|
In an unusual twist to the normal practice of software companies releasing a big piece of software and then patching them again and again, Adobe has chosen to release the beta version of its new uber-image editor Photoshop CS3 for testing and for free! Even though Adobe has previously released Lightroom as a series of beta tests, Adobe releasing Photoshop CS3 like this is huge because it's the flagship product and of the amount of new features added in. It does make sense though, as it allows them to get the millions (probably) of Photoshop users to test it first.
Photoshop CS3 is a huge update to the series, mostly because it is the first version to have full support for you lucky people with Intel-based Macs - a very overdue feature. It comes as a Universal binary so older Apples can use them and also has Windows XP and Vista support. The big step to Intel support is the main reason behind releasing a beta version. As its still a beta it's not a finished program, but there are new features to be played with, including Non-destructive filters, Quick Selection, Vanishing point perspective planes and better B&W conversion.
The beta also comes with a few more toys. It has a new version of Bridge (which in true new-web fashion is known as Bridge 2.0) and as well as having a new interface is also a lot faster at handling thumbnails of jpeg and raw files and includes the Stacks of Lightroom to keep project files together. A new tool called Adobe Device Central is included to help designers working on mobile content allowing them to simulate how things work on your mobile or PDA.
Obviously the beta is only a trial version which will most likely expire in spring 2007 when (fingers crossed) the full product is released. Also, it's only available to existing Photoshop CS2 users for that period so that Adobe gets the most feedback. It's unlocked with your CS2 serial key. For those without CS2 don't fret, you can still use the beta version but only for two days.
The beta is downloadable from Adobe Labs (although they haven't made it available yet so watch this space…)
| 
