheye Coolpix lenses introduced for the
Coolpix 900.
A
Best-Shot Selector captures five frames
then analyzes the image frequencies of the
five shots, selects the best one and
discards the other, effectively
neutralizing camera movement that can blur
or ruin a perfect picture.
[I
don't know exactly what that means: does
it average the frames, or somehow decide
that one is less blurry than the other?
"Best One" seems a rather subjective
decision -Ed]
The
950 has a 3x optical zoom Nikkor lens
(38-115mm equivalent) with a 2.5 digital
teleconverter. Users have a choice of
three resolution modes: 1600 x 1200, 1024
x 768 and 640 x 480 as well as automatic,
shutter or aperture priority settings, a
sensitivity gain control (the digital
equivalent of using faster film) and a
5-mode tailored curve selection for
printing or monitor display. Images
captured on the newly designed
2.11-megapixel, 3 inch CCD can now be
saved in an uncompressed TIFF format plus
three JPEG compression modes. Both cameras
ship with an 8MB CompactFlash
card.
Among
the camera's other features are a GPS
input that allows photographers to
geographically tag shot locations; three
white balance settings (automatic, manual
and preset); custom titling and renaming
of files onboard, and firmware that is
updateable via a CompactFlash
card.
The
Coolpix 700 incorporates many of the
attributes of the Coolpix 950 including
the 256 element matrix metering system,
two resolution settings (1600 x 1200 and
640 x 480), two-second start up/save times
and high-speed continuous shooting modes.
The Coolpix 700 also features a 1.8-inch
LCD, auto-focus Nikkor lens (38mm
equivalent) and a digital zoom in five
steps (up to a 95mm equivalent).
<www.nikonusa.com>
And Olympus America has announced a
2.1 megapixel zoom lens filmless digital
camera, the C-2000 Zoom. The C-2000
Zoom boasts a (1600 x 1200) resolution, 3X
optical zoom lens and infrared
remote.
The
optics system is an all-glass aspherical
8-element 3X f2.0-f11 (35-105mm
equivalency) zoom assembly, featuring both
fully automatic and manual modes and
offers the choice of 100, 200 or 400 ISO
film speed equivalency. The camera is
lightweight at 10.7 ounces and is 4.2"
wide x 2.9" high x 2.6" deep.
The
shutter speed is determined in either an
automatic or manual mode at 1/2-1/800
second and additional accessory lenses can
be added by attaching to the external
threaded mount. The camera also features a
4-mode flash with red-eye reduction,
force-fill flash, automatic low-light and
back-light mode, and force-off. External
lighting can be synchronized to the camera
to further extend its use and function. A
slow synchronization mode is available for
manually selected shutter speeds. The
flash can be fired at the beginning or end
of an exposure.
The
camera features both auto and manual white
balance, autofocus with both pre-focus and
quick-focus options. Sequence shooting
enables users to shoot and capture 5-45
images in 1/2 second intervals with
variable resolutions (VGA - 45 images, XGA
- 30 images, 1600 x 1200 - 5
images).
The
C-2000 Zoom includes an 8MB Olympus brand
panorama SmartMedia card, remote control,
4 AA photo-grade Alkaline batteries, lens
cap, strap, serial cable for PC and Mac,
video connection cable for TV or VCR,
Adobe PhotoDeluxe image manipulation and
creation software, Enroute Imaging
QuickStitch panorama stitching
software.
For
a limited time, 4 free AA NiMH
rechargeable batteries and recharger can
be redeemed though an included coupon. The
C-2000 Zoom will be available May 1999
with an expected street price of $999. All
software supports both Windows and
Macintosh computer systems.
An
independent preliminary report on the
C-2000 can found on the web at
<www.imaging-resource.com
"C-2000
report">
Adobe has unveiled Acrobat
4.0 which is expected to be available
in the second quarter of 1999. Acrobat 4.0
promises a number of new features
including new annotation and security
tools, the ability to re-use information
within PDF files, and easy HTML to PDF
conversion. Unfortunately, most of these
new features are only available for
Windows users.
Acrobat
4 will enable users to convert files into
PDF by simply dragging and dropping the
file onto the Acrobat icon. The new
PDFMaker utility converts Microsoft Word,
Excel or PowerPoint files into PDF from
within those applications. The Web Capture
tool converts web pages into PDF files
that preserve the pages' graphics, fonts,
colors, and active hyperlinks.
Adobe
has also updated the Adobe Portable
Document Specification (PDF). This latest
version, PDF 1.3, supports metadata in PDF
that allows the re-use of information
contained in a PDF file.
Users
can now add stamps, text blocks and audio
clips. Also, the author of the original
document can summarize and review
annotations by navigating and filtering a
document based on its annotations. Digital
signatures enable users to authenticate
and safeguard information by allowing
authors and key personnel to "sign"
electronic documents. A digital signature
can also verify that a document has not
been altered since it was sent.
Adobe
Acrobat 4.0 software for both Windows and
Macintosh will have an estimated street
price of $249. The following features of
Adobe Acrobat 4.0 software are only
available on the Windows platform:
PDFMaker, Table Capture, Web Capture and
Digital Signatures.
[Hey!
Given the Mac version will be seriously
feature deficient, shouldn't it be priced
lower? -Ed]
Registered
users of Adobe Acrobat software, version
2.0 and higher, will be able to upgrade
for $99 USD.
<www.adobe.com>
Communication Intelligence
Corporation has announced a new
version of its Sign-it product to
support Acrobat 4.0. Acrobat's new
digital signature technology enables
document authors to protect documents from
unauthorized access or alterations making
it a perfect tool for applications such as
electronic forms processing. Sign-it is a
complimentary offering for Acrobat 4.0 for
use in digital signature capture and
verification. Sign-it for Acrobat 4.0 is a
document automation solution that allows
users to capture signatures electronically
using a digitizer tablet and pen. It then
binds them to the Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF).
Users
of Sign-it and Acrobat 4.0 can transfer
signed documents while retaining the
integrity of both the document and the
attached signature. Sign-it for Acrobat
4.0 will be available for purchase and
download from CIC's website.
<www.cic.com>
Aurora Design makes a great video
capture card for the Macintosh, the
Fuse, and I've been impressed by
the support the company has offered;
updating the drivers frequently for
example.
I
reviewed a unit for MacInTouch
a while back and thought it was great, but
I had a small problem with the S-Video
connector not accepting my cable until I
"altered" it using a pair of pliers. Turns
out that standard S-Video connectors
aren't always as standard as you might
think.
Aurora
tells me they have now switched to an
S-Video connector that accepts both
locking and unlocking S-Video cables,
though not a vital improvement, it's great
news for users (I think.)
<www.auroradsgn.com>
<Fuse
review>
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