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Pixelmator Pro 3.4 adds extensive PDF editing support
Mac image editing app Pixelmator Pro seems to be continually getting significant updates, and the newest adds features for working on images within PDFs.
Pixelmator Pro 3.4
Pixelmator Pro has been able to open PDFs before, but with Pixelmator Pro 3.4, codenamed Camelot, it has significant new options. Rather than solely opening a PDF in it, for instance, users can now specify that they only want to open page 1, or 7, or 17.
More than an extra option, though, Pixelmator Pro now expects that users will only open one page of the PDF. On File, Open, or dragging a PDF document onto the Pixelmator Pro icon, a dialog appears which defaults to selecting page 1.
Users can then scroll through the whole PDF and click to select any other page you want, but it will only select a single page. There's no way to Shift- or Control-click to add more, nor can you use Command-A to get the lot.
The makers are absolutely right that it will practically always be a single page that users want to open to work on. But it would be good to have the option for more to make it simpler, for instance, to drag a graphic from one PDF page to another.
Alongside selecting a page, users then have options regarding the resolution and the size of the document to be opened. Most significantly, though, there is an option called Import PDF with Layers.
You can now specify which page of a PDF to import, along with size and resolution options
This brings in the PDF page and everything on it, but also separates it out. Images become their own Pixelmator Pro layer, so they can be turned on or off with a click.
They can also be resized and have any editing that Pixelmator Pro can do, applied to them. Or they can be dragged or copied to a new document.
This is so useful that it defaults to being on. Or at least, it defaults to at first.
If a user turns it off for a particular PDF he or she is opening, it will stay off for all subsequent PDFs until it's positively turned back on.
In testing, it appears that importing with layers works most of the time. It does somehow depend on the PDF as some old ones AppleInsider tried didn't separate out into layers.
Any newly-created PDF worked perfectly, however.
Editing vector PDFs and working in batches
PDFs can be, effectively, a bitmapped single image -- which is probably why certain ones couldn't be separated out into layers. That form of PDF was what Pixelmator Pro used to work with, but now it can hand vector PDFs with more options.
This is how the app is able to offer options on the size and resolution of a PDF page when opened.
Pixelmator Pro 3.4 has now also extended its Shortcuts action, Convert Image/Video, to include an option to export to PDF. It's intended to be used as a batch processor, letting users more easily make the conversion to multiple files all at once.
A PDF with multiple elements can be opened with each part on a different layerUsing PDFs edited in Pixelmator Pro
What users can't do directly in Pixelmator Pro 3.4 is put the finished pages back into the original PDF. Instead, you have to export the finished, single PDF page, and then the makers recommend you use Apple's Preview app.
In Preview, users have to open the original, full-length PDF document, drag the new page into place, then delete the old page that was there.
It's a shame there isn't a way to edit a PDF in place but the process is simple enough. And the new PDF editing features inside Pixelmator Pro -- especially when a PDF is automatically separated out into layers -- are excellent.
The new features in Pixelmator 3.4 require macOS Ventura or later, and for the next few days there is a 30% discount in the Mac App Store. Normally it retails there for $49.99, but to promote the launch of the new version, it's temporarily reduced to $34.99.
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Exploit that delivered Pegasus spyware patched in iOS 16.6.1 update
Apple's operating system updates on Thursday patched an exploit chain capable of compromising iOS 16.6 devices with the Pegasus spyware without any interaction from the victim.
The exploit was discovered on an iPhone owned by an individual employed by a Washington DC-based civil society organization. The exploit was used to deliver NSO Group's Pegasus mercenary spyware.
Toronto's Citizen Lab states that the exploit involves PassKit containing "malicious images sent from an attacker iMessage account to the victim."
Citizen Lab disclosed their findings to Apple, who promptly issued CVE-2023-41064 and CVE-2023-41061 related to the exploit chain. The iOS 16.6.1 patch fixes the security gap, and Thursday's report from Citizen Lab confirms that.
Both Citizen Lab and AppleInsider recommend that iPhone owners update their devices as soon as feasible. Users can download the security fix by opening the Settings app, tapping Software Update, and installing iOS 16.6.1 from the menu.
The security researchers will publish a more detailed discussion of the exploit chain in the future.
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China's iPhones ban seen as effort to restrict Apple's access to market
A Congressman has commented that he is not surprised by China's new ban on iPhones for state employees, but it does not believe that this measure is linked to security concerns.
iPhone 14 Pro Max
China has recently imposed a new policy for the safety of its central government office workers. As part of this policy, employees cannot use their iPhones for work or even bring them into the building.
The move is an escalation of the government's existing restrictions on using foreign-designed technology, which have been in place for the past ten years. While said to be because of security concerns, U.S. House members believe it to be more a retaliation in ongoing U.S./Chinese relations.
"This is textbook Chinese Communist Party (CCP) behavior - promote PRC (People's Republic of China) national champions in telecommunications, and slowly squeeze western companies' market access," U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher said in an emailed statement, seen by Reuters.
While the ban took effect on Wednesday, reports have indicated it's not being enforced.
The move by China has yet to be confirmed by official sources. Conventional wisdom suggests that it may be a move to boost the home-grown Huawei's first 5G phone, since US sanctions bit.
Even though the move may be done to curb market access, most iPhones sold in China are bought by the general public -- not the government. About 19% of Apple's iPhone sales overall come from China.
Despite China's smartphone market contraction, iPhone sales to the public are expanding.
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Apple opens up Back to School offers to university students
Following on from its Back to School sales, Apple has moved on to higher education, with university student offers now available until October 23.
Apple's Back to School promotional graphics
In June, Apple held its Back to School promotion for 2023, offering discounts and bonuses on a variety of Mac and iPad deals to students and educators. In late August, Apple has shifted its attention to those heading to college and university.
Effectively matching the Back to School campaign, the higher education-aimed version offers Apple gift cards worth up to $150, on top of the usual discounts that apply to education customers.
The deals start with a 13-inch MacBook Air starting from $899 or $74.91 per month for 12 months, with customers getting that $150 gift card. There's also the 13-inch MacBook Pro starting from $1,199 and the 24-inch iMac from $1,249, also with the gift card.
The Mac mini is also on sale starting from $499, but with a $100 gift card instead.
Offers are also available for the iPad range, with the iPad Air priced from $549 and the iPad Pro collection from $719. In both cases, there's a $100 gift card attached to the purchase.
Customers taking advantage of Apple's promotion can also get 20% off the cost of AppleCare+.
The offers are open to all U.S. higher education students, and parents purchasing on behalf of their child, as well as staff working at universities and colleges. Offers are also available in the United Kingdom, via its regional Apple Store.
While Apple's deals are useful, it's possible that shoppers can find better deals elsewhere. Many third-party retailers are offering back-to-school offers, and some may work out to be a better deal than what Apple offers.
The AppleInsider price guides can help you find a better deal. There is a Mac Price Guide alongside an iPad Price Guide, as well as others covering the rest of the Apple ecosystem.
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Samsung's Apple Studio Display competitor is now available in the US
Samsung has released its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor in the United States, giving Mac users a serious contender to the Apple Studio Display.
Samsung ViewFinity S9
The ViewFinity S9 has been out in South Korea since early July, but after a bit of a wait, customers in the United States are finally able to buy the display.
The 27-inch 5K-resolution ViewFinity S9 has a pixel density of 218 pixels per inch. It also covers 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, making it a highly color-accurate display for creatives.
A unique feature is the Samsung Smart Calibration app for iOS, which allows anyone with an iPhone 11 or later to further calibrate the display. The matte display reduces light reflections, while Intelligent Eye Care optimizes the brightness and eliminates screen flickering.
Connectivity-wise, it hooks up using DisplayPort, with it also able to connect to a host Mac using Thunderbolt 4. A trio of USB-C connections are also provided for connecting other devices.
A 4K SlimFit Camera is also included for video conferencing, one that is also higher-specification than the one used in the Studio Display.
Samsung includes embedded smart TV apps, providing access to streaming content when the monitor isn't actively being used with a Mac. There is also AirPlay support, for sharing the screen from an iPhone or another Apple device.
The Samsung ViewFinity S9 is available from Amazon for $1,599.
While this is practically the same cost as the Apple Studio Display, Samsung includes a height-adjustable stand as standard with its monitor. To get the same functionality for the Studio Display, you have to pay extra, bringing the total price to $1,999.
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