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By 4 October 2011 | Categories: news

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Adobe has launched a range of new tablet focused creative apps, along with a new initiative, named the Creative Cloud, with which it intends to “radically redefine the content creation process.”

The company elaborated that it envisions its new Creative Cloud will become the focal point for creativity, where millions can access desktop and tablet applications, essential creative services, and share their work. The new offering is being accompanied by a similarly new set of Adobe Touch Apps for content creation on tablet devices. These new apps utilise hosted cloud-based services to share files, view them across devices or transfer work into Adobe Creative Suite software for further refinement.

Apps for tablets

The new Adobe Touch Apps include:

  • Adobe Photoshop Touch lets users transform images with core Photoshop features in an app custom-built for tablets. With finger gestures, users will be able to combine multiple photos into layered images, make popular edits and apply professional effects.

    The app further includes a Scribble Selection Tool, which enables users to extract objects in an image by scribbling on what to keep and what to remove. Additionally, the app helps users quickly find images, share creations, and view comments through integration with Facebook and Google Search. Using the syncing capabilities that are a component of Adobe Creative Cloud, files can be opened in Adobe Photoshop.
  • Adobe Collage helps creatives capture and refine ideas and concepts by allowing them to combine inspirational images, drawings, text and Creative Suite files into conceptual mood boards. Features include importing of images, four customisable pen types for drawing, adding text, and applying colour themes. Files can be shared or transferred for access in Adobe Photoshop.
  • Adobe Debut opens tablet-compatible versions of Creative Suite files for viewing on the tablet, including Photoshop layers and Illustrator art boards. Feedback is gathered using a mark-up pen tool to add notes and drawings on top of the work.
  • Adobe Ideas is a vector-based tool for drawing. By using a stylus or finger, strokes appear smooth at any zoom level. Starting with a blank canvas, users can choose colour themes, and pull in tablet-compatible image files that can be controlled as separate layers. Finished results can then be accessed in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.
  • Adobe Kuler is aimed at generating colour themes for design projects. Colour can be explored and discovered, with hundreds of thousands of Kuler themes already available via the creative community. The themes can further  be exported as colour swatches for Adobe Creative Suite projects.
  • Adobe Proto enables the development of interactive wireframes and prototypes for websites and mobile apps on a tablet. Ideas are communicated and shared with teams and clients using a touch-based interface. Gestures quickly express a design concept, explain website structure or demonstrate interactivity. The wireframe or prototype then can be exported as industry standard HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and shared in popular browsers for immediate review and approval.
Creativity in the Cloud

Along with the new apps, the Adobe Creative Cloud is aimed at becoming a hub for viewing, sharing and syncing of files created by Adobe Touch Apps and Adobe Creative Suite, and will include 20 GB of cloud storage. According to the company, it is further intended to develop into a service that will deliver access to Adobe’s flagship creative applications and services. The company elaborated that by early 2012, Adobe Creative Cloud is expected to include the following:
  • Applications – Access to the portfolio of Adobe Creative Suite tools as well as six Adobe Touch Apps. The offering will include desktop tools such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro, After Effects and Adobe Edge and Muse.
  • Services – These will include Adobe Digital Publishing Suite technologies, for delivering interactive publications on tablets; a tier of Adobe Business Catalyst, for building and managing websites; and new design services, such as the ability to use cloud-based fonts for website design.
  • Community – This service is aimed at helping creatives present and share their work and ideas with peers around the world via a forum for feedback and inspiration.  
Kevin Lynch, the chief technology officer at Adobe, explained that Creative Cloud and the new apps are intended to “enable a new generation of services for creativity and publishing, that embrace touch interaction.”

Unfortunately, pricing details regarding Adobe Creative Cloud and its applications, services and community will only be announced next month. The company stressed, however, that it would continue to offer all its creative products as standalone offerings, including Adobe Creative Suite editions and individual products such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Dreamweaver.

In recent news, Adobe announced that it would enable 3D games with Flash Player 11 and Air 3 across a range of devices and platforms including Android, Apple iOS (via AIR), BlackBerry Tablet OS, Mac OS, Windows, and  web-connected TVs.

 

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