First Look: Adobe Photoshop 7.0

Adobe Systems Incorporated is now shipping Adobe Photoshop 7.0. This latest Photoshop, according to Adobe, delivers a comprehensive toolset for users to meet creative or production challenges and complete the widest variety of image-editing tasks. Known for its precision and excellent output for print, Web and other media, Photoshop 7.0 offers a breadth of new tools.

Major enhancements include the File Browser, an image organization tool that lets users browse image thumbnails; quickly rotate, sort, rank, and batch rename images, as well as view EXIF (Exchangeable Image File) information from digital cameras.

The new Healing Brush feature simplifies the photo retouching process by allowing users to remove dust, scratches, blemishes, wrinkles, and other flaws. At the same time it preserves the shading, lighting, and texture of an original image. Photoshop 7.0 also offers many creative tools including the new Painting Engine, which allows users to simulate traditional painting techniques.

The new Scripting Support plug-in enables Photoshop 7.0 users to automate repetitive tasks from basic manipulation of single objects to complex control of multiple documents, and completely replace manual workflows across multiple Adobe applications. Instructions for downloading the Photoshop Scripting plug-in installer, which supports AppleScript, JavaScript, and Microsoft Visual Basic scripting languages, can be found at www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html. In addition, Photoshop 7.0 now incorporates ZoomView technology, provided by Viewpoint Corporation, which will allow customers to link to a site and deploy large, print-quality images online.

Shipping with Photoshop 7.0 is ImageReady 7.0 software, which offers specialized features for accomplishing advanced Web-production tasks and creating sophisticated Web graphics and animations.

Photoshop 7.0 is tightly integrated with Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe GoLive, Adobe LiveMotion, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Acrobat. It also integrates with Adobe AlterCast, the company's dynamic imaging server software, which streamlines managing and updating large image libraries.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop 7.0 is now available in the United States and Canada for an estimated street price of U.S. $609. Registered users of earlier versions of Photoshop can upgrade to version 7.0 for U.S. $149.