Articles about Content Creation

Adobe has announced the availability of Photoshop Elements 11and Premiere Elements 11 -- major overhaul for both packages. A completely revamped interface based on the Photoshop engine greets you on launch, for instance, with a choice of Quick or Expert editing modes, an action bar, one-click options, bold icons and more: it’s all very crisp and clear.

New effects include Premiere Elements 11′s FilmLooks, Hollywood-style color treatments that can give your movie the look of an old news reel (for instance) with a quick drag-and-drop. The Time Remapping tool provides some quality and easy-to-control fast and slow motion effects (from 8x down to 1/8x).

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PhotoDirector 4 is CyberLink’s answer to the digital darkroom question. In this age where people regularly snap dozens of photos in a single sitting, digital photography tools have to offer more than just editing features. PhotoDirector follows in the footsteps of Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom in offering organzation, adjustment, editing and sharing tools in a single package. In fact, with its editing tools, PhotoDirector goes beyond Photoshop Lightroom to venture into Photoshop Elements territory.

Version 1 debuted less than two years ago, yet thanks to its rapid pace of development, here we are with version 4. Not only does it debut some major new tools, including a stunning content aware removal tool and body shaper, but PhotoDirector 4 marks the app’s debut on the Mac platform too. With so many new features to check out, we took this brand new version for a test drive to see if it lives up to its new “Ultra” moniker.

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We live in a true video age, where it’s never been easier to shoot quality clips of your own, or find movies created by others.

Actually playing those videos on your preferred device can be more of a challenge, though, as the source footage won’t always be in a suitable format. But fortunately there are plenty of tools around which promise they can help, and VSDC Free Video Converter is the latest example.

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CyberLink has continued rapid development of its photo management and editing tool with the release of CyberLink PhotoDirector 4 Ultra. PhotoDirector 4, which appears on Mac OS X for the first time in addition to Windows, retails for $50 less than rival product Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

Despite coming just six months after version 3 was released, PhotoDirector 4 adds a number of notable new features to its roster: facial recognition and content-aware removal tools, plus new HDR (High Dynamic Range) effects on single photos, and a Body Shaper tool for reshaping arms, face and body.

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CyberLink Corporation has unveiled PowerDirector 11, the latest version of its feature-packed consumer video editor.

And our favorite addition so far has to be its content-aware editing, a time-saving tool that sees the program automatically identify the major scenes in a movie, so that you can then import them in a flash.

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Everyone loves to save a little money here and there, but when the timely bargains result in an alliteratively name month -- September savings -- so much the better!

Brand new to the store this month is the much-anticipated TuneUp Utilities 2013. You can save 50 percent from TuneUp Utilities 2013 [3-PC], ideal for installing on three home computers. If you have a single PC, save even more with TuneUp Utilities 2013 [1-PC]. There is also TuneUp Utilities 2013 [UPGRADE] designed to enable previous users to upgrade, at a discount. Finally, a TuneUp Utilities 2013 + AVG Internet Security 2013 [1-PC] bundle will safeguard and maintain a single computer.

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Programs that aim to simplify complex processes are often doomed to failure. You would think that any software designed to bring music making to the masses -- music making being something that people dedicate their lives to -- would fall at the first hurdle. But MAGIX is a company that has produced accessible software for many years, and the Music Maker range is one of its flagship products.

MAGIX Music Maker 2013 picks up form where its predecessor left off, but whether you are someone who has used a previous version of the program or you are new to the range, there is a lot to explore in this surprisingly power music creation software. The latest incarnation of the program is very much an evolution of an established product, and while it has little major in the way of new features, it feels like a natural progression.

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MAGIX Software has revealed MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013, the latest edition of its powerful video editor. And a strong focus on performance has resulted in some major speed enhancements.

AVCHD import is now up to 40-percent faster, for instance. Processing effects on the GPU has delivered a 90-percent speed boost, while rendering AVCHD Full HD projects can be up to twice as fast in some situations.

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When you need to share a set of images then you could turn them into a video with something like Freemake Video Converter: it’s quick, simple and easy to use.

The finished results can be a little basic, though, so if you’re looking for something more professional then it may be a better idea to build your very own PDF presentation. And PDFrizator is the perfect tool to get the job done.

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Ahead of its official launch of Nero 12, Nero has updated its free media-management software. Nero Kwik Media 12.0.01300 is a minor refresh that follows on from a major update that promised better performance and enhanced tagging capabilities, and offers users a one-stop shop for organizing photos, video and music.

Nero Kwik Media also contains tools for creating picture-based slideshows and photobooks, and can be expanded via a number of paid-for plug-ins, providing additional functionality such as burning video DVDs and Blu-rays.

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Roxio has released a major update for its Mac disc-burning product. Roxio Toast Titanium 11.1 (1063) is supplied as an updater for existing Toast 11.0 users, and is the first fully Cocoa-ized build, boasting full Mountain Lion compatibility and support for 100GB and 128GB BDXL media.

Version 11.1 also comes with various web video improvements, and is available as an in-app upgrade, although some users have reported issues with updating to this new build.

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If you’re not happy with your PC’s current fonts then a few seconds at Google will find you thousands more, easy to install and, often, entirely free of charge.

If your needs are very specific, though, the free Type light could help you to alter an existing font, or even create something entirely new to your own specifications.

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Setting up a local installation of WordPress on your own PC can be a convenient way to test themes and plugins, but it’s not the simplest of tasks. Along with WordPress itself you’ll need to install and configure PHP, a server, database and more.

Sounds too much like hard work? Then you might prefer Instant WordPress, which provides everything you need and requires no complex configuration at all.

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Music creation is now easier than ever, and while teenagers still gather together to practice in the basement, computer-based music from the bedroom continues to grow in strength. The idea behind MAGIX Music Maker 2013 is nothing new -- there are endless programs that let you use loops, samples in addition to your own recordings to create your own musical masterpieces -- but the latest version of the application gives you more tools and a better workflow than ever before.

Anyone who has used a previous version of the program will notice the redesigned interface, which can now be better customized to suit your workflow, and performance has also been improved so you can get things finished faster than ever. These changes are welcome, but the tools and options available are what really matter. The 2013 version of the program lets you work with up to 99 tracks and the sample selection has been expanded to the extent that a new search tool has been added.

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Some photo correction programs are optimized for simplicity. If you want to sharpen an image in Paint.NET, say, you’ll select Sharpen from the menu, and drag a slider to represent the amount of sharpening you need: easy.

Photivo is more about giving you power and control. Instead of just a single sharpen algorithm, for instance, it supports Gradient sharpening, Wiener, Inverse Diffusion, Unsharp Mask, Highpass and more, and each of these in turn has multiple settings you can tweak.

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