Angie Pedersen's Scrapbooking Industry News

Triscape Releases FxFoto6

New FxFoto 6 Creates Advanced Slide Shows

Award-winning photo editing and digital scrapbooking software offers over dozens of improvements including powerful new options for creating and saving photos, layouts and slide shows in a variety of formats.

Windham, NH - August 12, 2008 -- Triscape has released the latest version of their popular photo editing, layout and slide show software, FxFoto 6.  This major upgrade provides a spectrum of new features and improvements, including powerful new slide show authoring.

FxFoto 6 makes it easier to create and arrange large slide shows with a variety of animated transition effects.  Fifteen new "wipe-style" transitions provide more creative options.  Borderless slides emphasize photos by eliminating white space.  FxFoto 6 also simplifies recording narration or selecting music for long slide shows.  It can now rearrange slides with drag and drop and can combine or break up slide shows.  FxFoto Media Edition can save slide shows and photo layouts in a number of new formats including Flash (SWF), MPEG, MP4, AVI, WMF and PDF.  Users can create multimedia shows for YouTube® and portable devices such as the Apple iPod®, plus Flash shows for the web.

Also new is an innovative Undo Brush that can selectively remove edits and effects.  The Undo Brush can blend original and modified areas with partial transparency.  FxFoto 6 now prints photos or layouts directly from left pane folders, making easier to organize and print scrapbooks or other multi-page creations.  New batch operations allow resizing a number of photos in one step and can flatten complex layouts into a single image for additional editing.  For digital scrapbooking enthusiasts, FxFoto Creative and Media Editions now offer a variety of free designer kits for download.

FxFoto's unique interface makes it easy to edit images and create multi-image layouts without sacrificing power.  With over 1.6 million downloads since 2003, FxFoto has become one of the most popular photo software solutions.  The download offers powerful free photo editing without the time limitations found in most trial software.  It can organize, edit and save photo files in JPEG and other popular formats and includes professional tools such as a Clone Brush.  The free edition now allows users to try most advanced tools and effects and create multi-photo collage layouts and slide shows, features that are fully enabled with a purchased registration.  Plus the free Standard Edition can now save photo text and frame annotations for future editing.

Availability
FxFoto 6 is available from the Triscape Inc. web site at http://www.FxFoto.com.

About Triscape
Triscape, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is located in Windham, New Hampshire, 35 miles north of Boston. The company is privately held and specializes in graphics software.

CHA Summer 2008: Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers - Digi Degree Program

Scrapbook Retailers, Don’t Dread Digital!  New Book Empowers Storeowners to Welcome Digital Scrapbookers into Stores and Classrooms

Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers provides the first and only turnkey digital/hybrid scrapbooking sales solution for retailers – including a certification program.

Fountain Valley, CA – July 14, 2008 -- Author and instructor Patty Debowski has been talking to scrapbooking store owners – she knows they are concerned about what digital scrapbooking will mean for their stores.  Will today’s easy-to-use graphic editing programs turn digital camera owners into digital scrapbookers?  Will their traditional paper and embellishment stock be able to attract the new tech-oriented crowd?  Will they be able to communicate in “geek-speak”?  Debowski has not only listened to their worries; she has created a solution.  Her new book, Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers, Volume 1: Digi-Degree Program is the first digital/hybrid scrapbooking book written specifically for the retail store owner. It provides precisely the information retailers need to become a resource for their local digital scrapbooking community.

“The book has everything a retailer needs to know about setting up digital/hybrid classes in their stores,” explains Debowski.  “After teaching digital scrapbooking for a couple of years, I've encountered just about everything!”

Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers: Digi-Degree Program allows local stores to teach digital/hybrid scrapbooking classes to their customers with confidence.  Retailers and instructors don't have to come up with their own program – they can use the same field-tested system that Debowski has already successfully used in her own classes utilizing her first book Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making with Photoshop Elements.  Her guide provides five digital scrapbooking lesson plans using Photoshop Elements.  Because the lesson plans include step-by-step instructions, they can be taught by someone with only basic computer skills.  “I’ve included tips to make the teacher look brilliant, even if they’re just a beginner,” says Debowski.

One unique feature of Debowski’s new retailer program is the Digi Degree “certification” option. Local store instructors teach the classes based on Debowski’s content.  At the end of the five sessions, students can receive the “Digi-Degree Program Certificate”, which can be personalized with individual store names.  “There is a huge demand for these classes,” says Debowski.  “I can't believe how many people actually want to get their certificate at the end.  90% of people that start these hands-on classes finish the series of five, most in the same weekend.”

Low cost marketing tips and product sales ideas are included throughout the lesson plans. The scrapbooking instructor can use the lesson plan as lecture content, while also subtly encouraging students to buy additional product (whether traditional, digital or electronic stock).

Debowski’s system offers five class lesson plans that lead to Digi-Degree “certification”:

• Organizing Your Digital Scrapbook Supplies and Photos (Windows Only - Mac users substitute a class on installing and using Brushes)   
• Laying the Groundwork – working with photo, embellishments, text, and layers
• Making a Basic Digital Page from scratch
• Speed Scrapping with Templates
• Basic Hybrid Page – Custom backgrounds and shapes, applying filters, and using text paths

*As a special bonus, a free sixth class is available for wholesale purchases made by August 1, 2008.

Also included in Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers-Volume 1: Digi-Degree Program:

• Sample images of completed class projects to use in marketing and promotions
• Class descriptions in Microsoft Word format for quick additions to a website or newsletter
• Advice on effective class scheduling
• Class preparation and presentation tips
• How to smoothly address digital scrapbooking challenges and common mistakes

Retailers interested in more information on Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers, Volume 1: Digi-Degree Program can visit Debowski in the Creative Imaginations Digital Corner in Booth 1849 during the Craft & Hobby Association trade show in Chicago, July 18-20, 2008, or online at www.RetailerDigiHelp.com.

Debowski is available for in-store staff training to help retailers set up digital classes and programs.   She also offers product discounts for bulk orders.  Find wholesale information here: www.RetailerDigiHelp.com

TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher.com offers an affiliate program, enabling affiliates to earn a commission for every product sold without stocking any product.  Find more information at http://www.thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com/Affiliate/scrapbook.html

CHA Summer 2008: Corel Digital Photo and Painting Software

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Corel Corporation, a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, today announced that it will showcase its award-winning Corel Painter Essentials, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, and Corel MediaOne PlusPainter Essentials 4 in Booth # 2851 at the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Summer 2008 Convention and Trade Show. The Company will provide examples of how scrapbookers can combine digital and traditional techniques to tell their stories and express themselves in more exciting and creative ways.

According to a recent report from CHA, about 17.5 million U.S. households spent $2.5 billion on scrapbook and related “memory craft” products in 2007. However, this isn’t limited to traditional scrapbooking. Today, hybrid and digital scrapbooking – the integration of digital images and templates into traditional scrapbook pages or the creation of entirely digital scrapbook pages – are gaining traction within the industry and opening up new creative options for consumers and new revenue opportunities for scrapbooking retailers. Corel’s photo-editing and digital painting software allows users of all skill levels to easily create interesting layouts featuring beautiful images and embellishments for traditional, hybrid, or digital scrapbooking projects.

Corel Painter Essentials 4 and Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 have a suggested retail price of $99.99 US each for the full version and $69.99 each for the upgrade. Corel MediaOne Plus is available $49.99 US for the full product. All three products are also available as part of the Scrapbooking Bundle for $199.97.

To learn more about Corel Painter Essentials 4, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 or Corel MediaOne Plus, please visit www.corel.com. For more information on the CHA Summer 2008 Convention and Trade Show, please visit www.chashow.org.

About Corel
Corel is one of the world’s top software companies with more than 100 million active users in over 75 countries. We develop software that helps people express their ideas and share their stories in more exciting, creative and persuasive ways. Through the years we’ve built a reputation for delivering innovative, trusted products that are easy to learn and use, helping people achieve new levels of productivity. The industry has responded with hundreds of awards for software innovation, design and value.

SOURCE: BusinessWire.

ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 Offers New Design Options

VICTORIA, British Columbia – June 11, 2008 - ACD Systems International Inc. today released ACDSee™ Photo Editor 2008, the next version of its easy-to-use digital design and layout software created especially for avid photographers and scrapbookers.

Evaluated by more than 3,700 ACDSee users, new software features of Photo Editor 2008 include:

• Faster processing time
• More custom creative tools and options for resizing, cropping and masking
• Quick optimization for the Web and advanced printing functions
• Artistic effects that can be added, modified or deleted at any time
• “Trim to shape” feature for quick-and-easy use of design templates
• Advanced journaling and text curving capabilities

“We are committed to designing products that fit the needs of our users, so we encourage them to be involved in the beta testing process,” said Mark Franklin, executive vice president for ACD Systems. “As a result, ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 has all the tools, inspiration and clear instruction users need to turn digital photos into truly captivating keepsakes.”

Powerful Layout Tools
With ACDSee Photo Editor, users don’t need technical expertise or a graphic design background to design artistic layouts. Templates created by top designers Andrea Gold, Maggie Lamarre and Vicki Stegall are starting points to inspire creativity. Users can also design their own layouts to save as templates for future use.

For image creativity, users can experiment with Dynamic Adjustments, which features 70 effects including Sepia and Gaussian Blur. These effects can also be modified without making any permanent changes to the original image, providing freedom to switch the order of the effects, add new effects and delete effects. Users can also crop images with shape tools, create their own contour with the Trim to Shape feature and blend images together using masks.

Advanced Text Features
To enhance layout versatility, ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 offers a variety of options for text integration. Custom text paths allow users to use drawing tools to create paths that can follow elements within the layout.

To complete projects even faster, preset text paths in designs including brackets, flowers or spirals are just a click away. With custom text shapes, words can even be wrapped inside of more than 400 shapes, or users can create their own. They can also add large journaling blocks into these shapes with ease.

Easy To Use
Other top features included in ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 are the built-in “How-to” guides for every activity. These guides allow users to fully utilize all of the software features with detailed and easy-to-follow instructions. The software also seamlessly integrates with ACDSee™ 10 Photo Manager, the company’s tool for viewing, organizing and managing growing photo and digital design collections.

Pricing and Availability
ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 is available for a free 30-day trial and for purchase for $49.99 (USD) at www.acdsee.com. Current ACDSee Photo Editor users and owners of other ACDSee products can purchase the program for $34.99 (USD) and users can bundle it with ACDSee 10 Photo Manager for the combined price of $79.98 (USD)

SOURCE: ACD Systems Media Room

PURSuE Your Art! Offers Digital Templates

The creators of the PURSuE Your Art! customizable art purse have posted digital art purse panel templates to use with your digital paper, digital photographs and digital scrapbooking kits.

PYA is also seeking digital designs to offer on their website.  Digital designers are invited to read this PYA! blog post for more information on becoming a featured designer.

Shutterfly DigiScrap Blog Posts Survey for Scrappers-for-Hire

The Shutterfly Digital Advisory Team is "trying to assess interest in compiling a directory of experienced, talented digital scrapbookers and photobookers who would like to design and produce photo books/other products for others".  As such they recently posted the following call for input: Attention : Scrappers for Hire!

They have created a short survey: click the link posted in the Shutterfly Scrapbooking Community Area. (Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the "Learn More" button under the "Want to become a scrapper for hire?" section.)

ACDSee Photo Editor Enters Second Round of Beta Testing

Upgraded software available for last round of testing; full upgrade expected in summer

VICTORIA, British Columbia – April 22, 2008 – ACD Systems International Inc. today announced the second round of public testing for ACDSee™ Photo Editor 2008, an easy-to-use digital design and layout software created especially for avid photographers and scrapbookers. Since testing began earlier this year, more than 2,000 ACDSee users have signed up to evaluate this affordable program that comes loaded with custom creative tools and exclusive designer templates.

For this testing period, new features added to Photo Editor 2008 include faster processing time, preservation of image quality during editing to ensure no data is lost while resizing and even simpler options for creating custom text on a path, according to ACD Systems developers.

Avid photographers and scrapbookers interested in serving as software testers for the second-round review are invited to visit www.acdsee.com/photoeditor to download Photo Editor 2008 beta version 2. Testers provide feedback directly to the ACD Systems' product development team via the company's online forum at http://forums.acdsystems.com. There is no cost to participate.

"The first-round review of Photo Editor has provided a wealth of feedback, resulting in a creative tool unlike any other. Testers are praising the software's ease of use and the way ACDSee handles shadows and text on a path," said Connie Bensen, community manager for ACD Systems. "This final stage of testing now underway will put the finishing touches on the software prior to releasing the next version this summer."

The new features for ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 also include:

• Designer templates for page layouts, photo albums, calendars, greeting cards and other projects from top digital designers Vicky Stegall, Andrea Gold and Maggie Lamarre
• Advanced journaling capabilities
• "Trim to shape" feature for quick and easy use of templates
• New and improved resizing, cropping and masking options
• Artistic effects that can be added, modified or deleted at any time
• Easy loading of brushes for advanced creative effects
• Quick optimization for Web and advanced printing functions

Call for Scrapbooking Submissions: Digital Scrapbooking Oct/Nov '08

Posted on the Digital Scrapbooking magazine website:

Show Off Your Blog!
Have you used digital papers, brushes or other scrapbooking elements to jazz up your blog or website? Show us how you've applied scrapbooking products or techniques to enhance your online presence. We'd like to see a screen shot of your work (100K or less) and a URL where we can check out your creation for ourselves. Please also include the name and store information of any purchased items you've used. Submissions are due no later than April 30.

Share Your Community Story
Digital scrapbookers participate in a huge variety of online communities, from Facebook groups to store-associated forums. We're looking for stories of how digital communities have made a difference in the lives of their participants. Have you been inspired to scrapbook by a special contest or challenge? Made friends with a like-minded group of scrappers? Stepped up to the plate to support a charitable cause? Share your stories and your layouts (saved at 100K or smaller). Submissions are due no later than April 30.

Are You Cover Material?
We're looking for simply amazing reader layouts to feature on our cover. For consideration, layout should have the following: a single large, well-composed photo of one (or, at the most, two) subjects, preferably making eye contact with the camera "only with digital" techniques combined with a clean overall design legible title and minimal journaling seasonal focus--for this issue, submit fall holiday and family get-together themes. Please submit no more than three layouts to this call. Submissions are due on April 30, 2008.

Adobe Launches Photoshop Express Beta Online

Free Online Software Brings Photoshop Technology to Anyone Taking Digital Photos

SAN JOSE, Calif. — March 27, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Photoshop® Express public beta, a free Rich Internet Application (RIA) available to anyone who wants to store, sort and show off digital photos with eye-catching effects. During the public beta period, Adobe will solicit Photoshop Express user feedback on product features and functionality, which will continue to evolve over time. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience. Photoshop Express allows users to store up to 2 gigabytes of images online for free, make edits to their photos, and share them online in creative ways, including downloading and uploading photos from popular social networking sites like Facebook.

“Photoshop is trusted technology that has changed the visual landscape of our world. Now, Photoshop Express allows anyone who snaps a digital photo to easily achieve the high-impact results for which Adobe is known,” said Doug Mack, vice president of Consumer and Hosted Solutions at Adobe. “Photoshop Express is a convenient, single destination where you can store, edit and share photos whether you’re at home, school or on the road.”

Adobe Photoshop Express beta is available now for free via any Web browser at http://www.photoshop.com/express (In its early phases, Photoshop Express is available to US residents-only in English. Users may experience slow performance if accessed outside of the US. Future plans include availability in other languages and countries.)

Digital Scrapbook Place Curriculum earns Rudy Award

Troy, OH - March 27, 2008 – Digital Scrapbook Place earned a Rudy Award for its new and exciting Digital Scrapbooking Curriculum introduced at the Photo Marketing Association Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada in January 2008. Digital Scrapbooking Curriculum is the first scrapbooking product to win a Rudy award.

The Rudy award, named in honor of Rudolf Maschke, who along with Ed Wagner founded Photo Industry Reporter, the Rudy Awards are bestowed to products exhibited at the Photo Marketing Association trade show that [their] writers judge to be ingenious, fascinating or possessing a certain undefinable off-the-wall quality.

The Digital Scrapbooking Curriculum will demonstrate store owners or instructors how to teach digital scrapbooking classes to customers and students. Instructors will learn about the software and digital scrapbooking quickly and easily with step by step instructions and guidance. Inside there are tools to hold classes, demonstrations, events, crops, tutoring sessions, and assist customers. This curriculum teaches the popular Adobe ® Photoshop® Elements software. The $150 introductory price tag includes the Curriculum as well as 20 student CDs with software trial, graphics, and tutorials. Additional student CDs can be purchased separately.

Digital Scrapbook Place knows that education is a great way to increase sales for photo and scrapbook retailers. Digital Scrapbook Place’s full range of digital products, including this new curriculum, will keep customers coming back for more.

About Digital Scrapbook Place

Digital Scrapbook Place was founded in 2004 by two women with a passion for digital scrapbooking. The company is dedicated to helping people use digital technologies to capture their memories, create scrapbook pages, and captivate their loved ones for generations.