Amazon?has bumped the battery life and added native PDF support for its 6-inch?Kindle?ebook reader on Tuesday via a firmware update following a 6 month firmware improvement and testing program.

The news means that the Kindle now has battery life of up to 7 days with wireless turned on, compared to 4 days. According to the company, battery life with wireless turned off can be up to 2 weeks.

Amazon has also announced that the 6-inch Kindle now has a built-in native PDF reader that enables Kindle customers to read their own documents, something other ebook readers have been able to do from the start.

To read their personal or professional documents, Kindle customers will have to email PDFs to their Kindle email address or move them over using a USB connection.

Customers that prefer to have their PDF documents converted to the Kindle format simply type "Convert" in the subject of the e-mail when sending documents to their “@kindle.com” address.

The firmware update, which will come as standard to all new Kindles will be sent out automatically via Whispernet wireless to models already in use.

However not all will get the Native PDF support, says Amazon.

"It will also be available for some earlier versions of Kindle via an automatic Whispernet wireless firmware update", the company said in a statement.

Related links:

• Shop - Amazon.com

Tags: Gadgets ebooks eBook readers Amazon Amazon Kindle Adobe

Amazon Kindle gets better battery and PDF support originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:26:39 +0000

Adobe?has made its Photoshop.com Mobile for Android app available outside the?US?allowing HTC Hero, Samsung i7500 and Motorola Cliq users, amongst others, the ability to edit their photos on the go.

The app, which is virtually identical to the?Adobe Photoshop.com Mobile for iPhone?version, has been available in the US for some time on both the Apple iPhone and Android platform will let users around the globe quick access to their photos with easy editing and sharing.

The application features basic editing tools like crop and rotate, colour adjustments and a photo browser that makes it simple to manoeuvre through photos.

In addition, users have the ability to view their entire online collection of photos from Photoshop.com and share those images from their phone via email.

No word from Adobe on whether the iPhone version will be making it to the UK, however it is expected to be, presumably once the application passes the usual Apple app process.?

Tags: Phones Mobile phone apps Android Adobe Photoshop Mobile for Android Photoshop Mobile for iPhone

Photoshop.com Mobile for Android hits UK... originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:50:09 +0000

Adobe has announced that beta versions of Adobe AIR 2 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 are now available from Adobe Labs for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.

Flash Player 10.1 is also available for x86-based netbooks, and Adobe says it's expected to be available across a "broad spectrum" of smartphones and other internet-connected devices in 2010.

New Adobe AIR 2 features include enhanced support for mass storage devices and native application processes, as well as peer-to-peer and UDP networking.

Flash Player 10.1 meanwhile, as part of the Open Screen Project, will enable "uncompromised web browsing of high definition videos across the desktop and devices", says the software company, offering hardware decoding of H.264 video on Windows PCs, netbooks and mobile devices.

Adobe AIR 2 and Flash Player 10.1 also brings support for multi-touch points and gestures on touchscreen devices.

Tags: Software Adobe Adobe AIR Adobe Flash Player Open Screen Project Software updates

Adobe announces AIR 2 and Flash Player 10.1 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:22:18 +0000

Adobe has revealed it is to cut 680 jobs - a figure that amounts to 9% of its total workforce.

The software company had already cut around 600 jobs towards the end of 2008 when the global downturn was in full swing as part of cost-cutting measures. In July the company shut down for a week to save money.

These new cuts follow news that the company's revenue is down 18% in the past 9 months.

Microsoft recently announced it was to cut another 800 jobs, while EA has cut 1500 and Sun Microsystems announced 3000 job losses.

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Tags: Software Adobe Biz

Adobe to cut 680 jobs originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:16:33 +0000

Adobe Photoshop.com Mobile for iPhone?app?has come to the Android platform the company has announced.

Following on from the launch of the iPhone app in the US in October, the company has rolled out the "Free" app on the Google OS.

The Android application equips consumers with same image-editing tools, colour adjustments and instant photo-sharing capabilities.

Users get photo-editing tools like crop, rotate and flip as well as "effects" like the Soft Focus filter, which can be used to create a blur effect and for performing color adjustments such as exposure, saturation, tint changes and classic black-and-white.

Due to the ability to multi-task, something the iPhone can't do, Adobe says users will be able to automatically upload pictures to Photoshop.com albums in the background, even when the app isn't running.

As with the iPhone app, the application is currently available in the US and Canada only.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phone apps Android Adobe Photoshop Mobile for Android Photoshop Mobile for iPhone App Stores

Adobe Photoshop for mobile Android edition launched originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:16:40 +0000

Adobe?has announced the availability of Photoshop Lightroom 3 as a free download for photographers to try.?

The new application, which allows photographers to catalogue their photo collections as well as perform basic editing processes to their pictures will add a host of new features according to Adobe.

“While we’re still hard at work on Lightroom 3, we recognise the value our customers bring to the development process and want their input so we can deliver the best final product possible", said Kevin Connor, vice president of product management for Professional Digital Imaging at Adobe justifying the move.

Supposedly completely redesigned under the hood to be faster, a bug bear of the Lightroom 2, the new software promises better handling of "image libraries and improved responsiveness with a higher-quality processing engine".

In the Library module, Adobe is promising a rebuilt import system bringing photos into the software more intuitive as well as allowing users to "easily specify the source and destination of their images, and save common processing, metadata or destination settings as easy-to-reuse presets".

In the Develop module, an overhauled processing engine allows users to create the highest quality images. Improved "Capture Sharpening" and "Colour Noise Reduction" tools apparently provide decent results while still preserving an image’s edge detail and contrast. A new Grain tool adds a film-style grain to images, and two new Vignette modes help photographers get a more natural look.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 beta is available as a free download to anyone on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. Adobe has yet to announce when a full version of the software will be available and how much it will cost.

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Tags: Software PC software Mac software Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Photoshop Lightroom 2 Photo editing software Cameras

Adobe Lightroom 3 beta released originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:36:10 +0100

Adobe is the latest company to launch an iPhone app, according to an announcement on Friday.

The free app, currently only available in US and Canadian iTunes stores, will allow users to edit their photos, apply effect and share images from their phone via the company's Photoshop.com offering.

“Now, with access to powerful editing and sharing tools, iPhone users are armed with the resources to document all of life’s unexpected moments, make them look their best and then re-live those memories with friends and family", said the company in a statement.

Using your finger, would be digital artists will be able to touch up, crop, rotate and flip their photos as well as adjust colour, saturation, tint, exposure and vibrancy, and convert them to black and white.

The app also offers a Sketch tool that promises to help photos look like drawings, and Soft Focus can give photos a subtle blur for artistic effect say Adobe.

Hoping to take on services like Flickr, which has a high iPhone user base, Adobe has given the app the ability to view images stored on Photoshop.com, which currently comes with 2GB of free storage.

As for a global roll out? Adobe told Pocket-lint that it was unable to comment on whether the Photoshop for iPhone app would be coming to the UK or other iTunes stores around the world.

We will keep you posted.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phone apps Adobe Apple iPhone iPhone apps Photoshop Mobile for iPhone

Adobe Photoshop Mobile for iPhone app released originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:43:45 +0100

Adobe has posted a video revealing what features future versions of its Photoshop software might offer.

Revealed online for those that could not make it to Photoshop World, Adobe says it's a "sneak peek of technologies we're working on in the Photoshop Labs".

Hit play on the 5-minute video above to see wet paint effects for better blending, new brush prototypes, and warping and distorting functionality that looks almost too advanced to be possible.

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Tags: Software Adobe Adobe Photoshop Video Concepts Photo editing software

VIDEO: Sneak peak into the future of Adobe Photoshop originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:36:33 +0100

The Apple iPhone already has six Flash based applications available to download via the App Store, Adobe has said.

The news, which might come as a surprise to Apple, has been possible through a new authoring package from the company that is more famous for its Photoshop line of products.

"The next version of Flash Authoring will enable developers to create stand-alone iPhone applications using Flash technologies", says Adobe in a blog post.

Although stressing that doesn't mean the iPhone is about to play internet video or adverts on the sites you currently visit, it should open up the possibility of more Flash based applications in the App Store.

Currently, in private beta, the company is hoping to invite in more developers by the end of the year in a public offering.

iPhone owners looking to try out Flash on the iPhone will be able to download either: That Roach Game, Just Letters, Chroma Circuit, Fickleblox, Red Hood, and Trading Stuff from the App Store right now.

"One thing that I really want to stress though, is that developing for the iPhone is mobile/device development. The iPhone has a significantly slower processor and less memory than what can be found in a typical desktop computer", said Mike Chambers at Adobe.

Earlier on Monday, Adobe announced a number of deals with manufacturers of almost all the world's major smartphones. It's done deals with RIM (who produce the BlackBerry handsets), Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm, and Google.

Adobe has said that it is still working on creating an Adobe Flash plug-in for the Safari browser, something that isn't currently available.

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Related links:

• link - Adobe Applications for iPhone
• and via - itproportal

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Mobile phone apps Adobe iPhone Apple Flash

iPhone already has Flash, just not in Safari originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:14:06 +0100

Adobe has announced a whole pile of deals with manufacturers of almost all the world's major smartphones. It's done deals with RIM (who produce the BlackBerry handsets), Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm, and Google. Notice one name missing from that list? The iPhone hasn't joined the party.

Adobe has said that the full Flash player - starting from version 10.1 - will be arriving on browsers on Windows Mobile and Palm webOS handsets later this year. Betas for Symbian and Android are expected to be showing up early next year, and BlackBerry is labelled as a vague "in the future".

Flash 10.1, if the company's vision is realised, will work over PCs, smartphones, netbooks and other devices seamlessly. It's part of the company's wide-ranging Open Screen Project. Up until now phones have had a chopped back version of Flash, called Flash lite, but the new version will be full-functioning Flash.

Handsets that are capable of Flash 10.1 will get an over-the-air upgrade, meaning that customers shouldn't have to do anything. Meanwhile, the iPhone is conspicuous by its absence. Adobe has said it's working with Apple, but that it's all running on a different timescale to the rest of the companies.

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Related links:

• News - RIM to bring flash to BlackBerry phones

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Adobe RIM Windows Mobile Palm Google iPhone Apple

Flash coming to almost every smartphone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:12:01 +0100