LATEST ADDITIONS

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced an update to the public
beta of Adobe Lightroom, an all-new digital imaging workflow solution for professional
photographers that allows them to import, select, develop and showcase large volumes
of images. The latest version adds features suggested by beta testers that allow
greater control over export size and resolution, refined metadata selection with
print output and RGB value readouts for greater editing precision.



New to the Develop module are Before and After preview tools and History features
that allow a photographer to quickly preview and track changes, more control over
the size and resolution of exported photos. A new dedicated Web module provides
a rich web content editing experience and live previews of HTML and Flash output.
Other features include resolution control in the Export module, an additional
Straighten tool to correct camera angle issues, Keyword import and export, the
ability to save module settings with collections or shoots. Auto Import or Hot
Folder support allows photographers to automatically add images to the Lightroom
Library from a specified directory.



"We'd like to thank our early beta testers, and encourage more user
participation in helping us build a final product that best serves photographers'
unique needs," said Dave Story, vice president of product development for
Digital Imaging at Adobe. "We will build upon the success of the public
beta program with the release of a Windows version this summer."



With its modular and task-based environment, Lightroom beta delivers tools for
a complete photography workflow. Leveraging industry-leading Adobe Camera Raw
3.4 technology, Lightroom now supports over 120 native raw file formats. New camera
models supported by this beta are Canon EOS 30D, Epson R-D1s, Leaf Aptus 65 and
Aptus 75, Olympus EVOLT E-330 and SP-320, Pentax *ist DL2 and Samsung GX-1S. Once
images are imported, they can be showcased via slideshows, complete with music,
as well as drop shadows, borders, Identity Plates and different colored backgrounds.



During Lightroom's public beta period modules and features will be added
or changed based on the necessity and priority within digital photography workflows.



Lightroom beta 3.0 for Macintosh OSX Tiger (10.4.3), a universal binary application
that runs on both Power PC and Intel Macs, is available for free download from
the Adobe Labs Web site at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom.


Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4.3, 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor,
768 MB RAM and 1024x768 resolution screen. The final shipping version will be
released in late 2006. A Windows version of Lightroom beta will be available for
download this summer. Further details around pricing, system requirements and
availability have yet to be determined.
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The New Pigment Ink Printers: How They Change Desktop Printing

by George Schaub

You wouldn't think that a small thing like changing the type of ink a
printer uses would have a profound effect on desktop photo printing, but that's
what the new products from Canon and HP might do. That change is offering pigment...

The Tenba Air Case line of lightweight, shippable equipment transport cases
has been further enhanced by the introduction of an exclusive Datapanel identification
system that facilitates faster, easier and more reliable shipping, tracking,
tracing and identification. The new feature will be supplied as standard equipment
on those Air Case models and sizes typically used for equipment shipping, rental
houses and similar applications.

...

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products,
announced that award-winning sports photographer Peter Read Miller will be the
featured photographer on Kingston's Icons of Photography Web site beginning
today. Each month, Kingston® spotlights a world-class photographer who provides
helpful tips and interesting anecdotes for taking better pictures. Whether they're
providing a unique process or special trick that gives them a competitive edge,
or an explanation of how to make digital imaging a natural part of their workflow,
these accomplished icons deliver useful suggestions that photo enthusiasts at
all levels can apply to their photography.

...