Introduction
After what seemed like an eternity, the world’s most powerful and popular photo-editing software makes it appearance in probably the world’s most loved tablet – the iPad 2. The way the iPad is growing in its functionality, popularity and usability, it was about time that it provided a way to edit and work with photographs too. Priced between $8-9, the Adobe Photoshop Touch is one of the most expensive apps ever. Though it does not hold the powerful capabilities of its desktop versions, it definitely provides sufficient control and playability for the user. Here is a candid assessment of the Touch PS for the Apple iOS.
The interface
This has been elegantly and intelligently designed to be very simple and easy. All the important features, right from the clone stamp tool and brushes to the selection wands and erasers are accessible through the ‘back’ button at the top left of the screen. The navigation is also easy and happens without a glitch. The fact that the app in general and the interface in particular have been tailor made for the iPad helps.
Working with the app
Working with the app becomes intuitive and natural all at once since it involves the use of a stylus or the finger. This is far better than controlling a brush, a pen or a wand with a mouse. It is almost like working with a graphics tablet without having to invest in one! Many little tricks and tools from the world’s foremost photo-editing software ensure that the app is ten times better than the nearest rival. For instance, the use of ‘Scribble’ tool along with the ‘remove’ and ‘keep’ buttons is a simple and elegant way of selecting parts of the photograph. Tutorials on how this can be done also come embedded in the app itself.
Attractive features
The multiple options provided make the app very interesting and addictive. You can make use of the photos stored in the iPad itself. Or else, you can take a picture immediately use it for editing. The picture can then be shared via social networking, be it Facebook or Google+. There are a host of tricks that can be managed – from changing the saturation of a photograph, editing out people and elements in a photograph or even changing the very location in which a photo was shot. These are sure to spell-bind the younger generation which will definitely lap up the Photoshop Touch.
In Conclusion
The Photoshop Touch is definitely not intended for complex professional work. Anyone looking to do this should opt for the desktop version of the same. However, the app is so much fun and a boon for those with a creative streak. It comes as a welcome relief because lot of photo viewing goes on in the iPads. Now, that viewing experience can definitely be made more beautiful and wholesome.
