Often I get feedback from people who have finally figured out how FastScripts can help them. The recurring theme to this feedback is “I had no idea it could do that!” So let me try to summarize some of FastScripts’s selling points more effectively than the current product page does…
Pixelmator 1.0 looks like a good start. It feels a lot like older, less Windowsy, versions of Photoshop. The Core Data–based file format is a good idea. As with Acorn, there is currently no way to preview the quality when exporting to JPEG or PNG. Jesper has some good criticisms, but the sticking point for me is the transparent HUD-style palettes and windows, all overloaded with black. The interface is distracting, except when it was in full-screen mode. Acorn’s interface is not distracting, and it’s refreshingly clean. Also, I’m still wondering in what sense Pixelmator is “The World's First GPU-Powered Image Editor.” It’s certainly not the first to use Core Image.
Meanwhile, Photoshop Elements 4 isn’t a universal binary, and there’s no Mac version of 5. The Mac version of Photoshop Elements 6 is planned for 2008 and looks more like Lightroom than Photoshop. I don’t think I have any use for such a product.
Amazon’s MP3 store looks pretty nice. Good sound quality, good prices, no DRM, easy to use—what’s not to like? I’d rather browse using Safari than iTunes, anyway. I’m surprised that they haven’t yet integrated the customer reviews from the CD store.
Since iTunes’ “Download album art” feature is terribly hit or miss, I’ve tried to complete my library manually. I was delighted to discover that AmazonMP3 is easier to search than the corresponding Amazon CD stores, and the artwork on the site is higher quality than the CD store! Combined with the recommendation aspect, I’m able to quickly retrieve and add art for lots of artists in my Library.
