Tales from Topographic Oceans

Link via Financial Times

Eric Schmidt says he has achieved his ambition of climbing Mount Everest, if only from the comfort of his own office using the 3D capabilities of Google Earth.

From today, Google’s chief executive can also plumb the deepest oceans after he announced the launch of “Ocean in Google Earth” at the California Academy of Sciences.

The upgrade to the standalone desktop program is significant. Google has cooperated with the US Navy, the National Geographic Society and dozens of other partners to create a detailed topography of the ocean floor down to the depths of the Mariana Trench.

There are also shipwrecks and bathyspheres created in its Sketchup program and layer upon layer of features picking out marine life, using video, text and photos to tell stories about the ocean ecosystem.

Google SketchUp Pro 7 is available at an academic discount price of $49 to students.

Google SketchUp Pro 7 is available at no cost to instructors.

Manga Studio EX 4 – $10 off normal price of $99.

Link via Creation Engine

Manga Studio EX 4Manga Studio EX 4
$10 off normal price of $99.
Offer good through 2/28/2009.

Anime Studio 5 Pro – $10 off normal price of $99.

Link via Creation Engine

Anime Studio 5 ProAnime Studio 5 Pro
$10 off normal price of $99.
Offer good through 2/28/2009.

Setting up a New Version of Photoshop

Link via Adorama Imaging Resource Center

Photoshop CS4 ExtendedI recently wrote a review for Adobe Photoshop CS4. When installing a new version I had to reset a number of defaults. Photoshop is used in many contexts such as graphic arts and the printing industry in which different settings would be used, so the defaults are not always the best for the digital darkroom user.

Even if you haven’t upgraded recently, you can change the preferences and settings at any time for your existing version. If you have never looked at them you may find your settings can be improved. This will work for any recent version of Photoshop. My screenshots are for the Mac version of CS4 but the dialogs are substantially the same for the PC version and for earlier versions.

There is one item specific to Photoshop CS4. As I discussed in my review, if you are using a Mac with the Leopard OS you need to set Photoshop to run in 64 bit mode; it defaults to 32 bit. On a PC it will detect if the OS is 64 bit and configure itself appropriately.

Photoshop CS4 Extended is available at an academic discount price of $299.

Intuos3 6×8 only $239 after $30 mail-in rebate!

Link via Creation Engine

Wacom Intuos 3 6x8

Intuos3 6×8
only $239 after $30 mail-in rebate!
Offers good through 2/28/2009.
Rebate not available for other Intuos3 sizes.

Nik Complete Collection with free Lightroom 2 Special!

Link via Creation Engine

 Nik Complete Collection with free Lightroom 2 Mac/Windows Nik Complete Collection with free Lightroom 2 Mac/Windows

Purchase the Nik Complete Collection for $599.95 and receive Photoshop Lightroom 2 for free! Offer good through 2/28/2009.

COOL TECH REVIEW: Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements, Michelle’s Take.

Link via Eclipse Magazine

Photoshop and Premiere Elements 7In the past I’ve stated that I really like where Adobe is going with their new uniformed interface changes and the Elements package has the new interface that was introduced in last year’s Elements. It worked so well that they added the menu system to their pro tools; which means if you want to learn and experiment with their more expensive professional level products, you can’t go wrong with Photoshop and Premiere Elements. In many ways they are the exact same products only a little stripped down.


Photoshop Elements 7 plus Premiere Elements 7 Windows is available at an academic discount price of $111.

Sesame Workshop Design Staff Discovers Creative Control, Improved Productivity with Wacom’s Cintiq

Link via Animation Artist

nullAs one of several Creative Directors at Sesame Workshop, Nancy Stevenson specializes in character graphics for licensing, marketing, interactive media, web and community outreach. She and her colleagues in the Creative Services Department are responsible for translating the look of actual 3D puppets into 2D images, the blue-lining of book illustrations, as well as photo shoots and editing photography for video packaging and point of purchase. Most of their work involves vector art using Illustrator, as well as Photoshop, InDesign and SketchBook Pro.

The workload at Sesame Workshop grows with each new international co-production that requires localized artwork and character interpretations. Although designers had Wacom Intuos3 tablets, their toolset also included traditional blue pencils and tracing paper. To leap ahead of the technology curve and boost productivity, Sesame Workshop wanted to upgrade to a state-of-the-art platform.

The solution presented itself at a trade show, where designers saw Wacom’s Cintiq 21UX LCD display. The Cintiq’s advanced direct pen-on-screen image editing and sketching capabilities were exactly what they needed. Half the design staff is now using Cintiqs, doubling the speed of many tasks and providing new creative techniques.

The Cintiq 21UX 21″ Interactive Pen Display is available from Creation Engine for $1,999.

Penpower Rebate Specials!

Penpower Chinese Expert (Writing Pad)
$20 mail-in rebate

Offer good from 1/20/2009 through 2/15/2009. Only $97 after mail-in rebate!

Penpower Chinese Expert (Pen Scanner)
$30 mail-in rebate
Offer good from 1/20/2009 through 2/15/2009. Only $150 after mail-in rebate!

Review: BoinxTV a fine, fun videocast creation tool

Link via Macsimum News

BoinxTVBefore the Apple TV debuted, it was often called the “iTV” by those who prognosticated its coming. But now the true “iTV” is here, but it’s called BoinxTV, and it makes creating simple videocasts a breeze.

I’ve long been a fan of Boinx products, but this may be their best title yet. It’s very Mac-like, easy to learn for the features it packs and is lots of fun. And that makes for an app I can recommend wholeheartedly.


BoinxTV is available at an academic discount price of $249.