Photodex have released their new Sports & Action Effects Pack for ProShow. The pack includes a dynamic array of "sporty" transitions, edgy photo layouts and titles, and digital 'player stats' cards, ideal for photographers covering an end of season wrap-up, a game victory, or team portrait showcase. "From sports photographers to proud parents on the sidelines, more and more digital photos and videos are being captured at sporting events", said Paul Schmidt president and founder of Photodex. "ProShow makes it easy to turn those digital files into shareable memories. Our new Sports & Action effects pack offers up some fun and energetic animations that can really amp-up sports slideshows." The Photodex Sports & Action Effects Pack is available now for $19.95.

Canon Pixma Comix is an interactive new application found on the Canon U.S.A. Facebook page, which enables fans to create fun, personalised photo comic strips to print and share with friends. The images can be uploaded from photo albums or as stills pulled from an uploaded video stored on your computer or Facebook page. “The Canon PIXMA Comix application enables photo and video enthusiasts to easily apply comic book styling to their images, and share their story,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “We always strive to enhance the Canon consumer experience, and with this application, it’s easy to get creative with a home printer by printing personalized comic strips to enjoy for years to come.”

Heifer International and Rankin have teamed up to spotlight world hunger and poverty with the launch of a worldwide photography competition. Photography enthusiasts, both amateur and professional, are asked to submit images conveying what the word ‘Hunger’ means to them through the lens of a camera. Rankin will select the winning photograph, which will be showcased at a high-profile gallery in Los Angeles and also published in his biannual fashion and culture publication, The Hunger. Creative platform Talenthouse will accept entries of hunger-themed images from its more than 2 million members from May 21 to July 2, 2013. A public vote from July 3-17 will determine finalists, and the winning photograph will be announced July 23.

Zoner has added touch control functionality to Zoner Photo Studio 15. The company has incorporated the most common and intuitive motion controls to streamline interaction and operation, including finger swiping for smooth scrolling; pinch-based zooming; tap motion to access options, functions and files; and finger swiping for brpwsing photos in the Viewer. The touch control update applies to Version 15 when installed on any of the newer Windows touchscreen systems. Users who currently have Version 15 and migrate to a touch screen system will be automatically updated.

AKVIS has released version 6.0 of AKVIS Retoucher, an imaging that restores damaged photos by removing defects and imperfections, and by reconstructing the missing parts. This update adds a Batch Processing feature that lets you automatically process a series of images, and fixes bugs. Registered users of Retoucher can upgrade to version 6.0 for free, except for users of the old Business version (Business v.1.0-3.5; they need to pay $19 for an upgrade to the new version).

Rollei has launched its second Full HD car camera, the Car DVR-100. Featuring a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor and 3mm wide-angle lens, the Rollei Car DVR-100 comes with a built-in 3-axis accelerometer, an integrated LED light, a 2.4" LCD screen and an internal lithium-ion battery. The Rollei Car DVR-100 will go on sale from the end of June for a recommended retail price of €109.95.

Canon has launched a new advertising campaign using the creative theme ‘Power to your next step.’ "‘Power to your next step’ is a campaign that brings to life Canon’s commitment to empower consumers to take their ‘next step’ in imaging” said Nigel Taylor, Consumer Imaging Marketing Communications Director, Canon Europe. “We want to inspire and support everyone in taking their ‘next step’, whether it be in photography, shooting video or printing special moments. Canon has a product suitable for every step, whether you’re a beginner or a professional.” For more information, visit the website below.

Having received wide acclaim at the Royal Geographical Society in London, the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2013 exhibition comes to Grizedale Forest in the heart of Cumbria’s Lake District. Compiled from the very best of 3000+ entries, the exhibition features over one hundred images by international photographers who narrate a poignant story about the fragility of our planet. Italian photographer Michele Palazzi was awarded the Environmental Photographer of the Year Award 2013 for his image entitled ‘Gone with the Dust #02.’ The Young Environmental Photographer of the Year (under 18) Award went to Eleanor Bennett who has two works selected for exhibition, ‘Travelling Through’ and ‘Car Damage.’

Corel today announced a special pricing programme specifically for Creative Suite users looking for an alternative to Creative Cloud. CS users residing in North America can purchase CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Painter, PaintShop Pro, VideoStudio Pro and AfterShot Pro at a special price (ranging up to 60% off the suggested retail price) until 30 August 2013. To experiment with the tools, features and workflow of Corel products, free 30-day fully functional trials can be downloaded from the website below.

Getty Images have launched its inaugural Contour by Getty Images Portrait Prize, which aims to recognise excellence in portrait photography by an emerging photographer with fewer than five years industry experience. Entries will be accepted from June 13 through to August 5, 2013 (at 11:59 p.m. GMT/6:59 p.m. EST.) and can be submitted through Getty Images’ grants website. The winning photographer will receive a $10,000 grant and have their work exhibited at the prestigious Polka Galerie in Paris throughout the month of October. 

ArcSoft has just released Photo+, a new photo viewer that promises "an unparalleled viewing and manipulating experience." Unlike other programs that require users to import photos directly into the software, Photo+ pulls directly from any folder or drive. By just dragging or selecting a single image, Photo+ automatically displays every image from the same folder without the constant closing and clicking that accompanies so many standard photo-viewing programs. ArcSoft Photo+ for Mac is compatible with 35 image file formats including a number of raw formats. The program will sell for $9.99 but is currently available from the Mac App Store for just $1.99.

Adorama has begun selling the new Flashpoint 180 Monolight Kit. Compact and ideal for on-location shooting, the Flashpoint 180 Monolight includes a Flashpoint 180 Monolight with reflector, Bowens-compatible mount and handle, two NP-F960 batteries with a charger, a small umbrella, sync cords and a carrying bag. The Flashpoint 180 Monolight Kit is available now for $199.95 (regularly $249.95).

The sixth issue of VIEW Magazine is now available for free on Apple's Newsstand for iPad/iPhone. VIEW is an art photography magazine developed exclusively for the visual possibilities of the iPad. In the latest issue, Nate Larson and Marni Shindelman use publicly available embedded GPS information in Twitter updates to track the locations of user posts and take photographs to mark the location in the real world. Another interactive project in this issue is Chris Dorley Brown's project "Spot the Difference". Chris took a photo at the same location (and sometime of the same people) over the span of nine to thirteen years.

Kingston Digital Europe has released MobileLite Wireless for Android and iOS devices. Combining a wireless memory card reader capable of streaming music, photos and documents from USB Flash drives, microSD (with included adapter) and SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with an emergency mobile charger, MobileLite Wireless allows simultaneous connections to both device and router via Wi-Fi. The Kingston MobileLite Wireless reader/charger has a suggested price of £49.99.

Yahoo! has announced a major update to Flickr. "We’re releasing a Flickr that’s more spectacular, much bigger, and one you can take anywhere," the company said in a statement. Not only does Flickr sport a brand new look and redesigned user interface - it now offers up to 1TB of free storage to every user, allowing you to "share your photos in full resolution."  There’s also a new slideshow mode with elegant transitions, an Activity Feed that combines users' recent uploads with those of their contacts, and an option to choose a customisable cover photo and a high-resolution profile picture. These features are granted to every user but if you are bothered by advertisements, you can opt for an AdFree account at $49.99 per year. And if 1TB just isn't enough for your needs, a Doublr account will provide you with 2TB for an annual fee of $499.99.

The free Flickr smartphone app has also been updated, and is now available from the Google Play Store (requires Android 2.3.3 or higher).

Website: Flickr

The Federationof European Professional Photographers (FEP) has announced the winners of its European Professional Photographer of the Year 2012 competition. The overall winner is Peter Gordon from Ireland, who also won the Golden Camera 2012 award in the Reportage category, whilst the Young European Professional Photographer of the Year 2012 title has been awarded to Antonio Pérez Rojo of Spain.

Kuuvik Capture is a feature-laden Canon EOS tethering application for Mac OS X. In addition to offering a typical set of remote shooting tools, Kuuvik Capture provides real-time parametric sharpening coupled with an adjustable focus peaking overlay as well as various compositional aids such as preset and adjustable guidelines and grids. Other highlights include the capability to display a histogram based on raw image data and, with select cameras, a split-view display of the camera’s live view image, allowing simultaneous evaluation of focus and superior control over depth of field. Kuuvik Capture also supports exposure bracketing, which can be combined with an intervalometer function to shoot user-defined image sequences for HDR images or time-lapse videos. The application is licensed on a per camera basis, with prices starting at $79.99. A fully functional 30-day trial version is available from the website below.