DI Direct, the publication that can link with Photoshop CS5* and drive it via interactive tutorials, is now available as a free download. In case you missed it previously, here’s a demo:
I find the concept very intriguing, but I’d really like your feedback.
- As a reader, how compelling do you find this sort of interactive training? Would it make you more likely to buy a certain magazine or book? Do you (or would you) use your tablet & your computer together this way?
- If you’re a writer, trainer, etc., how compelling do you find it? If we made it extremely easy to add such links via InDesign, then publish to a tablet, would you take the time to add them?
Thanks,
J.
* If you’re using CS5, don’t forget to update to 12.0.4 (via Help->Updates). If you’ve installed CS 5.5, you’re all set already.
Hi John:
Yes, this is an interesting concept for teaching PS. I’m not sure I’d use it in place of how I currently teach, but I can see the possibility. Thanks for sharing.
As a Lynda.com author and Trainer I am very excited by this technology. I would love to have this functionality inside InDesign, Illustrator and the rest of the creative suite. In fact, if you could combine this with Adobe Connect, it would make virtual training that much easier.
As soon as I read about this possibility, I told my publisher that I intended my next Photoshop book to have a Photoshop-controlling iPad companion. Now I have to get around to that SDK…
Just use after saw your blog. My experience was; sort of a gimmick at this point. I do not teach. the visual aspect is compelling. Each time I would do an a command on the app, I then had to accept that on my cs5. That is sort of a glitch I suppose.
Regardless, I am struggling to use the adobe eazel effective.
I want to create a book in indesign and put into my Ipad2, but according to Terry white, I got to buy a whole lot of “stuff” to do this.
I am not saying that Terry is saying this, but I am confused on how to do this.
My perception on the “tablet genre” is about to launch into critical mass in 2 years. And the writer needs a nice clean, efficient way to bring that medium to Ipad like devices.
I would think major companies who are in that business model will do very well, except those publishing companies who will want to block or control this type of medium. Its a direct threat to their business. Its coming to be sure.
My take on this is; at this time space world the Company who “comes up with” a software program to seamlessly move content to the tablet world, and interact like the USA today, etc will outrun all the players in this explosive medium.
Just think of all the newsletters, do it yourself books,etc. I do not just mean PDF type books.
So on Friday, this is Ken from Kentucky spin machine
My best
Ken
When people use the word ‘gamechanging’ I usually think, ‘yeah right, next….’
This however is what the multimedia interactive CD ROMs from the 90s promised and never really delivered. And is way better.
This is the sort of feature that may sway people to buy an tablet when they were undecided or not bothered by one before.
Speaking from a learner perspective – DI Direct will have to get their content right though. Way too many How To books are written by people who are simply not good enough to use the product in the real world. However in a book shop I can browse through the book to see if it is worth buying as many are not worth the money. So I’d be interested to see if one can browse these sorts of publications, to decide if they are worth buying. As I’m sure these would not be 99 cent purchases.
And as someone who has helped people learn software, I’d be very interested in being able to produce such content. So it’d be cool if Adobe would create to create an InDesign/Dreamweaver quality programme for the interactive book/magazine on tablets/computers.
This is fantastic application of technology. The guys at DI have done an amazing job of putting real value into the magazine, instead of just being a “PDF of the paper one”, of which so many online mags are guilty.
This is compelling as a user and to be able, for example, to lead people through something like a colour managed print workflow would be wonderful.
As Imajez said, this is what this sort of content has promised in the past and failed to deliver. Now it’s here.
Very interesting but leaves to many steps out. I think this is a good start but a video showing where each item is would be the required. I tried to follow the first lesson, hence these comments.
Next Item. From all I can read I am suppose to be able to import an image I edit in Photo Express for Ipad into my blog after putting onto the photoshop server. But this where I have come to brick wall in understand how to do it. And can not find any tech help on it. Could you help?
As a teacher of Adobe products, I think it requires too much set up for students. Many of my students are still working on CS3 and 4, don’t have iPads and enough money to buy one. They are often learning to be able to either change jobs or for some for promotion. Having such requirements will limit your training opportunities to the dilettantes.
I remember books on how to use Photoshop were more than I could afford when I studying PS. They used to be around £50!
But with time and mass market penetration they came down in price and 15 years later you can get much better books for a fraction of that price.
Same will happen with this idea but as it’s technology prices will drop even more. DVD players used to be way more expensive than iPads, now you can pick one up dirt cheap with your groceries.
Hi John:
Tried out the DI Direct book. Not bad for first-out-of-the-gate, but a little wonky. It reminds me of Apple’s own help where they will show you which menu to click.
Technically it is a good approach, but I would find opening the dialog box itself to be much more useful than just doing the action. I don’t know if that’s design from the author’s point or a limitation of Photoshop.
Sure this is amazing, but it is only a hint at what should REALLY be happening with Photoshop on the iPad: Pallets. I would love to be able to have my iPad store all of my pallets–freeing my monitor for actual design work. Being able to click a button on the iPad to select something without releasing the mouse would be so useful in so many ways. Color Pallets, Tool Pallets, Special Pallets, etc. They should all be easily dockable and usable from the iPad. The ibook thing is cute how it interacts with Photoshop, but it’s just a hint at what Adobe should be focusing on.
I find it very attractive. I wouldn’t have bought the magazine if not for this feature, but I love this sort of technology. I do agree with Daniel that it would be better to actually open and close dialogs.