The Pixelmator Team released Pixelmator 1.5 today, an update to the revolutionary GPU-powered image editing tool that provides everything needed to create, edit, and enhance still images. Available as a free software update, Pixelmator 1.5, codenamed Spider, features Save for Web, a Slice tool, a Trim tool, Info Labels, and more.
“Pixelmator is a perfect fit for anyone who is passionate about image editing,” said Saulius Dailide of the Pixelmator Team in the press release. “And now with the breakthrough version 1.5 Spider features, Pixelmator becomes one of the world’s best tools for exporting images for the Web.”
The new Web tools in Pixelmator allow users to prepare and export images for the Web with minimal effort, whether it is an individual image or a complex page layout. Images can be optimized and saved in Web-standard JPEG, PNG, or GIF file formats with different quality settings.
The new powerful Slice tool in Pixelmator can be used to slice an image into pieces, allowing each piece of an image to be optimized and saved using its own optimization settings. Saving an optimized part of an image is as easy as dragging and dropping it onto the desktop. The file size and preview of optimized slices or images are available in nearly real-time in the Pixelmator window.
Pixelmator also comes with a useful Web Color plug-in for the Apple Color Palette, allowing Web designers to select and copy hexadecimal colors quickly to the HTML or CSS application. The new Info Labels feature unobtrusively shows useful information depending on the tool in use such as selection, crop and slice sizes, tolerance levels for Magic Wand, Paint Bucket, and Magic Eraser, gradient angle and radius, transform dimensions, and more. The new Trim feature allows quick and easy cropping of an image by trimming surrounding transparent pixels or background pixels in a specified color.
Other new features in Pixelmator 1.5 Spider include support for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Italian language, the Reveal All feature, and the Send To feature that allows the user to send images quickly to the Mail and iPhoto applications; improved Export, Image Size, Canvas Size, and File Info features; minor user interface changes; compatibility and performance improvements; and several bug fixes.
Pixelmator 1.5 is available for US$59. Pixelmator 1.5 is a free update for current Pixelmator users and a free 30-day trial is available for download.
More info here.
Apparently there are not a lot of Pixelmator fans here. I think I hear crickets.
I’ve been waiting for them to add these features. If they work as well or better than Fireworks finally I’ll be able to switch.
Schweet. Pixelmator is a solid light-weight (read: sans the bloat) alternative to the overpriced overkill called Adobe Photoshop.
Loves my Pixelmator, glad this is finally out.
Hmmm might be inclined to get it now with the new web features.
Does the new version support openCL or utilize grand central dispatch?
I use Pixelmator on occasion and like it; certainly worth the $59. There is, however, a short list of features it would need to add in order for me to regularly use it as an alternative to Photoshop for stuff like astronomical image processing.
Very nice but needs vector shapes for me to make a purchase.
I have used GraphicConverter for many years. Although it is not as flashy as Photoshop, it has been sufficient for my fairly modest needs, and it will open and save to many file formats. GC has saved me quite a bit of money by enabling me to avoid the multiple upgrades from Photoshop 4 to the present.
I know that MDN swears by Pixelmator and uses it for this website. So it may be worth another look for $59.
KingMel,
Do you use GraphicConverter for anything other than file type conversions?
Pixelmator doesn’t have all the same features PS does. But what it does do I feel it does it better. The first being, using coreimage and being Cocoa. Adobe still writes code as if it were to be installed on OS 9.
People use about 30 percent of what PS can do, and Pixelmator has about 90 percent what users need.
At $60, you can not beat it.
Bloody Magic for $69, lets see what you’d get from Adobe for that much . . . hmmmmm, nothing
Luv it, going to luv it more!
Save for web is awesome, but what we really need is layer styles, and better text handling.