Central Penn Adobe User Group - CPAUG

Join us at our new website CPAUG.com

2010-12-28T17:04:00.000-05:00

Join us at our new website CPAUG.com

Visit www.cpaug.com to learn more about CPAUG, how to join the group (it's free), find out about our next meetings, talk with group members and more.

NOTE: Our new RSS feed is http://www.cpaug.com/feed/

You're a Comic Sans Criminal!

2010-12-24T11:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.comicsanscriminal.com/

Adobe Reports First Billion Dollar Quarter

2010-12-21T14:15:00.000-05:00

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101220006529/en/Adobe-Reports-Billion-Dollar-Quarter

NAPP - National Association of Photoshop Professionals - NAPP-athon

2010-12-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

If you’ve ever wondered what being a part of NAPP is all about, here’s your chance! On December 9th, we’re staying late to bring you an unprecedented LIVE web event from NAPP HQ!

Join them at 7pm EST, Thursday, December 9th for the first (and probably last) NAPP-A-Thon!

Three hours of live training, off-the-cuff shenanigans and classic clips from the NAPP archives that embody what NAPP is all about: learning and laughter.Plus, you can win some great prizes from us when you pre-register for the event here! Hosted by Scott Kelby, Larry Becker and the Photoshop Guys.

http://www.photoshopuser.com/nappathon

Grab the Ultimate Flash OOP Bundle

2010-12-05T21:13:00.001-05:00

Grab the Ultimate Flash OOP Bundle

Since our roots here at Envato are in Flash – ActiveDen was our very first site – we've always had a bit of a soft spot for the technology. Though it's taken a battering in the last year, things seem to be picking up and certainly our Flash Marketplace is still going strong. So today we're unveiling a limited time offer Flash OOP Site Template Bundle packing $399 of value and putting it for sale for just $30!

The templates in this deal are simply stunning, and built really, really well. What's more we've included bonus extras from partners secureSWF, Greensock and RockablePress.

If you're a Flash-addict, designer, developer, have a project suited to Flash, or just want to dabble and see where the state of things are, head over and grab yourself a bundle now!

The deal is only available for a few days so don't delay. And if you're interested in hearing about more Envato Bundles add your name to our supersale list!

More Details and Buy the Ultimate Flash

Pearson User Group Holiday Sweepstakes - Enter for a chance to win an eReader of your choice—an Apple iPad, an Amazon Kindle, or a Barnes & Noble Nook!

2010-12-02T14:12:00.000-05:00

It's easy to enter - just fill out this form or visit the URL below to be entered in this exclusive user group contest from Pearson book publisher. The prizes are really great!

URL: http://www.informit.com/promotions/promotion.aspx?promo=138072

Deadline to Enter: December 31, 2010

Prizes:

• 1 Grand Prize: eBook Reader of winner's choice—Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, or Barnes & Noble Nook
• 2 First Prizes: Six-month "unlimited bookshelf" subscription to Safari Books Online Subscription
• 3 Second Prizes: Book Bundle containing three eligible print books of winner's choice

Adobe Releases Flash 10.2 Beta, Reduces CPU Usage During Video Playback [Upd...

2010-12-01T10:35:00.001-05:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Adobe Releases Flash 10.2 Beta, Reduces CPU Usage During Video Playback [Updates]

via Lifehacker by Adam Dachis on 12/1/10

Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux: A beta version of Adobe Flash Player 10.2 is now available for download. The latest version adds preliminary support for Stage Video, a technology aimed to reduce heavy CPU usage during video playback. The beta is a free download—available right now—for Windows, Mac, and Linux. More »

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UG News: Free to Choose Deal/Day - Save 60% on ALL Ebooks & Videos!

2010-11-29T08:03:00.002-05:00

Save 60% on all O'Reilly ebooks and videos from their list of over 2,000 titles.

View in Browser.

Forward this announcement to your user group or a friend.

Free to Choose – Deal of the Day

In celebration of Cyber Monday, we've extended our Deal of the Day to our entire catalog of ebooks and videos.

Lifetime access. Free updates. Download in multiple DRM-free formats: PDF, .epub, Kindle-compatible .mobi, and Android .apk. Learn more.

Save 60% on all ebooks and videos from our list of over 2,000 titles.

Enter code DDF2H in the O'Reilly cart.

One Day Only! 11/29/2010

Here are some new releases to get you started:
Head First Python Was: ~~$39.99~~ Now: $16.00 (Save 60%)	Making Software Was: ~~$35.99~~ Now: $14.40 (Save 60%)	REST in Practice Was: ~~$31.99~~ Now: $12.80 (Save 60%)	HTML5 Mobile Web Development Was: ~~$79.00~~ Now: $31.60 (Save 60%)	Data Analysis with Open Source Tools Was: ~~$31.99~~ Now: $12.80 (Save 60%)
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Managing and Implementing SharePoint 2010 Projects Was: ~~$15.99~~ Now: $6.40 (Save 60%)	Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Administrator's Companion Was: ~~$47.99~~ Now: $19.20 (Save 60%)	MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-686): Windows 7 Desktop Admin Was: ~~$55.99~~ Now: $22.40 (Save 60%)	MCTS Training Kit (Exam 70-662): Exchange Server 2010 Was: ~~$55.99~~ Now: $22.40 (Save 60%)	Microsoft ADO.NET 4 Step by Step Was: ~~$35.99~~ Now: $14.40 (Save 60%)
See more books & videos >

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Adobe Lightroom 3 is 50% off on Amazon.com ($149.99)

2010-11-28T17:08:00.001-05:00

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3
Additional sale-priced Adobe software (up to 80% off!)

"Black Monday" Comes to Adobe - Save $50

2010-11-22T18:32:00.001-05:00

From now until Nov 30, people who use the coupon code SAVE50 at checkout at the Adobe.com store will get an instant savings of $50 if they spend more than $500 on Adobe products (any of them, upgrades included).

JobOp: Jr. Web Designer needed in Hummelstown, PA

2010-11-11T20:16:00.000-05:00

Develisys is looking for Jr. Web Designer. We're looking to setup interviews next week, so if you're interested get your application in! Here's what we're looking for:
b

We're seeking an individual with raw design talent and a penchant for semantic markup andsqueaky-clean CSS to join our creative team. If you have the passion and the drive to stay on top of your craft and push the envelope, we want to hear from you!

Requirements: diamond-in-the-rough portfolio

Plusses: Action Script and/or ASP.NET experience

Sound like you? Send an informal e-mail to hr@develisys.com giving us the scoop on you. With your resume, please include sample URL’s of your work. No phone calls, please.

Flash-Playing Skyfire "Sells Out" in App Store Due to Popularity [Skyfire]

2010-11-04T11:41:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Flash-Playing Skyfire "Sells Out" in App Store Due to Popularity [Skyfire]

via Lifehacker by Kevin Purdy on 11/4/10

Skyfire, the alternative browser that transcoded Flash videos and streamed them back to iPhones and other iOS devices from Skyfire's servers, has "sold out" and been taken off the App Store. Obviously, a digital purchase can't really sell out, but Skyfire's servers were overwhelmed by new video streaming requests during the five hours that Skyfire was dominating the App Store, so the company said it would make "batches" of Skyfire available in the future. [Skyfire Blog via CNET] More »

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Skyfire Plays Flash Video on the iPhone, Is Now Available in the App Store [...

2010-11-03T20:42:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Skyfire Plays Flash Video on the iPhone, Is Now Available in the App Store [Video]

via Lifehacker by Adam Pash on 11/3/10

iOS: Skyfire is an alternate web browser for the iPhone that lets you play back Flash videos on your iPhone. It's also a great all-around tabbed web browser. More »

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Partial Flash Support Comes to iPhone via Skyfire Mobile Browser

2010-11-02T12:38:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Partial Flash Support Comes to iPhone via Skyfire Mobile Browser

via Mashable! by Stan Schroeder on 11/2/10

Mobile web browser SkyFire has been approved by Apple and is coming to the App Store on Thursday for $2.99, according to CNNMoney.

SkyFire can convert Flash videos — which the iPhone normally cannot display — into HTML5 on SkyFire's servers, making it possible to view said videos on the iPhone after a short delay.

SkyFire has been around for a couple of years; after an extensive testing period, it originally launched for Windows Mobile and Symbian devices, later expanding to Android and now, finally, iOS.

Unfortunately, the technique doesn't work with Flash games and other non-video Flash content, CNNMoney claims. It also won't work with Hulu, which has banned SkyFire — likely because it only works in the U.S. and charges $10 per month for its Hulu Plus subscription, which allows users to access video via mobile devices.

Still, SkyFire sounds like a really nice alternative to the default iPhone browser; whenever you encounter a Flash video that you simply must see on your iPhone, SkyFire is pretty much the only viable option out there.

Check out a video preview of the SkyFire 2.0 browser for iPhone, recorded in August, below:

Reviews: Android, Hulu, Skyfire

More About: apple, browser, Flash, iOS, iphone, Mobile 2.0, Skyfire

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Redesign an Outdated 90s Website and Win Adobe CS5 Web Premium!

2010-11-02T12:15:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Redesign an Outdated 90s Website and Win Adobe CS5 Web Premium!

via FreelanceSwitch by FreelanceSwitch.com on 11/2/10

In partnership with Adobe Business Catalyst, FreelanceSwitch is launching a fun design competition with a humongous prize! The best redesign of our outdated 90s website, Mario's Catering, will win a copy of Adobe CS5 Web Premium – valued at US $1,799 and available for your OS of choice.

Adobe CS5 Web Premium is a software bundle containing the newest versions of Adobe's world famous design and media software. Hit the jump to learn more!

Up For Grabs

Dreamweaver CS5
Photoshop CS5
Illustrator CS5
Flash Professional CS5
Fireworks CS5
Flash Builder 4 Standard
Flash Catalyst CS5
Contribute CS5
Acrobat 9 Pro

To win, you must submit the best redesign of the Mario's Catering homepage (no sub-pages) before the 17th of November – that's 2 weeks from today. While you don't need to keep any visual elements from the design (photos, branding), you must use all the copy and links on the existing website.

Download website source files

The website hasn't been redesigned since 1999 – and was probably not an example of good design or development even then! We need you to breathe new life into this outdated business with a complete redesign and rebranding of the homepage to bring it up to present day standards. Entries will be judged by the design team at Business Catalyst and several key members of the FSw team.

Our friends at Business Catalyst provide a web service that helps you build powerful Online Businesses for your clients. Because their #1 users are designers, they know a lot about what goes into good design!

To enter the competition, submit your full-resolution homepage redesign as a JPG screenshot to the FreelanceSwitch Flickr group and make sure to tag it '90sredesign' or we will not be able to find your entry. Remember, entries must be submitted before the 17th of November. Entries are open world-wide, except to Envato staff and Adobe employees.

About Business Catalyst

Adobe Business Catalyst is a new hosted service that replaces 5 or more separate tools with one integrated solution. Incorporating web hosting, content management, eCommerce features, email marketing and built in customer management tools, Business Catalyst can help you accelerate your projects and increase your profit margins. Try it out for free at businesscatalyst.com.

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Flash coming to iPhone and iPad - really

2010-11-02T09:13:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Flash coming to iPhone and iPad - really

via Latest financial news - CNNMoney.com on 11/2/10

IPhone and iPad users' long wait for an app that allows them to view Flash videos is about to be over.

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Adobe Demos Flash-to-HTML5 Conversion Tool [VIDEO]

2010-10-29T17:19:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Adobe Demos Flash-to-HTML5 Conversion Tool [VIDEO]

via Mashable! by Christina Warren on 10/28/10

When we talked to Adobe's Paul Gubbay about how the company sees Flash and HTML5, he made it clear that Adobe is very interested in supporting both platforms.

At Adobe's MAX conference the other night, that message was made manifest with a live demonstration of a Flash to HTML5 conversion tool, which is currently in the works. The tool is incredibly impressive in that it can convert full Flash animation into HTML5 on the fly.

Adobe already offers HTML5 plugins for Illustrator CS5 and Dreamweaver CS5. Adobe also offers an Illustrator CS5 export tool for HTML5 and JavaScript. What makes this Flash tool different is that it not only supports animations, but elements within those animations. Watch the demonstration video to get an idea of how users will be able to take elements from within the newly converted HTML5 code to re-insert elsewhere on a web page.

Those animations or interactions will now be viewable on all kinds of devices — including the iPhone and iPad. This is where we think that this HTML5 conversion tool has real possibilities. It's one thing to be able to convert a movie or animation — that's impressive — it's the resources within those Flash files, however, that are potentially more useful.

Adobe might be serious about wanting to push Flash and Adobe Air on mobile platforms like the BlackBerry PlayBook, HP's webOS and Google's Android, but that doesn't mean that the company isn't listening to its customers and providing cross-platform solutions that can work on the many different device types. Last week, for example, Adobe introduced a new HTML5 video player widget.

What do you think of the ability to convert Flash to HTML5? Let us know.

Reviews: Android, Google, adobe AIR, iPhone

More About: adobe, adobe flash, Flash, HTML5, html5 video

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How to Create a Severed Arm in Photoshop

2010-10-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

And your Photoshop Halloween post is....

How to Create a Severed Arm in Photoshop

November Meeting: Fireworks Integration with Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash.

2010-10-25T16:00:00.001-04:00

Date and Time: TUESDAY, November 16, 2010 from 6:00pm - 7:30pm
RSVP: bit.ly/bh0hy6

Address:

Kline Branch - Dauphin County Library

530 South 29th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104

Google Map
* Library now offers free WiFi to those with a DCLS library card so bring a laptop if you'd like to follow along *

Speakers:

Dave Lambert is the CPAUG Co-Manager and has been an active member of the CPAUG since 2004. He was a Web Designer for three years before being hired by the U.S. Federal Government. Dave currently works for the Defense Information System Agency (DISA) as a Customer Account Representative. His job is to be the face of DISA as they set up websites for the U.S. Navy on secure, Department of Defense (DoD) approved DISA servers.

Agenda:

Adobe Fireworks is a wonderful vector-based program that makes it very easy to create designs, concepts and prototypes. Dave will continue our exploration of Fireworks by demonstrating how Fireworks interacts with Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash. His presentation will include how you can use Fireworks and Dreamweaver together to make quick, on the fly corrections to projects. Additionally, he’ll discuss how easy it is to add interactivity to Photoshop (PSD) files and the depth & control you have when exporting a Fireworks (PNG) file into Flash.

Meetings are always free of charge and open to the public. This Library branch does not allow food or drink.

WhatTheFont for iPhone Identifies Fonts on the Go [Downloads]

2010-10-22T14:35:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

WhatTheFont for iPhone Identifies Fonts on the Go [Downloads]

via Lifehacker by Adam Dachis on 10/22/10

iOS: The popular font-identifying web site WhatTheFont (our look) now has an iOS app, letting you quickly identify fonts you see outside of your computer screen. More »

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Apple Stops Bundling Flash with OS X [Mac OS X]

2010-10-22T14:34:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Apple Stops Bundling Flash with OS X [Mac OS X]

via Lifehacker by Adam Pash on 10/22/10

We'd heard a few claims that the new MacBook Airs didn't ship with Flash installed, but today Apple confirms to Mac-guy John Gruber that, moving forward, they'll no longer ship Flash with their systems. If you're a Mac user, you'll likely need to manually install Flash next time you buy a Mac. [Daring Fireball] More »

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Lightroom or Aperture? 3 Factors to Consider

2010-10-22T13:39:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Lightroom or Aperture? 3 Factors to Consider

via Digital Photography School by Elizabeth Halford on 10/22/10

Over on my blog, I entertain reader questions weekly. Today I got a question so great I wanted to share the answer with you fine people!

Q. "I have tried both Aperture and Lightroom and I can't make up my mind. So which one should I get?"

A. At first, one might give this reader the stock answer of "read reviews, try them both and see which one you like better." Unless you devote yourself wholly to soaking in every last drop of software goodness, I don't think that the standard 30 day trial is enough time to really get to know a program. Aside from reading reviews, there are two other things to consider when choosing a program.

{Support} In this case, the reader is torn between Lightroom and Aperture. I would suggest that he check out the support out there for the two programs to see how he will be supported in his (hopefully) long love affair with whatever program he chooses. I'm a LR gal myself. And my favourite website about LR is Lightroom Killer Tips. Upon Googling for a similar site for Aperture, I came up with The Aperture Blog. So do a little searching around and see how much there is out there to help you. Oh, and check out your current favourite photograbloggers and see what they're writing about. For example, does DPS have more information about one program over the other?

{Add-ons} Choosing a program is kind of like buying a new printer. Yeah, it's flashy and surprisingly cheap. But do the cartridges cost double another brand's? Check out the different add-ons and plug-ins for a program. Are there more presets for LR than there are for Aperture? How much do they cost? Are there free ones available for the program you're looking at?

Obviously, there are lots of factors to consider when choosing anything. Other than software, I generally lean towards favouring Apple products because their after sale support is so excellent. So, yes, inquire about support, read reviews and trial the product. But also consider the other two factors above when making the decision to settle on a program. Because you'll be married to that software for many years to come if you want to get the most out of it.

Post from: Digital Photography School

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Fireworks Rapid Wireframing Meeting Recap & Audio link.

2010-10-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

Fireworks Rapid Wireframing Meeting Recap & Audio link.

Thanks and Congrats!
Thanks to everyone who came out to the meeting last night. Congrats to Harris who won Adobe CS5 Design Suite and to those who won a book...or three!

Meeting Recording & Files
We did record the meeting however it seems that only the audio recorded. You should still be able to follow along nicely with the slides, files and audio. They are all found on our website at the link below.

Fireworks Rapid Wireframing Audio, Slides and files.

Shop Amazon for the Holidays via the CPAUG store.
Planning to do any shopping this holiday season online? If you start your shopping through the CPAUG Amazon Store, CPAUG will receive a small percentage back from your purchases. You do not have to only buy what's in the store - you can buy anything on Amazon - you just need to start your shopping via the store. Thanks for your support!

General Updates

You voted and it's been decided that the CPAUG library has ended. We will be raffling off the books at meetings from now on.
We will be creating a new (social!) website which we hope to launch starting in the new year. We'll of course tell you when it's ready and we hope to make it much easier for you to communicate with the managers along with your fellow UG members.

Now For Sale On Apple’s iBookstore: Microsoft Press, O’Reilly Media Books

2010-10-12T13:28:00.001-04:00

Now For Sale On Apple's iBookstore: Microsoft Press, O'Reilly Media Books

Starting today, O'Reilly Media will be selling some 600 titles in Apple's iBookstore, along with almost 150 more from (yes, ironically) Microsoft Press, whose books are sold and distributed by O'Reilly. The iBookstore is of course included in the free iBooks app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch (iTunes link).

For now, the availability of O'Reilly and Microsoft Press titles is limited to the United States and Canada, however.

The titles from O'Reilly include Jeff Potter's Cooking for Geeks, David Pogue's iPhone: The Missing Manual, J.D. Biersdorfer's iPad: The Missing Manual, and Mark Pilgrim's HTML5: Up and Running. Definitely sounds like something for the iOS device carrying developer crowd.

Perhaps less so are the titles from Microsoft Press, which include Steve McConnell's Code Complete, Second Edition, Ed Bott's Microsoft Office 2010 Inside Out, and William R. Stanek's Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator's Pocket Consultant. Although I'm sure those will look awesome on the iPad as well, and it obviously makes a lot of sense for Microsoft Press to get its titles distributed on as many platforms as possible.

Worth noting: since there's no DRM on ebooks sold by O'Reilly, it's easy to read titles purchased from the iBookstore on nearly any device with ePub support.

Andrew Savikas, VP of Digital Initiatives at O'Reilly Media, has blogged about the announcement as well and says the company intends to make the full catalog of titles from O'Reilly, Microsoft Press, and all of its digital distribution clients available in every territory with an iBookstore.

Savikas also points out that, as a solution for the fact that iBooks does not support updates fo...

WSJ: Adobe Shares Slump As Microsoft Takeover Talks Dissipate

2010-10-08T11:29:00.001-04:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101008-707803.html

Adobe shares jump on Microsoft buy report

2010-10-07T21:06:00.002-04:00

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0721049120101007

Report: Microsoft, Adobe CEOs meet to discuss possible Microsoft buyout

2010-10-07T20:53:00.000-04:00

Report: Microsoft, Adobe CEOs meet to discuss possible Microsoft buyout

Gap Asks Facebook Fans for Alternative Designs to Derided New Logo

2010-10-07T17:56:00.000-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Gap Asks Facebook Fans for Alternative Designs to Derided New Logo

via Mashable! by Jennifer Van Grove on 10/7/10

Gap unveiled yesterday a new logo Vice President of Corporate Communications Bill Chandler describes as, "a more contemporary, modern expression." Unfortunately, fans, designers and webizens everywhere seem to hate it, so much so that the company appears to be changing course.

Last night, Gap updated its Facebook Page — which displays the older navy blue box logo — with a status update asking fans to share their alternative designs for the Gap logo. "We love our version, but we'd like to see other ideas," the page reads.

The update also explains that official details on Gap's crowd-sourcing logo project will be revealed in the next few days — a clear sign that Gap is trying to act fast amid a sea of negative backlash that includes user-generated logo contests, a parody Twitter account and a Crap Logo Yourself website.

In an interview with Fast Company's design division Co.Design, Chandler says that the company will "establish a process" for handling community submitted logo designs. Chandler also expressed somewhat contradictory sentiments, explaining that the new forward-looking logo will be included as a part of the company's holiday advertising campaign. "But before the launch goes any further we're going to see what other ideas are out there," he said.

Score: Gap fans one, Gap zero. In fact, the turnabout time between logo launch to project-logo-backtrack was quite remarkable; we certainly think it's fair to credit the web and social media for Gap's immediate change of heart.

More About: design, gap, gap logo, logo, logo design, MARKETING

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Photoshop – Droste Effect

2010-10-06T14:39:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Photoshop – Droste Effect

via Digital Photography School by Helen Bradley on 10/6/10

I an earlier blog post I introduced Pixel Bender a new extension for Photoshop CS4 and CS5 from Adobe Labs. In this post I'll show you a filter which lets you create a Droste effect with an image. The filter is free to download and once it is installed you can apply it from inside Pixel Bender. It was created by Tom Beddard who is author of a lot of really wonderful filters – you can see more of them here.

The Droste effect is an image effect named after a Dutch cocoa company called Droste. In 1904 it produced packaging for its cocoa product showing a woman carrying a tray with a box of cocoa and a cup on it. A small version of the package appeared on the cocoa box on the tray and so on – each version of the image being successively smaller than the last.

To create the Droste effect you must first have Pixel Bender installed so, if you don't, visit my earlier post to learn where to find it and how to install it. Then, you'll need to download the Droste filter from: http://tinyurl.com/pbdroste.

Unzip the folder and copy the .pbk file to your Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS5\Pixel Bender Files folder. Restart Photoshop and the Droste filter will be in place.

Start with an image that is square with some element of interest centered in the middle of the image. I chose a flower against a neutral background – start with something simple as you learn how the filter works – then plan to use a more complicated image later on.

Make a note of the size of the image by choosing Image > Image Size and write down the image width and height.

There is a physical limit to the size images you can use with Pixel Bender which is 4096 x 4096 so make sure your image is smaller than this. I suggest you start with smaller images still as they render faster.

To run the filter, choose Filter > Pixel Bender > Pixel Bender Gallery and select Droste from the dropdown list. If you have used the filter previously, hold Alt (Option on the Mac) and click on the Reset button to reset the filter settings.

Set the Size [0] and Size [1] sliders to match the width and height of your image – my image is 530 x 530 pixels.

By default, you should see a typical Droste file image with straight edges.

To turn the straight edges into a curved spiral, deselect the TransparentInside checkbox.

If the image is off center, the spiral will look askew at this point. To change the center point of the image and align it with the center of the spiral, adjust the centerShift [0] and [1] sliders – each of these operates in a different dimension. Adjust the center of the image until the spiral looks correct.

To adjust the placement of the final image, use the Center [0] and [1] sliders.

If you do not have an image spiral that completely fills the image area you will see some black background color outside the spiral. You can control the color used for this background by setting the BackgroundRGBA values. The [0] setting controls the Red value, [1] controls Green, [2] controls Blue and [3] controls the opacity of the background. The default is that all sliders are set to 0 and the Opacity slider to 1 which gives the black color. You can view the current background by setting Levels to 2 and the LevelsStart value to 1. Then create your own background color and, when you're done, increase the Levels value to back up again to around 7.

To make the spiral tighter or looser, adjust the RadiusInside value. Set it to a very small value to get a small number of loops and to something like 50 to get one with lots of loops. The default setting is 25.

Decreasing the OutsideRadius twists the spiral more tightly. The default value of 100 makes the spiral looser.

Periodicity is the number of times the image repeats in each loop of the spiral. If you set this to 2 the image will be repeated twice per spiral – the Default value is 1.

The Strands value sets the number of loops in the spiral. If you set this to 2 you will have two interlocking spirals and if you set it to three you'll get three strands/spirals and so on.

Other interesting effects include using the RotatePolar value. By setting it to, 90 as shown here you will get different spiral loops on the screen. Having done this, you can then select RotateSpin to adjust the effect.

If you enable HyperDroste then adjust the FractalPoints value, you will create an image that is reminiscent of a fractal style image.

If desired adjust the Zoom value to zoom into the design.

Use RotateSpin and RotatePolar with FractalPoints and HyperDroste to fine tune the effect.

When you have a design you like, click Ok button to apply the Droste effect to your image.

Once you know how the controls in the Droste filter work you're ready to apply it to a more complex image.

To get best results, start with a square image with something of interest in the center and make sure to set the image dimensions in the filter before working with the other sliders.

Post from: Digital Photography School

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CPAUG October 2010 Meeting: Fireworks - Rapid Website Prototyping & Adobe CS5 Suite Raffle

2010-10-04T15:00:00.000-04:00

October Meeting: Fireworks -Rapid Website Prototyping &
Adobe CS5 Suite Raffle

Date and Time: October 18, 2010 from 6:00pm - 7:30pm
RSVP: http://bit.ly/bh0Hy6

Address:

Kline Branch - Dauphin County Library

530 South 29th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104

Google Map

Agenda:

The votes are in and October’s meeting topic will be... Fireworks - Rapid Website Prototyping. Learn how to use Fireworks to take a sketch and turn it into a rough wireframe website.

Wireframes are very helpful in the beginning stages of website design to help demonstrate both general layout and site flow not only for the site designer, but especially for the client. Not only does it help with client approvals, but it can alert the designer to site flow issues that may need address before coding.

In this meeting presentation CPAUG manager, Megan Fister, will show you how to take a rough sketch and use fireworks to create a rapid wireframe website to show your client the basic layout of a website.

You’ll learn Megan’s tips on how to do the following:
- Setup your initial document including master pages
- Creating and setting up re-usable assets into the common library
- Several ways to deploy the wireframe to your client for easy and painless reviews
- Time permitting, how to dress up the wireframe graphically to make it look more like a real website for a “2nd round” of reviews before coding.
-Time permitting, Dave Lambert (CPAUG co-manager) will demo additional Fireworks tips & tricks.

This presentation assumes a basic knowledge of the Fireworks interface and vector graphics.

CS5 Software Suite Raffle

One lucky CPAUG member will be randomly selected from a raffle to win their choice of one of the CS5 Suites! Adobe® Creative Suite® 5 delivers tightly integrated software and services that measurably improve productivity and enable you to produce richly expressive work in print, web, interactive, video, audio, and mobile. Other lucky CPAUG members could win CS5-branded items such as a laptop sleeve, t-shirt, screen cloth, and more!

Everyone who is present will get a raffle ticket but the raffle will include bonus tickets for CPAUG members and a better chance to win:

A) 1 extra ticket for every meeting you've attended and signed-in for since September 2010.

B) 5 extra tickets for bringing a new person to this meeting.

C) 5 extra tickets if you were a presenter at one of our meetings since

September 2010.

The fine print: You must be a CPAUG member and you must be present to win and this must not be your first attended meeting. Approximate retail value of the prize is up to $1900.00. CS5 Master Collection is excluded. Maximum 16 total tickets per person. Winner must not have won a CS Suite in the past 12 months.

Meetings are always free of charge and open to the public. Please note that this Library branch does not have free WiFi nor do they allow food or drink.

Isolate an Object from a Complex Background in Photoshop [Photoshop]

2010-10-01T08:52:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Isolate an Object from a Complex Background in Photoshop [Photoshop]

via Lifehacker by Jason Fitzpatrick on 10/1/10

If you need to pull a person or thing out of an image with a busy background and you'd like to do it with a minimal amount of fuss, this simple tutorial can help. More »

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Event: RIA Unleashed in Boston - November 11-12, 2010 - CPAUG $25 discount on tickets

2010-09-29T16:33:00.002-04:00

Use discount code "CPAUG" for $25 off

RIA Unleashed is the premier event for Adobe Flash, Flex, AIR, and ColdFusion developers in the New England area. This year the event has expanded to two days, November 11th and 12th.

Day 1 is devoted to your choice of hands-on training in areas such as Flex, Flash, AIR, AIR for Android, and ColdFusion. Some highlights of day one include Scott Janousek covering AIR for Android, Mike Labriola teaching component development in Flex 4, and Bob Silverberg on ColdFusion 9 ORM.

Day 2 is the conference day, featuring 4 tracks and over 20 sessions on Adobe technologies and development. This is the best event to get all the scoop on the announcements and releases from Adobe MAX. Speakers from Adobe include Ryan Stewart, Adam Lehman, James Ward, Greg Wilson, Christophe Coenraets, and Terrence Ryan. RIA Unleashed also features some of the most well known and respected members of the Flash, Flex, and ColdFusion developer communities including Jesse Warden, Jesse Freeman, Raymond Camden, Charles Schulze, Brian Diette, Jeff Tapper, and Chuck Freedman among others.

Using our special discount code (CPAUG), registration is currently just $175 for both days--that includes the hands-on training, conference day, the Thursday night party, and lunch on both days. You can also just attend the conference day sessions for only $50. Tickets are limited at both prices, so get them before the price goes up. Also, the hands-on training has limited seating, so sign up soon before it fills up.

Keep in mind, this event sold out early last year, so register soon!

Full details at: http://riaunleashed.com
Register at this link and $25 off your ticket from CPAUG: http://riaunleashed2010.eventbrite.com/?discount=CPAUG
Twitter: http://twitter.com/riaunleashed
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/riaunleashed

Peachpit Photo Club Webinar TONIGHT with presenter Trey Ratcliff, author of "A World in HDR".

2010-09-28T17:03:00.000-04:00

Peachpit Photo Club

On Tuesday, September 28, 2010 from 8 to 9 p.m. ET (5 to 6 p.m. PT) join Trey Ratcliff, author ofA World in HDR. High dynamic range (HDR) photography lets you capture the myriad colors and levels of light that you can see in the real world, and the results are amazing photographs that run the gamut from super real to surreal. Explore this fantastic realm of photography through the unique vision of renowned travel photographer Trey Ratcliff. Trey will share his phenomenal HDR photographs, as well as the backstory on the adventurous circumstances of their origin. He'll also reveal the techniques he used to get the final shot, and answer your burning questions!

To keep the creative juices flowing, Photo Club members will receive a fun assignment at the end of the session. Once completed, Photo Club members can upload their work to the Peachpit Photo Club Flickr Group, where Trey and the Peachpit crew will help critique your work. And of course, there will be a chance for prizes—a "Custom Photo Canvas" from artisticphotocanvas.com!

REGISTER NOW

5 Free Adobe iPhone apps you should try.

2010-09-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

Adobe® Ideas 1.0 for iPhone
Adobe Ideas is your digital sketchbook, letting you capture and explore ideas anywhere you go. Adobe Ideas is an ideal companion for the professional design applications from Adobe, including Adobe Illustrator® and Adobe Photoshop® software.

Adobe Photoshop Express
Adobe Photoshop Express software lets you use simple gestures to quickly edit and share photos from your mobile device. Enjoy having your photo and video library right in your hand — without wasting your device's valuable storage space.

Adobe® Connect™ Mobile
Attend Adobe® Connect™ meetings using your iPhone™ or iPod™ touch. Download the FREE Adobe® Connect™ Mobile application, and enjoy immediate access to meetings anytime, anywhere. Watch and listen to live presentations including real-time presenter webcam video and screen sharing demonstrations. You can see who is in the meeting at any given time, and collaborate with others using live text chat. VoIP meeting audio will broadcast straight to your device over a WiFi or 3G connection, or the meeting host may give you the option to join a telephone conference call.

Adobe® LiveCycle® Workspace Mobile ES2
Need to approve a travel expense or a contract while you’re on the road, but don’t have the time to pull out your laptop, find a WiFi connection, and get onto the web? Now enterprise users can manage tasks using the iPhone! This mobile version of Adobe® LiveCycle® Workspace ES2 allows you to connect to your list of pending tasks and then view, approve or reject them, all directly from your iPhone.

Adobe LiveCycle Content Services Mobile
If you operate or use a content management system, you understand the challenges of accessing the content within while on the move. And with more workers accessing enterprise information and communicating with clients via smart phones, it’s all the more important to provide those workers with the documents and files they need to get the job done via those devices. Now Adobe makes this easier on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad with the LiveCycle® Content Services® Mobile app. Simply log into to your LiveCycle Content Services (or other) system and browse directories, open files, save favorites, and even download and email files, directly from the app.

Central Penn Open Source Conference 2010: 21 Speakers, 3 Tracks, 1 Awesome Day

2010-09-28T08:58:00.001-04:00

21 Speakers, 3 Tracks, 1 Awesome Day

CPOSC 2010 is shaping up to be their biggest and best conference yet! Where else can you see over twenty experts in the open source community, with sessions covering everything from system administration to coding and everything in between, all in one day?

The Central PA Open Source Conference (CPOSC) is an annual, one-day conference about all things Open Source. This year's conference will be held at Harrisburg University on October 16, 2010.

This year’s conference will be on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at Harrisburg University in downtown Harrisburg, PA.

More information and registration at www.cposc.org

New UG Library Book: 3D in Photoshop: The Ultimate Guide for Creative Professionals

2010-09-27T16:51:00.000-04:00

Be the first to read our latest book in the CPAUG library, 3D in Photoshop: The Ultimate Guide for Creative Professionals from Focal Press. This book is available currently so if you're interested, please reserve it now by filling out our Library Book Request Form

Event: Maximum Adobe Photoshop Seminar Tour coming to Philadelphia, PA

2010-09-27T09:52:00.000-04:00

Maximum Adobe Photoshop Seminar Tour coming to Philadelphia, PA

Join Dave Cross as he shows you how to maximize your creative potential, dramatically boost your productivity and skill, and discover how to get the most from Photoshop CS5's most powerful tools and features, including the hottest new Photoshop CS5 technology.

You'll learn extremely powerful yet often-overlooked Photoshop® functions such as Layer Comps, Apply Image, Advanced Blending, Tool Presets and more. Increase your productivity, enhance your workflow and realize new creative possibilities with these essential Adobe® Photoshop CS5 functions. Along the way you'll learn many small but incredibly useful changes that have been made to Photoshop CS5 that will have you wondering how you lived without them. more info »

Seating is limited! Register today at www.kelbytraininglive.com

$99 or $79 for NAPP members

New UG Library Book: Photo Op: 52 Weekly Ideas for Creative Image-Making

2010-09-26T11:24:00.000-04:00

Be the first to read our latest book in the CPAUG library, Photo Op: 52 Weekly Ideas for Creative Image-Making from Focal Press. This book is available currently so if you're interested, please reserve it now by filling out our Library Book Request Form

New UG Library Book: Killer Camera Rigs that you can Build

2010-09-26T11:21:00.002-04:00

Be the first to read our latest book in the CPAUG library, Killer Camera Rigs That You Can Build, Third Edition: How to Build Your Own Camera Cranes, Car Mounts, Stabilizers, Dollies, and More! from Focal Press. This book is available currently so if you're interested, please reserve it now by filling out our Library Book Request Form

New UG Library Book: Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 with PHP Training from the Source

2010-09-26T11:20:00.002-04:00

Be the first to read our latest book in the CPAUG library, Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 with PHP: Training from the Source from Peachpit Press (Adobe Press). This book is available currently so if you're interested, please reserve it now by filling out our Library Book Request Form

September Meeting: Lightroom - An Integrated Approach & Nik Software Plug-Ins

2010-09-20T20:00:00.001-04:00

September Meeting: Lightroom - An Integrated Approach & Nik Software Plug-Ins

Date and Time: September 20, 2010 from 6:00pm - 7:30pm
RSVP: http://bit.ly/bh0Hy6

Address:

Kline Branch - Dauphin County Library

530 South 29th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104

Google Map

Speakers:

Don Uvick has been active in the arts for over 25 years. He has served as an officer for such photography/art organizations as the Harrisburg (PA) Camera Club and the Art Center School and Galleries. Currently, he is the President of the Harrisburg Camera Club.

Don currently works for the Naval Inventory Control Point for the US Navy as an Operations Research Analyst. I have worked with the Navy for almost 30 years. "The Mission of the Naval Inventory Control Point is to provide Navy, Marine Corps, Joint and Allied Forces program and supply support for the weapons systems that keep our Naval forces mission ready."

Agenda:
Lightroom - An Integrated Approach & Nik Software Plug-ins

It is all about the light for this presentation. Lightroom 3 was released by Adobe in June 2010. This RAW processing and Workflow tool gets better with each release.

The focus of this presentation will be to show an integrated approach to using Lightroom 3 from a "tethered" photo capture to final presentation onto your website as a web gallery or as printed output. The journey will highlight some of its new features and take you through the use of presets to establish specific styles, third party workflow plug-ins including one to Geoencode your photos with location information and external editing Plug-ins such as the Nik Software suite.

The Nik software suite includes a set of solutions for every step of your workflow process. This includes tools to reduce noise in your photos, the addition of over 250 effects to enhance your photos, the ability to control the color and light in the image, and feature to control the focus and detail of your final image. The suite even provides a means to create a stellar black and white image by replicating the effects produced by your old-time favorite Black and White films.

Meetings are always free of charge and open to the public. Please note that this Library branch does not have free WiFi nor do they allow food or drink.

Flash vs. HTML5: Adobe Weighs In

2010-09-18T22:05:00.001-04:00

Flash vs. HTML5: Adobe Weighs In

Much has been written about the next wave of web technologies, namely HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3. A big part of this conversation has surrounded the impact that these new technologies will have on older technologies like Adobe's Flash.

We've written a lot abut the HTML5 vs. Flash "war," primarily in the context of Flash's use in mobile and Flash as a video wrapper. I personally have taken the position that at least when it comes to mobile devices, Flash is at a disadva...

Free Webinar: What's New in InDesign CS5: Part 1

2010-09-17T20:00:00.001-04:00

Our friends at webucator.com, who offer InDesign CS5 training, are offering a free webinar on InDesign CS5. You can sign up at http://webucator.com/webinars.

InDesign CS5 Webinar Overview:

This InDesign CS5 webinar will give a quick overview of the new tools that are unique to the latest edition of InDesign. Along with other tips, this webinar will demonstrate the new capabilities of the Selection Tool, uses of the Page Tool, and easy methods of grid placement.

The webinars currently available:
September 28, 1-1:30PM EST
September 30, 3-3:30PM EST

Adobe Releases "Square" - Flash Player for Internet Explorer 9

2010-09-16T18:37:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Adobe Releases "Square" - Flash Player for Internet Explorer 9

via The Road to Know Where on 9/15/10

Adobe Labs has released a test preview of their Square - Flash Player for Internet Explorer 9

The key new capabilities in the Flash Player "Square" preview are:

64-bit support — Native support for 64-bit operating systems and 64-bit web browsers on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.

Internet Explorer 9 hardware accelerated rendering support — Enhanced support for Internet Explorer 9 Beta. It takes advantage of hardware accelerated graphics in Internet Explorer 9 Beta, utilizing hardware rendering surfaces to improve graphics performance and enable seamless composition

Download --> Square - Flash Player for Internet Explorer 9

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Event: Web Design World, October 18-20 in Las Vegas

2010-09-14T14:36:00.001-04:00

UPDATE (9-30-10): EARLY BIRD SAVINGS EXTENDED! Just register at http://bit.ly/WDWReg and enter the promo code USRGP.

Web Design World (webdesignworld.com) is coming soon – October 18-20 in Las Vegas – and if you’ve never been before (or even if you have and want to attend this year), now is the time to register to save $200!

First of all, Web Design World has a great line-up of rock stars in design, UX, content management and more. Flash, JavaScript, CSS3, HTML5, and even mobile development will all be covered. You can check out the full conference agenda at http://bit.ly/WDWAgenda.

Hurry! The deadline for the Early Bird discount is this Wednesday, September 15! If you want to save $200 off any package, register today at http://bit.ly/WDWReg.

Adobe will resume development of IOS Packager for future releases of Flash Pro

2010-09-09T22:18:00.001-04:00

Ted Patrick (@__ted__)
9/9/10 10:14 PM
Adobe will resume development of IOS Packager for future releases of Flash Pro http://bit.ly/8Xdvsg

Adobe on Apple: Great news for Developers!

2010-09-09T22:13:00.001-04:00

> http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2010/09/great-news-for-developers.html
>
> Great News for Developers
> Posted by Adobe Corporate Communications on September 9, 2010 5:03
> PM in Business Professionals, Developers
>
> Apple's announcement today that it has lifted restrictions on its th
> ird-party developer guidelines has direct implications for Adobe's P
> ackager for iPhone, a feature in the Flash Professional CS5 authorin
> g tool. This feature was created to enable Flash developers to quick
> ly and easily deliver applications for iOS devices. The feature is a
> vailable for developers to use today in Flash Professional CS5, and
> we will now resume development work on this feature for future relea
> ses.
>
> This is great news for developers and we're hearing from our develop
> er community that Packager apps are already being approved for the A
> pp Store. We do want to point out that Apple's restriction on Flash
> content running in the browser on iOS devices remains in place.
>
> Adobe will continue to work with key industry partners, including
> Google, RIM, Nokia, Motorola and Palm/HP to enable their device
> users to browse the full web through Flash Player 10.1 and run
> standalone applications on AIR. We are excited about the great
> progress our partners are making as they deliver the first
> smartphones to market with full Flash support.

Great News for Developers (Adobe Featured Blogs)

2010-09-09T22:11:00.001-04:00

http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2010/09/great-news-for-developers.html

What Apple’s Guideline Changes Mean for Developers

2010-09-09T19:41:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

What Apple’s Guideline Changes Mean for Developers

via Mashable | The Social Media Guide by Christina Warren on 9/9/10

Five months after declaring that iOS apps developed with a cross-compiler would not be accepted into the App Store, Apple has eased up on its policies and reversed course.

Beyond just being less stringent about what sorts of tools can be used to build apps, Apple has also published an App Store Review Guidelines that lay out, in black and white, some of the things that will prevent an app from getting into the App Store.

Both of these changes have big implications for iOS developers, and by extension, end users. We've spent some time talking to developers and companies who create iOS development tools to get their perspective on what this means for the future of iOS development.

A (Brief) Summary of Flash Fight '10

When Apple released the first SDK for the iPhone back in March of 2008, developers were quick to complain about the rigid set of standards and the stringent app review process.

When Apple released its SDK, it also made it clear that iPhone development was meant to take place on a Mac and inside Xcode. By encouraging programs to utilize Objective-C and the Cocoa Touch framework, Apple was able to build a strong level of consistency in its mobile applications.

Early on, many iPhone developers were also Mac developers, and the idea of using cross-platform tools wasn't as much of a concern. Fast forward a few years and the software development world is in a mobile gold rush, with much of that early activity fueled by the explosive growth of the App Store.

Thus, it wasn't surprising that third-party frameworks, toolkits and IDEs like Unity would come out to ease the development process. The Mono project, an open source implementation of C# and .NET released MonoTouch, an extension of its MonoDevelop IDE that was touted as a way for C# and .NET programmers to create apps for the iPhone.

In October, Adobe announced that it would be building iPhone support into Flash CS5, meaning that although native Flash content couldn't be played on the iPhone, the Flash program could be used to create an *.ipa that could then be uploaded to the App Store. Further more, this ability was built into the Windows and Mac versions of Flash CS5. In other words, Flash developers could use Windows to create an iPhone app and then just use a Mac to submit the file to the App Store.

Presumably, it was this development that spooked Apple. Just ahead of CS5's release, Apple updated the terms of its developer agreement to include the following:

"3.3.1 ‚Äî Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited)."

In essence, this stipulation would preclude applications that were created with the use of a cross-compiler or compatibility layer to be admitted to the App Store. Steve Job defended this decision in his infamous "Thoughts on Flash" memo, noting that apps created using non-native toolkits are slower and can be buggier and less responsive than their native counterparts. In other words, this was a quality assurance move.

The outcry from this decision was loud, although very few actual iOS developers really seemed bothered. Hand-wringing and "big brother" remarks aside, it appeared that a very narrow group of potential developers would even be hurt by the provision (assuming it was limited solely to Flash and not to products like Unity or Appcelerator's Titanium): magazine publishers.

Adobe worked with Conde Nast to create the excellent Wired Magazine app for iPad, but had to spend time rewriting the app natively after the no-Flash IDE rule was put into effect.

Adobe soldiered on and worked on creating some iPad-friendly publishing tools within InDesign, but larger publishers had to seek alternatives for how to deliver interactive print content without using Flash-based development tools.

Five months later, Apple has reversed course. Presumably, this means that if Adobe wants to go back to working on the iPhone Creator for Flash CS5, it can. The company has since said it would target its efforts on other mobile platforms, but if customers demand the feature, we feel pretty confident Adobe will listen.

So, what does this all mean?

Developer Reactions: Excited

From a cross-compiler perspective, very few toolsets appear to have been actively blocked by Apple, even before this reversal.

Initially, there were fears that the provision would extend beyond just Flash CS5 and into products like Unity and Titanium. It's important to note that with respect to those two companies, the official position was that the new stipulations had no impact on what those development tools do or how they work.

As we noted yesterday, Appcelerator has seen explosive growth since the first SDK agreement announcement and saw no direct or indirect signs that Apple would be banning Titanium-based apps. Likewise, Unity remained confident of its status as an approved tool. Still, both companies are very happy that Apple has rescinded its prior changes.

In a statement, Nicholas Francis, Unity Technologies co-founder and chief creative officer told us, "At Unity we applaud this move by Apple – we are all about enabling people to work with the best tools for any given job. Apple have always been focused on providing superior products to end users, and Unity games have been continuously released throughout this period. However, we are very happy for all those devs who can now join the party!"

We also spoke to Scott Schwarzhoff, Appcelerator's VP of marketing. Schwarzhoff told us, "All of these [changes] fundamentally provide transparency for developers and ultimately that leads to developer innovation, reinforces Apple's strategic advantage and benefits consumers."

Beyond just cross-compilers, Apple also decided to nix a recent provision that could have potentially disallowed third-party ad providers like Google's AdMob from working with the App Store. Here at Mashable, we were always skeptical that Apple would ever directly or even indirectly ban AdMob from the App Store.

Fortunately for everyone, we no longer have to theorize, as Apple has made it clear that it will not ban other ad servers from the App Store, provided the developers and the ad protocol follow Apple's privacy and customer data guidelines.

On the Google Mobile Ads blog, Google notes, "These new terms ensure that Apple's developers have the choice of a variety of advertising solutions (including Google's and AdMob's) to earn money and fund their apps."

Houston, We Have Guidelines

Moving on from the developer agreement-related changes, Apple has also made clear moves to be more transparent and to better communicate with its developers. Beyond the new "living document" of App Review Guidelines, Apple has also instituted a new Apple Review Board that developers can use to appeal an app's rejection from the App Store.

We've spoken with literally dozens of developers that have had their apps rejected from the App Store for one reason or another. In many cases, the rejection was understood by both parties (use of a private API, a bug that needed to be fixed, improper branding), but in others, the reason cited seemed to be at odds with the developer's actual intent or interpretation. In these cases, figuring out how to get an app re-reviewed or even an opportunity to better explain what was actually going on was like pulling teeth.

Thus, the mere fact that a documented process now exists is a great move. When speaking with some veteran App Store developers about today's changes, the general feeling was that this is a great move in the right direction.

One developer told us that the ambiguity surrounding the app review process has been the most frustrating aspect of dealing with App Store. Not having any clear insight into Apple's thinking process made it hard for developers to know what to do. After all, it's hard to conform to a set of requirements if those requirements are locked up in a black box.

Still, despite these ambiguities, none of the developers we talked to were ever bothered enough to look seriously at other platforms. That isn't to say that hasn't been a concern for others — and there are a few famous examples of high-profile developers leaving the platform because of the black box approach to guidelines.

At this point, developers may not agree with every guideline, but at least they know what the guidelines are.

Is This Enough

Android continues to gain momentum, with more and more devices selling all over the world and a flurry of new devices coming out nearly every single day.

It's not unreasonable to view some of Apple's changes as a response to Android's growing strength. Android is sold as an "open" platform, and while the actual level of openness can be debated, at the very least, its garden is surrounded by a low-level fence if not a full wall.

Having said that, in our research and discussions with developers, we just haven't seen any proof of a migration from iOS to Android or any other platform. Yes, Android development is growing in importance and is now often at a higher priority or consideration before, but by and large, the iPhone is still the primary target for most developers and brands.

Regardless of the headaches, most developers we talk to wouldn't give up the ability to develop for iOS. That doesn't mean that every developer will develop for iOS exclusively, but the restrictions haven't pushed a large number of developers away.

Still, Apple clearly sees Android as a competitor. We think that by making the decision to relax some of the IDE restrictions, to be more clear about supporting third-party ad services, and to make review guidelines accessible, Apple is showing that it does listen to its users and developers.

As a company, Apple has a very strong vision and a very concentrated focus. Because of this, Apple is often viewed as a company that doesn't listen to others. Historically however, it's clear that when push comes to shove, Apple does listen to its customers.

As an example, two years ago, the very first aluminum unibody 13-inch MacBook (that shared the same stylings as the 15-inch unibody MacBook Pro) was released without FireWire support. This was a big deal because FireWire was a technology Apple helped standardize and really pushed in its accessories. The customer outcry was immediate and despite Steve Jobs's e-mailed responses that most people won't ever use FireWire and that new video cameras all use USB 2.0, when Apple brought out its new MacBooks six months later, the now re-christened 13-inch MacBook Pro sported the addition of FireWire 800.

For years, developers have been crying out to Apple for more transparency and openness in its app process. Today's announcements are a good way towards fulfilling those goals.

What do you think of Apple's latest changes? Do they make you more likely to continue to develop for iOS? If you have held off from developing for iOS, do these changes make a difference? Let us know.

Reviews: Android, App Store, Google, Mashable, Windows

More About: adobe, appcelerator, apple, Flash, iOS, iphone, iphone sdk, mobile development, unity

For more Apple coverage:

Follow Mashable Apple on Twitter
Become a Fan on Facebook
Subscribe to the Apple channel
Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

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Apple loosens its chokehold on app development

2010-09-09T18:40:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Apple loosens its chokehold on app development

via Latest financial news - CNNMoney.com on 9/9/10

Apple is loosening its grip on its app development for its mobile devices, announcing Thursday that it will drop restrictions on what programming tools developers can use to create iOS apps.

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FontPark

2010-09-09T18:16:00.001-04:00

FontPark is a Searchable, Sortable Database of Over 70,000 Free Fonts http://lifehacker.com/5634062/

Google Mobile Ads Blog : An Update on Apple’s Terms of Service

2010-09-09T16:34:00.001-04:00

Megan Fister has sent you a link to a blog:

Google's statement on Apple's change of terms regarding app development.

Blog: Google Mobile Ads Blog
Post: An Update on Apple’s Terms of Service
Link: http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com/2010/09/update-on-apples-terms-of-service.html

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Going to Flex360 in DC? Get a CPAUG discount!

2010-09-09T16:31:00.000-04:00

CPAUG members - email Megan at cpaugmanager(AT)gmail(DOT)com to receive a 40% discount code on regular Flex 360 tickets.

Your email MUST be on the CPAUG email list to receive this discount all requests from others will be ignored.

Apple Says OK to Third Party iOS Dev Tools | News | The Mac Observer

2010-09-09T12:50:00.001-04:00

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_says_ok_to_third_party_ios_dev_tools/

360Flex in DC

2010-09-08T14:54:00.001-04:00

360|Flex is the first and still the best Adobe Flex developer conference in the world. We’re not a publishing company pushing books, or a media company selling subscriptions. We’re a conference company, focused on community. Our goal is to bring the best and brightest in the developer community together for 4 days of incredible sessions, awesome parties, good times, and learning. If you don’t leave Wednesday night, with more ideas than you know what to do with, we’re not doing our jobs!

This fall you can get your fill of Flex/AIR/ActionScript awesomeness in Washington DC! We’ll be bringing together the best of the Adobe Flex community . Join us!!

WHEN: September 19-22, 2010

WHERE: Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg More information on the Hotel and Travel Page, including booking information.

In the meantime, check out the recordings from 360|Flex San Jose 2010.

CPAUG MEMBERS GET A 40% DISCOUNT!

The Little Black Dress of the Future Doubles as a Cellphone

2010-08-27T16:26:00.001-04:00

Interesting!

The Little Black Dress of the Future Doubles as a Cellphone

London-based fashion company CuteCircuit has just upped the ante in the Little Black Dress category.

The company recently released images and a few details about its forthcoming M-Dress, a dark, richly textured, form-fitting silk jersey dress that also doubles as a cellphone. That's right, you can make and receive calls with your current mobile number. From your dress.

Simply slip your SIM card underneath the garment label and you're all set. The dress has special gesture recognition software that makes picking up a call as simple as raising a hand to your ear. (And yes, the dress rings. We were told that the default ring sounds like "Dilidilidilidliin dliin dliin." Make of that what you will.) Dropping your hand will end the call, the manufacturer claims.

The dress will only be able to call a couple of numbe...

Registration for the 2010 Central PA Open Source Conference (CPOSC) is now open!

2010-08-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

Started in 2008, CPOSC is a one-day technical conference for open source users and developers. Presentations and sessions cover all aspects of open source, with talks ranging from novice to expert skill levels. This year's conference includes 21 speakers divided into 3 tracks.

CPOSC 2010 will be held on Saturday, October 16 at the Harrisburg University of Science & Technology.
TICKETS AND REGISTRATION
Registration is open now. Standard tickets are $35, and include access to all sessions, breakfast, lunch, afternoon break, and chances to win door prizes.
http://www.cposc.org/register/

Tickets are limited, so don't wait to register.

Abstracts and speaker bios: http://www.cposc.org/speakers/

WHERE AND WHEN
Harrisburg University of Science & Technology
326 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101

Harrisburg University is within walking distance from the train station, and is an easy trip from Philadelphia.

Registration opens at 8:00 AM, with first sessions starting at 9 AM. The day ends shortly after 5 PM.

MORE INFO AND UPDATES
On the web at www.cposc.org or follow @cposc on Twitter.

Netflix releases iPhone app, stock jumps

2010-08-26T15:32:00.001-04:00

Interesting that an app now influences stock prices. - Megan

Netflix releases iPhone app, stock jumps

Netflix unveiled its long-awaited app for the iPhone on Thursday, sending the company's shares almost 2% higher.

New UG Library Book: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 Classroom in a Book

2010-08-25T14:00:00.000-04:00

Be the first to read our latest book in the CPAUG library, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 Classroom in a Book from Peachpit Press (Adobe Press). This book is available currently so if you're interested, please reserve it now by filling out our Library Book Request Form

Central PA Open Source Conference

2010-08-24T12:07:00.001-04:00

CPOSC (@CPOSC)
8/24/10 9:56 AM
Central PA Open Source Conference 10/16 Harrisburg, PA. 21 speakers, 3 tracks. Tickets avail now! http://cposc.org

August 2010 Meeting: CANCELED!

2010-08-22T14:00:00.001-04:00

The August CPAUG meeting has been canceled due to scheduling conflicts. We hope to see you in September and enjoy the rest of your summer!

The History of The Internet

2010-08-20T22:35:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

The History of The Internet

via Social Media Graphics on 8/19/10

ovia onlinemba.com

Permalink | Leave a comment »

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Draw a Spilled Paint Bucket in Illustrator

2010-08-18T08:56:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Draw a Spilled Paint Bucket in Illustrator

via Design Instruct: A Web Magazine for Designers and Digital Artists on 8/18/10

This vector illustration tutorial will explain how to make a glossy and stylized paint bucket with spilled paint in front of it, using Illustrator. We will take advantage of many excellent features in Illustrator, such as the 3D Extrude & Bevel command, Blend command, drawing shapes with the Pen Tool and Pencil Tool, using Pathfinder commands to combine and create shapes, and more. The resulting product is a scalable vector drawing. Continue reading...

Continue Reading: Draw a Spilled Paint Bucket in Illustrator

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Use Adobe Fonts in Your Own Web Designs

2010-08-16T15:48:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Use Adobe Fonts in Your Own Web Designs

via Mashable! by Christina Warren on 8/16/10

Typekit, a company doing its part to help bring better typography to the web, has just announced an new partnership with Adobe.

The partnership means that Typekit users can now integrate famous fonts like Myriad, Cooper Black and Adobe Garamond into their own sites and designs.

Adobe took the time to optimize and hint its collection of fonts for the screen, ensuring that type looks its best. The web fonts support the same languages and scripts as their counterparts on the desktop.

We spoke with Bryan Mason from Typekit and he expanded more on the process of making these fonts web-ready: "Adobe has been working on the hinting and screen rendering of these (and others to follow) for months. On a pixel-specific level, Adobe reviews each font character-by-character, weight-by-weight. It is amazingly meticulous work — and the results show." Mason also said new Adobe fonts will be added to the service as they are web-ready.

We also spoke with Jeffrey Veen from Typekit about what the company — which is celebrating its one-year anniversary — has planned going forward. He said in part: "We're also adding more and more features that help designers focus on creativity and not compatibility. Soon, we'll be launching some amazing CSS3 tools that not only focus on webfonts, but all of the new browser capabilities."

These are the Adobe fonts that are now available to Typekit users:

Adobe Garamond
Adobe Text
Bickham Script
Caflisch Script
Chaparral
Cooper Black
Cronos
Garamond Premier
Hypatia Sans
Minion
Myriad
Myriad Condensed
News Gothic
Poplar
Rosewood
Rosewood Fill
Trajan
Voluta Script

Not all fonts and weights are available for all user plans, but select Adobe fonts are available at every tier.

What do you think of Adobe and Typekit's announcement? Do you plan on integrating Myriad Pro in your designs? Let us know!

More About: adobe, fonts, typekit, typography, web fonts

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Free OnOne Webinar: Enhancing Your Portraits, with Dave Cross

2010-08-16T08:31:00.001-04:00

Join NAPP instructor and professional photographer Dave Cross for this valuable webinar that's jam-packed with tips and tricks for getting the most out of your portrait images using PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition.

Peachpit: Five Alive: The Brave New World of Adobe Production Premium CS5 Five Alive: The Brave New World of Adobe Production Premium CS5

2010-08-13T19:40:00.002-04:00

Peachpit: Five Alive: The Brave New World of Adobe Production Premium CS5

Peachpit: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign: Leading Getting the Lead Out

2010-08-13T19:40:00.000-04:00

Peachpit: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign: Leading Getting the Lead Out

Free OnOne Webinar: Live from Las Vegas with Vincent Versace at Photoshop World

2010-08-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

Join Vincent Versace, live from Photoshop World in Las Vegas as he demonstrates how he uses Plug-In Suite 5 to achieve an iconic look to his photos.

See examples of Vincent's work here

Free OnOne Webinar: Creating Images with Impact by Scott Stulberg

2010-08-12T08:28:00.001-04:00

Travel and stock photographer, educator and author, Scott Stulberg travels the world shooting stock photography that appears in magazines, billboards, greeting cards and brochures. Many of his high impact images are created using Photoshop and onOne Sofware plug-ins - both essential to his workflow. In this live webinar, Scott will demonstrate some of the techniques he uses in his workflow to create images that truly stand out, including his use of onOne plug-ins FocalPoint, PhotoTools & PhotoTune.

See examples of Scott's work here

MapQuest/AOL is Hiring.

2010-08-09T23:23:00.000-04:00

http://www.meetup.com/New-Tech-Meetup-of-Central-PA/messages/boards/thread/9552392/

JobOp: Front End Web Designer

2010-08-07T23:04:00.000-04:00

Hiring a Front End Web Designer. Details: http://www.webpagefx.com/employment.htm

http://twitter.com/webpagefx/status/20582250038

Wave Goodbye To Google Wave

2010-08-04T17:15:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Wave Goodbye To Google Wave

via TechCrunch by Michael Arrington on 8/4/10

Maybe it was just ahead of its time. Or maybe there were just too many features to ever allow it to be defined properly, but Google is saying today that they are going to stop any further development of Google Wave.

Wave, a real time messaging platform, was unveiled in May 2009 to an enthusiastic crowd of developers at the Google I/O event in San Francisco. It would "set a new benchmark for interactivity," said Sergey Brin.

The product is part email, part Twitter and part instant messaging. Users can drag files from the desktop to a discussion. Wave even showed character-by-character live typing. It fully launched this last May.

And while the service has many, or at least some, passionate users (including TechCrunchers), it "has not seen the user adoption we would have liked," says Google.

The service will remain live, says Google, although they say they it may eventually come down. Google has also open sourced parts of the code and say they will create tools to let users "liberate" their data: "The central parts of the code, as well as the protocols that have driven many of Wave's innovations, like drag-and-drop and character-by-character live typing, are already available as open source, so customers and partners can continue the innovation we began. In addition, we will work on tools so that users easily "liberate" their content from Wave."

What happens to the Wave team, mostly located in Australia? Google won't say, other than that they will be given new projects. Our guess is many, or all, of them will soon be working for Vic Gundotra and his new WWF (war with Facebook).

CrunchBase Information

Google Wave

Information provided by CrunchBase

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How to Draw a Realistic Mobile Phone with Photoshop

2010-07-31T18:52:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

How to Draw a Realistic Mobile Phone with Photoshop

via Design Instruct: A Web Magazine for Designers and Digital Artists on 7/19/10

In this Photoshop tutorial, we will draw a realistic mobile device. Our aim is to make our work appear so realistic that it looks just like a regular product shot. We will cover basic concepts for drawing a true to life object, making a basic pattern for the speakers of our mobile device, leveraging plenty of layer styles to keep our techniques flexible and non-destructive, and more. The key technique we will stress upon is paying attention to the small details, which greatly affects realism. Continue reading...

Continue Reading: How to Draw a Realistic Mobile Phone with Photoshop

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Ease Eye Strain with F.lux

2010-07-31T18:49:00.000-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Ease Eye Strain with F.lux

via At Home Mom Blog by Genesis on 7/26/10

If you're like me and tend to work around the clock, you know how bad things get for your eyes. The monitor just isn't good for them! While looking away every ten minutes is a good habit, I'd also recommend installing F.lux. It's a free program that will change the way you work.

This handy little program was recommended to me by a friend on Twitter after I complained about irritated eyes during a marathon writing session one night. I downloaded it, set my location and . . . my screen turned orange. Uck!

Fortunately, I stuck it out and now I use F.lux ALL the time because it really has eased the eye strain. Here's how it works:

During the day, computer screens look good—they're designed to look like the sun. But, at 9PM, 10PM, or 3AM, you probably shouldn't be looking at the sun.
F.lux fixes this: it makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.

Nice and simple, huh? You set where you live and the program figures out when to gradually phase out the "sun" mode and go to warm mode which works with indoor lights.

I'll warn you up front, it takes a couple of days to get used to this. You're going to feel like your monitor is awfully orange at first, but stick it out . . . the results are DEFINITELY worth it. It is so much easier on the eyes.

Also, it's free, which is even better. Go download F.lux here.

Disclosure: I am reviewing this program because I love it, the company has no clue I'm writing this.

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Is Google Watching You? New Plugin Will Let You Know [APPS]

2010-07-31T18:46:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Is Google Watching You? New Plugin Will Let You Know [APPS]

via Mashable! by Brenna Ehrlich on 7/27/10

Another rad browser plugin called Google Alarm hit the Internets this week, which alerts you every time your personal info is sent to Google's servers. How? Via notifications, a running tally of dangerous sites and, naturally, a super annoying, vuvuzela-like alarm.

After seeing this new plugin — which works with both Firefox and Chrome — on F.A.T., I contacted the developer who made it: Jamie Wilkinson, who also created Know Your Meme and Mag.ma. Google Alarm, which was made during F.A.T.'s F*ck Google Week in Berlin, is supposed to make users aware of how much info they're sending to the search giant.

According to Wilkinson, "Google makes great products and gives them all away for free, which has made them into a ubiquitous and omniscient force on the Internet. Google Alarm and F*ck Google in general are meant to illustrate how this single unregulated company now captures more information about us than any government agency ever could. When I started developing Google Alarm I was blown away to discover that 80+% of websites I visit have some kind of Google tracking bugs on them."

So how does the plugin work? "[It] inspects each page you visit for Google-related URLs: googleanalytics.com/ga.js for Google Analytics, doubleclick.net/googlesyndication.com URLs for AdSense, youtube.com/v/ for YouTube embeds, and many more," Wilkinson says. "Each service triggers an individual visual and audible alert to help you become more aware of when you're transmitting data to Google." If you're into the idea, the source code is currently open, and Wilkinsen welcomes suggestions. Check out the video below for more info:

We've been seeing a ton of interesting plugins like this lately — Shaved Bieber, BP Oil, Ex-blocker (which, disclosure, I helped come up with). It would be interesting to see if they actually become legit tools. Wilkinson would tend to agree: "Browser addons offer a unique opportunity to hack our web browsing experience," he says. "We spend so much time on the web that it's only natural to begin playing with how we observe and interact with it. I wish we had something as powerful for our TV sets."

What do you think of this plugin? I personally would not recommend enabling it unless you really dig the vuvuzela.

[img credit: twicepix]

Reviews: Chrome, Firefox, Google, Google Analytics, Internet, YouTube

More About: chrome, Firefox, Google, humor, pop culture, trending, web app

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Brilliant Adobe Photoshop CS5 Tutorials From 2010

2010-07-31T18:44:00.003-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

Brilliant Adobe Photoshop CS5 Tutorials From 2010

via Noupe Design Blog by vitaly on 7/29/10

Adobe Photoshop CS5 is a new, but experienced kid on the block. With its new powerful features, it provides designers with a flexible tool for printing, making a video or designing for the Web. Some of the features added in Photoshop CS5 are Puppet Warp, 3D extrusions with Adobe Repoussé, smart radius feature, Content-Aware Fill and Raw Image Processing, to name a few. In this post we showcase Adobe Photoshop CS5 tutorials from which you will learn a lot about different features of Adobe Photoshop CS5.

Photoshop CS5 Tutorials

Create a Cosmic Love Goddess With Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial author demonstrates how to create a cosmic love goddess using some of Photoshop CS5′s new tools including the Refine Edge Feature which really helps to streamline the process of masking and removing objects from the background.

Quick HDR Effect Photoshop CS5 Tutorial
In this Photoshop tutorial you will learn how to create HDR from a single image. This technique will make the bright portions of the image darker, and dark portions of the image lighter. This also gives the image a more realistic look.

Create an Abstract Light Streaks poster in Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial you will learn how to create an abstract light streaks poster from scratch using Lighting effects, Noise, and Wave Photoshop CS5 filters. Layered PSD file included.

New Techniques for Cutting Outbhair in Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial author will be replacing a dull background with a very cool sunset, and use different new features in CS5

CutOut Painting Effect Photoshop CS5 Tutorial
In this Photoshop tutorial, you will learn how to turn a photo into an CutOut painting, using a few filters with a very simple technique.

Create a Dramatic and Surreal illustration in Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial, author will tell how to blend fashion photography with custom brushes into dramatic and surreal illustration using Photoshop CS5 techniques. Layered PSD file included.

Photoshop CS5: Camera RAW
In this video tutorial, author shows you how to use Photoshop CS5′s updated features to make extracting part of an image easier.

New in PS CS5: Refine Edge and Smart Radius
The brand new Smart Radius feature in Photoshop CS5 allows you to do more complex selections a lot quicker than previously.

Remove a Person From a Photo With Photoshop CS5's Content Aware Feature
In this tutorial, author will show how Content Aware feature allows you to quickly fill in a selection with surrounding content making it look like a part of the original image.

New in PS CS5: Usable Sharpen tool
In this tutorial,author will show you how to use Usable Sharpen tool.

Playing with Inflate in Repoussé in Photoshop CS5 Extended
In this tutorial, author will show you the Inflate option in Repoussé.

How To Make 3D Text in CS5 – Photoshop tutorial
Learn how to make 3D text in Photoshop (Adobe Photoshop CS5 tutorial.

Favorite Features of Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial, we take a look at some of author's favorite new features in Photoshop CS5.

Removing Skin Blemishes With The Spot Healing Brush
In this Photoshop tutorial, we'll look at one of the most amazing and time saving photo retouching tools available, the Spot Healing Brush, the first of three image "healing" tools in Photoshop.

Photoshop CS5 New Features – Content-Aware Healing
In this tutorial, author shows you how content aware healing feature is helpful.

3D Type with Repoussé in Photoshop CS5 Extended
In this tutorial, author will show you charm of new feature the Repoussé. This new feature or tool will allow us to create 3D objects extruding texts, selections, paths and layers masks.

New in PS CS5: Brush Engine
This tutorial highlight a feature in Photoshop CS5, new brush engine with the exciting bristle brushes that will let you paint in a much more realistic way.

Cartoon Text with Background Animation Effect
In this video tutorial, you will learn how to create a cartoon style text and animate it using clipping masks and tweening. Photoshop CS5 is required for use of puppet warp feature.

3D Water Text Effect with Repoussé in Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial author will show you how to create a water text. Even though it might look complex it's a very simple effect. We will be using the new Repoussé then some stock photos to create the effect.

Turn A Sunny Day
In this tutorialauthor shows us how to deal and turn cloudy days into sunny photo effects.

How to Make a Reflection in CS5 – Photoshop tutorial
You will Learn how to make a great reflection in this Photoshop CS5 tutorial.

Create 3D type art using Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial, author will use the new Repoussé tool to extrude some text in a way previously only possible in a full 3D application.

Create an Animated Banner Ad in Photoshop CS5
In this article, author will demonstrate how to use Photoshop to create an animated gif in Photoshop CS5.

Create gif animation using puppet warp
In this video tutorial, author will show you how to create a gif animation using the new puppet warp tool in photoshop CS5.

Photoshop CS5 Digital Painting Tutorial
In this tutorial author will show you the techniques and the tricks to convert a photo into a great-looking painting.

CS5 – Hair Masking – Photoshop tutorial
In this Adobe Photoshop CS5 tutorial, we will learn how to do Hair Masking

Use Puppet Warp in Photoshop CS5 to Tweak Your Images
In this quick tip tutorial author will demonstrate how to correct a Photo with puppet wrap tool in minutes.

Blending fashion image with Photoshop CS5 custom shapes
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to transform fashion photography into abstract illustration by mixed some custom shapes and applying different Blending modes using Adobe Photoshop CS5. Layered PSD file included.

Human Aquarium Illustration Photoshop Tutorial
In this Photoshop tutorial we'll be walking through the process of creating a human aquarium illustration using some awesome techniques.

How to create Retro-style Photoshop illustration
In this tutorial, author will create some textures for background using brushes, manipulate some stock photos to give them a retro-style look, and make some color variations. Layered PSD file included.

Horizontal horizon in Photoshop CS5
In this tutorial, author will tell how to make horizontal horizon in Photoshop CS5

PS QT: Make Layer Style Options Default in CS5
In Photoshop CS5 you can finally make your own default options for the layer styles. Just go into the blending options, mess with the settings until you have what you want as your default, and click the "Make Default" button at the bottom of the window to save this as the default for all other times.

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In Defense Of Photoshop

2010-07-31T18:44:00.001-04:00

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

In Defense Of Photoshop

via Smashing Magazine Feed by Thomas Giannattasio on 7/29/10

Waves of change are currently rippling through every aspect of the Web. The iPad and other mobile devices are changing the way we access the Internet, while HTML5 and CSS3 promise to change the way we develop it. However, another storm is brewing that threatens Photoshop's throne as the application of choice for Web design. The battle suggests a fundamental shift in the design process from Photoshop to mark-up.

A militia of designers have assembled to launch this coup. Their propaganda is convincing, and their proposed successor is worthy, capable and sexy. Their cause is important, but their manifesto is flawed.

[Offtopic: by the way, did you already get your copy of the Smashing Book?]

The Argument

The argument against Photoshop focuses on the effect of the final product. Photoshop can be used to create impeccable designs, but after hours of hard work, you end up with a static mock-up that is incapable of emulating the experience one gets when the design is converted to mark-up and viewed in the browser. HTML and CSS mock-ups require no explanation. They present the final product in the final environment. They also take full advantage of browser capabilities, such as fluid layouts, progressive enhancement and animation. These are things that Photoshop simply can't do.

If we compare the two methodologies even closer, we find a number of other disadvantages to the Photoshop approach. For example, Photoshop's text rendering is nothing compared that of modern Web browsers. CSS classes also make the process of updating similar elements easier than hunting down all instances within a Photoshop document. Even making certain structural changes to a website can be done more easily with CSS. Finally, I can't overlook Photoshop's propensity to crash, especially when opening the "Save for Web" dialog.

I admit: the benefits of mark-up are undeniable, and Photoshop doesn't offer any of them. In fact, the mark-up generated across the entire Creative Suite is rather atrocious and unusable. Why then do I think Photoshop is still the most important Web design tool available today? The answer lies in the creative process.

Process Makes Perfect

The creative process is exactly that: a process. Clients may think we simply snap our fingers to make creative goodness flows directly from our brains to the screen, but we know better. We know that it takes hours or days of deep thought to devise the perfect solution. And if you're anything like me, you often don't find the perfect solution until you've explored a number of dead ends. Essentially, we need time and experimentation to work towards the goals of a project and determine the best way to communicate what needs to be said.

Experimentation is the key to creativity. Without it, the brain simply follows what it regards as the safest route, and the result is as mundane as the thought behind it. Most of the designers I know start all of their designs on paper: creating thumbnail sketches in order to quickly experiment with possible solutions. However, these sketches serve as jumping-off points; the design process is by no means over once the pencil is traded for mouse and keyboard.

Photoshop is vital to good Web design because it extends the process that was started on paper. It gives stakeholders a direct connection to the visuals without regard for the technical execution of the product. In other words, it accommodates visual processing. The designer is given a blank canvas—a playground for experimentation—on which anything is possible.

As designers, our medium is in a visual language. It's a language of the subconscious, and it allows us to connect to other people through our work in ways that the spoken word cannot. Great design relies on an open dialogue between the artist and the medium. Interfering with that dialogue only impedes the process and distorts the message.

Designing with mark-up, however, creates a disconnect with the medium. Ideas no longer flow fluidly onto the screen. They must first be translated into a language that the computer understands. Like a game of telephone, this methodology requires a great deal of interpretation, which inevitably dilutes the idea and its potency. This chain of translation introduces a latency that kills experimentation and compromises the design.

The Foreman Or The Architect

Truth is often seen clearer in extremes. So, let's try a little thought experiment. Imagine yourself as an architect tasked with designing a large corporate skyscraper. How would you proceed? If you're like most architects, you would start by sketching, and then work your way into AutoCAD. Eventually, you'd end up with a computer-generated 3-D model. You'd probably take it even further by constructing a small-scale model. All of this processing gives you a better feel for the project without actually building it. It'd be preposterous for the architect to go out and start welding I-beams together as part of his design process; that is the foreman's responsibility, and construction begins only once everything has been designed.

Designing with mark-up is like welding I-beams without a blueprint. The client understands—or should understand with your help—that the mock-ups are not the final product and that this actually benefits them. They want to get an idea of what the website will look like without having the entire thing built first. It allows them to change the direction of the project before investing too much. Our responsibility is to explain the differences between the mock-up and the final product. Moral of the story: don't play foreman when you're the architect.

A Call To Arms

Although mark-up can provide a truer experience for clients, Photoshop is clearly an important part of the design process. Ridding it from our toolbox could prove disastrous. What we need is not to change our methodology, but rather to amalgamate our tools. We need a tool that supports the creative process but at the same time gives us access to the subtleties of our medium.

Modern WYSIWYG editors are off the mark. We need something more like Photoshop, but with capabilities that allow us to create DOM elements as easily as we can create shapes. John Nack seems to be on the right track with his idea of HTML layers, which would enable users to create and style HTML elements and render them with the WebKit engine all within a standard PSD file. While this idea is not completely practical, it gives us something to work with. Imagine opening the layer styles dialog and being able to add CSS3 styling to an element. What bliss!

An example of what HTML layers might look like with CSS styling.

Jeffrey Zeldman makes a number of valid points about why creating such a tool is impossible:

HTML is a language with roots in library science. It doesn't know or care what content looks like. (Even HTML5 doesn't care what content looks like.) Neither a tool like Photoshop, which is all about pixels, nor a tool like Illustrator, which is all about vectors, can generate semantic HTML, because the visual and the semantic are two different things.

I have to agree. Any tool that is meant to translate visual elements from canvas to code will inevitably fail in the semantic realm. Computers are monolingual: they need us to make that translation. However, do we need perfectly semantic code if we're only creating a mock-up? Why can't we accept the reality that we're not crafting the final product and simply spit out HTML and CSS that's "good enough" for mock-up purposes. Once the design is approved, we'll put on our foreman hat and begin the real construction.

Until our paradigm is rocked by some killer new app, Photoshop will reign as the best tool for designing websites. Although it doesn't currently speak to our medium the way we wish it did, it proves itself priceless when it comes to the process of designing. Photoshop is a virtual playground of experimentation; dropping it from the process only prevents your design from being fully developed. So, before you switch to the mark-up methodology, understand that you're sacrificing creativity for a few browser capabilities, which could be explained to clients anyway. For the sake of your client, creativity and work, stick with Photoshop.

For more on information on designing websites in Photoshop, check out my Smashing eBook Mastering Photoshop Web Design, a book for advanced and intermediate designers who want to brush up on their workflow and improve their Photoshop skills.

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3 Things to Know about Working in Adobe Bridge

2010-07-31T18:41:00.001-04:00

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3 Things to Know about Working in Adobe Bridge

via Digital Photography School by Helen Bradley on 7/31/10

Do you open photos direct into Photoshop or do you use Adobe Bridge? If you don't use Bridge, there are some good reasons for changing your habits.

You may not realize it but some of how Camera Raw behaves depends on whether you open an image from Bridge or from Photoshop. Here's how:

Freeze Photoshop or not?

Open a Raw image in Photoshop and it opens, of course, in Camera Raw. But look at the screen – Photoshop is open but the window is frozen. You can't minimize it and you can't work in Photoshop at the same time as work in ACR.

Close the image and now do the same thing from Bridge – right click a Raw file and choose Open in Camera Raw. See the difference? When you open a Raw file from Bridge it opens in Camera Raw but without seizing the Photoshop window as well. You can still work in Photoshop at the same time as you work in Bridge.

In short, if you want the best of both worlds – Photoshop and Camera Raw then head to Bridge to open your images from there.

Bypass Camera Raw

If you're in Bridge, you can bypass Camera Raw entirely and open a Raw file direct in Photoshop by holding the Shift key as you double click the image in Adobe Bridge. The image opens automatically in Photoshop. This is handy, for example, if you've already processed an image in Camera Raw in the past and if you now want to work on it in Photoshop.

JPGs to Camera Raw

In Camera Raw you can make adjustments and craft images often much more quickly and easily than you can in Photoshop. This being the case, you may want to use Camera Raw for your JPG files as well as your Raw files. In Photoshop CS3 and later versions, you can open any JPG in Camera Raw by right clicking the JPG in Bridge and select Open in Camera Raw. You can't do the same thing from inside Photoshop.

As a bonus the changes you make to JPG images in Camera Raw are undoable. So, for example, if you convert a JPG to greyscale in Camera Raw and click Done, the photo will show as greyscale in your Bridge thumbnails. However, open the JPG in Camera Raw again and you'll see the changes aren't permanent – you can undo them and return the image to full color – don't try that in Photoshop!

So, if you're not using Bridge – there are three good reasons for considering changing your workflow habits.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

3 Things to Know about Working in Adobe Bridge

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Adobe Buys Swiss Company Day Software For $240 Million

2010-07-28T08:44:00.001-04:00

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Adobe Buys Swiss Company Day Software For $240 Million

via TechCrunchIT by Erick Schonfeld on 7/27/10

Adobe is strengthening its product portfolio with its intention to acquire Swiss firm Day Software, which makes Web content management systems aimed at marketers. Adobe announced an all-cash tender offer for Day's shares. The purchase price is approximately $240 million. Many of Adobe's products, such as Illustrator and Photoshop, are used already to create marketing materials for companies. Moving into Web content management is a natural step since as many of these marketing materials are consumed and distributed online. Day allows marketers to manage digital assets for online marketing campaigns and set up marketing blogs and other social media outreach.

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New UG Library Book: Introducing HTML5

2010-07-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

Be the first to read our latest book in the CPAUG library, Introducing HTML5 (Voices That Matter) from Peachpit Press (New Riders). This book is available currently so if you're interested, please reserve it now by filling out our Library Book Request Form.

O'Reilly Ebooks - Buy 1, Get 1 FREE

2010-07-21T20:29:00.000-04:00

Get O'Reilly eBooks with this special offer! Their books are DRM free and include PDF, epub, Kindle and mobi formats.

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
Buy 2 Get 2 FREE
Buy 3 Get 3 FREE

Hurry! Offer good until 7/30/10

Central Penn Adobe User Group - CPAUG

Join us at our new website CPAUG.com

Visit www.cpaug.com to learn more about CPAUG, how to join the group (it's free), find out about our next meetings, talk with group members and more.

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NAPP - National Association of Photoshop Professionals - NAPP-athon

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Pearson User Group Holiday Sweepstakes - Enter for a chance to win an eReader of your choice—an Apple iPad, an Amazon Kindle, or a Barnes & Noble Nook!

Adobe Releases Flash 10.2 Beta, Reduces CPU Usage During Video Playback [Upd...

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UG News: *Free to Choose* Deal/Day - Save 60% on ALL Ebooks & Videos!

Save 60% on all ebooks and videos from our list of over 2,000 titles.

Adobe Lightroom 3 is 50% off on Amazon.com ($149.99)

"Black Monday" Comes to Adobe - Save $50

JobOp: Jr. Web Designer needed in Hummelstown, PA

Flash-Playing Skyfire "Sells Out" in App Store Due to Popularity [Skyfire]

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Skyfire Plays Flash Video on the iPhone, Is Now Available in the App Store [...

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Partial Flash Support Comes to iPhone via Skyfire Mobile Browser

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Redesign an Outdated 90s Website and Win Adobe CS5 Web Premium!

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Up For Grabs

About Business Catalyst

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Flash coming to iPhone and iPad - really

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Adobe Demos Flash-to-HTML5 Conversion Tool [VIDEO]

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How to Create a Severed Arm in Photoshop

November Meeting: Fireworks Integration with Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash.

WhatTheFont for iPhone Identifies Fonts on the Go [Downloads]

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Apple Stops Bundling Flash with OS X [Mac OS X]

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Lightroom or Aperture? 3 Factors to Consider

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Q. "I have tried both Aperture and Lightroom and I can't make up my mind. So which one should I get?"

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Now For Sale On Apple’s iBookstore: Microsoft Press, O’Reilly Media Books

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Gap Asks Facebook Fans for Alternative Designs to Derided New Logo

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Photoshop – Droste Effect

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CPAUG October 2010 Meeting: Fireworks - Rapid Website Prototyping & Adobe CS5 Suite Raffle

Isolate an Object from a Complex Background in Photoshop [Photoshop]

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Event: RIA Unleashed in Boston - November 11-12, 2010 - CPAUG $25 discount on tickets

Peachpit Photo Club Webinar TONIGHT with presenter Trey Ratcliff, author of "A World in HDR".

Peachpit Photo Club

5 Free Adobe iPhone apps you should try.

Central Penn Open Source Conference 2010: 21 Speakers, 3 Tracks, 1 Awesome Day

21 Speakers, 3 Tracks, 1 Awesome Day

New UG Library Book: 3D in Photoshop: The Ultimate Guide for Creative Professionals

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New UG Library Book: Photo Op: 52 Weekly Ideas for Creative Image-Making

New UG Library Book: Killer Camera Rigs that you can Build

New UG Library Book: Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 with PHP Training from the Source

September Meeting: Lightroom - An Integrated Approach & Nik Software Plug-Ins

Flash vs. HTML5: Adobe Weighs In

Free Webinar: What's New in InDesign CS5: Part 1

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Adobe Releases "Square" - Flash Player for Internet Explorer 9

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