Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 & Premiere Elements 8 Announced

Adobe has just released two powerful new editing programs for Windows PCs, Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8. These new Adobe apps are available as standalone products or as a single bundled package, which offers the best value.

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Photoshop Elements 8 is designed for still photos, and offers all of the same features we've seen with past versions of this software. New additions include Adobe Photomerge Exposure, Recompose, and Quick Fix options.

Premiere Elements 8 offers a wealth of video editing options, like the new motion-tracking feature, which allows you to easily add graphics, text and effects that follow your subjects within the scene. This, along with several new automatic editing options, make it possible for amateur videographers to create professional-looking movies.

Adobe also enhanced their Organizer, which unites these powerful photo and video editing solutions together. New features you will see are an Auto-Analyzer function as well as People Recognition technology. With this new organization software, you can easily preview both still images and movies, then quickly export them over to either Photoshop Elements 8 or Premiere Elements 8.

Windows users can get the bundle now for US$149.99, or they can be purchased separately for US$99.99 each. Mac users will be able to purchase a copy of Photoshop Elements 8 sometime in October 2009 (no word as of yet about PRE 8 for Macs). Those of us here in the US can also purchase Plus from within the product for US$49.99/year, which offers benefits like 20GB of online storage for automatic backups, tutorials, tips, tricks, and much more.

Adobe is currently offering mail-in rebates, $20 off when you purchase PSE 8 or PRE 8 separately, or $30 off when you purchase the bundle. Please click the links below to order your copy today!

Please see Adobe's official press release, along with several screen shots of each application below.

Photoshop Elements 8 (Windows):

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adobe_PSE_8_Recompose.jpgPremiere Elements 8:

adobe_PRE_8_Smart_Trim.jpg

 
adobe_PRE_8_Motion_Tracking.jpg


Powerful Organizer and Smart Technology Take Photo and Video Editing to New Heights


SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sept. 23, 2009 -- Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 8 & Adobe Premiere® Elements 8 for Windows®, the highly anticipated new versions of the No. 1 selling consumer photo- and video-editing software*. Available as standalone products or as a single retail package, the bundle offers the most complete photo and video solution by seamlessly integrating two powerful, yet easy-to-use, products. With this landmark release, Adobe equips users with a completely enhanced Organizer, which serves as a feature-rich media hub for both photos and videos. From the Organizer, consumers can launch directly into Photoshop Elements 8 to create extraordinary photos or Premiere Elements 8 to effortlessly make incredible movies with new, automated features.

"We want our customers to feel confident that they can achieve professional results with their photos and videos, without having to do any of the heavy lifting," said Doug Mack, vice president and general manager of Consumer and Hosted Solutions at Adobe. "With this new release of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements we've incorporated smart tools with built-in intelligence that automatically analyze photos and recognize people, track motion in video for the easy addition of special effects and perform editing magic in just a few simple clicks. We pushed the limits of our software, so that anyone can create impressive digital memories and have fun in the process."

Common Organizer Unites Two Powerful Photo- and Video-Editing Solutions
With this new release, Adobe introduces an enhanced Organizer where users can now conveniently manage all their digital memories in one location, simplifying time-consuming tasks such as tagging and searching. The new Auto-Analyzer automatically analyzes and tags the most interesting and highest-quality photos and video footage, and People Recognition intelligently identifies people in photos. With new full-screen previews, users can display their photos and video clips in slideshow mode directly in the Organizer and make quick edits to photos or tag video footage while viewing them. In addition, users can now synch all their media on multiple computers automatically.

Intelligent Technology Increases Fun Factor for Photo Creations
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 gives users access to advanced technology that is extremely easy to use. With Adobe Photomerge® Exposure, you can create a perfectly lit photo that shows every detail by combining multiple shots of the same scene - with or without a flash - in just a few simple clicks. The new Recompose feature leverages Adobe Photoshop CS4 technology to provide a drag and drop way to resize photos without distorting key subjects. Quick Fix previews display a series of automatically adjusted photos and allow users to personally select the shot with the color, contrast and lighting that looks best to them.

Automation Fixes Video Clips and Provides Greater Creative Control
Adobe Premiere Elements 8 offers new automatic options that make it effortless to transform video clips into professional-looking movies. Users can let the software do the hard work with Smart options, which instantly fix shaky footage and color and lighting problems, identify and trim away all unwanted footage and intelligently balance audio elements. Exciting new motion-tracking capabilities further allow consumers to easily add graphics, text and effects that follow subjects in scenes.

Plus Extends Software Capabilities
Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 bundle customers also have the option to extend their creative capabilities and purchase Plus. Benefits include 20 GB of storage for automatic online backup and sharing (up to 15,000 photos or four hours of DVD-quality video), as well as regular deliveries of tutorials, tips and tricks, seasonal artwork, movie themes, video effects and interactive online templates directly to the desktop software. Users can also access their photos and videos from anywhere with an Internet connection via Photoshop.com.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 & Adobe Premiere Elements 8 software for Windows is available now at www.adobe.com, and will be available soon at retail outlets such as Amazon.com, Costco.com, Best Buy, Office Depot and Office Max. The bundle is available for US$149.99, and users can purchase Plus from within the product for US$49.99/year. Plus is available in the U.S. only. Both Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 software for Windows are available separately for US$99.99. Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac® also will be available for US$99.99 in October 2009 (See separate press release).

Information about other language versions, as well as pricing, upgrade and support policies for other countries is available at www.adobe.com/go/psepre_bundle. For free training videos on Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, visit Adobe TV at http://tv.adobe.com.

* Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service (April 2002 to March 2009) based on units sold (North America only).

* Source Premiere Elements: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service (Jan. 2007 to March 2009) based on units sold in the Video and Photo Editing Categories. Combined units sold for Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements bundle (North America only).

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.