Top Graphic Design Product Launches of 2010

Graphic design is a field that never stands still. New graphic design software and tools constantly emerge and improve, allowing the field to progress rapidly. Here are some of the best software  devices, and gaming product launches of 2010:

SOFTWARE | Adobe® CS5

Adobe releases Adobe Creative Suite® 5. Its features are astonishing, improving far beyond Adobe InDesign® CS4 and Adobe InDesign CS3. Some of the most hyped changes are InDesign’s animation and media features, Adobe Premiere Pro's new playback engine, AfterEffect's new Roto Brush, Adobe Photoshop's content-aware erasing and paint brush enhancements, and the introduction of Flash Catalyst. Overall, Adobe seems to be intentionally blurring the lines between different software and media. Many of the new features, especially the now-native InDesign to Adobe Flash workflow, attempt to give designers more tools to push beyond their existing roles. The best part about this latest release? Adobe InDesign CS6 should only be a few months away, and if it’s anything like this release, it’s going to be a treat for multimedia degree-seeking students and graphic design professionals alike.

DEVICES | Apple iPad

The much-anticipated iPad was released in April. More than 30,000 sold the weekend of its launch. Is the device an innovative game-changer or just a big iTouch®? Simply put, it’s good for what it’s intended: web browsing, music, pictures, books and games, but it’s not a laptop replacement—at least not yet. Best of all, of course, is the sleek, handy nature of its design.

GAMING | Motion

DanceDance Revolution ™hit U.S. arcades in 1999. A decade later, the technology has moved to the living room. Wii Fit ™ was released May 19, 2008. PlayStation® Move was released in September; and Kinect™ for Xbox came out November 10. These three consoles are now all capable of motion-detection game play. From straight-forward sports to behavior-modification fitness regimens, gaming seems to have become a new animal. On the other hand, while input method is now different, goals and objectives of gaming remain the same. By adding the incentive of the gamer’s physical fitness—either overtly or subliminally—these video games are entrenching themselves even more deeply into our social fabric. No matter the motivation, many are quick to adopt the new gizmos because of the potential end-results.

And now, gamers can start even earlier: Fisher-Price®’s Smart Cycle Racer is designed for children as young as three years of age. Kinesthetic learning is often a prized practice and for many children with autism, it’s an incredibly therapeutic, demonstrating how gaming experiences like Wii Fit may not just be good for physical education, but also for social education.

*Adobe and Adobe products listed are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe, Inc. Apple and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc, DanceDanceRevolution is a registered trademark of Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd, Fisher price is a registered trademark of Mattel, Inc. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. ,Wii and Wii Fit are registered trademarks of Nintendo Corporation

Sources:

“Apple iPad Review.” http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/apple-ipad-review/

“What’s New in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.” http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/whatsnew/