Technology Blog

Hey all, we are one of the sponsors of a creative event happening 27 October, details below, Analogue are sponsoring a prize worth nearly $4000…

2 Week Countdown — NEW TICKET PRICES RELEASED!

We Can Create brings together a posse of mind expanding thought provokers from around the globe to share the secrets of their creative prowess. This will be supplemented with workshops, discussions and, of course, unabashed creative networking.

Get it here-

http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/photoshopcs6.html

Adobe have recently released a point update to the latest CS5, this new update includes-

• Updates to HTML5 and Adobe Flash authoring tools

• Indesign interactive page layouts for use on tablet devices

• Video and audio enhancements and performance features

And many more.

CS5.5 Design premium feature updates since CS5

CS5.5 Production premium updates since CS5

CS5.5 Web premium updates since CS5

More info here-

http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite.html

Raskin is a great Finder alternative that allows you to visually see everything that you need in one customized interface using multi-touch gestures on various Apple interface devices. This great app runs on-top of the OS X Finder to provide an intuitive  interface great for all users that enjoy shortcuts, visual ui and visual control via gestures.

I have been using it for a few days now, takes some getting used to but when you do, it flies.

It seamlessly integrates with a number of apps out the box.

You can get a 30 day demo here-

http://www.raskinformac.com/

We got one in last week, after 2 weeks on order.

This unit effectively replaces the 24″ screen that was around for a short time. The 30″ is still available but will probably be phased out in the future, unless they revamp it with the new enclosure and push the size even further past 30″.

Personally I do not like the glossy displays, I am more of a matt display person. There is no option to order a matt version of this screen, just like the iMac models its glossy or nothing. Only the MacBook line offers this option now.

So onto the nitty gritty, its a very nice looking unit, compliments the 27″ iMac and 17″ MacBook Pro nicely (see image below), be aware-

1 It only officially works with a Mini display port, there is a 3rd party DVI adapter available but its pricey.

2 Make sure that you plug in the USB cable, even if you do not intend to use the 3 USB ports on the screen, its essential for the OS to control brightness etc.

Here is the Macworld review-

Review

So Adobe have created a set of tools for building HTML5 content via Dreamweaver.

Press release here-

http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/201005/051910HTML5Pack.html

Download here-

http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/html5pack.html

CS5 has officially been released to market today, yes while we have been selling free upgrades over the past few weeks since the official CS5 launch, you are still unable to get serial numbers and install media. Adobe should start contacting all eligible CS4 upgrade customers soon.

In the meantime, you can download a trial version of CS5 which are now live to download, go to -

http://www.adobe.com/downloads/

Hover over the product you wish to install, and click the try button, then you will need to register or sign in with an Adobe account (free) to download the relevant installer for Windows or Mac. The downloads range from 3GB to 8GB in size.

Run the installer and choose install 30 day demo and enjoy the new features.

Apple have applied for a patent that could revolutionize the design/print industry. They are looking into developing a monitor and software that displays CMYK natively. This will benefit a lot of people that rely on colour management to display CMYK gamuts on RGB devices. Story here-

http://industry.bnet.com/technology/10007133/apple-monitor-technology-could-change-all-commercial-graphics/

And demand the 4th gen iPhone back, more stories here-

http://gizmodo.com/5520438/how-apple-lost-the-next-iphone?skyline=true&s=i

http://gizmodo.com/5520479/a-letter-apple-wants-its-secret-iphone-back?skyline=true&s=i

http://www.adobe.com/nz/special/cs5roadshow/

Well it arrived yesterday via US, it definitely feels quite hefty and as one client of ours put it, feels like it could easily slip from your hands and smash on the floor.

So I reckon a case/protective cover is the first order of business, but NZ does not have access to any accessories yet, there are some on Trademe with the 15 iPads there at last look, but prices are horrendous at the moment from TM. A Logitech 10′ laptop cover will suffice for now at $35 from PBTech.

So onto the unit-

I wont post any photos as there are enough of them floating around the web without me adding more.

Its amazingly fast (Apple have got a winner here with the A4 chip)

Looks good, screen is very bright and pleasing to the eye.

Lots of comments have been – ‘Looks smaller than I thought it would.’

Easy to type on the virtual keyboard, myself I am a self proclaimed hater of the new gen keyboards and mouse that Apple have recently been pushing, I prefer a keyboard that has keys that actually go someplace when you press them. I had no problem typing on the virtual keyboard and found it quite comfortable.

I did notice some inconsistencies with the virtual keyboard layouts based on the apps you are currently using, the keyboard layout changes based on content to input, sometimes there is a .com button sometimes not. You get used to using it, suddenly its not there.

Syncing took a while as iTunes had to ‘optimize’ my 1000′s of photos for transfer to iPad.

iTunes, you can download and purchase some iPad apps, the main ones, not yet. Apple have blocked any users from outside US trying to purchase and download iBooks or iWork, it may work if you have a US credit card.

The App store on the iPad does not work yet… until NZ are added as a legitimate source for iPads.

But you can download and purchase eBooks from Amazon via the Kindle iPad app, signup is easy, sample chapters can be downloaded and previewed, reading is painless and easy on the eye, what gets me is the weight you have to get used to. Its heavier than your average paper back, but about the same as a thick hardcover.

Purchasing Kindle books from Amazon to read on the iPad is pretty easy, once the app is installed, choose the book via web page, go back to Kindle app and it will sync and download any new purchases. I purchased the special edition ‘UR’ from Stephen King written exclusively for Kindle publication, reading it now.

Some of the custom written iPad apps are great looking and very responsive, funny how apps which are free on the iPhone are now costing up to $15 now, but I suppose its time to make money for the devs.

Web browsing, nice, the new HTML5 enabled websites look good and are very responsive, video plays well without being choppy.

Mail, love it, much better in landscape mode, you have a mailbox preview on left and message preview on right, much easier to navigate and work with compared to iPhone Mail.

Games, look good and are fun to play, sometimes a little hard to get used to controls, my wife is addicted to Plants vs Zombies from PopCap, plays like a dream and looks great compared to iPhone version.

Power wise, it does charge off my MacBook Pro laptop USB port, slowly as with the iPhone charger I have in the lounge at home, it charges a bit faster using the beefed up 10w USB charger supplied with the unit.

Speakers, they are builtin at the bottom, not enough to satisfy my needs, so a decent set of portable speakers or headphones is advisable.

Screen rotation can be a bit annoying, yes you can lock it, but most apps transform into better apps when turned around, problem is that this can happen at the wrong time, screen rotation is also based on vertical angle, not just rotation.

Battery life seems to live up to the claims already made, which indicate 10 hours depending on use, most reviewers have exceeded this number. Apple usually claim way over the actual battery life.

Box contents are sparse, no screen cloth to clean the fingerprints that end up covering the entire glass surface, yes you do need one. Rest of the box consists of cable and charger.

In terms of bling factor, its great, everywhere you take it people are drooling and offering to purchase it, Apple have today announced that rest of world (NZ not even mentioned in that list) have been pushed back a month for pre-orders. So we may be lucky to see official NZ iPads in store in June/July??

In terms of day to day business use, that remains to be seen, cannot test iWork yet, Microsoft have announced there are no plans to re-write Office for iPad. It will be good as a presentation device once we can get hold of VGA out adapter.

So for now its a great little entertainment unit that’s fun to use with many hidden features, kind of like a large iPod touch on steroids.

I will write a further review when more items come to light, I have a leather cover on order and need to get hold of the VGA/USB connectors.

More to come, for now its on a little roadshow around our clients…if you want to have a look or a demo, contact us.

http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/201004/041210AdobeMasterCollectionCS5.html

More here-

http://cs5launch.adobe.com/

Here is a list of the major features being released by Adobe in CS5-

http://indesignsecrets.com/roundup-of-indesign-cs5-features-honest-this-time.php

As an ex Photoshop retoucher I am always fascinated by the ability of people to extend this tool to great lengths.

I used to work with a guy (back in the 90′s) who in Photoshop V4 could create a portrait from scratch using a wacom tablet and his artistic ability, after many hours and days of airbrushing he would end up with a life like image. Incredible, nowadays this is more commonplace-

http://www.noupe.com/tutorial/40-outstanding-photo-manipulation-tutorials.html

Just to keep you updated with where Analogue is at these days-

We have just released our ‘flash’ new website, check it out here – http://www.analogueltd.com
Many thanks to Jenny Styles from Neato (awesome interactive designer) who designed and built the site from the ground up – http://www.jennystyles.com

This month we are releasing and updating our existing products to deliver to the creative, design and print industries -

• Web based (landing page branded) flash page turner hosted application, see demo here - http://www.proof-me.co.nz

• Web based (logo branded) FTP hosted service – http://www.analogueltd.com:8008/WebInterface/login.html

• Web based (logo branded) upload and download interface for you to deliver/receive files via corporate clients behind locked down firewalls – http://www.analogueltd.com/altd/filemanager.php

• WorkflowMax, we are now official resellers of this great SAAS workflow management tool, we even use it ourselves – http://www.workflowmax.com

• We have many other new and updated services that may benefit your business, contact us today for a free consultation and demo.

And of course our flexible IT support packages that suit your needs, not ours.

For all you fence sitters and naysayers, McGraw-Hill’s CEO mentioned today on CNBC that Apple are releasing tablet tomorrow….

“Yeah, Very exciting. Yes, they’ll make their announcement tomorrow on this one. We have worked with Apple for quite a while. And the Tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system and so it will be transferable. So what you are going to be able to do now — we have a consortium of e-books. And we have 95% of all our materials that are in e-book format on that one. So now with the tablet you’re going to open up the higher education market, the professional market. The tablet is going to be just really terrific.”

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1396376379

Update – McGraw-Hill spokesman Steven Weiss would not confirm the CEO was describing Apple’s actual product.

All will be known from 7am tomorrow morning…

See this page below for some information on CS5 upcoming features. Including a sneak peek of CS5 Photoshop.

Adobe have not given us a release date as yet for CS5 but timelines suggests April this year

http://cs5.org/

Designer Kyle Bean creates some unique replica’s, gotta love the bricktop

http://www.kylebean.co.uk/portfolio/project.php?p=disposable

A quick rundown of some unique typefaces…

http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/20-creative-and-unique-typefaces/

http://www.photoshoplady.com/30-best-photoshop-abstract-effect-tutorials/