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After several announcements of new releases Snow beta aimed at developers, was released the final version of Mac OS X 10.5.8. Given that Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6, is planned for September, this is likely the last version of Mac OS X Leopard. 


The update, as always, available through Software Update (165 Mb) and soon via manual download (in standard version and combo), it is recommended by Apple to all Leopard users. 



As indicated by Apple, includes general system fixes that enhance the operational stability, compatibility and security, as well as specific fixes for:

-Problems that may affect the reliability of Bluetooth

-Problems of compatibility and reliability when accessing a network station

-A problem that may cause some monitor resolutions do not appear in System Preferences Display

Popularity: 1% [?]

Safari 4 beta is available for download since last February but I personally have never attracted and I have not used often, opting for the current version of Safari. To make me lean even more to my choice, have come to the “discovery” of C. Harwick functioning of Safari 4 beta.

The feature “Top Site”, one of the main innovations with greater force of attraction, shows thumbnail of the sites most visited by us and gives updates. Besides this, Safari 4 offers a navigation of its history in CoverFlow style. But the convenience and attractiveness of these features come at a price: space on the hard disk.

Safari 4, indeed, create 2 files for viewing in QuickLook of each web page visited (a thumbnail image and high resolution) and keep the files in memory for its operation. At the same time, to succeed in the notification of updates, it creates an XML file of the page, about every 30 minutes and then he shall keep the memory. This proliferation of file goes to affect the space available in the Mac: Harwick was found with 2 GB of image files created since its first use of the browser. Think of the number of sites you visit daily, you multiply by 2 (the two image files) and have a vague idea of what this could be “cumbersome”.

However, the shocking thing is that the Safari 4 beta for Leopard doesn’t ever delete these files and stores them in a folder invisible not easily accessible: the files needed to create and preview are saved in a folder hidden in the maze of Mac , which most users will not be able to access easily. Therefore, the option to clean the history, you can select from the options of your browser, do not delete these files. If you want to do so, we must do it manually by entering the folder. However this appears to be a bug in this version only for Leopard, as Tiger users do not seem to lament that fact of removing the history through the options provided by the browser.

In addition, for WordPress Blogger would find upgrading to Safari 4 isn’t a good idea because when you try to do anything that involve opening a little windows, it will get stuck and freeze the window and there’s nothing you can do to make the WordPress editing window come back again, you have to just close it.

As for me, after tried it for a week. One thing i like about it, is that tap windows are now no-limit. You can open as many taps as you want, when taps exceed the windows, they will shrink to fit your Safari window, like what Firefox has for years. One other thing i am not a big fan is the ‘top sites’ window, to me it’s so much like for beginner web browsers. But i am a hard core WordPress blogger so, i had to switch back to version 3 for now and let somebody else have a good use at it first then i might come back to it some other time with more confidence.

Popularity: unranked [?]

As i write this review, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 is the latest version and has a lot of improvements since the 1.5 version. Even though the that previous version was already a real breakthrough in the digital image editing software.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is designed for professionals as well as ambitious amateurs. From the elegant, clean interface to the carefully-designed tools and many photo enhance features. With the new and enhanced features of Lightroom 2 take more precise corrections and present your images more diverse than ever. Here is my thought after using Lightroom 2 for a few weeks.

Features:

Here are some of the Lightroom 2 features that i find useful for my editing: Import images, organizing (catalogs, file management, collections, smart collections, stacks, image versions, film strips, etc.), fitting words (of course, IPTC / EXIF compatible), filters, and search (by text, keywords, attributes), Rate (flags, stars, colors), brilliant light table for image comparisons, free positioning tool (third rule, Golden Section, ..), professional finishing (local image manipulation – a Higlights!), files, exporting, production and output of slideshows for the Web provide (nice layout, FTP ) and at the end of printing (including color, sharpening, prints, layouts). In my opinion, all of mentioned modules and its features are very professional, practical and implemented at the highest level. Other main features are:

* Brush for precise corrections
* Improved management tools
* Drive administration
* Extensible architecture
* Support for multiple monitors
* Flexible options for the photo
* Improved integration with Photoshop CS3
* Improved Sharpen
* 64-bit support for Windows and Mac OS

Of course, Adobe would like to see many of their customers workflow from the camera-specific raw on the open (of Adobe initiated) convert the DNG format. The program supports all manufacturers specific raw (including all formats from Canon and Nikon cameras, and including its Picture Styles!), In conjunction with external XMP files, all image manipulation and include metadata.

Camera Profiles:

Profiles are significantly better (camera calibration) for Nikon cameras. The quality of the RAW development now comes much closer to Capture NX2. If the very good image management is needed, then a whole is recommended. If it is just about the RAW converter, is the format for NIKON Capture NX2 software better.

File Formats:

In addition, more JPG, PSD and TIFF files. In the DNG files, this information may, however, including the thumbnail directly managed. As the raw data converter is a 100% compatible engine to Adobe Camera RAW (as in Photoshop, Adobe Bridge, Photoshop Elements), thus rendering the results in Photoshop the same as in LR2 or Photoshop Elements. LR2 pictures are always non-destructive processes, ie the originals will never be changed, but any changes will be incorporated in XMP files (eg NEF + XMP) or in a DNG file directly managed.

Bad News:

However, i have to say that Lightroom 2 hasn’t improved its speed at all. Many users are reporting that Lightroom 2 is working extremely slow both PC and MAC version, as well as the specifications of the computers.

In my own assessment of Lightroom 2, both in a Mac Pro with 4 gig of memory as a MacBook Pro with 2 GB RAM, I have not experienced an improvement in speed. In my experience is the same or worse than Lightroom 1.4. Is most noticeable when switching modules, when you open a folder and the generation of “thumbnails” in the sliders module “Develop” and export images. It is important that if you are on a machine that uses a 64 bit processor to ensure that Lightroom is set to exploit. At the MAC go to folder “Applications” with the right mouse button and select “Get Info” and remove the check mark for runs in 64 bits.

UPDATE: Lightroom 2.3

Adobe has released the release candidate versions (usually identical to the final public version) Adobe Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3 RC with support for RAW files of two new cameras (the Nikon D3X and the Olympus E-30) and the solution a memory problem encountered by some users of Lightroom 2.2. More interesting still is that this version will be the first with official translation into Spanish (also Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese). Although we have managed alone until it was time now that Adobe will remember us and take over.

I see that John Nack Lightroom update also addresses other issues identified in the four previous version: faulty disc recording in Windows, crashes in the 64-bit version for Windows when you make up for sFTP, passes slide back to the first image at random and the occurrence of artifacts in sRAW files from the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

Popularity: 3% [?]

I don’t usually go around reviewing software all that much but i think it’s the one thing that i should start doing before my blog become a waste land. After a week of using Aperture 2, I feel that there is something about Aperture 2 i really enjoy and need to be told, here are my Aperture 2.x review:

1. Although adjustment and retouching tools are still not on par with those of Lightroom 1.3, my initial tests show that the generated image quality is much higher than the latter.

2. I like the fact that Aperture has inherited the display system events to suit your iPhoto library. With just mouse over to see a parade with all the images by clicking and holding down the Control key specify the main image we want to use. Nor do harm to the library has been optimized to allow us to move from one project to another and search through hundreds of thousands of images almost instantaneously.

3. Now about the speed. It is not only obviously faster compared to the previous version of 1.5, but also most other photo software I’ve tried as well such as Capture One, Lightroom, ACR and DPP.

From Aperture 1.0 and 1.5 with an iMac Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 2.16 GHz and 2 GB RAM, were hardly capable of displaying images at a decent speed. Now Aperture version 2 the displaying of photo files is not only instantaneous but, the exporting process is also faster. Impressive indeed. Sometimes, the process bar goes too fast to catch with your eyes. Exporting to TIFF or JPEG to RAW in Aperture 2 has pretty much the same speed as saving JPEG image in Photoshop CS3.

4. Another good news, is that you get directly integration between Photoshop, Gimp and Aperture. Aperture starts and immediately opens the selected photo. Then there was the integration of the grandiose plugins mentioned by Nik Software, which you can then also start directly from Aperture. When processing by external programs or plug-ins will also not be changed but the original or a copy of the edited image in the database.

5. I use Aperture to manage my photos, they are in the Aperture database internal or her location in the database is linked, as you would like. A big advantage is that the originals never and in no way be altered. The original is in the database and the changes you made to your photos with Aperture are saved separately.

Another important thing you should know about Aperture is that, Aperture 2 is somewhat remote RAW support built into Mac OS X. Until now, the support of new cameras added to the operating system itself but now, users of version 1.5 will be forced to upgrade to 2 in order to process the RAW files natively cameras like the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III Nikon D3 and D300 or Sony A700. Still, Apple’s website shows some contradictions that I did not make clear whether this problem only affects those who are still using Tiger, or if users of the 1.5 in Leopard will also be affected.

Moreover, Apple has expanded the possibilities of the Aperture development kit for creating editor plugins (and not only export so far), which could result in future (depending on the interests of developers) in the incorporation of filters simulate different film types, increase the options for conversion to black and white, or add borders, popular tools such as advanced photographers brushes to overexpose or underexpose and, even more interesting, noise reduction systems.

Finally i would say that Aperture 2 includes all the tools and most common use for processing images and powerful enough for professional. Although, Aperture can be a little too difficult to use for amateur photographers but that isn’t gonna stop you is it?

Popularity: 1% [?]