Adobe Delivers New Versions Of Photoshop, Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop CS2
Photoshop CS2 integrates a new set of tools, including an enhanced Spot Healing Brush, for handling common photographic problems such as blemishes, red-eye, noise, blurring and lens distortion. Smart Objects allow users to scale and transform images and vector illustrations without losing image quality -- as well as create linked duplicates of embedded graphics -- so that a single edit updates across multiple iterations.

Photoshop CS2 now allows non-destructive editing and the creation and editing of 32-Bit High Dynamic Range (HDR) images, ideal for 3D rendering and advanced compositing. FireWire Previews can also be viewed on a television monitor through a new direct export feature.

Other new tools include Vanishing Point and Image Warping. Vanishing Point allows users to clone, paint and transform image objects while retaining visual perspective. Image Warping makes it easy to fold, stretch, pull, twist and wrap an image into shape by selecting an on-demand preset or dragging custom control points.

The new Camera Raw 3.0 workflow allows settings for multiple raw files to be simultaneously modified. In addition batch processing of raw files, to JPEG, TIFF, DNG or PSD formats, can now be done in the background without launching the main Photoshop executable.

Adobe Photoshop CS2 will be available for an estimated street price of $599 and licensed users of any previous version of Photoshop can upgrade for $149.

Adobe Illustrator CS2
Illustrator CS2 offers new tools such as Live Trace and Live Paint, an enhanced user interface, and expanded support for a variety of file formats, including Scalable Vector Graphics Tiny (SVG-t) for output to mobile platforms.

Live Trace converts scans of hand-drawn sketches and digital photos into fully editable and scaleable Illustrator artwork. Live Paint enables users to color artwork quickly and intuitively, based on how it appears on screen rather than how it was constructed. Live Paint also solves the common illustration challenge of quickly creating new shapes.

The new Control palette and Custom Workspaces in Adobe Illustrator CS2 help users optimize their workspace and workflow. The Control palette, a context-sensitive interface that provides access to 80 percent of commonly-used palettes from a single location, allows faster selection of menus and features and frees screen real estate for artwork. Custom Workspaces enable designers to select and arrange palettes to support a particular workflow or project save it as a named workspace and access it from the Window menu or share it with other designers.

Illustrator CS2 offers expanded support for a wide variety of file formats, including PDF/X for print workflows, Macromedia Flash (SWF) for Web animations, and SVG, including SVG-t for applications such as animated picture messaging, mobile e-commerce, and mobile entertainment.

Estimated street price for the full version will be$499 and upgrade pricing starts at $169.