Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 launched

Yet more features added in yearly update

26 August 2008 5:00 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Adobe has announced it is updating its Photoshop Elements package as part of its annual refresh on Tuesday.

The new software, which is due to hit in September alongside a new version of Adobe Premiere Elements 7, promises a stack of new features to entice customers on older versions to upgrade and new customers to get involved.

New to the mix is the ability to use something Adobe are calling a "Smart brush" that allows you to improve lighting and add textures to your images with the swish of a mouse.

Adobe told Pocket-lint in a 1-to-1 briefing before the announcement on Tuesday that the company's big plan with this software version was to make everything "easier and more streamlined".

Focusing on the understanding that most people can't take good pictures, there will also be new tools based around fixing your photos even further.

You'll now be able to go under the knife virtually and whiten teeth and improve skin tones while other features, in trying to beat the dreary summer weather, allow to you instantly spruce up skies with one-step shortcuts.

Finally you'll be able to touch-up your photos and actually get a grasp of what you're doing with a new step-by-step guide from Adobe.

Elsewhere, new features in the catalogue section improve ways of finding your photos via meta tags and smart folders and there is even additional web gallery support over previous versions.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 will be available as part of a bundled package with Adobe Premiere Elements 7 for £105 or £69 as a solo product. Upgraders will pay around £57.