This has sparked my attention greatly. I will try it out for 30 days when 2.0 releases then decide what to do. I would love to be able to dump something in favour of something more delicious but right now I have no quarrels with Photoshop cs5
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Pixelmator 2.0 Launches Tomorrow, With Content-Aware Fill and Full Lion Support [Now Available]
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I completely agree with this. For the very little work I do with Illustrator, the integration is valuable. If the Pix team created a dynamic duo like that, I'd *strongly* consider dumping my CS Web Premium usage. Although I refused to upgrade past CS4; for web development I never saw the need to pay the "annual tax".
gorskiegangsta
macrumors 65816
It offers a clean and unassuming interface that brings content forward, not the other way around. While photoshop is more feature rich, it's interface is a bit crowded.
chrono1081
macrumors G3
This. I use both. For everything Pixelmator can do that PS can, I use Pixelmator. It literally beats the crap out of photoshop speed wise. (Realtime filters being a huge plus, among many others).
Yes, Adobe does have some things Pixelmator doesn't but Pixelmator is constantly working to close that gap. For most people, they could easily use Pixelmator instead of PS.
HiRez
macrumors 603
I think that's entirely arguable. Take PS 5 Extended at $1000 vs. Pixelmator at $30. Is PS really 33x better? Does it have 33x more features? Does it make your life 33x easier or work 33x faster? That's kind of what you're implying.
Not saying there's not a place for PS, or that the price isn't worth it for some. I spent many years as a graphic designer and I probably used 10% of Photoshop's tools 90% of the time. Much of the other 10% I occasionally used could probably be worked around. Most of those essential "90%" tools appear to be available in Pixelmator. Layer styles is really the only thing I see that will bother me, and again, it can be worked around. Until they add that I'll just do drop shadows the way I did before PS had layer styles.
wikus
macrumors 68000
As a graphic designer, pixelmator is for noobs. I'd never use it for work.
I do like it though, its small, easy on ram, fast and cheap (price) that does do most of the basic functions photoshop does. Anything advanced and its not worth mentioning.
chrono1081
macrumors G3
Well, us non-n00bs know how to use what we are given to make the product we want to make.
Its obvious you've never used Pixelmator.
Rodimus Prime
macrumors G4
But what you are really paying all that extra money for is for those extra 10% of features that you might be able to find a workaround for 1/2 of them.
That is where the money is going.
backinblack875
macrumors 6502a
free upgrade if the first was bought through MAC APP STORE ONLY?? i bought it before the app came to the app store, or the app store even existed. Would about the early adopters??? how come i don't get a free upgrade?? unless I'm misunderstood...
HiRez
macrumors 603
True, it all depends on what your demands are. But I suspect I can live with Pixelmator's current (2.0) toolset. After all, I got a lot of "real work" done in Photoshop going all the way back to version 3...not CS3, 3.0, in the mid-1990s.
The other thing is that, like the Photoshop and CS software, Adobe itself has become slow and bloated as a company. They're entrenched and, as is common with such companies, tend to spend an increasing amount of their resources protecting what they have instead of innovating (not that they don't at all, content-aware fill for example is awesome). They can take forever to come out with new features that users are actually asking for, or to fix long-standing niggles. Do you remember how long it took them just to put decent typography support into PS (kerning, editable type layers, etc.)? It took until PS 5.5 for that.
Pixelmator is a young, hungry company. That allows them to move much faster and try new things. It's much easier to get in direct contact with a Pixelmator dev (like through their blog), than it is to get ahold of a Photoshop dev, and that dev would likely have a much better chance of being able to have direct and immediate influence on the product based on your feedback. Pixelmator may still be lacking, but it's not complete. I have a lot more confidence in Pixelmator rapidly advancing than I do Photoshop. Furthermore, it's a Mac-only program, meaning no weird interface compromises (Pixelmator can use new Apple UI elements, Adobe is stuck with their aging cross-platform widgets) or waiting for OS changes, like CS adding 64-bit support or moving away from deprecated Carbon APIs.
Maybe it's just my luck that when I downloaded the free trial and after a few uses the brushes became pixelated. I couldn't find a way to fix it so it was mostly useless as a whole. That and it didn't seem to have a free select tool that you can click points to crop around an image (like in Gimp). You had to do it free hand without letting go of the mouse which I find impossible to do. I would gladly pay 30 dollars if it could do things that Gimp does, and maybe it does and I'm just not noticing it.
HiRez
macrumors 603
Unfortunately there is currently no mechanism for converting a non-app store app to an app store app. Essentially you are "starting over" (even with Apple's own apps like Pages, Aperture, and probably Logic once it's released on the app store). It sucks but the App Store has no way of verifying where non-App Store software on your system came from, who it's registered to, etc.
It would be good if you could give your Apple ID to the developer, they could verify your upgrade eligibility, and then send that to Apple, who would then unlock that app as having been purchased (maybe with a transfer fee or something).
Wrong pricing information?
This is different information to anything Pixelmator has said on its site.
According to them, the price will be $59.99 if one hasn't already bought the previous version from the App Store. The news above might end up costing new buyers a lot of money if it is not accurate. Can anyone confirm the MacRumors version of the pricing? If it is wrong, buyers who don't already have the App should download the current one (at the lower price) before it disappears and then get the free upgrade tomorrow.
This is different information to anything Pixelmator has said on its site.
According to them, the price will be $59.99 if one hasn't already bought the previous version from the App Store. The news above might end up costing new buyers a lot of money if it is not accurate. Can anyone confirm the MacRumors version of the pricing? If it is wrong, buyers who don't already have the App should download the current one (at the lower price) before it disappears and then get the free upgrade tomorrow.
Icaras
macrumors 603
After I read your post, I went to check it out for myself and I believe you're right. From the link: http://www.pixelmator.com/weblog/
Can MacRumors double check this and fix the article if this is correct?
jlgolson
Contributing Editor
Pixelmator 2.0 will be $29.99 and will replace the current Pixelmator on the Mac App Store currently. Users who have purchased Pixelmator from the Mac App Store previously will get the upgrade for free.
The price may, eventually, go up to $59.99.
*LTD*
macrumors G4
The noob population (that Apple caters to in particular) getting access to powerful, easier tools is growing almost daily. These noobs are getting more and more powerful tools placed into their hands. This trend has become especially noticeable over the last few years. The noobs then become Pro-sumers. Pro-sumers displace the so-called "Pro" market because things that formerly only Pros could do are much more accessible by Pro-sumers.
So, soon enough, most of us will learn and do your "work", having gone through less of a learning curve, and doubtless with some of your work already automated.
The "Pro" "graphic designers" of today might well be out of a job down the line. It's all about greater accessibility and making complex technology easier to understand.
Yes, soon Joe Average will edit just like the Pros.
I've had my eye on Pixelmator for quite some time but never had much incentive to pull the trigger. This did it though, and my copy of CS3 is a little dated anyway :]
extensor
macrumors member
So you don't feel that you got your $59.99 worth from using 1.x for 2 years? And you don't think 2.0 is worth $29.99?
Just asking... 😉
Only where equally Joe Averages are judging the results.
It's the thought process and decision-making that lifts a good artist/designer above the average. The tools are merely a means to an end, but if one has a dull eye or creatively unimaginative mind, no tool can compensate. Just like Microsoft Word has never made a lousy writer interesting.
Jethryn Freyman
macrumors 68020
Icaras
macrumors 603
According to the blog on their site, version 2.0 will transition to Mac App Store only.
I just bought version 1 in case they ramp up the price on launch. I suggest everyone do the same, as you get a free upgrade and there's not really much point in waiting to download it if the launch price will be either the same price it is currently or higher.