Blogcritics Author: T. Michael Testi

Software Review: Adobe Director 11 from Adobe Systems

T. Michael Testi — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:26:51 EDT

Director 11 is a highly needed update.
Adobe Director 11 is a media generation product that allows users to build applications using a movie metaphor where the user is the director of the movie. It is a popular choice for creating CD-ROMs and stand-alone kiosks, and it supports both 2D and 3D media. Using Adobe Director 11 along with the Adobe Shockwave Player, you can create and...

Product Review: ExpoDisc: Professional Digital White Balance - From ExpoImaging

T. Michael Testi — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:28:48 EDT

The ExpoDisc was very easy to use and provided excellent results.
Have you ever tried to get good white balance from your camera, but the consistency was never good? I am sure that you tried some of those preset balance settings, but they did not always work as well as you expected them to. This is where the ExpoDisc comes in. Sure you can always use a light meter to get your correct readings. Once you have...

Video Training Review: The Fine Art Of Photoshop With Susi Lawson

T. Michael Testi — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:09:43 EDT

The Fine Art Of Photoshop will have you producing digital works of art in no time.
When seen in the light of the photography and art work of Susi Lawson, most everything else comes across as mundane and ordinary. Her work is fresh, invigorating, as well as instantly recognizable. Much in the way that you can tell a Norman Rockwell work of art as soon as you see it, you can recognize a Susi Lawson work of art as well. There is...

Book Review: The Web Design Business Kit - Second Edition By Brendon Sinclair

T. Michael Testi — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:35:22 EDT

The Web Design Business Kit will give you everything you need to know to run a successful web design business.
Do you have a Web design business? Do you want to have one? If you answer "yes" to either question, you really need to examine The Web Design Business Kit: Second Edition. Whether currently running a Web design business, or just starting one, there are a lot of questions that need to be addressed if you want to be successful. Things like:...

Software Review - StyleVision 2008 from Altova

T. Michael Testi — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:11:07 EDT

If you want an easy way to transform XML and database content into eye-catching output, you need to check out StyleVision 2008.
StyleVision is a visual stylesheet designer that can be used for transforming XML and database content into HTML pages, RTF Documents, PDF reports, Word 2007 (OOXML), and Authentic Electronic Forms. StyleVision is standards-based and supports XSLT 1.0/2.0, XSL:FO, CSS, JavaScript, and all major databases. It has been optimized for single-source...

Product Review - Ray Flash: The Ring Flash Adapter from ExpoImaging

T. Michael Testi — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:27:47 EDT

If you are looking for a lightweight, easy-to-use ring flash, then you really need to check out Ray Flash.
The new Ray Flash from ExpoImaging is a unique adapter for your hot-shoe flash unit that is designed to replicate the lighting effect that produced by traditional and much more expensive studio ring flash units. The Ray Flash was built to be lightweight and to be powered by your existing hot-shoe unit, it contains no heavy electronics.What is a...

Software Review - SnagIt 9 from TechSmith

T. Michael Testi — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:12:20 EDT

If you find yourself capturing screenshots on a regular basis, then owning SnagIt is a must.
SnagIt 9 is the latest release of TechSmith's screen capture program. With this version there have been quite a number of changes since the previous iteration, and this time it is really as much of a makeover as it is an upgrade. In fact, they have rebuilt SnagIt from the ground up. SnagIt 9 runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 or later, requires...

Book Review: The Art Of Black And White Photography - Techniques for Creating Superb Images in a Digital Workflow By Torsten Andreas Hoffmann

T. Michael Testi — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:47:38 EDT

The Art of Black and White Photography will give you new skills with working with black and white photographs.
After digital photography broke on to the scenes, it evolved at such a fast speed that it has literally replaced film photography as the default standard for imaging in less than a decade. The changeover created its fair share of difficulties as well as growing pains, but as technology evolves, so do the processes. But digital photography goes...

Book Review: Fine Art Printing for Photographers: Second Edition By Uwe Steinm�ller And J�rgen Gulbins

T. Michael Testi — Tue, 8 Jul 2008 15:36:44 EDT

This continues to be the best overall book on fine art printing.
As with the prior edition of Fine Art Printing for Photographers, this second edition is filled with the same useful and wonderfully clear descriptions about what is needed to create exhibition quality prints using inkjet printers. It continues to provide the necessary information and techniques to make the most of this rapidly growing area of...

When Political Correctness Meets Automation: A Disaster Of Olympic Proportions

T. Michael Testi — Sun, 6 Jul 2008 20:08:54 EDT

The Wild, Wild, Web: When automation and political correctness root out journalistic dishonesty.
To quote that great baseball philosopher Yogi Berra, "I didn't really say everything I said." This seems to be the case in a story that was published this week about the results of an event at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic trials. These trials are taking place in Eugene, ...