With Adobe InDesign CS5 and incorporating PDF and HTML5, users can apply familiar publishing tools as they upload content, and test their interactivity while organizing and packaging content. Currently in Beta, Adobe Digital Publishing Suite will allow established commercial publishers (and entrepreneur publishers) the ability to publish across various digital phones, and e-readers (running iOS or Adobe AIR®). Downloading the Adobe InDesign CS5 plug-ins takes patience, and there is a learning curve to apply the publishing tools, however, the opportunities are limitless with the increasing demand for digital media.

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite Features
Adobe identifies the following services for their new digital publishing suite.

Production Service

• Upload InDesign page layouts and linked assets (images, video, and audio directly from an InDesign panel).
• Drag and drop editorial and advertising content into a desired sequence.
• Embed metadata (issue numbers, article titles, and article descriptions) for use in navigation within the Content Viewer.
• Preview issues and test web browser interactivity.
• Click once to bundle content. Deliver automatically to Distribution Service.
• Apply specific brand to a customized Content Viewer for delivery to various mobile marketplaces (like Apple App Store, Google Apps Marketplace).

E-Commerce Service

Analytics Service

Editions and Pricing
The Digital Publishing Suite uses a flexible pricing structure for publishers of all sizes.

Professional Edition: $699/month + Per-issue fee
• Fee per publisher or company (includes all publisher titles)
• Distribute apps across marketplaces and devices
• Sell content via single-issue, multi-issue, and subscriptions
• Access ready-to-use analytics dashboards powered by Adobe SiteCatalyst®

View the Per Issue Fee Schedule for annual issue volume publication fees.

System Requirements: Windows Pentium 4, or AMD Athlon 64 processor with Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 3 recommended) or higher; Mac OS X 10.5.7 with Multicore Intel processor and Apple iPad for viewing (1 GB RAM, 3.5 to 4 GB hard drive space, 1024 X 768 display, Adobe InDesign CS5, Adobe AIR 2x)

Contact: Link to Adobe Labs for a preview release of the add-on publishing technologies for InDesign CS5. To start deploying content via Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite, publishers can register for the Adobe Prerelease Program.

To operate Google TV, users have to purchase a new Sony Internet TV (no cost listed online, but probably pricey), or buy the Logitech Review ($299) to attach to their TV. Will there be an attached subscription cost with the TV, along with the cable, satellite, and other services?

Call me a skeptic, but instead of watching Netflix movies, YouTube, or catching up on the latest news on your computer, you can watch it on a bigger screen via Google TV. And while checking out an interesting website when watching a game, that’s possible too. However, connecting a HDMI, or VGA cable from a laptop computer, or computer to your TV works great too for watching movies.

Educational Opportunities
Pricing may restrict Google into the educational market, however, I can see teachers using Google TV for various lesson plans. Say an English teacher’s lesson focused on Henry IV. While discussing a specific scene, they could link to the movie via Netflix, or YouTube (no DVDs required) and play the specific act while students were reading the play at their desks. Chemistry teachers could display various 3D chemical formulas from a website (water, methane gas, C4 explosives – chem teachers do like to blow things up), open up a separate video link and portray the physical product, or end result. However, will Google offer a discount to schools and colleges to encourage classroom integration?

More Moola For More Toys
Google TV sounds like another form of multitasking, gotta have it all attitude. Google TV is providing another box to integrate your TV inputs (satellite, cable, or over the air TV), the internet and upload some special service software…my, this sounds like a specialized, entertainment computer. Pass me the remote, or was that the phone?

Will Google TV deliver the convenience of an integrated, entertainment or educational experience? It has the potential, but…we’ll see.

Accelerated Photography

New for Lightroom 3:

• Profile-based lens corrections
• Perspective corrections
• Tethered capture
• Drag and drop online publishing
• Import and organize video files
• Export video slideshow
• Noise reduction

Improved for Lightroom 3:

• Faster interactive performance
• Smarter imports
• Raw processing engine
• Flexible watermarks
• Multi-image print layouts
• Vignetting
• Sharpening

Smarter Imports
Lightroom 3 provides enhanced efficiency, allowing users to import images faster and simpler. As part of the import process, images can have developed settings applied, and a backup copy can be saved to a second hard drive.

New Image Process Engine
Adobe has rewritten and improved their raw processing engine. These improvements result in enhanced image quality. The images have better color tones, and sharper features. Lightroom 3 provides the user the choice of upgrading images that were processed with Lightroom 2, or Lightroom 1. Like other aspects of Lightroom, this feature is a nondestructive process.

Improved Noise Reduction
The new raw processing algorithms also enable significant improvements in both color and luminance noise reduction.  Much higher levels of noise reduction can be used without softening the image.

Lens Correction
This is a cool new feature that can automatically or manually correct geometric distortion, chromatic aberration and vignetting.  Automatic corrections uses lens profiles.  The lens profile can be manually selected or automatically selected based on the lens data saved as part of the EXIF data by the camera.  If your lens does not have a profile, corrections can be manually applied.

Perspective Correction
After applying the lens correction, a perspective correction can be applied by selecting “Manual” in the Lens Correction Panel.  By adjusting the vertical, horizontal and rotate sliders, the image can be adjusted so that it looks like it was taken straight on.   This new feature can also creatively distort, stretch and/or rotate the image.

Lightroom is now in its third generation, and with each version, has seen extensive improvements. The first two versions were good, and with version 3, Lightroom is coming into its own. All the features complement one another, and create a user friendly, dynamic product.

Contact: www.adobe.com
Cost: $299 US, upgrade $99 US

Visual Storytelling

Hits Highlights
Lonzell Watson in Teach yourself Visually Digital Video covers the critical elements  often missed by beginners.  The table of contents enables quick access to desired sections.  The detailed index provides easy key word access.

Chapters include:

1. Understanding Digital Video (Great introduction to the subject)
2. What You Need to Get Started (Buying a camera and software)
3. Preparing to Shoot Video (Avoid Murphy)
4. Recording Great Audio (Critical to compelling video)
5. Controlling Exposure and Focus
6. Exploring the color of Light and Lighting
7. Basic Principles and Event Videography
8. Shooting Great Footage Through Composition
9. Reviewing and Transferring Video (Camera to Computer)
10. Editing Video and Postproduction Process (Building the story)
11. Creating Transitions, Titles and Other Video Effects (Dressing up the story)
12. Sharing Your Video with the World

Through these twelve chapters, Lonzell Watson provides a comprehensive introduction to videography.  Will this book make you a professional?  No, but it provides a great start to creating compelling video.  Follow the guidelines set out in Teach yourself Visually Digital Video and produce videos that tell compelling stories, and that your family and friends will watch (without groans or twisted arms).

Contact: Wiley

Cost: $29.99 US $35.99 CAN

Autodesk Maya 2010 – Supercharged 3D Simulation Engine
Memorable movies and animated video games include numerous scenes and special affects incorporating Maya Unlimited tools: Maya nParticles, Maya nCloth, Maya Fluid Effects, Maya Hair, and Maya Fur.

With these powerful tools, Maya 2010 adds Maya MatchMover and Composite (Toxik) for a complete workflow producing futuristic digital images, realistic animations, and stunning visual effects. Maya 2010 provides enhanced creative control and a supercharged, simulation engine.

Maya is not for beginners learning how to create 3D animation video. And it’s fairly expensive, yet Autodesk takes different education situations into account. Their most attractive offering pricewise for students/education accounts are the Suites, rather than individual software packages. If students and artists want to advance their careers, Maya 2010 is a must to add to your 3D repertoire.

New for Maya 2010
These highlights identify some new features within Autodesk Maya 2010:
• Maya Unlimited toolset (new for Maya complete)
• Maya Composite – high dynamic range composting
• Autodesk MatchMover – camera tracker
• Five batch rendering nodes
• Autodesk Backburner network render manager

Maya Unlimited Toolset

The Maya Unlimited Toolset incorporates Maya nCloth and Maya nParticles, plus Maya Fluid Effects, Maya Hair, and Maya Fur. Whether it’s a graceful tablecloth floating over a dining table, a brisk wind coursing through dawn soaked sails, or the fluid aspects of hair or water, the Maya Unlimited Toolset provides powerful tools to create realistic animations.

Maya Composite
Maya Composite (Toxik) is a high performance, high dynamic range (HDR) composting tool included in Maya 2010. Whereas Toxik 2009 was available for Windows, Maya Composite is now available for Mac users. Maya Composite provides tools to connect passes and renders created in Maya into a final composition. The properties of each tool can be changed, and to obtain the right look, these properties can be adjusted. If desired, adjustments can also be key framed. Maya Composite’s toolset allows for keying, tracking, color correction, paint, rotoscoping, warping, and advanced filters (motion blur and depth of field). In short, Maya 2010 offers a full 3D compositing environment with support for stereoscopic production pipelines. Whether the artist is adding CG to film or video, or creating a sophisticated multilayer animation, Maya has the chops.

Autodesk MatchMover
MatchMover gives artists the power to seamlessly integrate 3D animation with live video. It provides automated tools for 3D camera and motion tracking for video and film. Manual tracking can also be applied to improve accuracy. Match-moving can be as simple as importing the sequence into MatchMover, selecting the appropriate interlace, frame rate and other camera data, and then choosing Automatic Tracking from the 2D Tracking menu. Alternatively, users can add and adjust manual tracks to create a 3D camera track. Manual tracks may be used to create a common coordinate system between the video and CG elements. Manual tracks can also track in 3D the motion of non-rigid objects, like the human face or piece of cloth, allowing users to synchronize video sequences, and match the motion between CG characters, or props with real objects, or actors.

Free Trials and Tutorials
For Maya 2010, Autodesk offers a 30-day free trial, outstanding online tutorials and support. Maya 2010 provides a full throttled animation and simulation environment to choreograph eye-popping advertisements and box office winners.

System Requirements:

Contact: www.autodesk.com
Cost: $3,495 US

Easy-to-Learn How to Create 3D Animation Characters
Put a piece of clay in your hands. Can you resist shaping the clay? With Autodesk’s Mudbox 2010, this application lets artists regain the feel of working clay and paint, without the messy clean up.

Mudbox 2010 allows beginners to experts the freedom to digitally mold and paint pre-sculpted, or geometric objects into 3D characters and props. Your imagination is the only factor limiting creativity and design.

By watching the four mini-tutorial videos (40-60 seconds long), within minutes users can start sculpting with Mudbox 2010. It’s that easy to begin learning, but don’t think this application doesn’t have the scope and prowess expert animators require. Autodesk recommends a drawing tablet with stylus, however a three-button mouse can used.

New for Mudbox 2010
These highlights list a few new features within Autodesk Mudbox 2010:

• Adobe Photoshop interoperability – Mudbox 2010 can export paint layers as PSD files for touch up or modification in Photoshop and then import the edited PSD files
• Autodesk FBX support – artists can import and export significant data containing more information than the standard OBJ file format
• New sculpting and painting tools – new paintbrushes, stencils, 3D paint performance, display textures without filtering, and new viewpoint filters
• Images rendered direct from viewport – allows faster access to high-quality images for design previews
• Software development kit (SDK)

Interoperability – Key to Efficient Workflow
Mudbox 2010 allows users to integrate their work with Adobe Photoshop, plus Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max, and Softimage software programs. With the Software Development Kit (SDK), Mudbox 2010 can be integrated into additional workflow pipelines using different applications.

Interoperability

Adobe Photoshop
In Photoshop, artists apply their skills in two dimensions (2D), whereas animators design multidimensional objects (3D). Mudbox 2010′s versatility allows paint layers to be exported as a Photoshop file (PSD) , modified within Photoshop, and then re-imported back into Mudbox. A 2D-artist can fine tune the paint layers with all the tools available in Adobe Photoshop, saving 3D-artists time to create other characters or props. Exporting an image of the character, or prop allows artists to add context and fine tune the paint layer within Adobe Photoshop. This interoperability between Adobe Photoshop, a leading image editing tool, and Autodesk Mudbox 2010 enables users to add Photoshop’s broad and powerful tool sets in creating realistic, or fantastical characters and props.

Autodesk Applications
With Autodesk FBX support, 3D objects and props created in Autodesk 3ds Max, Maya and Softimage can be exported as an FBX file, which can be imported into Mudbox 2010. These 3D characters and props can then be curved, molded, painted and fine tuned using Mudbox 2010’s broad selection of intuitive painting and sculpting tools. The finished character, or prop can then be exported as a FBX file for animation into Maya, or 3dsMax. For example, design a magnificent, pristine Greek column in Maya, export the object file into Mudbox 2010, then quickly mold and paint to appear cracked and war ravaged.

New Tools – More Fun
Imagine sitting in front of a 3D creation, with multiple brushes at your fingertips. Digitally scale a creature’s forearm, or clone existing paint on both flanks creating futuristic 3D creatures. Autodesk’s Mudbox 2010 provides a delightful array of brushes, stencils, stamps and other tools to visually enhance 3D objects. Add soft, muted shadows or hard detailed edges, without the extra work and cost.

Dry Brush

For Mudbox 2010, Autodesk offers a 30-day free trial, outstanding online tutorials and support to launch yourself into 3D sculpting. As noted earlier, four mini-tutorial videos are included in the application, however, advanced tutorial videos and documents require internet access. No need to scrub off clay under the fingernails, or paint stains on your hands. Autodesk Mudbox 2010 enables artists clean, digital sculpting fun for budding beginners to artistic experts.

System Requirements: Apple® Mac OS® X 10.5.7; Windows Vista Business (SP1) and Windows XP Professional (SP2) for 32-bit system; Windows Vista Business (SP1) and Windows XP x64 Edition (SP2) for 64-bit system. For the latest list of Mudbox 2010 qualified hardware, including graphics cards, refer to Autodesk’s qualified Hardware chart.
Contact: www.autodesk.com
Cost: $745 Full Version; $375 Mudbox 2009 Upgrade. Contact Autodesk for Education Pricing.

Image Doctor 2.0 includes:

Improvements to Image Doctor 2.0 provide:

Clean & Easy Interface
Each Image Doctor 2.0 filter opens with a clean, easy-to-use interface that provides intuitive defaults and the power of custom adjustments. Select “Settings” tab, and this interface offers a selection of factory default output settings. Custom settings can be saved and reused that enhance efficiency. Choose the “Basic” tab on the user interface to adjust sliding default and custom settings.

Image Quality
To test Image Dr image quality, test images were selected from photos taken with a Nikon D200 (10 MP sensor). The selected images were processed using both Photoshop CS4 and the Image Dr filters. The original and “Doctored” images are presented below.

Image Doctor – Smart Fill

Crop of original image

Using Smart Fill filter, red buoy is removed

Using Smart Filter a second time cleans up the water and the hillside

Removing the buoy presents several backgrounds – water, rock wall, buildings along the water, and the trees. As recommended in the user manual, the buoy was replaced in four steps. Each step selected a section of the buoy with a different background. The manual does an excellent job of explaining this process.

Manipulating the adjacent image required the “Manual–complex background” from the Factory Settings on the Settings tab. By selecting one of the “Manual” Factory settings, the user can select the area of the image that would be used in to replace the selected section of the image.

For some images, using the Smart Fill Filter a second time can significantly improve the result.  For this image, none of the “Auto” Factory settings gave acceptable results. The “Auto” settings worked better with a consistent background.

As shown above, Smart Fill filter works great with trees and foliage, and does an acceptable job with the buildings in the background. However, this filter did a fair job of replacing water. The Smart Fill filter appears to have difficulty creating the inherent patterns. In water, typically ripples, waves have a pattern that look artificial when broken.

Image Doctor – Blemish Concealer

Crop of original photo

Image using both Skin Softener and Blemish Concealer

Blemish Concealer zapped the blemish over the right eye, and reduced the red coloring on the nose. Skin Softener softened and smoothed the smile lines. Now the subject is happy. As show above the combination of Skin Softener and Blemish Concealer work wonders on the young, and the young at heart.

Image Doctor – Dust and Scratch Remover
Not only can you remove dust and scratches, but the Dust and Scratch Remover filter remove offending lines, trees, branches that in photos, seem to “grow” out of people’s heads. Select the Photoshop lasso tool and then remove as a group using the “Remove object – large features” Factory Setting on the Settings tab. As explained in the User Manual, the “Random Seed” button on the Basic tab should be clicked several time to get the replaced area to look good. Power lines, barbed wire fences, or other objects can be removed successfully.

Alien Skin offers a free download at Product Downloads , and video tutorials can be viewed at Alien Skin Tutorials.

System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 with PowerPC G5 or Intel processor (Adobe Photoshop CS2 9.0.2; Photoshop Elements 4.0.1; Adobe Photoshop Elements 5; Fireworks CS3); Windows XP with Intel Pentium 4 processor (Adobe Photoshop CS2 9.0.2; Photoshop Elements 4.0; Phtoshop Elements 5; Fireworks CS3; Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2)
Contact: www.alienskin.com
Cost: $199

Snap Art 2.0 offers ten different filters for creating the perfect hand drawn artwork from a photo. Snap Art filters include: Color Pencil, Comics, Impresto, Oil Pant, Pastel, Pen and Ink, Pencil Sketch, Pointillism, Stylize, and Watercolor.

New in Snap Art 2.0:
• Higher levels of photo-realism
• Control over the level of photo-realism with a slider
• Adjustable focus regions control where detail is preserved
• Improved presets
• Photoshop CS4 panel

Clean & Easy Interface
Each Snap Art filter opens in a clean, easy-to-use interface that provides intuitive defaults and the power of custom adjustments. By selecting “Settings” tab, this interface provides a selection of more than 700 factory preset settings. Custom settings can be saved and reused enhancing efficiency. The default and custom settings can be adjusted with sliders after selecting one of the four adjustment tabs: Basic, Color, Canvas or Lighting on the user interface.

The addition of focus regions enables control over how the filter is applied to the image. Typically, the focus region is placed over the subject, or a specific portion to preserve important detail.

Example Images
To illustrate the film effects provided by Snap Art 2.0, an image was selected from photos taken with a Nikon D200 (10 MP sensor), and processed in Photoshop CS4 using Snap Art factory presets. Crops of the original and processed images are presented below.

Original Photo

Art’s Color Pencil filter using Abstract (large pencil preset)

Color Comics – large feature size, vignette preset

Snap Art’s Watercolor filter using Landscape (moderate realism)

Snap Art’s Watercolor filter using Landscape – Large Brush, abstract colors preset

The above images are just a taste of the over 700 presets available in Snap Art 2.0. Use one of the presets to obtain the desired natural art look, then employ the controls in the four adjustment tabs to fine tune the image with the full creative power of Snap Art 2.0. Alien Skin offers a free 21-day download to experience Snap Art 2.0.

System Requirements:

This product requires one of the following host applications:

• Adobe Photoshop CS3 or later
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0.1 or later on Mac
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 or later on Windows
• Adobe Fireworks CS4
• Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2

Windows:

• Intel Pentium 4 processor (or compatible)
• Windows XP or later

Macintosh:

• PowerPC G5 processor or Intel processor
• Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later

Contact: www.alienskin.com
Cost: $199 full version

And in today’s media classes, students may not realize the difference in quality from film to digital quality images. Using Exposure v2.0 will broaden their experience by contrasting different image quality, and improve their photo skills.

Exposure v.1.0 included presets for popular slide and print films from Kodak and Fuji, including Kodachrome and Fuji’s Provia. Exposure v2.0 adds presets for available films, such as Kodak Porta 160NC and VC; Kodak Ultra Color 100; Fuji Pro; Fuji Reala; and Polaroid. Alien Skin also obtained a few rolls of discontinued films to create presets for Agfa Scala, Fuji Velvia 50, and Polaroid Polapan. Exposure v2.0 incorporates a new grain generator with more grain controls, special effects presets, and an improved user interface.

Clean & Easy Interface
With Exposure v2.0, both the color film and black&white film exposure filters open into a clean, easy-to-use interface that provides intuitive defaults, and the power of custom adjustments. By selecting the “Settings” tab, this interface provides a selection of more than 200 factory preset settings. Custom settings can be saved and reused enhancing efficiency. Default and custom settings can be adjusted with sliders after selecting one of the four adjustment tabs: color, tone, focus or grain on the color film user interface. The black and white film user interface adds an infrared (IR) adjustment tab.

Images
To illustrate the film effects provided by Exposure, an image was selected from photos taken with a Nikon D200 (10 MP sensor). The selected image was processed in Photoshop CS4 using Exposure factory presets. Presented below are 100% crops of the original and processed images.

100% crop of the original photo

100% crop of original phot with Exposure Kodachrome 25

100% crop of the photo after processing with Exposure’s Fuji Reala preset.

100% crop of photo after processing with Exposure's Fuji Velvia 50

100% crop of photo after processing with Exposure’s Fuji Velvia 50 preset with the push processing slider set to +1.

The above examples are just a small sample of over 200 presets available to create the right image mood, or tone. If you have a quality digital image, but the image is well… too digital for your story or portfolio, consider applying Alien Skin’s Exposure v2.0 plug-in to regain that film quality look. Exposure v2.0 can be applied to Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 and Photoshop CS4, but is not available for Lightroom 2 or Aperture. Exposure 2.0 may also be a plug-in for Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI.

Alien Skin offers a free download at Product Downloads , and video tutorials can be viewed at Alien Skin Tutorials.

PROS: Great job simulating different types of film quality.

CONS: Not available for Lightroom 2, or Aperture.

System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 with PowerPC or Intel processor (Adobe Photoshop CS2 9.0.2; Photoshop Elements 4.0.1; Fireworks CS3); Windows XP with Pentium 4 processor (Adobe Photoshop CS2; Photoshop Elements 4.0; Fireworks CS3; Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI)
Contact: www.alienskin.com
Cost: $249; $149 for upgrades