Alien Skin Software Announces Blow Up 2 Photo Resizing Plug-in for Photoshop

Cutting edge algorithm enlarges photos while keeping them clear
and sharp. New user interface simplifies cropping and resizing. Batch
processing saves huge amounts of time when working with large numbers
of photos.
RALEIGH, N.C.--(Business Wire)--
Alien Skin Software today announces the immediate availability of
Blow Up(R) 2, the new version of its photo resizing plug-in for
Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) and Photoshop Elements. Blow Up 2 takes the
complexity out of preparing photos for printing with a user interface
that intelligently handles resizing, cropping, and sharpening. The
sophisticated enlargement algorithm produces photos dramatically
sharper and more detailed than any other method.

"Blow Up 2 makes even clearer enlargements now, but the biggest
improvements are in ease of use," said Tom Welsh, designer and lead
programmer of Blow Up 2. "We looked for tedious or confusing aspects
of every stage of photo cropping and resizing and built intelligence
into Blow Up 2 to take those hassles out of the photographer's hair.
With the addition of presets, Smart Cropping, adaptive sharpening, and
built-in batch processing, Blow Up 2 takes the pain out of high
quality photo resizing."

Beauty

The already crisp, clear output of Blow Up is even better now that
it provides more control over simulated natural texture and film
grain. These effects help to keep enlargements looking natural rather
than computer generated. New controls that clean up JPEG compression
artifacts and sharpen edges allow enlargement of low quality source
images.

Brains

Blow Up 2 has intelligence built into every feature, so
photographers don't have to deal with most technical details. As a
preset is chosen, Smart Cropping(TM) centers the crop area over the
most interesting part of the photo, and Auto Rotate(TM) adjusts the
preset to match the orientation of the photo. Sharpening adapts to
match the degree of enlargement and paper type.

Resizing With Less Hassle

The most dramatic improvements to Blow Up 2 are in the new user
interface that simplifies and speeds up all aspects of preparing
photos for printing. Cropping and resizing at the same time are easily
handled by presets for common output sizes. The Blow Up 2 built-in
batch processing is an easy single step, which is more straightforward
than Photoshop's usual multi-step procedure.

Technology

Blow Up 2 takes advantage of multi-processor and multi-core
systems to make rendering as fast as possible. Blow Up 2 can handle
the most sophisticated images demanding professionals can throw at it,
including CMYK color space, 32-bits/channel HDR images, and output up
to 300,000 pixels on a side.

Pricing and Availability

Blow Up 2 sells for $249 USD with an upgrade price of $99 USD for
registered users of Blow Up 1. Online or physical delivery is
available through the Alien Skin website at www.alienskin.com. A real
live human (imagine that!) can take orders or answer questions at
888-921-SKIN (7546). Blow Up 2 is also available worldwide through
stores, catalogs, and resellers. Free upgrades are available to
purchasers of Blow Up 1 who purchased after July 26, 2008.

Host Requirements

Blow Up 2 is a plug-in and will require one of the following:
Adobe Photoshop CS2 9.0.2 or later, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0.1 or
later (Macintosh), or Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 or later (Windows).

System Requirements

Microsoft Windows users must have at least a Pentium 4 processor
or compatible and Windows XP or later. Apple Macintosh users must have
a PowerPC G5 or Intel processor and Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later. A
monitor with 1024x768 resolution or greater is required.

About Alien Skin Software

Alien Skin Software makes Photoshop plug-ins for photographers and
graphic designers. We distill advanced math and cutting edge research
into simple tools that render beautiful pictures. Our reputation for
bug-free software and fast, friendly tech support has grown worldwide
since 1993. For more information, visit our website at
www.alienskin.com.

For marketing or product review information, e-mail
press@alienskin.com or call (919) 832-4124 ext. 4.

Blow Up, Alien Skin Software, and the Alien Skin Software logo are
registered trademarks of Alien Skin Software, LLC. Adobe and Photoshop
are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SSPR
Kellie Anne Connors, 609-750-9115
kconnors@sspr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008