Pixelmator unveils major updates for iPad and Mac, Fleksy adds extensions and GIFs
Three hefty updates hit the Mac and iOS App Stores this week, as popular Apple-centric image editor Pixelmator added a number of new features and performance fixes on both the iPad and Mac, while third-party iOS keyboard Fleksy introduced extensions and usability improvements.
A number of fixes also come in the new version, including changes that preserve EXIf metadata in a variety of situations. Pixelmator's photo editing extension is also more stable, with a lower memory footprint.
The Mac version adds support for pinch-to-zoom, as well as the ability to resize and scroll in the shapes, gradients, and styles palettes. A slew of bug fixes are also included.
Pixelmator for iPad version 1.0.2 is available now as a $9.99, 107-megabyte download from the iOS App Store. Pixelmator for Mac version 3.3.1 is available as a $29.99, 42.8-megabyte download from the Mac App Store.
The latest revision to Fleksy's popular iOS keyboard brings a number of additional themes --?including themes from brands like Frozen and The Hunger Games --?alongside support for extensions. Among the extensions available at launch are a GIF keyboard, a dedicated row for numbers, and a new one-handed mode.
The company also promises improved accuracy for autocorrect, alongside "general stability and performance improvements." Fleksy recommends updating to the latest version of iOS 8 to fix key known issues with third-party keyboards.
Fleksy version 5.0 is available now as a $0.99, 52.1-megabyte download from the App Store.
Pixelmator
Among the numerous new features in Pixelmator for iPad are new sliders for opacity, brush size, and rotation, designed to make each feature easier to control. The company has also added new brushes that work better for users that employ styluses with their iPad.A number of fixes also come in the new version, including changes that preserve EXIf metadata in a variety of situations. Pixelmator's photo editing extension is also more stable, with a lower memory footprint.
The Mac version adds support for pinch-to-zoom, as well as the ability to resize and scroll in the shapes, gradients, and styles palettes. A slew of bug fixes are also included.
Pixelmator for iPad version 1.0.2 is available now as a $9.99, 107-megabyte download from the iOS App Store. Pixelmator for Mac version 3.3.1 is available as a $29.99, 42.8-megabyte download from the Mac App Store.
Fleksy
The latest revision to Fleksy's popular iOS keyboard brings a number of additional themes --?including themes from brands like Frozen and The Hunger Games --?alongside support for extensions. Among the extensions available at launch are a GIF keyboard, a dedicated row for numbers, and a new one-handed mode.
The company also promises improved accuracy for autocorrect, alongside "general stability and performance improvements." Fleksy recommends updating to the latest version of iOS 8 to fix key known issues with third-party keyboards.
Fleksy version 5.0 is available now as a $0.99, 52.1-megabyte download from the App Store.
Comments
Wait… Pixelmator’s bigger on iOS than OS X?
Is this a first for an application? Am I missing something about the bundling of software here? Does OS X already contain things that iOS forces apps to duplicate if they want to use it?
Pixelmator on OS X leverages a ton of Core Frameworks in OS X, not available on iOS. You have to have created those and put th em in the app wrapper for iOS.
EDIT: It just showed up as an update!
Leaving feedback on their company blog will get you a response. Here will get you no response from them.
I wasn't expecting a response from them here. I was wondering if anyone else had seen an update show up. Good news is, it just showed up as an update for me.
I ditched photoshop in favour of Pixelmator and have not touched photoshop since. All my work is for web so Rgb all the way.
I still use CS6, but I find myself using Pixelmator more and more. It's a great program and you can't beat the price.
Pixelmator is amazing and fun to use. I'm used to the basics in Photoshop and find it clumsy to try to use something else, but that's just a matter of learning a new habit.
The way the guides work and the easy extraction of an object from its background make Pixelmator the go-to app for me.
There is something about Photoshop, however. Using it, it just seems so exact. Not sure what I'm trying to say here but other Apps just lack that graphics smoothness. It's almost intangible. Like the buttery-smooth scrolling in iOS vs. the other brands.
I can see why people have multiple graphics apps at their disposal.
Hate to say it, and I know it’s exactly what Adobe wants, but I’d sort of like to be able to reassign Pixelmator’s shortcuts to what I want. So accustomed to Adobe’s crap am I that I’m having trouble getting used to Pixelmator’s changes.
Then again, that’s also a good metric for determining whether Adobe is feeling threatened. Since they’re too stupid or lazy to unify their shortcuts across their own software, when the day comes that they do this I think that’ll be an indicator that they’re afraid of at least one competitor.
Affinity Designer offers a CMYK workflow, and Photoshop and InDesign alternatives are said to be on the way from them.
2015 is going to be a great year for Mac artists and designers.
I'd really love to see stronger alternatives to Adobe.
Hate to say it, and I know it’s exactly what Adobe wants, but I’d sort of like to be able to reassign Pixelmator’s shortcuts to what I want. So accustomed to Adobe’s crap am I that I’m having trouble getting used to Pixelmator’s changes.
Then again, that’s also a good metric for determining whether Adobe is feeling threatened. Since they’re too stupid or lazy to unify their shortcuts across their own software, when the day comes that they do this I think that’ll be an indicator that they’re afraid of at least one competitor.
You are aware that almost all Adobe software worth talking about has assignable keyboard shortcuts:
It appears Lightroom doesn't have easily customizable shortcuts based on the quick google searches I did.
If you don't like the shortcuts Adobe uses, you are fully empowered to create your own system that makes the interface consistent in whatever way seems right to you.
The lack of shortcut unification you desire doesn't indicate Adobe's feeling threatened. Most of Adobe's software started life in isolation and was acquired before becoming part of the Creative Suite. Adobe kept most interface shortcuts the same for the sake of legacy users while allowing for advanced shortcut creation and customization for users who desire it. In many cases it is actually possible to create completely new keyboard shortcuts for items that are only available via menu out of the box.
Can't help but wonder if it is in fact Adobe who is stupid or lazy...
Or even literate.
You are aware that almost all Adobe software worth talking about has assignable keyboard shortcuts:
It appears Lightroom doesn't have easily customizable shortcuts based on the quick google searches I did.
If you don't like the shortcuts Adobe uses, you are fully empowered to create your own system that makes the interface consistent in whatever way seems right to you.
The lack of shortcut unification you desire doesn't indicate Adobe's feeling threatened. Most of Adobe's software started life in isolation and was acquired before becoming part of the Creative Suite. Adobe kept most interface shortcuts the same for the sake of legacy users while allowing for advanced shortcut creation and customization for users who desire it. In many cases it is actually possible to create completely new keyboard shortcuts for items that are only available via menu out of the box.
Can't help but wonder if it is in fact Adobe who is stupid or lazy...
Sorry to comment on my own comment...but it does occur to me that if Adobe did want to be LESS lazy & stupid, perhaps they could ship with two default shortcut schemes: Legacy and Unified and let users pick one upon installation. They already have the customization capabilities in place.
And of course it would be awesome if Pixelmator would off some customization, too.
Or even literate.
Are you having trouble reading?
You seem to be.
…I’d sort of like to be able to reassign Pixelmator’s shortcuts to what I want.
EDIT: Never mind, no point.