Bibble Labs have released a public preview version of their Bibble 5 raw image conversion and workflow solution. Improvements include support for 50 new cameras, the addition of on-demand and background printing features, “dramatically improved” selective editing, upgraded metadata handling and workflow automation. Supported operating systems include Linux Fedora Core 6 or later, Ubuntu 6.06 or later , Mac OSX 10.4 or greater, as well as Windows 7, Vista and XP. The company warns that while this preview does include many of the major features that Bibble 5.0 will be introducing, it is still in active development, some features have been disabled, and it still has stability issues.

Website: Introducing Bibble 5

imphoto for pc reveals the details in photos, bringing detail out of the shadow areas whilst respecting brighter zones and maintaining colour balance. “imphoto is orders of magnitude faster than any existing solution and produces unmatched quality so that everyone can see the pictures they want, whether for sharing with friends or for publishing professionally” commented CEO of imsense, Philippe Dewost.  imphoto pro edition views, processes and save any type of image in their natural format and resolution. In addition to the core features this version provides batch processing, handling of linear 32-bit per channel HDR images and the ability to save in multiple formats. imphoto retails at $29.99 for the home edition and $99 for the professional edition.

Ohanaware announced the immediate availability of a free update to their new HDR Photography software HDRtist. HDRtist is easy to use HDR software that creates HDR (high dynamic range) photos and tone maps them in a single step. Version 1.1 includes some bug fixes, speed gains and a new feature, Automatic Image Alignment.  At a click of the button, HDRtist is able to align images. This feature allows HDR photographers to shoot HDR images without a tripod. HDRtist requires a Power Macintosh G5 or Intel based Macintosh computer, running Mac OS X v 10.4 or later. It is recommended to have at least 1 GB of RAM.

Website: HDRtist

Adobe has introduced the Photoshop.com Mobile for Android software, extending Adobe digital imaging technology to users of the Google Mobile operating system. The release comes less than a month after the launch of Photoshop.com Mobile for iPhone, which quickly established itself as one of the “Top Free” applications on the Apple mobile platform. The Android application equips consumers with quick and easy image-editing tools, color adjustments and instant photo-sharing capabilities. After making edits on their Android device, users can upload photos from their phone to their Photoshop.com account to view and retrieve their images at a later time from any Internet-connected computer.The Adobe Photoshop.com Mobile for Android application is available as a free download from the Android Market. The application is currently available in the U.S. and Canada only.

Update: Adobe Photoshop.com Mobile is now available in all countries with Android Market.

Website: Photoshop.com Mobile for Android

Corel has announced a range of Christmas promotions in the UK. There is a £90 cashback offer on CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, a £20 discount on Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate and a similar price reduction on Corel’s VideoStudio Pro X2. Furthermore, Corel’s promotions extend to other products in its software range such as Corel Painter 11, Corel Painter Essentials 4 and Corel WordPerfect Office X4. Corel’s Christmas offers are available at Corel’s Store and through leading retailers across the UK including Amazon and Misco.

Website: Corel Store (UK)

Photodex Corporation has released the ProShow StylePack Volume 3,  which features 25 new effects designed to enhance a wide variety of slide shows.  New Styles in the Volume 3 StylePack include: Cast Away, Old Rotary Viewer, Mirror Mask and Photo Mobile. Each style comes in both 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios and can be customised to a user’s liking. ProShow StylePack Volume 3 is available now for $19.95 from www.photodex.com

Acronis today launched Acronis True Image Home 2010 Plus Pack, the latest addition to the Acronis family of backup and recovery products. It is available as an add-on solution to Acronis True Image Home 2010. It includes three components traditionally reserved for Acronis’ corporate line, making them available for advanced home users. The solution includes Acronis Universal Restore, which ensures that if a machine is lost or stolen or if a user wants to use a new, or replacement machine, their data and applications can easily be exactly replicated to a physical or virtual machine. In addition, the new product provides support for dynamic disks and WinPE. Acronis True Image Home 2010 Plus Pack is available now to download at the website below. Remember that it requires Acronis True Image Home 2010 standard edition to be installed. It is available at £23.95.

Website: Acronis True Image Home 2010 Plus Pack

WnSoft has released PicturesToExe Deluxe 6.0, a photo slideshow software for Windows. Version 6.0 of the Deluxe edition brings new enhancements to the program, including 3D effects and the capability to create executables for Mac. Other highlights include multi-monitor support, Windows 7 compatibility, and the ability to add your own soundtrack, sound effects and text comments to each slide.The Deluxe edition is available for $75.

DxO Labs today announced the imminent release of DxO Optics Pro version 6, which is claimed to provide “the best-ever images from extreme ISO shots”. The company is making the bold claim that photographers can push their cameras to the ISO limits and even beyond — as much as one to two stops above their usual ISO settings — and still get great photos without any noticeable loss in image quality. As a side benefit, DxO Labs’ new de-noising technology significantly extends the effective dynamic range in the shadows. Additionally, the new version of DxO Optics Pro further extends optical fault correction, and now provides controls to manually adjust distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberrations, and sharpness for any lens. DxO Optics Pro 6 for Windows Standard and Elite editions are scheduled for release in early November 2009 from both DxO Labs’ e-store and selected resellers, and will be available at an exceptional 33 % discount until December 31, 2009:

Kodak has introduced the KODAK Pic Flick App, a new, free Apple iPhone and iPod touch Device that enables consumers to upload pictures to a Kodak W1020 Wireless Digital Frame or print them wirelessly on the Kodak ESP 5250 All-in-One WiFi-enabled Printer. The app is free and available now on the App Store, the Wi-Fi enabled Kodak ESP 5250 printer retails for $159.99, while the ten-inch Kodak W1020 Wireless Digital Frame can be had for $229.95.

Canon UK today launched the free “Easy-PhotoPrint for iPhone” application (Canon iEPP) that prints photos from the iPhone or iPod touch wirelessly to Canon PIXMA MP990, PIXMA MP640 and PIXMA MP560 printers. The application is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (OS 2.2.1 or later) devices and produces prints in three steps: from opening the application, to image selection and printing. Furthermore the Canon iEPP application incorporates the ‘camera’ button so new shots can be seamlessly captured and printed. The Canon iEPP application, which has already been available to US citizens from the App Store, will be available to UK citizens from early November.

Akvis Software has released Noise Buster 7.0 for Windows and Macintosh. Akvis Noise Buster reduces both luminance and colour noise in digital images without blurring the edges of objects. Soe of the improvements in the newest version of the program include a redesigned interface, support for 64-bit files, compatiblity with Adobe Photoshop Elements 8, Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.6, more intuitive working with the Preview Window and the Before/After tabs, and more. Akvis Noise Buster sells for $49. Registered users can upgrade the software for free.

Nikon has released a new free iPhone app called Learn & Explore. You can scroll through galleries of photos and view educational videos, learn about photography techniques and browse a glossary of photographic terms. Nikon’s Learn & Explore iPhone app can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes App Store.

Phase One have released Capture One 5 PRO, the latest version of their RAW converter and workflow application. Capture One 5 PRO has been enhanced with workflow accelerators to handle large volume shoots faster. Version 5 also adds support for additional DSLR models and RAW file support for selected Leaf digital backs. Capture One 5 is available in three versions: Capture One 5 ($129 / 99 EUR), Capture One 5 DB and Capture One 5 PRO ($399 / 299 EUR).

Along with FocalPoint 2 and PhotoTune 3, onOne also announced today its new Plug-in Suite 5 for Adobe Photoshop. Plug-in Suite 5 includes both of the afore-mentioned plug-ins, plus PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition, PhotoTools 2.5 Professional Edition, Genuine Fractals 6 Professional Edition and MaskPro 4. With support for Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4 the onOne Software Plug-in Suite 5 now includes the new onOne Panel which provides quick access to all products, Windows 64 bit support and the ability to access select plug-ins from within Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 and Apple Aperture 2.1. The new Plug-in Suite 5 will be available in November to new users for $599.95. You can, however, save $200 by pre-ordering the suite before 5 November 2009. Existing users of Plug-in Suite version 1, 2, 3 or 4 can upgrade to Plug-in Suite 5 for $199.95.

onOne today announced FocalPoint 2, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for simulating selective focus and shallow depth of field. Photographers can create an allegedly authentic out-of-focus look with aperture shaped highlights with the new blur algorithm that accurately matches the blur a real lens would create, the company says. To assist photographers in getting the most out of FocalPoint 2, new lens presets are included that simulate desirable fast aperture lenses. FocalPoint 2 will be available in November to new users for $159.95 and can also be purchased as part of the new Plug-in Suite 5 for $599.95. Existing users of FocalPoint 1 (read review) can upgrade to FocalPoint 2 for $99.95.

onOne Software today announced PhotoTune 3, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for optimising digital photos.  The improved PhotoTune Wizard walks new users through the optimising process in two steps with no need to understand colour theory or complex controls like levels or curves. PhotoTune 3 also offers access to advanced adjustments for pro users who want more control. New features include automatic correction featuring the imsense’s eye-fidelity technology, professional controls and intuitive balck-and-white conversions. Plus, PhotoTune 3 now supports integration with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Apple Aperture so that it can be accessed inside the workflow applications used every day. PhotoTune 3 will be available in November to new users for $159.95 and can also be purchased as part of the new Plug-in Suite 5 for $599.95. Existing users of PhotoTune 1 or 2 can upgrade to PhotoTune 3 for $99.95 or can upgrade to the Plug-in Suite 5 for $499.95.

Nikon have released version 1.5.0 of their ViewNX software, which adds support for the Nikon D3s digital SLR camera. Moreover, the program now also runs on Mac OS X version 10.5.8 and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and can interpret various GPS log formats. In addition, the software now supports Epson E-Photo.

Website: Nikon View NX

Viveza 2 is a new version odf Nik Software’s award winning plug-in for selective color and light control. Available in December, Viveza 2 includes new global adjustments and precise selective controls.  “New features such as shadow recovery, structure control, increased precision of selections, and user interface improvements together give users ultimate control, enabling truly spectacular results.” said Michael J. Slater president and CEO of Nik Software. Viveza 2 retails for $199.95, with upgrades for existing Vivez owners priced at $99.95. Customers who have purchased Viveza after September 22, 2009 will be eligible for a free upgrade to Viveza 2.

A Beta version of the upcoming Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 is now available. Lightroom 3 beta delivers a preview of new tools that will be in Lightroom 3, including more intuitive importing, unparalleled noise reduction and sharpening tools and enhanced slideshow capabilities. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 beta is available as a free download to anyone on both Macintosh and Windows platforms.