Software

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the next release of Acrobat.com, which includes several major updates designed to make working together across organizations even easier than before. Incorporating over 35 customer-suggested features, this release simplifies the way people work when communicating and collaborating over the Web. In addition, Acrobat.com has added smartphone access, enabling people to get their work done from anywhere.

Built on the Adobe Flash Platform, Acrobat.com has an easy-to-use online file organizer that allows users to store, share and organize files, create PDF files, launch online office applications, and initiate Web meetings. With this set of applications, users can:

- Easily share files: Users can work together across organizations without the hassle of using ftp servers or worrying about e-mailing large files.
- Access work from anywhere: Any Internet-connected computer or supported smartphone gives users real-time access to all of their files on Acrobat.com.
- Collaborate in real-time: Users can easily conduct Web meetings from Macs or PCs with Adobe ConnectNow.
- Improve productivity: With applications such as Adobe Buzzword, users can easily work together to co-author and obtain feedback on documents, without the need for multiple versions.

Mobile access:
The Acrobat.com mobile application by scanR allows users to upload document images from a supported mobile phone and have them automatically stored as searchable PDF files in Acrobat.com. In addition, users can read their files stored in Acrobat.com, share files with others and fax documents from their Acrobat.com organizer or directly from their smartphone. Users of the free service will be able to send two outbound faxes and upload up to five documents from a mobile phone. An upgrade is available for users that need to fax or upload more documents.
Additional key updates:
Also new in this release are enhancements to Buzzword, as well as Presentations and Tables, which were formerly on Acrobat.com Labs and now in beta. Key updates include:

- Import and export/publishing options: Presentations now includes support for importing PPT/PPTX files, and users can export their tables to PDF, XLS or CSV for sharing data in whatever format is best suited for the situation. Buzzword also now enables export to EPUB, the electronic book publishing format for eBook readers such as Stanza on the iPhone, Sony Reader, and others.
- Web image integration: Users can browse Flickr and Google images, preview pictures and easily import them into presentations.
- Adobe Kuler integration: Users can browse color sets in Kuler and apply them to presentations to create a unique look.

Users of the popular Wasatch SoftRIP software will be able to upgrade to the recently launched V6.6 version of the popular RIP, and take advanatge of a special offer to get free training for their RIP operators.

The offer, from Wasatch distributor IGS UK Ltd, will enable all existing UK Wasatch users to attend a free 1-day training seminar, hosted at Walsall College.

All product upgrades from any previous version of Wasatch SoftRIP up to Version 6.6, purchased through any IGS reseller from November 18th to December 22nd, will entitle the user to this free training offer.

Phil Pirie of Wasatch says "We are delighted to be supporting IGS UK in this promotion, it is a genuine offer that adds a fundamental value to our product, and of course as many users would be upgrading as a matter of course, it is a real opportunity for users to familiarise themselves with the latest features and benefits at zero cost to themselves. SoftRIP V6.6 features a number of new features, and the free training will ensure that our users are able to take full advantage of these latest software developments."

Perhaps the most significant of these new features is the Tracer module, and Phil explains "Wasatch SoftRIP Version 6.6 features the all new Wasatch Tracer that allows users to create contour cut paths directly within SoftRIP. This innovative tool improves workflow, simplifies the cutting production process, and gives users complete control over cut path creation, with the ability to trace, print, and cut without ever leaving the RIP".

Interestingly, this offer is also being extended to users of white-boxed OEM versions of SoftRIP, which includes Roland ColorRIP, Uniform TROOP V5, and other in-the-box software packages that are built on the Wasatch engine, from a number of manufacturers including Agfa, HP/NUR, Inca, Mimaki and more.

Wasatch SoftRIP is available in the UK and Europe from Tech8

 

Positive Focus has announced an end of year promotion on Producer 3D software from HumanEyes Technologies that will enable digital and litho printers to get into the lucrative and rapidly growing lenticular market at significantly lower cost. Discounts of around a third apply across a whole range of software, training and installation packages.

HumanEyes' new Producer3D brings a level of productivity and ease of use that lenticular printers never experienced before.  It changes the face of lenticular printing with an impressive array of tools and ''industry first'' pre-press features which both simplify the pre-print process and greatly improve productivity. Digital printers can benefit from the HumanEyes LensFree technology and avoid the cost of printing on pre-formed lenses. The technique, involving double sided printing using a UV cured flatbed inkjet printer, allows an image to be printed on one side of a plain acrylic sheet, with a barrier layer on the opposite side. It lends itself to larger format, backlit advertising and point of sale material, and a recent development now allows use of thinner, flexible substrates that can be easily changed within suitable lightboxes.

There is a resurgence of interest in 3D images, with major 3D movies and 3D television in the news in recent months. Lenticular posters can display 3D, Flip and Motion effects and compete effectively for attention against other forms of advertising. ‘A 60 x 40 3D backlit poster which we displayed on our stand at mediaPro created a lot of interest,’ said Ivor Dixon, Managing Director of Positive Focus Europe, ‘even people who had not considered the technique before were asking searching questions about the ease of production.’

‘We provide a complete package, including training in the creation of the images and the actual printing techniques that need to be mastered. It’s not a difficult process, but it does need a high standard and careful printing to get the best from it and avoid wastage. We have some users who print onto an opaque substrate that is then laminated onto the lens, but with the increasing number of flatbed printers coming onto the market, especially those with a white ink option, printing direct onto the lens is a more viable solution.’

With the offer, which runs to the 22nd December, a digital printer can get started in Lenticular printing for around £4,500 ex VAT, plus training. Thinner lenses, designed primarily for litho printing, can be used and also help keep production costs down. There is a short term rental option, to ease companies developing sales in this market into production before committing to the full purchase, starting from £750 for 3 months.

DiMS! organizing print awarded 5th certification and another first in the industry- MIS to Finishing

Lichtenvoorde, November 12, 2009-- DiMS! organizing print, the world leader in MIS systems for the printing and packaging industries, announced today, their 5th certification from the Printing Industries of America- the testing body of the CIP4, in MIS to Finishing Interoperability Conformance Specification (ICS). With this recent certification, DiMS.NET! is the first and only MIS software to be certified in MIS to WebPress, and also the only one certified in MIS to Finishing. To date, DiMS.NET! is the only MIS software being certified for 5 different JDF interfaces. DiMS.NET! has been awarded the following certifications:

•    MIS to Prepress ICS
•    MIS to Conventional Printing ICS (Sheetfed)
•    Layout Creator to Imposition ICS and Base ICS
•    MIS to WebPress ICS (Commercial Web)
•    MIS to Finishing ICS

DiMS! organizing print is also actively promoting more partnership interfacings, since the control and efficiency these relationships create can be crucial for DiMS! customers’ growth in the industry. This new certification, and the further development of vendor interfaces, demonstrates that DiMS! organizing print is serious about their commitment to JDF integration and enhancing the technology level of which their customers will truly benefit from.

Strict Printing Industries of America testing procedures

In order to achieve all ICS levels of certification, the DiMS.NET! system was required to pass the stringent Job Definition Format (JDF) testing process provided by Printing Industries of America. The DiMS.NET! system is now certified, not only because it creates and accepts job details while running via JMF (Job Messaging Format), but also because it includes within the job ticket all the information and details regarding the job, and then relays this via JDF interfacing to the pre-press and press systems. These systems then interpret and respectively re-build the layout, establish impositions, or send the necessary information to the press. DiMS.NET! improves workflow, is more compliant of two-way communications between capable devices, and increases the ability to communicate correctly to all printing systems.

“We are extremely proud that our efforts have lead to this level of certification”, commented Tonnie Marneth, CTO DiMS! organizing print. “We are keen supporters of the Printing Industries of America, CIP4, and the progress JDF is making in our industry. We have proven to the graphic arts industry that our products operate with the latest technologies available, and we will continue to create opportunities for our customers to further enhance their business performance.”

"DiMS! organizing print is setting new standards for JDF certification in the industry", said Dr. Mark Bohan, Vice President, Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America. “Their dedication to the advancement of JDF for the industry is commendable.”

mediaPro 09 provided the opportunity for Positive Focus to introduce Claro Layout, an Adobe InDesign plug-in from Elpical that offers automated quality analysis and predictable enhancement of pictures placed in an InDesign document. It optimises image size and resolution to suit the enclosing picture box and automatically names, saves and re-links the optimised image. Positive Focus, distributor of Elpical products in the UK and Ireland, is promoting the time saving features with special introductory pricing that runs until 22nd December.

Claro Layout joins Claro Premedia Server, a multithreaded server solution for image optimisation and enhancement and Claro Single, which uses Enfocus Switch as the front end, in Elpical’s product family. Claro technology is also embedded in DMP FLO Suite. Claro’s Individual Image Analysis checks each image for sharpness, brightness, contrast, colour balance, skin tones and natural greens and then applies specific corrections only to those aspects that merit changes, avoiding over-corrected images.

Alan Dixon, Technical Director at Positive Focus said: ‘It has always been time-consuming to change a picture’s parameters to suit the way it is used in a specific document, so many designers just don’t bother, creating a problem downstream for the printer. If you mask down an area of a larger image, the whole image still gets embedded in the print file, not just the pixels you need. With Claro Layout you hold one master file of each image, drop it into the page layout, position it as you require, then select the settings you need from the Claro plug-in. Resolution, cropping and scaling are all handled automatically, and you also have immediate access to Claro’s intelligent image enhancement, optimisation facilities and colour profile management. Claro Layout automatically performs all of the necessary changes on a single selected image, multiple images on one page, a whole page or a whole publication. Documents that are optimised in this way transfer faster and print more reliably, and operators can save many hours of tedious work with a few mouse clicks.’

‘You can work with files stored locally or on a file server, across your network, so this is a solution that suits everyone, from a designer working on his own to a large commercial studio within an agency, publishing house or printer, and will show a rapid return on the original investment. It’s possible to combine Elpical’s server products with Claro Layout in enterprise environments.’

‘Working on large documents, used as masters for on demand digital print and personalisation, where processing speed is a critical issue, we set an appropriate image resolution, as digital print does not require the full 300dpi usually specified for litho, and complete what could be days of hand work in minutes. The optimised file can be half to a third the size of the original, significantly reducing printing times. We solve the problem of large images being used at postage stamp size, with no loss of quality and no guess-work involved in getting size and cropping correct. Claro Layout will also apply the appropriate colour profile to cater for different output devices or paper types.’

XChange UK are pleased to announce a new exclusive PitStop Pro 09 Competitive Upgrade from FlightCheck Pro or FlightCheck Designer. This competitive upgrade gives existing users of FlightCheck Professional or FlightCheck Designer the opportunity to upgrade to the power of PitStop Pro 09 and save. PDF has become the standard for delivering press-ready files and PitStop Professional allows users to make minor edits to a PDF job at any stage.

London, United Kingdom - XChange UK, the source for extended technology worldwide are pleased to announce a new exclusive PitStop Pro 09 Competitive Upgrade from FlightCheck Pro or FlightCheck Designer. This competitive upgrade gives existing users of FlightCheck Professional or FlightCheck Designer the opportunity to upgrade to the power of PitStop Pro 09 and save £200! PDF has become the standard for delivering press-ready files and PitStop Professional, unlike native file checking software like FlightCheck Professional or FlightCheck Designer, allows users to make minor edits to a PDF job at any stage - even just before press time.

PitStop Pro 09 is an Adobe Acrobat plug-in indispensable for every graphic arts and publishing professional. Its interactive and automated editing capabilities allow everyone to perform advanced PDF editing and correction up until the very last moment. PitStop Pro offers the most comprehensive and intuitive preflight experience available. Its powerful Certified PDF technology provides immediate visual feedback and allows tracking of every edit made to a PDF. Having proven to be a real job-saver, PitStop Pro offers immediate return on investment. PitStop Pro's comprehensive interactive inspection and editing tools enable changes of virtually all of the attributes of a PDF available. Global Change speeds up the editing by offering universal modifications throughout an entire document and Action Lists automate repetitive tasks.

"We are both a design studio and pre-press facility. As a result we receive a large number of jobs submitted by outside clients. When the work was coming in (on disk) as Quark and InDesign files we found that FlightCheck was a very good way to examine the job and make sure that everything was presented as press ready. Over the last few years more and more jobs are being submitted either by email or to our FTP site as PDF files. Flightcheck can check these but PitStop, by virtue of running inside Acrobat offers a far more sophisticated way to prepare jobs for output. At the same time we developed a digital print service and large format printing which have their own prerequisites and PitStop can cater for all this. The main point that I find PitStop wins over Flightcheck (which can do a lot of this stuff) is that it allows you to make minor edits to a job at a very late stage. If a job arrives in full process colour but should have main text in a spot colour then PitStop is your weapon of choice. I have corrected text; moved objects; changed particular fonts and even added a missing object at very late stages in the workflow." - Richard Gardner, Colourtone Print & Graphics, UK

Top new features for PitStop Pro 09 include:
* PitStop Pro 09 is faster than ever before and has a user interface optimised to help you be as efficient as possible. Toolbars, menu items and panels have been streamlined and work together more smoothly as before.

* With PitStop Pro 09, making document-wide changes is easier and faster than ever before. The redesigned, enhanced global change engine offers many additional benefits: effortlessly save different versions of global changes with predefined settings and keep shortcuts to your favourite global changes at the top of the global change panel. The range of global changes that can be implemented throughout the document has also been dramatically extended.

* PitStop Pro 09 includes powerful design layout tools that can quickly visualise existing page boxes and safety zones. Design layouts including proper page boxes and printer marks can instantly be applied as well.

* PitStop Pro 09 consolidates tools to focus more on how you use them in your daily work, and additionally it offers support for workspaces. Each workspace lets you configure exactly those tools and panels you want to see.

The competitive upgrade is available now through XChange UK.