The moment I saw John Gruber link Pixelmator - a powerful new Core Image-based image editor with support for layers, a wide variety of tools, iLife/iPhoto, Automator and more - I had to get a closer look. I remember the days of Apple hyping Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and all the power of Core Image, and then never seeing a formidable editor make use of them. Sure there are a few apps that make use of Core Image in one way or another, but nothing really struck me as truly leveraging all there was to leverage in Apple's Core image.
While Pixelmator may technically be vaporware according to Gruber, I managed to snag an exclusive demonstration video of the app in action from its developers, brothers Aidas and Saulius Dailide (who you might be interested to know also founded Jumsoft). The demo showcases some impressive Pixelmator features, including working with multiple layers and objects, opening Photoshop files and moving layers from one image to another, taking a picture with an iSight camera and embedding it into the current working image, and even some slick blending modes.
From what I see here, I can definitely say 'wow', especially since Pixelmator is expected to ship in late July for only $59. Stay tuned for more info as soon as we can nab it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-31-2007 @ 7:28PM
Adam Betts said...
Beautiful. I was hoping to see a preview of Layer palette window in action but that's okay :)
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5-31-2007 @ 7:31PM
Ruegen said...
What photoshop should be!
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5-31-2007 @ 7:33PM
Jonathan Johnson said...
I recently found ChocoFlop, and despite it being a prerelease version, it works pretty darn well for me.
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5-31-2007 @ 7:40PM
hmurchison said...
I'll take it
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5-31-2007 @ 7:49PM
! said...
Now THAT is cool.
Let's all look forward to dumping those traitorous bastards at Adobe, who continue to develop their Mac applications as though they were destined for PCs.
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5-31-2007 @ 7:49PM
jason said...
Where's the video?
I tried every link here, and none go to a video...
Jason
www.gravityswitch.com
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5-31-2007 @ 7:56PM
! said...
@jason: The link under the screenshot, "Click to Play."
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5-31-2007 @ 8:33PM
andrew harrison said...
looks pretty good. maybe instead of cs3?
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5-31-2007 @ 8:37PM
XGM said...
Adobe, well i cant complain too much since i do like CS3 on the mac somewhat more... But please, as a 2D graphics enthusiast take advantage of Leopard, just like this is taking advantage of OS X.
None the less, CS 3 is great on my Mac (and windows on boot camp too)
ps, it talks about open source, will it be open source too ? (note, my love of open source is coming out :P)
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5-31-2007 @ 9:12PM
Rik Williamson said...
Hue me unimpressed...
Obviously in Photoshop, all this is possible, with equal to superior fluidity. CS3 has a great blend of usability and the ability to retain all of its power and magic. Besides, I can't wait to start playing around with PS's 3D tools and environment.
Pixelmator seems like it could be an okay toy to "play" with, like iphoto is...
Speaking of which, I have to figure out which way I am going to go– APERTURE or LIGHTROOM, but thats an entire different story...
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5-31-2007 @ 10:46PM
Nic Wise said...
Wow. Sign me up. This is what I've been looking for - iphoto is too light, aperture too confusing, and CS3 too heavy. Looks perfect.
Beta's, anyone? ;-)
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5-31-2007 @ 10:59PM
Bryan said...
I know it sounds lame but I've always been a bit disappointed that I didn't find an equivalent to MS Paint in OS X for those times you just need to do a little something to an image.
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5-31-2007 @ 11:30PM
Dave Chartier said...
#12: I think GraphicConverter is still coming on most Macs these days. Check for it in the Applications folder, or possibly /Applications/Utilities/. If you don't see it, have you re-installed Mac OS X at all? I'm not sure if it gets re-installed by default.
Of course I could simply be wrong, and Macs don't come with it anymore.
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5-31-2007 @ 11:52PM
Matt W said...
Rik,
I've tried both, and I personally have liked Lightroom better. I'm a beginner with SLRs and it seems easier to use. That said, you should definitely trial both. They're strangely similar and different.
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6-01-2007 @ 12:01AM
Mark Thomas said...
I've been waiting a long freaking time for somebody to write an app that leverages all the cool technologies in OS X and finally frees me completely from the dead weight of Adobe Inc. Photoshop is the only Adobe app I still use, having at last weaned myself from the rest of their bloated, buggy, schizophrenic application suite. Pixelmator looks sweet, and I dig the black on black GUI. Bring it on!
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6-01-2007 @ 12:31AM
The AntiChrist said...
I love the way Gruber hijacks a word like vaporware to mean something announced instead of something way overdue from its stated release date. I guess he has no imagination.
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6-01-2007 @ 2:52AM
michel said...
>I love the way Gruber hijacks a word like vaporware
>to mean something announced instead of
>something way overdue from its stated release date.
>I guess he has no imagination.
http://daringfireball.net/2006/12/omnivapor
Bashing Gruber is already starting ? I thought it would get one or 2 more years. jealousy I suppose.
well, it's a vaporware because it hyped but not available, even in a beta.
(the same way were omnifocus, windows cairo, iphone, duke nukem forever and so on. some products are real in the end, some others not)
now, thanks to the video, it helps to remove the "vaporware" state of that project.
Gruber is not evil you know. you can read his website and why he used the word vaporware.
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6-01-2007 @ 5:40AM
doug said...
Rik W (comment 10) and Matt W (12):
Have you tried Astroturf?
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6-01-2007 @ 6:03AM
Michael May said...
Whoa, looks pretty slick. Yowza.
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6-01-2007 @ 7:47AM
Steve said...
My issue with Gruber's usage is that it applies a demeaning label to basically *any* software announcement that doesnt follow the strict parameter of being available NOW. There is a term for that, and it doesnt insult the developers: it's called "unreleased".
It is clear to most sensible people what Vaporware means, and that is indeed long anounced, long delayed, long NEVER SEEN applications.
Even before this videocast, Pixelmator wasn't, nor deserved to be called, vaporware. They announced a date. Give them a chance to release it. If that slips, then maybe the v-word has some merit.
One last thought: What if Gruber was allowed to personally demo Pixelmator? Would he still call it vaporware?
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