Design Art and Photography

Adobe has announced a new version of its consumer photo editing and management software, Photoshop Elements. The introduction of Elements 7 will be accompanied by the launch of a new online photo storage and sharing service, Photoshop.com.

Among the new tools available in Photoshop Elements 7 are a Scene Cleaner, which lets users remove unwanted items in images with a simple brush; a Smart Brush for applying effects to specific areas of photos; and one-click Quick Fix tools for making common adjustments such as whitening teeth and bringing out blue skies. There’s also a new filter for portraits that softens surfaces while retaining edge sharpness, as well as added Online Album selections that allow photographers to create Flash-based albums for Web display.

The new Photoshop.com online service integrates with Elements software to provide automatic online backups of photos and videos; tools for sharing images; and access to tutorials, templates, and seasonal artwork. Photoshop.com also has a mobile component, which allows users with a compatible phone to install a Flash-based mobile application for viewing, uploading, and sharing images directly from the device.

Photoshop Elements 7 will be available in October 2008 for Windows at a $99.99 retail price or in a $149.99 bundle with Adobe’s Premiere Elements 7 video-editing software, also announced today. The program can be pre-ordered now from the Adobe, Amazon, Best Buy, and Costco Web sites. Customers who purchase Photoshop Elements 7 can buy an annual Photoshop.com Plus membership with 20GB of online storage for $49.99 from within the software program. Basic membership with 5GB of storage is available for free. Photoshop.com membership is available in the U.S. only. For further information and upgrade pricing, go to Adobe’s Web site.