For the creative community , the year 2011 has been a barbaric ride . This was the year of new cameras and issue camera category , an explosive array of screen background , mobile , and cloud - based software and services , a renewed focus on World Wide Web blueprint and Internet standards , and much more . Here are just a few of this year ’s highlight .
Digital photography
Expanded functionality and feature were essential attributes of the digital television camera marketplace this class . No longer characterise by discrete product that execute only a single set of tasks well , each sector — from breaker point and blast to DSLR — branched out to deliver enhanced capabilities . There were more democratic camera sectors to prefer from too , with the continued outgrowth of megazoom , mirrorless standardised lens cameras ( sometimes called compact system tv camera ) , and other hybrid and submarine - genres . These intersection got muckle of attention , perhaps because there was n’t a vast profusion of DSLR launch in 2011.Nikon Coolpix P300
One major reason for the vast variety is video . In the recent past times , high-pitched - end still shooter eschewed video recording : It was hard to do well , too time - consuming to see , and even harder to edit . No longer . Now , well-nigh all major consumer DSLRs sport 1080p telecasting capableness with their new models . Indeed , full HD video recording has emerged in just about every photographic camera section .
While some aspects of shooting got simplify , more options were insert at the low destruction . Over the last twelvemonth , compendious point - and - shoots acquired more manual controls and premium features . Canon ’s PowerShot S90 andPowerShot S95kicked off that trend , followed by theS100 , Nikon ’s Coolpix P300 ( and the not - so - compact Coolpix P7100 ) , and Fujifilm ’s X10 and more - expensive X100 .
Nikon Coolpix P300
Video
The software video arena erupted with the release of Apple’sFinal Cut Pro X , the ship’s company ’s overhaul of its professional non - linear television redaction software . Upon its release , a burning question emerged : Is the new FCP X a genuine professional video software or is it a glorify iMovie for advanced amateurs ? Apple anticipate some pushback from its loyal but opinionative users , but perhaps not as much as it have .
Initial lack of support for some of the industry ’s popular hardware peripherals , and for some complex third - company computer software workflows that TV pro had ramp up over time around previous version of Final Cut Studio , provoked a precipitous , mostly negative reaction from the residential district . As Macworld ’s reexamination note , “ Most of the features introduced in FCP X are welcome and badly call for . Some are long delinquent . Still , others are positively jarring and require a change in mindset to take account . ”Final Cut Pro X
Two subsequent move from Apple cool down down the furor , at least somewhat . The society issued the10.0.1 update , which restitute a number of professional features , and also decided toresurrect sale of the software ’s previous verisonfor those who still wanted it .
Final Cut Pro X
For the record , when Macworld got its hand on the new platform , we were clean impressed with Final Cut Pro X , its stringent integration with Motion 5 and Compressor 4 , and its new pricing scheme .
From the ironware side of the TV universe , there was little to liken with theflip that Cisco pulledon the pop Flip serial of camcorder . Hobbyist videographers ( not to mention the repose of the planet ) let loose a collective pant of astonishment when the fellowship , after corrupt Flip ’s manufacturer for some $ 600 million , decided just two eld later on to shutter it . Naturally , competitors such as Kodak , Sanyo , Samsung , Toshiba , and others were not cast off crocodile snag at this ontogeny and uphold to cheerfully unveil new camcorders at a brisk clipping .
Interactive design
While the ascent of HTML 5 and the concurrent descent of Flash technology was embedded into the corporate consciousness in 2010 , the trend speed up this year .
Adobe EdgeOne of Adobe ’s most significant motility in 2011 was todrop the evolution of Flash for roving devices . Despite the over-the-top surge of wrath at Apple for shine a merciless spotlight onFlash ’s trans - platform engineering issues , the trend off from it has nowspread to the Windows 8 sidetoo .
undismayed , Adobe moved before this yr to reveal an smorgasbord of new interactive design author opening . The company unleashedAdobe Edge , a motion and interaction tool that get creative pros build Flash - style animated Web subject matter , andAdobe Muse , which provide a standards - based take on optical World Wide Web design . The newCarouselphoto redaction and share app ventures into the swarm with some all told respectable results .
Adobe Edge
And while it ’s too soon to severalize whether the effect will be for safe or ill , Adobe also plunge its software Subscription Editions program this year withCreative Suite 5.5 , the first interlingual rendition of the company ’s transition to an yearly release rhythm . It was follow by the predictable boatload ofcontroversy .
A milestone release of the Creative Suite , presumably CS6 , will arrive next year and will include an update version of Photoshop , accord to Adobe .
And just in case we may have forgetten about it , Quark spent the last three year develop the 2011 upgrade to its desktop publishing app , QuarkXPress . WithQuark 9came something different , though scarce revolutionary in concept — App Studio , which allow couturier make apps for the iPad . While there are a few not bad young background write tricks in Quark 9 , the bulk of the release is focused on App Studio ( actually operational with version 9.1 ) . Macworld successfullycreated a special title for the iPadas part of our review of the software , and on the whole , we found the update worth the waiting .
Wacom Inkling
Also in 2011,Quark got sold , but the same squad as before stiff in topographic point , and is now presumptively freer to do more of what they want to do with the product .
Tablet power
Wacom finagle to boost its sector of the artwork tablet universe this year , countenance loose new products at a swift pace . Wacom Inkling
The new Inkling , a digital sketch pen and telephone receiver , debuted in the fall to some fanfare . This computer hardware - software jazz group get you take in on plain paper while the attached receiver capture your playpen stroke .
Despite some complaints about the software not yet being ready for prime time , overall the blueprint residential area has been excite about the newfangled gizmo .
Wacom has been a pen expert from the way back , but this year it offered a penitentiary as a discrete iPad - free-base product . The Bamboo Stylus for iPad also open to rant reviews .
And then there were the slew of releases that imposingly updated and improve on theentire Bambooline and introduce the 24HD Cintiq .
CAD action
This year also saw an interesting CAD offering . While the computer aided intention world generally stays pretty stable , with the usual players upgrading on a veritable basis , Corel decided to confuse a ball into the Mac Margaret Court by introducing a firebrand new competitor : CorelCAD . It ’s compatible with AutoDesk ’s ubiquitous .dwg file formatting and is project for folks who involve a solid , professional app , but do n’t want to part with a limb to evolve it .
Up ahead for 2012
In digital photography , caller that rapidly innovate will harvest reward no matter of where they fall in the consumer spectrum . The question of whether the good camera ( and camcorder ) you own is the one that ’s always in your air hole has never been more relevant . It will determine whether buyers will continue to go for the sub-$200 breaker point and shoots that pop the question 1080p TV or whether multitude will bet more and more on their iPhone 4 and 4S ( or any fresh iPhone that Apple may release in 2012 ) .
The compact and mirrorless exchangeable lens of the eye camera segment will continue to progress , as hobbyist shooters seek a medium between introductory point and shoots and DSLRs . There will be continued vehemence on video , and improvements likely at the eminent end of the DSLR marketplace , especially in speed and operation . And while we ’re on the subject , will Fuji or Canon or both annunciate launching into the mirrorless interchangeable crystalline lens mart in 2012 ?
Next year , we will in all probability see even more vehemence on television camera - establish pic communion . manufacturer have tried Wi - Fi , but many execution of the engineering science remain baffling . While there may not be a concrete resolve to sharing issues , camera vendors will continue to center on it .
On the design side , there will be even more accent on standards - based site creation and blueprint and cloud services , continuing this year ’s trend . The disposition of iWeb , the human relationship between iCloud and vane hosting as the era of MobileMe draw to a finale , and the paper and timing of the next release of iLife are anyone ’s guessing .
