Updated: Code-named "Acrylic," the new application is aimed at print, Web, video and interactive media designers.Microsoft posted for download Thursday the first public beta of a new application for professional graphic designers.
The public beta of the product, code-named "Acrylic," is available on the Microsoft download site.
Acrylic, a professional illustration, painting and graphic design product, is targeted at designers working in print, Web, video and interactive media. Up until now, Microsoft Corp. has not fielded a product in this space, which is dominated by Adobe Systems Inc.
Click here to read about Microsoft's "Metro" document specification.
According to information on Microsoft's Web site, Acrylic combines pixel-based painting with raster- and vector-graphic editing features. It also includes advanced features such as panoramic photo-stitching.
Acrylic is an updated version of Create House Expression 3, with added capabilities. Microsoft acquired the developer of Expression, a Hong-Kong-based company called Creature House, in 2003.
Acrylic requires Windows XP Service Pack 2. A Passport account is required to download the product and to sign up for the announcement list. The Acrylic beta is not available for the Macintosh platform.
"It has some truly world-class features, like the image stitching capabilities, which may be better than anything out there," according to Seattle-based author David Blatner, who also pointed to the natural paint tools, especially those based on vector paths. "However, it suffers from a sometime obtuse user interface."
Blatner said that the application may face a less-than-friendly reception from the professional graphics crowd that has little trust for Microsoft. And he said it may have tough going against familiar competition for Adobe Systems Inc. and Corel Corp.
"But it was through using this product that got me to actually like using Windows much more than I expected to," the longtime Mac user admitted. "It's pretty cool."
The Acrylic beta will expire on Oct. 1, according to the Acrylic site. Microsoft has not yet announced a release date for the final Acrylic product.
Editor's Note: This story was updated to include comments from analysts familiar with the product.
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