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TheAppleBlog
TheAppleBlog, published by and for the day-to-day Apple user, is a prominent source for news, reviews, walkthroughs, and real life application of all Apple products.
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Adobe Creative Suite 5 Details Revealed

I was only just talking about how long its been since Adobe released a new major update to its flagship Creative Suite product with an imaging professional friend, and now there’s a sign that we won’t have to wait much longer for said update to arrive. AppleInsider got an exclusive look at some of the new features coming up in various CS5 programs, some of which look mighty appealing to my hobbyist eye.

Photoshop CS5 will finally become 64-bit, for starters, something which Photoshop CS4 for Windows could claim nearly two years ago in 2008. The new 64-bit Photoshop CS5 has be completely rewritten in Apple’s Cocoa development framework, after Apple’s decision to scrap a 64-bit version of Carbon blocked the simultaneous release of a 64-bit Photoshop CS4 for Mac. But that’s not all. Many other new goodies are also forthcoming.

Many Behind-the-Scenes Improvements

As a frequent, though not very in-depth user of Photoshop CS4, I consider it by far the best iteration of Adobe’s image editor to date, and so I wasn’t too disappointed to learn that many of the changes made in CS5 will come as backstage enhancements. Like Apple did with Snow Leopard, Adobe’s engineering efforts with the new version of Photoshop were concentrated on taking better advantage of available system and software resources.

Those improvements will result in a nice little speed boost according to AppleInsider:

In its own internal tests, Adobe found the average 64-bit app to run about 8 to 12 percent faster than a 32-bit one. The primary advantage of 64-bit applications is their ability to address very large amounts of memory in excess of the 4GB limit of 32-bit apps.

Other changes will mostly affect users who do a lot of 3D work, which is something I’ve never even attempted. Few other details about these changes were revealed, although specific feature information about improved photo retouching, including smart object removal was part of the report. If it works as well as advertised, this feature alone will make the upgrade worth my while.

Flash, Dreamweaver and InDesign

Many of the changes being introduced in other software titles included in Adobe’s Creative Suite 5 seem aimed at shoring up and further entrenching Flash web technology, to the detriment of HTML 5, which threatens to eventually render Flash almost irrelevant.

Flash CS5 includes the ability to convert Flash apps and games into code that will be accepted by the iTunes App Store, though according to the sources for the report that isn’t yet working in the beta versions of the software:

This functionality is not working in the current beta versions. We don't think serious developers will use Flash for creating iPhone applications. It also appears that Adobe continues to miss the boat with HTML 5, and is focused almost exclusively on trying to get users to depend more on Flash – even as the Web development community is looking elsewhere.

Finally, new InDesign features also try to reinforce the use of Flash, making it possible for layout designers to create web-based Flash tie-ins to their print content, or just making it easier to introduce Flash content into their InDesign-created websites. Testers were confused about why Adobe would try to shift focus for InDesign to web content creation, when Dreamweaver is so much better at that kind of task. Having used both, I have to admit I’m wondering the same thing. Perhaps the fear is that InDesign will become less appealing as print culture continues to falter.

Web Review Across the Board

While a lot of the new features revealed so far seem focused on righting the sinking ship that is Flash, some seem genuinely useful to all users. One such improvement is the introduction of web review across of the CS5 products. This will allow designers and artists working in the various creative suite applications to quickly and easily share proofs and samples with clients and coworkers who don’t have access to CS5 themselves. It should take at least a few steps out of the QA process, and anything you can do to simplify that headache of a process is plenty impressive in my books.

Look for Adobe CS5 to come to market sometime this Spring. No pricing details have been announced or hinted at.

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iPad Transformation of Print Industry Continues

While Apple has yet to sell a single iPad, the device has already challenged the domination of Amazon and the Kindle for e-books, and now periodical and newspapers are experiencing this “iPad Effect” for their business models.

At the TED conference, Wired Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson used the tired “game changer” moniker in referring to the iPad, while doing a Wired demo on a large multi-touch display. Readers of Wired on the iPad will be able to view content vertically like a web page, or on two pages like the print magazine, easily rotating between the two. There will also be plenty of flicking, zooming, and interactive media in the new format, too. That’s the good news for publishers.

According to Anderson, the iPad is “part of the answer” for the future of print media, but the Financial Times is reporting that talks with other publishers are raising new questions about the iPad, too.

Like the advent of the iTunes Store and negotiations with the music industry, the main point of contention between Apple and publishers appears to be that of control, specifically pricing and subscriber information. Publishers rely on subscriber information to not just to reach customers, but to plan the direction of publications. However, Apple’s policy of releasing little beyond sales data has, according to one executive of a major U.S. newspaper, the potential to be a “dealbreaker.”

Beyond that, there is the issue of price and single sales versus subscription sales, with Apple demanding 30 percent of revenue for both types of transactions. “You can imagine we feel less good about it,” said another media executive, asserting that “30 percent forever changes the economics.” Arguably, that’s a fair point, and certainly television executives have thus far refused offering subscriptions for iTunes, reportedly $30 a month and similar to what one gets from cable TV.

The problem is $30 a month may be what the New York Times wants all by itself. According to Gawker, advocates for the print edition within the New York Times argue that unless the iPad edition is priced between $20 and $30, people will cancel the print edition (I had no idea Captain Obvious worked at the New York Times). More sanely, those responsible for the digital edition of the paper are suggesting $10 per month is about right. In comparison, the Kindle edition of the New York Times costs $13.99 per month, and that’s without color, let alone interactive media.

If the rumors about what’s going on at the New York Times is indicative of publishers in general, there could be trouble for the iPad launch. The decline of print media is accelerating, and thus far magazines and newspapers have been unable to monetize web sites. The Kindle has failed to achieve the kind of success as a portable device that the iPhone and iPad touch have, leaving the iPad as the only current hope for a transition from a physical to digital world for print media. If not Apple and the iPad, then who?

The danger is that cold rationality might not prevail, even if it means the worst for print media. If that happens, Apple won’t suffer nearly as much as the New York Times, but iPad owners will lose out. A dearth of content can hurt the iPad as the Apple TV has been hurt, especially when trying to convince consumers to embrace a new platform. Apple doesn’t need another hobby, and print media needs a business model that works.

Related GigaOM Pro Research:
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Steve Jobs: The Biography

Fanboys, be still your beating hearts; word on the street is that El Jobso himself is (finally!) working on his own completely genuine and official biography.

Writing in The New York Times today, Brad Stone reports that the book we've all been yearning to get our hands on is in the early planning stages;

…Apple's chief executive is set to collaborate on an authorized biography, to be written by Walter Isaacson, the former managing editor of Time magazine, according to two people briefed on the project.

Walter Isaacson is no slouch when it comes to writing biographies of important people. Previous works include Einstein: His Life and Universe and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. A title he published last year, American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, and Heroes of a Hurricane was a series of essays written on the subject of great leadership.

So, hardly surprising then that he's the scribe charged with documenting the life of Stephen P. Jobs, Genius Entrepreneur and Super Ego. It's quite something to be able to say you share your biographer with both a Founding Father and the man who unlocked the secrets of the Universe.

The book, which is in the early planning stages, would cover the entire life of Mr. Jobs, from his youth in the area now known as Silicon Valley. [Jobs has] …invited Mr. Isaacson to tour his childhood home, one person with knowledge of the discussion said.

Naturally, both Isaacson and Apple declined to comment.

What To Expect

I wonder, can we expect a really honest account of The Steve's life? If you've ever watched Pirates of Silicon Valley (widely considered an accurate portrayal of young Jobs and Gates) you'll know very well what a, shall we say, “rambunctious chap” Steve could be as he steered Apple to its first dizzying heights of success. (I'm being polite; perhaps a better phrase is "insanely megalomaniacally hostile, selfish and unkind" — yeah, that might be more accurate.)

You see, while Steve Jobs is a genius (there's no doubt about that) he has earned something of a reputation for being an impatient, quick-to-anger man. Again, I'm choosing polite words.

Will he, for example, admit to moments of sheer good-fortune that have subsequently been incorrectly attributed to some special "vision" on his part? (I'm sure there are a few such examples.) Will he address the mistakes and failures that we assume were pretty significant moments of disappointment in his career? (The Cube, anyone?)
And what about all those drugs in the 70’s? Will he talk about that openly, honestly, frankly?

If he doesn't, if this book contains none of that gritty, hard-edged truth, it'll be panned by every critic on the planet. It'll be like Michael Jackson's 1988 biography Moonwalk – 283 pages of fluff that added little of value to the man's legacy. And, while I certainly admire and respect Steve Jobs' achievements in the industry (not to mention his skills as a public speaker) I'm not such a blind fanboy I fail to see that he is, essentially, a salesman. A very good salesman, to be sure, but I don't want to read a 300+ page book celebrating what a wonderful salesman Steve Jobs is.

I think we can safely say what won't be in it; love affairs and reluctant parenthood are just the sort of "private matters" Jobs is unlikely to want in his biography. (They're just too gritty.)

Don't forget, Steve Jobs is the master of Stubbornly Refusing to Accept or Admit When Things Are Not Perfect. That celebrated Reality Distortion Field usually placates the unwashed masses during keynote speeches, but likely won't be conveyed at full-power through the pages of a book.

Timing

I can't help thinking, what does it mean, writing his biography now? The instant easy answer is that it might not mean anything at all …or nothing more than the fact that a publisher (in this case, probably Simon & Schuster, who have published all Isaaconson's books to date) has offered Jobs the right incentive. I don't mean to suggest Steve Jobs is short of cash, but rather, his biography (a surefire best-seller and cash cow for any publisher) might be part of an iPad-related digital publishing negotiation. (I don't know that, nor do I want to start any silly conspiracy theories. Like I said, the timing might not mean anything at all.)

But I'll leave you with one last thought – what if this book proves to be the final word from Apple's current CEO? What if this biography is the parting one more thing from Steve Jobs as he prepares for retirement? It was rumored earlier this year that Jobs considered the iPad the most important thing he'd ever done; if that's true, he probably feels like it's almost the right time to step down – while he's still at the very top of his game.

What do you think we can we expect from the official biography? Does it mark the end of an era? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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A Developer's Guide to Mobile Platforms

With the advent of Windows Phone Series 7, the highly competitive smartphone market looks to become hyper-competitive in 2010. While more choice is always good for consumers, for developers seeking a return on the investment of time and effort the right platform choice is crucial.

Windows Phone Series 7 remains largely an enigma for developers until the MIX conference next month. There will be a “marketplace” hub, but Series 7 will apparently not be compatible with Windows Mobile programs. Highly restricted multi-tasking appears similar to that in iPhone OS, and multi-touch will be required in Series 7, which is scheduled for release late this year.

But that’s then, and this is now. Colin Gibbs has prepared a report (subscription required) for GigaOm Pro on the seven leading mobile platforms to advise developers on which platforms are the right and wrong ones.

The seven platforms covered are Android, BlackBerry, Maemo (now MeeGo), iPhone, Symbian, webOS, and Windows Mobile.

Not surprisingly, the most vibrant platform at the moment is iPhone OS, with more than 75 million devices sold and a highly successful App Store. However, there are trade-offs for developers, most notably the closed nature of the App Store and an approval process that can be seemingly mercurial at times. Interestingly, it seems that the 70/30 revenue split at the App Store has become almost universal among platforms, with only RIM offering BlackBerry developers 80 percent of revenue. It should also be noted that Nokia’s Ovi Store takes carrier allowances for bandwidth out of the developer’s pocket.

Potential unknowns are also explored, such as aggregators like Verizon, which will subsume content from multiple platforms into its own store. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, an alliance of carriers and handset makers have also vowed to create an open technology platform that all mobile consumers could shop at. Adobe is also pushing Air as the new run-time development platform for every phone without a fruit logo that will let them install it.

Setting aside possible game changers in the future, the wealth of information on the seven major mobile development platforms does not conclude with a best choice for developers right now, because there isn’t one. That won’t change in 2010, or 2011, but it is arguable that there are platforms to avoid, and that’s where developers should start their decision process.

Read the full report on GigaOM Pro → (subscription required)

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