As promised last month, Adobe today made available its six new creative touchscreen apps for Android devices.

The company explained that the apps, which are inspired by Adobe Creative Suite software, address multiple areas of the creative process: Adobe Photoshop Touch for image editing; Adobe Collage for moodboards; Adobe Debut for presenting and reviewing creative work; Adobe Ideas for sketching; Adobe Kuler for exploring colour themes; and Adobe Proto for website and mobile app prototyping.

The apps do require Android Honeycomb 3.1 or higher, with a minimum 8.9" screen size and resolution of 1280 x 800, and are priced at a very reasonable R79.

Tablet transformers

"Adobe Touch Apps will transform how people use tablets – from mere consumption devices to vehicles for expression and creativity," commented David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Digital Media Business Unit, Adobe.

Wadhwani explained that, in addition to being available as individual apps, Adobe Touch Apps will be essential components of Adobe Creative Cloud, a new initiative expected in the first half of 2012. Adobe Creative Cloud is intended to be a worldwide hub for creativity, with membership options that will enable users to access desktop and tablet applications, find essential creative services and share their best work.

The company further elaborated that files created via Adobe Touch Apps will be able to be shared, viewed across devices or transferred into Adobe Creative Suite software for further refinement – all of which are “key features of Adobe's vision for the Creative Cloud”.

 

 

Apps in Detail

Adobe Photoshop Touch lets users transform images with core Photoshop features, in an app custom-built for tablets. With finger gestures, users can combine multiple photos into layered images, make essential edits, and apply professional effects.

The tablet-exclusive Scribble Selection Tool further allows users to easily extract objects in an image by simply scribbling on what to keep and, then, what to remove. Additionally, the app helps users quickly find images, share creations and view comments through integration with Facebook and Google search.

Adobe Collage is aimed at helping creatives capture and refine ideas and concepts by allowing them to combine inspirational images, drawings, text and Creative Suite files into modern, conceptual moodboards. Features include importing of images, four customisable pen types for drawing, adding text and applying colour themes.

A virtually unconstrained canvas grows as needed to accommodate more assets. Files can also be shared or transferred for access in Adobe Photoshop using Adobe Creative Cloud.

Adobe Debut allows users to present designs to clients and stakeholders on one’s tablet, by opening tablet-compatible versions of Creative Suite files for convenient viewing on the tablet, including Photoshop layers and Illustrator art boards. Feedback can then be added using a markup pen tool to add notes and drawings on top of the work.

Adobe Ideas is the vector-based drawing tool of the bunch. By using a stylus or finger, strokes appear smooth at any zoom level. Starting with a blank canvas, users can choose colour themes and pull in tablet-compatible image files that can be controlled as separate layers. Finished results can also be accessed in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.

Adobe Kuler enables users to generate colour themes that can be used as a basis for inspiring any design project. Colour can be explored and discovered, with hundreds of thousands of Kuler themes already available via the creative community. Social engagement in the community is enhanced by rating and commenting on themes, which can be exported as colour swatches for Adobe Creative Suite projects.

Lastly, Adobe Proto enables the development of interactive wireframes and prototypes for websites and mobile apps on a tablet. Ideas are communicated and shared with teams and clients using a touch-based interface. Gestures quickly express a design concept, explain website structure or demonstrate interactivity. The wireframe or prototype then can be exported as industry standard HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and shared in popular browsers for immediate review and approval.

 

To the cloud and beyond

While Adobe Ideas is currently available on the Apple App Store, the company added that iOS versions for all Touch Apps will be available in early 2012. Additionally, Adobe confirmed that more information regarding the additional capabilities of Adobe Creative Cloud, including applications, services and community and full Adobe Creative Cloud paid membership options will be available in the first half of 2012.

We are busy trying out three of the new apps (Ideas, Collage and Photoshop Touch) and should have a review with more hands on experience available shortly.

In recent news, Adobe announced staff cuts and a new strategy moving forward, which entailed a greater focus on digital media and digital marketing.