Adobe rumoured to be releasing Photoshop CS3 beta this week

Think Secret, the repository of early Apple-related rumours, is citing suources that say Adobe is very close to releasing a beta of Photoshop CS3 – so close, it may even be happening this week.

Both PC and Mac users will be able to download the beta, and Mac users will be able to try out the software for the first time based on the universal binary.

However, details of the promised beta release are a bit sketchy. The release isn't really a public beta, but will only be available for registered owners of Photoshop CS2. Those with a valid serial number will be able to download the standard, but not premium version of the beta.

Adobe's planned release of two, presumably differently-priced, versions of the applications were reported in August 2005, but details on the differing feature set are not yet available.

The Think Secret sources also say that Adobe has disabled Open GL-based image zooming from the beta, and as this is one of the features that makes Photoshop feel so fast on the Intel-based systems, it's not clear why Adobe would hamper it.

It's rumoured that that particular feature may not be available in the final release either.