3D, Other Additions Power Up PhotoImpact 7 $100 Image Design / Digital Photography / Web Graphics Package Sports New Interface Eric Grevstad
Mon 10/29/01 -- As if promising "a complete image editor" that "addresses the three pillars of image editing" isn't enough, Ulead Systems Inc. insists its new PhotoImpact 7 can satisfy novices and power users alike. That's a tall order for a $100 ($90 downloaded) software package, but PhotoImpact's new interface, featuring a file-tree-and-thumbnails Browse Manager and EasyPalette Pop-Up that gives quick access to tools without crowding the workspace, is only the beginning.
The three abovementioned pillars? One is creative design, where PhotoImpact 7 adds a Z-Merge Tool that creates a "Z axis" to place objects in space, creating sophisticated 3D graphics from simple shapes. New crystal effects simulate viewing through glass, and enhanced text and freehand tools give more creative control.
The second is digital photography, which PhotoImpact 7 supports with lens distortion and zoom blur effects, as well as support for multiple prints on Kodak and Avery papers and superior image organization using the EXIF data captured by digital cameras.
Pillar number three? Web graphics, with features that help users create dynamic Web pages and images including JavaScript effects like pop-up menus and remote rollovers; on-screen image map and slice tools; and support for SVG (scalable vector graphics), Cascading Style Sheets, and XHTML. Ulead's GIF Animator 5, a standalone package for creating and optimizing Web animations, is included.
Owners of earlier PhotoImpact editions can upgrade to version 7 for $60 (boxed) or $50 (downloaded).
