ArtYears

If much of your daily work is in a graphics program, you need a tablet. But if you don't like the disconnect required by regular tablets (draw on one surface, see the results on another), the Cintiq 21UX may be the best fit for your needs. Read more

Updates come and go, but when it comes to Photoshop CS5 and CS5 Extended, Adobe put forth a Herculean effort to improve both functionality and user experience. This release brings the much-anticipated 64-bit compatibility to the Mac version of the image editor, as well as hundreds of feature requests from the Photoshop community at large. For example, you can now drag and drop files from your desktop into an open Photoshop document (they land on their own layer), change the opacity or fill of multiple layers at once, save your favorite layer style settings as defaults, and more. Read more. Read more »

Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Pro lineup may look identical to its predecessor (the mid-2009 models that brought the fixed battery and SD card slot to the line), but under the hood, changes to both the CPU and GPU combine to make an impressive leap in performance over the systems these replace. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro comes in three standard configurations, all priced similarly to the last iteration. All three models come standard with 4GB of DDR3 RAM, two graphics processors, and a glossy 15.4-inch LED-backlit screen. Read more Read more »

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Ever since the Mac mini was first released, people have been using Apple’s diminutive Mac desktop as a server. At 6.5 inches square and 2 inches high, it bears just the sort of compact computing power you want to stick in a closet or under a desk and use as an all-purpose receptacle for all your stuff.

Well, wouldn’t you know it—someone at Apple was paying attention to those of us who have been praising the Mac mini as a good server. Because in October Apple announced a new configuration of Mac mini designed specifically to be a server. The new $999 Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server is a fantastic product for workgroups, small businesses, and even schools to use. But for some other common uses, you might be better off buying a regular old Mac mini instead. Read more Read more »

When Apple announced new iMacs last month, it included a major step forward amid the subtle-but-welcome refinements in most of the models: the first ever iMac to offer a quad-core processor. The new high-end 27-inch iMacs are the first to use Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors, and they were not available at the time of the announcement. But finally, the wait is over, and the Core i5 and Core i7 27-inch iMacs have arrived—and let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Read more »

Featuring bigger and better screens and shiny new mice, the physical changes to the aluminumiMac in this update are the most dramatic since it was introduced over two years ago, but the speed improvements are marginal at best. Read more

In just three and a half years, the MacBook, targeted at average computer users, students, and PC switchers, has become Apple’s best-selling Mac model. In its first major remodeling since 2006, the polycarbonate MacBook has gained many of the marquee features of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, including a unibody design, a glass trackpad, and an LED-backlit display. Read more.

Adobe answers long-time requests with multiple artboards and transparent gradients, but it’s the added polish that makes Illustrator CS4 a compelling release.

I’ve always believed that Adobe Illustrator suffers from an identity crisis. Read more »