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Adobe makes Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements faster and easier

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Adobe makes Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements faster and easier
Add Moving Elements to photos in Adobe Photoshop Elements 2023.
Photo: Adobe

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2023 and Premiere Elements 2023 launched Thursday. These are the latest versions of apps intended to simplify photo and video editing simple for users at any skill level.

They offer new AI-powered features, as well as new step-by-step Guided Edits. Plus, it helps users add animation to photos.

iWork 12 adds features to better compete with Microsoft Office

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iWork 12 adds features to better compete with Microsoft Office
All the iWork 12.0 applications for iPad and iPad let users edit font sizes more precisely.
Screenshot: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The just-released Pages 12.0, Numbers 12.0 and Keynote 12.0 offer a variety of new features, including much finer control over font sizes in the iPad and iPhone versions.

And there are additional new features available in all versions of the iWork suite, including the one for Mac.

Apple’s Shazam app adds detailed concert and ticket info

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Apple's Shazam app has added detailed concert and ticket notes to help artists.
Apple's Shazam app has added detailed concert and ticket notes to help artists.
Photo: Shazam

You may know the Shazam app, owned by Apple, for its ability to recognize songs and artists. But a new update to the app for iOS now also helps you “explore upcoming live music shows.” This comes from a Shazam integration with Bandsintown. Apple and Shazam said the new feature will help increase exposure for artists.

Ukraine war causes devs to pull software from Russian App Store

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Readdle stands among developers pulling apps from the Russian App Store and calling for help for Ukraine.
Readdle stands among developers pulling apps from the Russian App Store and calling for help for Ukraine.
Photo: Readdle

As the Russian armed incursion into Ukraine continues, several developers have pulled their apps from the Russian App Store. Companies that have done so to date include Ukraine-based Readdle, MacPaw and Ajax Systems, as well as Grammarly and Epam, sources have told Cult of Mac.

The app makers add their voices to numerous other companies taking their business away from Russia amid the conflict.

Microsoft does what Apple won’t and opens up its Windows Store

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Microsoft Store
Developers can accept third-party payments without punishment.
Image: Microsoft/Cult of Mac

While Apple fights to maintain its strict App Store rules and its 15-30% cut of all purchases and subscriptions, Microsoft is taking the opposite approach. The company on Wednesday announced major changes to the Microsoft Store that will make it fairer, more open, and more transparent.

Its new Open App Store Principles — which include allowing developers to accept alternative payments systems without fear of retribution — are designed to show that Microsoft (unlike Apple) is committed to adapting to new regulation that promotes competition in app markets.

Amazing Darkroom photo app now does video

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Darkroom, the amazing iOS photo-editing app, now edits video
Darkroom, the amazing iOS photo-editing app, now edits video
Photo: Darkroom

Darkroom, one of the best photo library and editing apps on iOS, is now also one of the best video library and editing apps on iOS. In today’s update, Darkroom adds support for editing your videos. Not cutting and chopping them up, like iMove, but changing how they look, as if you were applying filters and edits to a still photograph. And the along thing is, it’s instant, just as fast as editing a still image.

Mailbrew turns Twitter, YouTube and Reddit updates into email newsletters

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mailbrew envelopes
Mailbrew sends the internet to your inbox -- in a good way.
Photo: Diana Akhmetianova/Unsplash

Apparently, people love email newsletters. Perhaps it’s because they are clean and free of annoying ads and endless “related” “content.” Or maybe its because everyone secretly still uses their email inbox as a de facto inbox for everything in their online life. If you are one of these newsletter lovers, then you will be super-stoked to hear about Mailbrew, which gathers up the latest posts and news from your favorite time sinks, and converts them into emails.