01/25, 10:29pm
All previous versions vulnerable, attacks on un-updated machines seen in wild
Adobe has again had to issue an update to the browser plug-in version of Flash due a critical flaw in the program that allows remote attackers to take over un-updated Macs or PCs, the latter running either Windows or Linux. The company urges users to update to the latest version, first issued on Friday, that patches the problem -- however, all previous versions should be considered at risk, and there are not yet any Chrome browser or standalone updaters available.
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01/15, 10:04pm
Likely a third will go to legal fees; plaintiffs may see $4,000 each
More specifics have been revealed in the second proposed settlement offer from Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe in a lawsuit stemming from the companies' informal "no poaching" agreement. The new proposal has the four companies willing to pay a combined $415 million, up from the previous settlement's $324.5 million, to end the anti-trust lawsuit. US Federal District Court Judge Lucy Koh will need to approve the proposal before it can be finalized.
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01/14, 12:14am
New compensation amount likely to be higher than previous offer
A new settlement offer has been tendered in what's come to be known as the "anti-poaching" lawsuit against four of Silicon Valley's biggest tech companies. Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe were among those originally involved in a "gentlemen's agreement" that the companies would not actively try to recruit or poach employees from each other -- however once the conspiracy came to light, employees complained that the agreement limited opportunities and suppressed wages.
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12/12, 11:32pm
CFO Mark Garrett says company as 'completed' transition to subscription business model
As part of its fourth quarter and 2014 financial report, Adobe announced its agreement to acquire stock content marketplace Fotolia, and a new, often wished-for, collaboration feature in its Creative Cloud suite. Saying the firm had successfully transitioned to its subscription-based business model, CFO Mark Garrett said the company now expects revenue to grow sequentially every quarter of the year, rather than only when upgrades are announced.
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12/11, 5:25pm
Adobe announces availability of Adobe Camera Raw 8.7.1
Adobe has announced the availability of Adobe Camera Raw 8.7.1, adding support for Sony ILC-A7M2 and updated support for the Samsung NX1 cameras. The release is available as a final release on Adobe.com, as well as through the update mechanism in Photoshop CC 2014 and Photoshop CS6. DNG Converter 8.7.1 is also now available, and an update for Lightroom 5.7.1 is anticipated within the next week.
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11/20, 11:49pm
New tactic addresses complaints of silent disabling of outdated versions
Apple is trying a different tack in the struggle to keep Macs secure by encouraging users to either disable the Flash browser plug-in outright, or to keep up-to-date with the latest version, which routinely fixes serious security issues found in the multi-platform media player. The latest maneuver by the iPhone maker, which debuted today, is a direct pop-up prompt to update to the latest version when users visit a page that requires Flash Player. The dialogue box takes users directly to Adobe's own page for updating Flash.
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11/20, 4:15pm
Moleskine Smart Notebook uses app to turn sketches into Photoshop, Illustrator files
Where other companies are shifting drawing focuses to tablets or digital-capture methods, Moleskine is trying to keep the drawing experience analog. However, instead of foregoing digital workflows entirely, the company is offering a new notebook and app that works with Adobe Creative Cloud to convert hand-drawn sketches into digital files.
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11/19, 9:00am
Joined by Camera Raw 8.7
Adobe has released the final incarnation of Lightroom 5.7, an update to its photography workflow software. The most important addition is a promised migration tool for people switching from Aperture or iPhoto, though it does not bring in all data. Apple is slowly discontinuing Aperture and iPhoto in favor of a new Photos app for OS X Yosemite and iOS in 2015, and while Photos will be able to import Aperture libraries more fully, the program may not provide the professional-level features of something like Lightroom.
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10/21, 2:32pm
New version of font management package adds Dropbox, Google Drive sync
Extensis today released a major update to its Suitcase Fusion 6 font manager. The new version brings full OS X 10.10 Yosemite compatibility, Adobe Creative Cloud 2014 integration, font library synchronization with Dropbox or Google Drive accounts, as well as continuing bug fixes and speed enhancements.
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10/17, 1:21am
Company taking advantage of Photos late debut to win converts
Following Apple's decision to cease development on its own pro photo organizer and editor Aperture in favor of a forthcoming hybrid photo manager aimed at consumers and pro-sumers called Photos (which will also -- eventually -- replace iPhoto), Adobe has seized on the opportunity to try and lure Aperture and iPhoto users to its own more advanced photo organizer, editor and manager known as Lightroom 5. After publishing a written guide to the process of converting Aperture libraries to Lightroom in August, the company has now codified the procedure in a new free plug-in.
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10/14, 7:44pm
In light of judge's rejection, plaintiffs now believe agreed-upon settlement too low
In a strange turn of events, the plaintiffs in a lawsuit accusing many of Silicon Valley's top tech companies of suppressing wages by engaging in a "gentlemen's agreement" not to poach employees from each other have now said that Judge Lucy Koh, who is hearing the case, should formally reject a previously agreed-to settlement offer. Following Judge Koh's initial rejection of the $324.5 million settlement -- signed off on by the representatives of the plaintiffs and the companies involved -- the plaintiffs have now agreed with the judge that the sum is a bit too low.
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10/08, 4:02pm
Information on ePubs sent in plain text over unencrypted channels to Adobe servers
If Adobe didn't enough problems with its reputation for security because of the frequency of the company's products being used for attack vectors, then the claim that the company collects detailed, personal data through Digital Editions 4 will undoubtedly further alienate some customers. The program, which is used to enforce digital rights management on borrowed books from libraries or other online avenues, is reporting details on the use of the ePub files back to Adobe - and is unencrypted, inviting further privacy and security issues.
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10/06, 8:14pm
Touch controls for Photoshop, Illustrator coming to Surface Pro 3, Windows 8
During Adobe Max, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen took to the stage to announce a partnership between the two companies. The focus of the development partnership is to improve Creative Cloud offerings for Windows platforms, optimizing them for touch, starting with applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects and Premiere Pro.
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10/06, 6:34pm
Desktop, mobile connectivity outlined by Adobe that includes shared profiles
During the Adobe Max conference in Los Angeles, the company kicked off with a number of announcements for items coming in the next release of Creative Suite. On top of adding a number of mobile solutions that connect to existing tools, Adobe added universal profiles and other enhancements to desktop applications. Additional tools that utilize cloud resources for creation and productivity are coming as well, including a talent search through Behance.
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10/06, 11:17am
Clip marks first attempt at iOS-based video editing
Adobe has updated its suite of iOS apps, launching several new ones in the process. The most significant of these may be Premiere Clip, the company's first effort at mobile video editing. The title can be used independently, or in tandem with Premiere Pro CC; projects started on iOS can be automatically synced with Premiere Pro by way of Creative Cloud.
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09/29, 3:09pm
Partnership takes its first step to bring Creative Cloud to Chromebooks
Photographers and artists holding off on buying a Chromebook because of the lack of program options may have one more reason to reconsider in the future. A partnership between Adobe and Google was announced today, taking steps towards bringing the subscription-based Creative Cloud suite to Chrome OS. To start out, a streaming version of Photoshop will be brought to the inexpensive notebooks.
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09/24, 1:35am
Launches Elements Live portal for online learning, tips and tricks
On Tuesday, Adobe released major upgrades to its two consumer-oriented "Elements" programs -- the image-editing program Photoshop Elements, and the video-editing program Premiere Elements, now both at version 13. In addition, both programs now feature a new help and instruction portal called Elements Live that offers various tips, tricks and tutorials on using the programs. Both programs boast several new features.
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09/22, 5:29pm
Development, support to continue on Aviary's SDK under Adobe's Creative SDK banner
Adobe announced that it acquired a developer of software development kits (SDK) for photo-editing and third-party mobile software. Aviary's SDKs are to be folded into the Adobe Creative SDK, which the company is building as a development platform for mobile apps. Terms of the acquisition were not given, but Aviary was privately held.
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09/08, 11:02am
Premier Pro, others get major feature upgrades
Adobe has announced updates to the slate of video production apps on Creative Cloud. Perhaps the most significant is support for Retina/HiDPI resolutions in OS X and Windows. Adobe has also added support for AJA RAW files, and improved performance, particularly in Masking and Tracking, and (via GPU acceleration) when viewing 4K and UltraHD footage taken from Phantom Cine, Canon RAW, and RED R3D files.
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09/05, 7:40am
Appeal filed over 'legal error' by Judge Koh in rejecting deal
Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe are all appealing Judge Lucy Koh's rejection of the $324.5 million anti-poaching settlement that was hammered out last month. The quartet claims that Koh "committed clear legal error" by using her own assessment of the value of the case, rather than that of the participants who had been battling over the matter with the court for years.
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09/03, 8:43pm
Judge rejects first attempt, suggests slightly higher amount would be 'fair share'
The remaining four tech firms involved in a California lawsuit stemming from a "gentlemen's agreement" to stop poaching each other's employees have headed back to the bargaining table to hammer out another settlement after the first attempt was rejected by the judge in the case. Apple, Google, Adobe and Intel have resumed settlement talks with plaintiffs representing thousands of employees who say the cooperation limited their job opportunities and illegally suppressed wages.
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08/08, 4:23pm
Deal 'falls below the range of reasonableness'
US District Judge Lucy Koh has rejected a proposed $324.5 million settlement in the lawsuit direct against Apple, Adobe, Google, and Intel over anti-poaching practices. In her ruling, Koh states that the amount offered "falls below the range of reasonableness."
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08/07, 10:52am
Supports more formats, streamlines interface
Adobe has released an update for Photoshop CC, its flagship image editing software. Listed as 2014.1, the code is geared exclusively towards 3D printing improvements. It now supports VRML, U3D, PLY, and IGES files for instance, as well as the fifth-generation MakerBot Replicator, and Japan's DMM.com printing service.
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08/04, 11:10pm
Forthcoming Photos may not meet pro needs, at least at first
Following Apple's decision to cease development on its own pro photo organizer and editor Aperture in favor of a forthcoming hybrid photo manager called Photos, Adobe has published a new guide intended to help current Aperture users switch and migrate their images and projects to Lightroom, its own pro-level image manager. While Photos, with its support of third-party plug-ins, may grow into a program that both pros and amateurs can use, its mission is aimed more at "prosumer" users.
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07/18, 8:45pm
New versions for Photoshop CS 6 and CC add new camera support, bug fixes
Adobe has made available release candidate versions of its upcoming Camera Raw 8.6 plug-in and DNG Converter, also at version 8.6, for final testing by users before an official release. As is now official policy with Adobe, users running Photoshop CS6 are limited to only receiving any new camera support and bug fixes; only Photoshop CC subscribers will receive any new feature updates. The release candidates a number of all three additions in the latest version.
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07/11, 12:03am
Latest version for Snow Leopard and higher now required for Flash to work
Following an emergency patch issued by Adobe yesterday for a vulnerability in Flash Player and Adobe AIR that the company deemed "critical" for users to upgrade to, Apple is now blocking all un-upgraded versions of the plug-in in Safari, though the warning dialog will take users to the Flash Installer page where they can obtain the patched version. Users of OS X 10.6 and higher must be running version 14.0.0.145 in order for the Flash plug-in to work normally. Windows and Linux users are also affected by the flaw.
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07/09, 1:00am
Flaw allows attackers to steal authenticating cookies, hasn't been seen in wild yet
Adobe has issued an emergency patch of its Flash Player technology to correct a security flaw that could allow hackers false access to thousands of popular websites -- notably Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and eBay among many others. The patch, which will update Flash to version 14.0.0.145, is considered "critical" for users of OS X, Windows and Linux operating systems. Even if users have Flash Player disabled in their browser, they may still need to update if they are using any products that require Adobe AIR.
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06/27, 7:51pm
Apple planning comprehensive replacement for iPhoto, may have some 'pro' features
In the wake of Friday's earlier announcement that it has ceased development of Aperture, Adobe has moved quickly to further reassure users of the pro photo management and editing program that it is working with Apple to offer a transition path, that it plans a "rich roadmap" for future Lightroom development and that it is "doubling down" on its existing and future products for OS X and for iOS. Lightroom 5, Adobe's Aperture alternative, is available as a standalone app or as part of a Creative Cloud subscription.
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06/18, 4:00pm
Builds in shortcut buttons, palm rejection, pressure sensitivity
Adonit has unveiled the Jot Touch with Pixelpoint, an iPad stylus based on Adobe's new SDK. Its name refers to the Pixelpoint tip, which is extremely precise and has 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity. Supporting apps also make use of the stylus' two shortcut buttons, and turn on palm rejection to prevent accidental input.
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06/18, 11:30am
Every app refreshed
Adobe has officially revealed the 2014 update of its Creative Cloud desktop suite. Every app has been updated; the suite's core software, Photoshop CC, has gained new Blur Gallery motion effects, as well as a tool called Focus Mask, which makes it possible to highlight individual sections in photos with low depth-of-field. Other changes include new Content-Aware functions, Smart Object linking across documents, and the ability to sync settings for one layer across all others.
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06/18, 11:30am
SDK will enable third-party apps based on Adobe tech
Previously teased in concept form, Adobe has formally announced its first two hardware accessories, the Ink pen and Slide ruler. The former is a pressure-sensitive aluminum stylus designed around iOS 7, while the latter is a companion designed to help with more precise drawing, including straight lines and perfect circles. To provide initial software support, Adobe has released two iPad apps, Sketch and Line.
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05/16, 2:35pm
Downtime disrupted major publications
Adobe has issued an apology for Wednesday and Thursday's online services outage, which ultimately lasted about 28 hours. "We know we let you down. We apologize and are working to ensure it doesn't happen again," the company says. The cause of the downtime is said to have been server maintenance.
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05/15, 2:58pm
Problem traced back to Adobe ID system
People have been unable to sign into Adobe online services -- including Creative Cloud -- for about 24 hours at this point, according to the company's status tracker. Trouble is said to have started around 3PM Eastern on Wednesday, preventing people from downloading apps, modifying team accounts, buying subscriptions, or creating new Adobe IDs. The cause appears to be a glitch with the Adobe ID system itself.
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05/12, 9:29pm
Says $324 million offer too low, was not informed of deal meetings
The named class representative in the lawsuit brought against five top tech firms has filed a letter of complaint with the presiding judge in the case, US District Court Judge Lucy Koh, protesting the proposed $324 million settlement on charges of illegal conspiracy to stop the firms poaching each others' employees, thus potentially denying opportunity and capping wages.
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05/08, 10:05am
Crafts presentations without serious editing work
Adobe has released a new iPad app, Adobe Voice. The tool creates quick video "stories," as Adobe terms its presentations, incorporating elements like photos, voice, music, and animated themes. Several included templates cover tasks like lessons, invitations, and promotions, but users can also choose to go freeform.
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04/28, 2:52pm
Windows exploits already active
Adobe has issued a new security bulletin warning of a Flash flaw that could allow a hacker to seize control of a computer. So far just Windows exploits have been seen in the wild, but Adobe cautions that Mac and Linux systems are vulnerable as well. The security hole is present only in older versions of Flash Player, requiring simply that people have up-to-date software.
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04/24, 4:11pm
Apple, Google, Intel, Adobe likely conspired to keep employee salaries down
[Update: possible pricetag revealed] According to court filings before the Northern District of California, Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe have made a settlement offer to conclude the antitrust investigation against the quartet, as expected earlier this month. The four tech companies were accused of conspiring to not poach each others' vital employees to prevent escalating salaries and employee demands, but protested the limiting advancement opportunities and salaries was not its intention.
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04/08, 11:25am
Failure to reach settlement could cost high-tech industry $9 billion
Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe are among the high-tech companies working to settle a class action lawsuit over their hiring practices within the next several weeks, according to the New York Times. The suit covers some 100,000 people, and alleges that anti-poaching policies agreed to between the companies deprived workers of higher wages they would've got had the businesses had been hiring competitively. If a settlement isn't reached, the firms could owe as much as $9 billion in damages, or $90,000 per person.
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04/08, 1:18am
Requires both latest desktop version and Creative Cloud subscription
In a surprise debut on Monday, Adobe took the wraps of its briefly-leaked Lightroom Mobile for iPad, a mobile version of its desktop software intended as a companion app to the full version for desktops and notebooks. As such, it requires both the latest version of Lightroom 5 (which was also updated earlier today to v5.4) for Mac or Windows, and a subscription to Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription service in order to use the free application. The program uses syncing and lower-rez thumbnails to get around the problem of the iPad's limited storage.
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04/02, 10:36am
Premiere to support editing After Effects work without switching apps
Presenting at this week's National Association of Broadcasters expo in Las Vegas, Adobe has revealed updated versions of its flagship video editing tools, Premiere Pro CC and After Effects CC. New features in Premiere include the ability to edit After Effects compositions without switching apps, and a heavier emphasis on the cloud, specifically in the form of automated backups and real-time sync between apps and teams using Adobe Anywhere. A new dynamic masking and tracking function should make it easier to blur out logos and faces.
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02/21, 7:00pm
Latest update brings 'before/after' previews to CS6, CC editions
Prior to a final release, Adobe on Friday has posted release candidates for Camera Raw and its DNG Converter app, both at version 8.4, for testing on Photoshop CS6 and CC. In addition to the usual array of new lenses and cameras being supported (and bug fixes), the new version of Camera Raw offers new features for Photoshop CC users, including a "before and after" preview system. The update also drops support for OS X Snow Leopard, Windows XP and Windows Vista.
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02/20, 4:32pm
At least three websites attacked so far
Adobe has issued a new version of Flash Player, 12.0.0.70, to deal with a serious vulnerability. Security firm FireEye notes that the hole has already been used to attack at least three non-profit websites. "This threat actor clearly seeks out and compromises websites of organizations related to international security policy, defense topics, and other non-profit sociocultural issues," it writes. "The actor either maintains persistence on these sites for extended periods of time or is able to re-compromise them periodically.
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02/04, 3:02pm
Threat seen in the wild, Adobe says
Adobe has released a new version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac, 12.0.0.44, to cope with a serious security hole. The company warns that exploits for the vulnerability have been seen in the wild, and that the problem could potentially allow an attacker to seize control of a computer. A matching Linux update is labeled v11.2.202.335.
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01/17, 3:24pm
Expected to paralled desktop version, cost $99 annually
Adobe is on the verge of launching the iPad version of Lightroom, leaks indicate. Earlier this week, the company's website briefly contained references to the app, and even let some people pay for a subscription, which was listed with a $99 annual fee. The reason for the fee is cloud storage, since Lightroom is designed to bulk-process hundreds or thousands of photos, and Adobe wants to sync files between iPads and the Mac and Windows versions of the software.
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01/16, 9:39am
3D tech intended for refining previously-designed objects
Adobe has today launched several improvements to Photoshop CC for Creative Cloud subscribers. Perhaps the most significant is support for 3D printing; while the software isn't designed for creating objects from scratch, users can import files created in modeling tools or 3D scanners, apply colors and textures, and get automatic mesh repairs. Compatible file formats include OBJ, STL, 3DS, Collada, and KMZ.
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12/12, 2:54am
Lightroom extends tethered capture for some Canon models
Adobe on Wednesday updated its photo-management and editing program Lightroom to version 5.3 after more than a month in beta, adding support for a number of cameras as well as bringing tethered capture to the Canon EOS Rebel T4i. The company also updated Adobe Camera Raw to version 8.3, which now supports the iPhone 5s lens among others as well as many other camera models, and brings some new features such as auto-straighten and new camera profiles.
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11/25, 5:38pm
Up to 138 million Adobe CC accounts violated by data breach
Adobe has admitted that it is taking significantly longer than it expected to email all of the customers affected by the epic-scale security breach, with some victims still not being contacted more than 10 weeks after the data theft. Despite discovering the attack on September 17, Adobe did not go public with the information until October 3, with the company still having not informed all affected customers two full months after the breach.
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11/20, 4:21pm
Adobe's Photoshop Photography Program available to all until December 2
Initially launched in September, Adobe's Photoshop Photography Program -- aimed to support the workflow needs of photographers who use Creative Suite 3 or later and helping them transition to the Creative Cloud system - has been extended. Adobe has announced a limited-time extension of its program to the general public, and a longer extension to previous-version Adobe owners. Offering access to Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5, 20 GB of cloud storage and Behance ProSite, users can access the software content through Adobe Creative Cloud for $10 per month, based on an annual subscription. This extended offer began today, and is running until December 2, 2013 at 11:59 PST, with non-Adobe customers and users alike qualifying for the deal. Upon expiration of the public offer, the Photoshop Photography Program will continue to be available to those who own a previous version of Photoshop, Photoshop Extended, or Creative Suite 3 or later until December 31.
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11/19, 5:02am
Extensis extends font management software integration to Creative Cloud
Extensis has revealed two font-related updates for both Suitcase Fusion 5 and Universal Type Client 4. The changes introduce direct integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, allowing designers and developers to bring Typekit fonts directly into their font management workflow, along with compatibility with OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
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10/29, 9:14pm
Source code to Photoshop, Adobe, ColdFusion taken
Updating its customers on a data theft it experienced a month ago, Adobe Systems said today that the magnitude of the lost information was far larger than it originally disclosed. Eclipsing previous estimates, Adobe has revealed that more than 38 million customer accounts, plus source code for Photoshop, Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder has been stolen by the hackers.
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