Boinx Software has launched version 3 of its You Gotta See This! photo collage app. This edition utilises new algorithms to improve image capturing, with updated parameters for all supported devices’ cameras. You Gotta See This! is now available as a free download from the iTunes App Store.

SmugMug’s little photo app, Camera Awesome, has just turned one year old. This app enables users to capture images faster, and offers features like a built-in electronic level and the ability to focus on one spot and set exposure on another. Additionally, it allows for a wide range of one-tap adjustments including filters, borders and special effects. Photos can then be shared via email, or uploaded to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SmugMug, Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket. According to SmugMug, the free app has been downloaded from iTunes by nearly thirteen million people

HP has rolled out its HP Live Photo service and iOS app. “Experienced directly through an iPhone, the HP Live Photo app allows users to create, view and share images using augmented reality powered by Aurasma, an HP Company,” HP said in a statement. HP Live Photos can be shared by email, Facebook or by printing to any AirPrint-enabled printer. The app is currently available in the US for iOS 5.1 devices. It is expected to be available later this year for other mobile operating systems.

Adobe has posted version 7.4 of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) and version 4.4 of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom as Release Candidates. These updates add support for the Canon EOS 1D C
Casio Exilim EX-ZR700, Fujifilm X100s, Fujifilm X20 (pictured), Hasselblad Lunar, Leica M, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon 1 S1 and Pentax MX-1 cameras; and includes a correction to the demosaic algorithms for Fujifilm cameras with the X-Trans sensor.  This specifically impacts the Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujifilm X-E1, Fujifilm X100S and Fujifilm X20 models.

Akvis has released version 3.0 of Akvis Refocus, a program that improves the sharpness of out-of-focus images. This update offers brand new image processing modes and allows users to actually add lens blur and bokeh effects to their photos. The program now runs in three modes, refocus, miniature and iris blur.  The refocus mode is the same as before, making blurred photos sharp and clear (within limits, of course). The miniature mode - which Akvis calls “Tilt-Shift” even though it cannot emulate everything you can achieve with a real tilt-shift lens - leaves a sharp strip in the image while adding gradual blur at the edges, giving objects in the photo a miniature/toy look. Finally, the Iris Blur mode creates a shallow depth-of-field effect, blurring the background while keeping the subject in focus. Registered users of Refocus can upgrade to version 3.0 free of charge.

Nero has released a new, free iPhone and iPad app for its NeroKwik mobile photo sharing service. Allowing a fully integrated photo sharing across mobile devices and social networks, NeroKwik maintains a cloud-based catalogue of “thumbnail” images of the user’s photos. The original, full-size images stay where they were originally stored. This makes it possible for every photo – even ones that were just taken – to be instantly and automatically available on any device through NeroKwik. The app is also available for Android, MacOS, Windows, Windows Phone and Amazon devices.

Phase One has released Capture One Express 7. Offering the essential tools to import, convert, organise, adjust, share and print superior-quality photographs in a fast, intuitive workflow; Capture One Express 7 includes many of the advanced features found in Capture One Pro 7, like noise reduction when shooting in low light, the ability to recover details in shadows and highlights, plus fast black-and-white conversions. Improved OpenCL support means faster image processing. New and improved adjustment tools - e.g. Clarity, HDR - offer greater control for more creative possibilities. Phase One Capture One Express 7 for Windows and Mac is available now for $99 or €69 through the Phase One online store.

Sigma has just introduced Version 5.5 of Sigma Photo Pro software. The update incorporates a new monochrome mode processing interface that features several new functions, including a channel-mixing palette, which allows users to control the level of red, green and blue within an image for better tonal separation and contrast. A new grain palette feature allows users to add or reduce the size and strength of grain within an image, producing a texture and dimension similar to that found in film photography. To download the latest Sigma PhotoPro software, visit the website below.

Topaz Labs have just released Topaz B&W Effects 2, a major upgrade to their popular black-and-white image enhancement plug-in. Specifically designed to help photographers master the art of black and white photography, B&W Effects 2 offers adaptive exposure for HDR effects, a five-in-one edge-aware selective brush, an advanced grain engine, quad toning and over 200 presets for quick 1-click workflows. Topaz B&W Effects 2 is a plug-in that works with Topaz photoFXlab, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Aperture, iPhoto, Lightroom and PaintShop Pro. It is compatible with Windows XP or later (32-bit and 64-bit) and Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.6 or later (64-bit only). The plug-in retails for $59.99. Version 2 is a free upgrade for all current users of Topaz B&W Effects

With the permission of Adobe, the Computer History Museum (CHM) has released the source code of the original version of Adobe Photoshop. Available as a free download, the code contains everything except for the MacApp applications library that was licenced from Apple. “There are 179 files in the zipped folder, comprising about 128,000 lines of mostly uncommented but well-structured code,” the CHM said in a statement. “By line count, about 75% of the code is in Pascal, about 15% is in 68000 assembler language, and the rest is data of various sorts.”

Source: Computer History Museum via MLZPhoto

PictoColor has released new versions of its highly-acclaimed line of iCorrect color correction and photo enhancement plug-ins for Corel PaintShop Pro. The lowest priced and simplest of the new plug-ins is iCorrect OneClick PSP ($19.95), which features 1-click color correction that rivals or surpasses other smart fix or auto correction tools. iCorrect Portrait PSP ($29.95) also features a point-and-click interface with auto color correction tools plus PictoColor Software’s critically acclaimed skin tone technology which perfects every skin tone with a simple click. The company’s flagship and most versatile plug-in, iCorrect EditLab Pro PSP ($29.95), features HueSelect Control Point Technology for precise, global and selective color control.

DxO Labs have posted an update to DxO Optics Pro. Version 8.1.3 adds support for the Leica M-E (pictured), the M9, and the M9-P (in the Elite edition only) as well as the Nikon D5200, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200, and the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS (in both the Elite and Standard editions). Additionally, the update incorporates Optics Modules for 260 new camera-lens combinations. This upgrade is free for all owners of DxO Optics Pro 8, as well as for photographers who purchased a DxO Optics Pro 7 license on or after 1 September 2012.

SLYco has released Crazy Camera 1.0.0, its new photography effects app developed for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices running iOS 6. The app allows a variety of filters and settings to be combined to create unique looking photos. Filters include perspective, rotated & reflected tiles, kaleidoscope, light tunnel, twirl, pinch, black hole, circular & dot screen, inverted colour, heat map, and more. Crazy Camera can save snapshots to the camera roll or share them through email, Facebook, or Twitter. Priced at $0.99, the Crazy Camera app is available now on the App Store.

AKVIS has released Version 9.5 of its ArtSuite for Windows and Mac OS X. This update includes a few bug fixes and provides improved compatibility with Windows 8. Additionally, AKVIS has released a new Winter Pack for the standalone edition of ArtSuite, which includes fifty hand-painted, high-quality frames. The Winter Pack joins the existing Baby Pack, Christmas Pack, Wedding Pack, Travel Pack, St.Valentine Pack and Sports Pack. The standalone edition of ArtSuite is available for $69, the plug-in variant sells for $69, and the Winter Pack can be purchased for $12-

Joby, makers of the famed Gorillapod line of innovative tripods, has updated its iOS app, GorillaCam. Version 2.0 adds iOS 6 compatibility and new features (easier time-lapse/stop-motion videos), and comes with a brand new GUI. Additionally, the Time Delay, Rapid-Fire Shooting and Bubble Level features have all been upgraded for the new iPhone and iOS. GorillaCam 2.0 is a free app available on the iTunes App Store.

onOne has released Standard Editions of Perfect B&W, Perfect Effects 4, Perfect Portrait 2, and Perfect Mask 5.2. These Standard Editions work as standalone applications and allow for direct photo editing without the need for additional software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, or Apple Aperture. “We all would like our pictures to look their best, whether we take them with our DSLRs or with our phones, but don’t always have a lot of time to work on them or even know where to start on how to make them better.” said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. “These new Standard Editions of our onOne Software products help every photographer make their pictures look better and inspire their creative process to create unique images they love.” Each of these Standard Editions may be purchased for $29.95 and delivered via download from ononesoftware.com.

Akvis has released MultiBrush 7.0, offering many improvements, more flexibility and new features. Billed as ” a real digital creative workshop,” Akvis MultiBrush runs on Windows XP/Vista/Win7/Win 8 and on Mac OS X 10.4-10.8, both 32 bit and 64 bit. The software can be used as a standalone program and as a plug-in to an image editor. Users who own old versions of the product can upgrade to MultiBrush v.7.0 free of charge.

Oloneo have updated their HDRengine and PhotoEngine applications to include support for 28 new camera raw formats. Newly supported cameras include the Canon EOS 6D, EOS 650D, EOS M, PowerShot G15, PowerShot S110 and PowerShot SX50 HS, the Fuji X-E1, XF1 and F800EXR, the Nikon D600, 1 J2, 1 V2 and Coolpix P7700m the Olympus E-PL5, E-PM2 and XZ-2, the Panasonic FZ200, G5, GH3 and LX7, the Pentax K-5 II, the Samsung EX2f and NX1000, as well as the Sony RX1, RX100, NEX-5R, NEX-6 and A99. Those who buy PhotoEngine today are entitled to a $30/€26 discount.

Magix has released Magix Photostory Easy, a new easy-to-use program that allows users to transform their photos into movies including music and special effects. “The integrated Slideshow Maker makes the process simple by automatically combining the photos with transitions, music and dynamic camera movements,” the company says. “Users can also make use of the clearly designed interface to create their own customized slideshows and the one-click photo optimization feature, including red-eye removal, makes it possible to include photos in the slideshow that normally wouldn’t make the cut.” When the slideshow is finished, it can be exported with an animated menu to DVD or Blu-ray, mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad or Android smartphones and tablet PCs. Users can also share their slideshows on social networks by exporting directly from the program to sites like Facebook and YouTube. Magix Photostory Easy is now available online and in stores for £39.99.

TenFarms have released Photopoll for iPhone, billed the first mobile app that allows users to group and share multiple photos in a feed for instant polling.. Available now for free on the App Store, Photopoll for iPhone and iPod touch uses patent-pending technology that enables users to select two to five photos from their device, Amazon.com and Instagram, and post in a central feed for friends and others to vote on their favourites. Compared to other apps that allow users to share just one or two photos, Photopoll allows greater expression through multiple photos, accessing public opinion and telling stories around any given topic, the company claims.