Pixelmator
The just-announced Pixelmator is a new image editor that leverages Core Image and various other Mac OS X technologies (via John Gruber). I’m not crazy about the HUD-heavy interface, but on the other hand GraphicConverter’s dialog boxes look ancient and Photoshop Elements has an increasingly Windowsy interface with frustrating window management. I’ve been using GraphicConverter for the last few weeks and, once I got my mind out of Photoshop mode, it was pleasant to use. I’d forgotten about this gem for too long. I have no idea whether Pixelmator will tempt me, but what’s clear is that unless Adobe updates Photoshop Elements to make it universal they will have lost me as a customer. I only do occasional graphics work, so there’s no way that I’d pay $550 to update to Photoshop CS3 when its only advantage for me compared to Elements is not being really slow.
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While it could do with a massive makeover (and less preferences…) GraphicConverter is tremendously powerful and does most things I need.
It's really interesting to see new programs that try to fill the gap between mainly technical apps like GraphicConverter and mainly creative apps like Photoshop, though.
I am not particularly sure about the merit of the CoreImage stuff for the user, though. (Why should I care? What's the benefit? How will performance be on GPU-free machines?)
