Whenever a new version of an important program comes out, the need for it, depending on the changes, can run the spectrum--from it's-revolutionary, got-to-have-it-now to ho-hum, I-can-wait-for-the-next-revision. Adobe Photoshop CS5, the latest version that's sold both individually and as part of Adobe Creative Suite 5, falls between those two extremes ($699 for Standard stand-alone, $1299 for Creative Suite 5 Design Standard; upgrade pricing available).We reviewed a beta.

Photoshop is a mature program that is already an indispensable component of everyday business for photographers and graphics professionals. What sets Photoshop CS5 apart isn't any one killer app but dozens of refinements that will make users' lives easier, more efficient, and, potentially, more creative.
Interface: Everything Is Where It Should Be... Plus More

Photoshop CS5's interface remains comfortably familiar, though slightly changed--and more efficient to use. For instance, the revamped Workspace switcher is no longer buried in the Window drop-down menu. Instead, it is always immediately available at the top of the screen to the right of the Ribbon Bar. What's more, if you make changes to any Workspace (such as Photography) and then switch to another (such as Painting), when you return to Photography, those changes will be retained.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Mini-Bridge optionsThe most significant workflow improvement to the interface is the introduction of Mini-Bridge. Essentially, it's a palette (or panel) within Photoshop that's really a window onto Bridge, allowing full access to all your image files without having to leave Photoshop. As with the full Bridge, you can choose different display options, depending upon what information you need or want: Thumbnails, As Filmstrip, Details, or List. And as before, if you need the full functionality of Bridge, just click on the BR icon, either within the Mini-Bridge palette or at the top of the screen.

The other noticeable (albeit trivial) change to the interface is that the appearance of many of the toolbox icons is different. While the shapes remain the same (for instance, the Clone tool icon is still a rubber stamp), they're redrawn.
Advances in Camera RAW

One of Photoshop CS5's most important changes is in the new noise reduction algorithms in Camera RAW 6. It now has sliders for both Luminance and Color Noise. However, it wasn't fully implemented in the beta version we tested, so our judgment has to be based on demonstrations by Adobe, which made it look quite good.

If your creative instincts lean toward filmlike texturing, the new FX tab in Camera RAW will add grain or vignetting.

By the way, Camera RAW 6 and Lightroom 3 are now better coordinated, since they both use the same RAW conversion. This means that you'll no longer have conflicts and be forced to choose between the two. Camera Raw 6 will not be available for anyone who is using earlier Creative Suite software than CS5.Fun Creativity

Let's face it: Photoshop is more than just a workaday tool, it's a platform for pushing your creativity as far as you can. And CS5's latest add-ons for creativity make playing with your pictures even more of an adventure.

Adobe has boosted Photoshop's Paint Brushes (including the Clone tool) in customizability and responsiveness--especially with control over Bristles--bringing them a bit closer to the painterly functionality of Corel Painter. The new Mixer Brush interacts with the colors on the picture. You can choose to work with (virtual) wet or dry paints, and wet or dry canvas, and you can set whether (and how much) the brush loads (picks up) color from the canvas, and when the brush should remain clean (with no loading or removing of paint that was loaded).

Control over Bristle number, size, thickness, stiffness, and behavior provides a good variety of styling. While it takes practice to master color and paint loading, you may find this feature somewhat addictive to experiment with. Photoshop remains tightly integrated with Wacom tablets, so that it supports pressure sensitivity when painting with the Bristle and other brushes.

The new Puppet Warp is an entirely different kind of creative tool. It allows you to place control points on your image, as though you were tying puppet strings to it. Then you can push and pull the shape as you wish. It works best when the background doesn't get caught into the "strings." As such, before proceeding you'll need to select the object you want to reshape and paste it into its own layer.
High Dynamic Range

Responding to the growing interest in high dynamic range (HDR) images, and to the fact that some of the better photo printers are now able to output their heightened tonality, Photoshop CS5 offers features called HDR-Pro and HDR Toning.

While CS4 had HDR capabilities, CS5's HDR-Pro offers enhanced options and new algorithms. The various controls--such as a Curve tool and sliders for adjusting Vibrance, Saturation, Exposure, Detail, and more--provide more precise, highly creative control over the dynamics, so you can create very personalized results, from the subtle to the dramatic. The auto deghosting works well at removing artifacts caused by slight differences among the merged photos, such as a tree branch that might have rustled. You can choose which of your original images is to be used as the defining reference to resolve visual conflicts, such as a cloud that might have changed shape between frames. Find a style that you'll want to use again? You can save the settings as a custom preset.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 HDR ToningOne of the problems with HDR is that it requires that you have a series of nearly identical photos, taken at various exposures. The new HDR Toning in CS5 allows you to emulate HDR, using a single image. The controls are quite similar to HDR-Pro, and the tool provides a high degree of creative potential. Unfortunately, though HDR Toning is an Adjustment, it isn't part of the Adjustment Layer architecture; the effect works only on a single-layer image and will merge down into the original image.

HP printer reviews shows that HP are highly excellent products. Buying printers can be a daunting task. In buying printers, there are a lot of things that need to be considered.

Fortunately, there is one name that meets all the possible requirements there could ever be. Hewlett Packard offers a wide assortment of high-quality printers for all printing purposes.

Their printers fall into three different categories: those designed for everyday printing, those for home and office use,and those for photo and graphics printing.

These are

* the DeskJet series,
* the OfficeJet,
* the LaserJet series,
* and the Photosmart series.

Their Photosmart series is designed specifically for professional photographic printing. It promises sharp and high-resolution printing for excellent quality prints.

HP printers also come in two types: the basic printers and the All-in-Ones. All-in-one printers are printers that already come equipped with a scanner and copier. These are very powerful machines that combine printing with other purposes to meet your various needs.

Aside from that, they also have large format printers designed specifically for architectural, engineering, and professional graphic arts use.
What's Special about HP Printers - The Name and Hp All in One Printers

hp printers 1. The HP Name Itself

There are so many printers out there that choosing one can be extremely confusing. But printers from HP bear one thing that sets them apart from other printers out there. It’s the name, Hewlett Packard, itself. Hewlett Packard is a trusted name in the industry. Surely, even you can attest to the fact that HP is one of the most popular brand names when it comes to computing technology.

HP hails themselves as a technology solutions provider that meets the various demands of all types of customers, from the regular consumers to businesses and all the way up to large-scale organizations on a worldwide basis.

2. Highest Reviews Ratings for HP Printers

HP products, especially their computers and printers, also have the highest ratings and receive the best reviews from consumers and professional reviewers. Once you see the brand name, Hewlett Packard, you will instantly feel assured about the quality of the product.
HP Printer Reviews : Features You’ll Love

Printers from HP come with unique features that make their products stand out, so does the reviews show. These features have been added to make your printing experience all the more enhanced and so much easier.

Advanced Hp All-in-One Printer Choices

The all-in-one capability is one feature that brings convenience and comfort to users. With just one space-saving machine, you can also scan, print, and make copies of your photos and documents.

HP all in one printers are also adaptable to all types and sizes of papers. Some units even have direct slots for memory cards so that printing will be a breeze, even without the need for an entire computer set. They also have wide-format models that already have LCD displays so you can preview your photos right on the printer for direct PC-less printing.

Low Cost Pr Page And High Speed

HP is also known for two other factors that matter a lot in buying printers:

1. cost per page printed
2. the speed of printing.

The printers print in high speed and are very economical. They print with low cost and some models come with the Energy Star label, which means that they save on operating costs as well. All these features are available in most printer models designed by HP.
Ratings and Reviews of HP Printers

Hewlett Packard printers are great products, as both consumers and professional reviewers agree.

The large variety of printers offered by HP is both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is advantageous because buyers have a lot to choose from. At the same time, it is a downside because choosing becomes all the more challenging as there are so many to choose from. But no matter what you choose, you will surely get the quality and output you expect from HP. Most of their printers get the highest ratings especially in terms of performance, print quality, and printer capabilities.

Their most liked products are their Photosmart printers. Their OfficeJet printers are highly capable, although prices are also pretty high. Their all-in-one printers are also highly demanded. Professional reviewers unfailingly give good reviews to HP printers, especially the HP All in One Printers and they have established a respect for the brand that anybody who needs a printer can trust.

Epson printers are included in the list of the most recognized and celebrated printers. When it comes to the printing industry, Epson is one of the top names.

The brand has been practically synonymous to faultless quality. Their printers are highly esteemed, not only for their individual virtues but for the fact that they have the Epson label on them.

Finding high-quality printers that exceeds expectations is very difficult, especially with the large number of products out there. But thanks to the brand Epson, you only have to look for that popular five-letter name and you can expect to find only the best quality printers.

As part of its vision of providing highly innovative products that provides exceptional solutions for consumers, Epson continues to provide even more products, each one packed with features and the unquestionable quality of every Epson printer. The Epson brand has managed to attract the consumers’ trust through their long history of reliable and impressive products even since the company first started as a general manufacturing company in 1975.

In fact, the company was officially christened the great printer brand that year because of its breakthrough product, the EP-101. After that, the rest was history, so to speak.
Epson Printers on the Market

epson printers As an industry expert, Epson has quite a lot of printers, each one carefully designed and sculpted to meet specific needs of consumers who are looking for the best quality printers.

The company offers six major product lines.

These are the

* Epson Inkjet printers,
* Epson All-in-Ones,
* Epson Laser printers,
* and other printers for special uses such as their Dot Matrix printers, Passbook printers, and printers designed for Professional Graphics printing.

Starting with their Inkjet line of printers, they have two main subcategories, the Epson Stylus series and the Picturemate.

1. Epson Sylus Series

The Epson Stylus series is rather popular, since it has the widest array of inkjet printers among all the other subcategories. The Stylus series is well-known for its sharp and precise printing using Epson’s special DURABrite ink. Under this series, they have low-cost printers, entry-level printers, high-speed printers, and also professional printers.

2. Picturemate Series

Their Picturemate inkjet series include printers fully optimized for producing lab-quality photo prints.

3. All-in-One Printers

Aside from their inkjet line, they also have an entire line of all-in-ones. These are especially made for the office and include a printer, copier, and scanner. Epson’s all-in-ones are award-winning products.

4. Laser

Then, they also have the Laser line of printers. Their laser line, the Aculaser, is a very impressive printer series. Under this category, they have three other groups of printer models, the Multi-Function Laser printers, the Color Laser printers, and the Monochrome Laser printers.

5. Multi-function Epson Choices

Their best multi-function includes the Aculaser CX11N, among many others. Their Color Laser printers are also very impressive, with high-speeds and remarkable print quality packed with networking features and user-friendly interfaces for optimized use at the office.

They also have the monochrome printers, models of which include some from the Aculaser series or the EPL series.
Best Features of Epson Printers

The best features of printers from Epson are their unmatched quality that boasts of a precision and sharpness that other printer brands are hard-pressed to achieve, as well as the other standard features added to the printers.

To make usage more customer-oriented, they throw around a mix of the following features when they create their printers. They have models with networking capabilities, special ink systems, and Epson software for user-friendly usage of the products.

And since Epson is a trusted name in the business, they can offer whatever features you are looking for. Name it, and you can trust this printer expert to deliver.
More Than Just Excellent Ratings for Epson Printers

Through the years, Epson has been known for their exceptional printers. Their products get not only excellent ratings, but garner awards left and right.

Experts, even when reviewing Epson printers, have to remind themselves to be objective, which is not the tendency from the moment they read the label on the Epson printer to be reviewed. And Epson’s large collection of loyal customers is a testament to its remarkable mark as a printer brand.

The Eee PC 1001P SeaShell is ASUS's new entry-level netbook offering the Intel Atom N450 processor and Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics. Designed closely after its higher-class brother, the 1005PE, the 1001P offers many of the same features, minus the Chiclet-style keyboard, larger battery, and larger hard drive. In this review, we see how the 1001P stacks up against other netbooks and if it holds a candle to the more expensive 1005PE.
ASUS Eee PC 1001P SeaShell Specifications:

* Windows 7 Starter Edition (32-bit)
* 10.1-inch diagonal WSVGA (1024 x 600, matte finish)
* Intel Atom N450 Processor 1.66GHz (667MHz FSB, 512KB Cache)
* 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (800MHz)
* Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics
* 160GB Seagate 5400.6 SATA HD
* Atheros AR2427 BGN Wi-Fi, Atheros AR8132 10/100 LAN
* 4-in-1 media card slot
* Dimensions: (H x W x D): 0.89-1.40 x 10.2 x 6.9 inches
* 2.81 pounds (not including weight of AC adapter)
* 6-cell lithium-ion battery (4400mAh, 48Wh)
* One-year standard warranty
* MSRP: $299.99
Observant readers might notice that this review is similar to the Eee PC 1005PE's review. This is because the 1001P shares many of the same components with its predecessor.

Build and Design
The Eee PC 1001P is a lower-cost version of the 1005PE Seashell and features a similar clamshell chassis but offers different lid designs. Our 1001P model comes with a textured weave pattern imprinted on the screen cover. The 1001P lacks some of the 1005PE's glossy flair, and its stylish island keyboard, but overall still retains a simple yet modern look.At the top of the 1001P, it's easy to see the "SeaShell" heritage, and thankfully it manages to retain some solid build quality for a budget netbook. The matte black plastic isn't prone to flex and the keyboard is very firm, two things you usually don't see on budget notebooks. The various parts of the chassis come together with tight build tolerance, like a higher-priced laptop. This isn't the most rugged netbook we've ever seen, but ASUS gave the 1001P a pretty solid build for $299. A nice improvement on the netbook compared to the last Seashell is the return of an easy-access RAM cover. If you want to upgrade the RAM in your 1001P, just remove one screw on the access panel on the bottom of the netbook. I would have also liked to see an easy-access panel for the hard drive, but most netbook buyers aren't going to mess with the hard drive
Screen and Speakers
The Eee PC 1001P uses a fairly standard LED-backlit display panel with a 1024 x 600 native resolution. Unlike the 1005PE, the 1001P offers a matte-finish display which isn't prone to glare or added reflections from brightly lit rooms. Even with its matte finish, the display offers excellent color saturation and contrast. The screen resolution is small at 1024 x 600, though I prefer a resolution of 1366 x 768. Obviously this might not be cost effective on a netbook priced under $300 but I can dream, right? Vertical viewing angles are average, with minimal color distortion when viewing from below and some overexposed colors when viewed from above. Horizontal viewing angles are better with colors staying accurate at extremely wide viewing angles with a little color wash out.
A slightly annoying feature we noticed on the 1001P is related to the low-end Starter edition of Windows 7. Microsoft locks the desktop background to a specific OEM image and prevents the user from changing it through the control panel. ASUS circumvents the problem with a utility in its docking bar that lets you change the background to another selected image.

The Eee PC 1001P's built-in speaker performance is pretty good for a 10-inch netbook. I'm not a fan of speakers' location on the bottom front edge of the 1001P, but the audio quality is better than what we typically hear from netbook speakers. The speakers produce good volume (enough to fill a small room) and there is minimal distortion even at higher volume levels. The speakers lack much bass, but the range of highs and midtones are fine. Still, the audio output from the headphone jack is free of obvious distortion and is better when paired with earphones or a good set of external speakers.

Asus 1001p keyboard
Keyboard and Touchpad
The 1001P has a comfortable keyboard and is easy to type on. ASUS returned to a standard keyboard design like the 1005HA's, instead of a Chiclet-style keyboard on the 1005PE. The keys are slightly smaller than what you find on a full-size notebook, but once you adjust your typing strokes, it isn't much of a problem. I am not sure I would recommend using the keyboard on a daily basis as your primary input method, but for traveling or completing work in the classroom, it's just fine.
The Synaptics touchpad used on the 1001P is likewise identical to the gesture-enabled model on the 1005PE. It allows you to use multi-figure gestures such as "pinching" your fingers together or "pulling" your fingers apart to zoom in or out. You can also use a "three-finger tap" as an alternative to a right click on a mouse. The Synaptics control panel in Windows also allows you to customize the gestures. The touchpad surface is covered in dots that provide a clear indication of the edges of the touchpad, but it also makes the touchpad surface too rough for quick finger movement. The left and right touchpad buttons are located beneath a single rocker-style button, but there's no separation between the left and right side, so it's easy to accidentally press the middle of the touchpad button. The touchpad buttons have extremely shallow feedback, so it's sometimes hard to feel whether or not you're pressing a button.

The 1001P lacks a dedicated wireless on/off switch, but ASUS did include FN keyboard shortcuts for wireless, screen brightness, video output, volume, and Windows task manager.

Input and Output Ports
The 1001P offers the same port selection as the 1005PE. Namely, you get three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 media card reader, headphone and microphone jacks, Ethernet port, and the return of a standard VGA out port. Here is a quick tour around the Eee PC 1001P

Dell has added Ubuntu and SSD options to its Inspiron Mini 10.
What's a good dell laptop without configurable options, I always say. The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 has gotten a few new ones recently. Beyond the new 6-cell battery upgrade (over the standard 3-cell), and the new 28WHr 3-cell upgrade (over the 24WHr 3-cell), you can now order your Mini 10 netbooks with a specialized Ubuntu OS and a solid state drive.

Prices start at $399 for this flavor, with upgrades to a 32GB SSD and even 64GB SSD available for a few bucks. It's noteworthy that the XP variety of the Mini 10 does not have these same options, so if you want SSD flexibility you need to order Ubuntu.

There was already the option to upgrade to a spiffy 1366x768 HD display if you so chose. So now you can upgrade your resolution, battery life, OS and HDD in a variety of ways. Gotta love Dell.