ONLINE RESOURCE OF THE MONTH

by Josh Lowensohn
news.cnet.com

Adobe Systems pushed out updates to both its Photoshop Express online photo tool and
photo-editing app for Android devices that bring some noteworthy improvements.

The biggest change, besides an increase in overall speed on the Web version of Photoshop Express, is that the site no longer requires users to register in order to
use it. Unregistered users can now upload their photo, make edits, then download it
without any administrative barriers. Adobe has also separated each tool into its own
unit, similar to what it does with the library and develop modules of its Photoshop
Lightroom software.

As part of the re-organization, Adobe has given its slideshow tool a dramatic facelift, with the inclusion of customizable themes. By default, users get only one, called "midnight," which is a simple one-color background for your photos to sit atop.

Other tweaks to the site include a more thorough look at a photo's EXIF metadata, a
way to post your photos to Facebook and Twitter, the inclusion of user ratings and
comments that users can see within the photo organizer, and a simpler way to find the
company's tutorials.

Adobe continues to compete with a handful of other online photo editors, including Picnik, which was acquired by Google earlier this year, Fotoflexer, and Aviary. Behind the scenes, all of these sites make use of Adobe's Flash technology.

photoshop.com/tools