RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘competitor’

ACDSee releases free beta of Gemstone, its brand-new Photoshop competitor

08 Jul

ACD Systems, the maker of image software like Photo Studio and Photo Editor, has launched a free beta version of its all-new photo editing software, Gemstone.

Gemstone is a new standalone multi-document interface, similar to Adobe Photoshop. Gemstone features a layered image editor and up-to-date RAW image support. Gemstone will include a combination of all-new features and familiar features from ACDSee’s Photo Studio and Editor products, including:

  • Light EQ
  • Frequenty Separation
  • Path text
  • Pixel Targeting
  • Color Wheels
  • Tone Wheels
  • Liquify Tool

Beyond these features, Gemstone offers full RAW development support for more than 500 camera models. The multi-document interface (MDI) allows users to have multiple documents open simultaneously and supports split view. Images can be edited across multiple layers, allowing users to perform complex adjustments and add layered effects within a non-destructive workflow.

Gemstone can work with RAW images from more than 500 cameras. Credit: ACDSee

‘We are expecting tens of thousands of users to try Gemstone and provide input. Gemstone is complete with a multi-document interface, layered editor, and RAW support. We are excited to share what we have built so far, and what is to come,’ said Frankl Lin, COO and CTO at ACD Systems.

The Gemstone beta is available now for free. You can download the beta by signing up here. To run Gemstone, you must be using Windows and have an Intel or AMD processor with 64-bit support. 4GB of RAM is required, although 8GB is recommended. You must have a DirectX 10 compatible graphics adapter. For the full list of system requirements, visit the Gemstone product page. ACDSee expects the full Gemstone product to release this fall.

ACDSee has published numerous videos providing an overview of Gemstone, which can be seen below.

Alongside product overview videos, ACDSee has published a Gemstone beta review with professional photographer Alec Watson. In Watson’s review, you get a great look at Gemstone’s user interface, layers, RAW editor, and more. You can even see Watson use a sharpening adjustment layer, something not available in Photoshop. He calls Gemstone ‘super easy to use’ and gives it a thumbs up.

That is, of course, just one photographer’s opinion in a video published by the manufacturer. If you want to try Gemstone for yourself, visit ACDSee.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on ACDSee releases free beta of Gemstone, its brand-new Photoshop competitor

Posted in Uncategorized

 

The Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro is a Profoto B10 competitor for 1/3rd the price

07 May

Adorama’s house brand Flashpoint has formally announced the much-anticipated XPLOR 300 Pro. The 300W/s battery-powered monolight, which is a rebranded version of the Godox AD 300 Pro, is available starting today for $ 499.

As its name alludes to, the CPLOR 300 Pro offers 300W/s of power with nine stops of control, a minimum flash duration between 1/220 and 1/11490, a recycle time between 0.01 and 1.5 seconds depending on the power level and a 2,600Ah battery that can fire off up to 320 max-power flashes on a single charge. The light also features a bi-color 12W LED modeling light, TTL metering, high-speed sync up to 1/8000th of a second and a 328-foot range when used with Flashpoint’s R2 Pro Mark II trigger.

The XPLOR 300 Pro measures in at 19cm (7.48”) long, and 10cm (3.94”) in diameter, and weighs just 1.25kg (2.76lbs). It comes with a Bowens S-Type bracket, but Flashpoint also offers a number of adapters for mounting lighting modifiers from Broncolor, Elinchrom and Profoto.

Below is an overview video of the Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro from Adorama:

As is the case for many of Flashpoint and Godox products, the XPLOR 300 Pro is meant to be a direct competitor to Profoto’s more expensive 250W/s B10 monolight, which retails for $ 1,695—more than three times the price. You won’t get all of the extra controls or fine-tuning the B10 offers, but for less than 1/3rd the price, Flashpoint drives a hard bargain.

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_9385927183″,”galleryId”:”9385927183″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

The Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro is currently available to purchase at Adorama for $ 499 and comes with the monolight, a single rechargeable Li-Ion battery, the flashtube, a charger with a power adapter, a basic reflector, a protective cap and a case to carry it all in. While the light is also sold as the Godox AD 300 Pro, the Flashpoint unit carries a two-year warranty when purchased in the United States through Adorama.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on The Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro is a Profoto B10 competitor for 1/3rd the price

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Pixelmator reveals Pixelmator Pro, an Adobe competitor for Mac users

02 Dec

Pixelmator’s new high-end Mac photo editor Pixelmator Pro, which the company partially revealed back in September, is officially live and available to purchase through the Mac App Store.

In case you’ve forgotten, Pixelmator Pro is a nondestructive single-window application with some editing features powered by machine learning, GPU-based image editing tools, and what the company describes as “an incredibly intuitive and accessible design.” Users get a fully native Mac experience, says Pixelmator, which designed Pixelmator Pro with a look inspired by macOS.

Thanks to Core ML framework, Pixelmator Pro also features integrated machine learning to power features like automatic horizon detection and layer naming, intelligent quick selection, and realistic object removal.

Ultimately, the company is hoping that Pixelmator Pro will represent the perfect marriage between pro-tier features and accessible design.

Other notable features include full Mac integration, including support for iCloud, compatibility with Adobe Photoshop, support for raw images and multiple raw layers, HEIF compatibility, and vector tools, among many other things. And if you feel that a major feature is missing, you’ll be happy to know that multiple free updates bringing major new features are already in the pipeline for release in the near future.

Until then, you can pick up Pixelmator Pro 1.0 is through the Mac App Store for $ 60 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Pixelmator reveals Pixelmator Pro, an Adobe competitor for Mac users

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Company wins $900k in damages after competitor steals images

17 May

In 2015, Oregon-based company Under a Foot Plant Co. filed a lawsuit against Maryland-based competitor Exterior Design Inc. over the latter company’s alleged copyright infringement. According to the lawsuit, Exterior Design used 24 of Under a Foot Plant Co.’s copyrighted photographs without permission, resulting in 133 instances of copyright infringement. Under a Foot Plant Co. had created the photos to market a product line called Stepables, while Exterior Design used them to market a competing product called Treadwell Plants.

According to the lawsuit, Exterior Design’s infringement of Under a Foot Plant’s copyrighted images began in 2011 and continued through 2014. The legal document claimed that Exterior Design was engaging in ‘copyright infringement, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and unjust enrichment.’ Though Exterior Design denied the allegations, the legal matter proceeded and, after the better part of two years, has reached its conclusion in Under a Foot Plant Co.’s favor. 

Per the jury’s decision, Under a Foot Plant Co. can choose to be awarded either $ 300,000 in statutory damages or $ 900,000 in actual damages, but isn’t allowed to receive both.

Via: PDN

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Company wins $900k in damages after competitor steals images

Posted in Uncategorized

 

World’s Sexiest Parking Garage Has a New Competitor For the Crown

23 Mar

[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

parking garage cliniques 1

It may not be as jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring as Detroit’s decaying Michigan Theater parking garage, nor quite as multifunctional as the stunning Herzog de Meuron structure at 1111 Lincoln Road in Miami – but this new structure in Belgium is definitely one for the books. The undulating wooden slate facade of this staff parking garage for the Cliniques Universities Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels is beautifully fluid, with a clever design that disguises most of its bulk underground while remaining architecturally interesting.

parking garage cliniques 5

parking garage cliniques 8

parking garage cliniques 4

Modulo Architects and De Jong Gortemaker Algra Architects were charged with creating a functional industrial structure capable of holding 985 cars that would also serve as a welcoming introduction to the hospital itself, incorporating daylight, natural materials and a striking look. Taking inspiration from natural canyons, they created a stepped design that brings sunlight down into the first two subterranean levels.

parking garage cliniques 9

parking garage cliniques 6

parking garage cliniques 10

The two above-ground parking decks “bridge the terrain gradient” between street level and the green roof, which is designed to be both a functional outdoor space and something pleasant to look at from the higher floors of the adjacent hospital. The parking garage effectively raises this green space above street level for a sense of privacy, avoids obscuring views of the surrounding architecture and manages to be pretty cool to look at, itself.

parking garage cliniques 7

parking garage cliniques 2

parking garage cliniques 3

“We challenged ourselves to also make the underground decks clear and pleasant,” the architects say. “By introducing a sinuous ‘canyon’ encompassing the garage that allows light and air to reach even the lowest deck. Natural light and this (eventually green) canyon-wall contribute to orientation and ensure a positive experience for the user. The facades, made of meandering hardwood slats (FSC), naturally relate to the character of the canyon. An appealing building, nicely embedded with added value for the user is the result.”

Share on Facebook





[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on World’s Sexiest Parking Garage Has a New Competitor For the Crown

Posted in Creativity

 

The Porsche Design Book One is a MacBook Pro competitor in a convertible form factor

28 Feb

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_8985827527″,”galleryId”:”8985827527″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

German company Porsche Design has teamed up with industry giants Intel, Microsoft and Quanta Computer to launch the first product in its new Porsche Computing product line, the Porsche Design Book One. 

The Book One is a high-end 2-in-1 convertible device. The screen can be detached from the keyboard section and used as a tablet, or rotated up to 360 degrees using a hinge with stainless steel cog wheels that are inspired by the transmission of a sports car. The milled aluminum housing features a matte anodized surface finish and the minimalist design the brand is known for.

In the interior, the Book One comes with high-end components all around. The Windows 10 Pro operating system is powered by a 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor and 16GB of RAM. An Intel SSD provides 512 GB of storage via the PCIe slot and the 13.3” QHD+ IPS display offers a resolution of 3200 x 1800 pixels.

For easy expansion and connection of accessories a variety of ports is provided, including two multifunctional USB Type-C ports, two full-size USB 3.0 ports, and one USB 3.1 Type-C/Thunderbolt 3 port which allows for wired image transmission in accordance with the DisplayPort standard. In addition, the 5MP front camera with infrared sensor enables biometric authentication using the Windows Hello facial recognition software.

In terms of input, Book One users can choose from the touch display, a precision touchpad, the detachable keyboard with backlit keys and a Wacom-made digital stylus that attaches magnetically to the housing. With its versatile design and powerful hardware the Porsche Design Book One looks like a great machine for image editing at home or on the road. It will be available in the US in April 2017 at a retail price of $ 2,495.

Press Release:

Porsche Design Adds Exclusive Laptop to Its Product Portfolio

Porsche Design BOOK ONE: The Multifunctional 2in1 Running Windows 10 Pro

Stuttgart, Germany. With the new Porsche Design BOOK ONE, the world’s first convertible and detachable 2in1, Porsche Design adds the category of Porsche Design Computing to its expanding product portfolio. The move sees the premium-lifestyle-brand playing to its strengths, merging form and function to yield a high-performance, multifunctional 2in1.

The Porsche Design BOOK ONE underlines the brand’s focus on technology and innovation, making new strides in the mobile computing segment. The silhouette of the BOOK ONE uses a milled aluminum housing with a matte anodized surface finish and features subtle Porsche Design branding on the top of the tablet and the bottom edge of the screen. The patented hinge, designed entirely by Studio F. A. Porsche, allows the tablet unit of the 2in1 not only to detach, but also rotate 360°.

In keeping with the traditional design philosophy of Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the well-crafted hinge and its stainless steel cog wheels are inspired by the transmission of a sports car. This approach, which combines superior engineering with modern design, allows Porsche Design to implement the latest in state-of-the-art technology.

The features of the Porsche Design BOOK ONE include:
Versatile functionality: High performance components and cutting-edge technology give the 2in1 its versatile functionality. The device comes with Windows 10 Pro, Microsoft’s most up-to-date, cutting edge OS.

High performance: The powerful 7th-generation Intel® Core™ i7-7500U processor, which clocks in at up to 3.5 GHz, is able to max-imize its potential thanks to the computer’s 16 GB of RAM.

Fast data storage: The noiseless Intel®, SSD with a storage capac-ity of 512 GB, guarantees fast data storage via the PCIe slot.

Eye-popping resolution: With a resolution of 3200 x 1800 pixels, the 13.3” QHD+ IPS display is built to impress, whether working, surfing the web, or simply watching the latest movie.

Convenient connections: The variety of available ports offered includes two multifunctional USB Type-C™ ports, two full-size USB 3.0 ports, and USB 3.1 Type-C™/Thunderbolt 3 port, which not only powers a variety of USB peripherals with just a single cable. It also guarantees fast, hassle-free data exchange, and allows wired image transmission in accordance with the DisplayPort standard. The 2in1 communicates wirelessly via dual-band WiFi and Blue-tooth®.

Biometric authentication: A more secure and simplified login pro-cedure is enabled thanks to the 5-MP camera with infrared sensor, which is seamlessly integrated into the front of the housing and allows biometric authentication using Windows Hello facial recognition software.

The themes of versatility and ease are further emphasized by the laptop’s cutting-edge input capabilities. Both the touch display and the Precision Touchpad for Windows 10 use high-precision, multi-gesture control interfaces. The keyboard, complete with dimming backlit keys, enables endless use in a variety of settings. And the digital stylus, developed by Studio F. A. Porsche to ensure ideal handling, is optimized for use with Windows Ink, providing a natural writing experience with all the benefits of digital connectivity. In order to prevent loss of the stylus, a magnetic holder is integrated into the right side of the tablet.

“The Porsche Design BOOK ONE embodies the DNA of our brand down to the tiniest detail and, as our first 2in1 unit, has expanded our product portfolio by adding a new category: Porsche Design Computing. In Microsoft and Intel, we have two renowned partners who were a great help in implementing this strategically important project,” said Jan Becker, CEO of the Porsche Design Group.

“We’re thrilled to work with Porsche Design – a world renowned premium-lifestyle-brand – that introduces for the first time a finely crafted 2in1 – the Porsche Design BOOK ONE,” said Peter Han, Vice President, Partner Devices and Solutions, Microsoft Corp. “Porsche Design’s first Windows PC combines a well-constructed hardware and functional design with popular Windows 10 features, including Windows Hello and Windows Ink, enabling a rich pen and touchscreen experience.”

The Porsche Design BOOK ONE will be available in the US in April 2017 and available in other countries at Porsche Design Stores and specialty retailers. RRP in the US is $ 2,495 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on The Porsche Design Book One is a MacBook Pro competitor in a convertible form factor

Posted in Uncategorized