NEW – Nitro PDF Reader Version 2 Launched Today

Following a year long beta testing period, Nitro PDF Reader Version 2, has hit the bricks with it’s official launching today. As an indication of just how popular this application is – during the beta test period, it was downloaded an astonishing 8 million times.

With its ability to not only view and review PDF files, but create PDF files as well, it’s little wonder Nitro PDF Reader has amassed such a large following. I have to say that Nitro PDF Reader is my favorite PDF tool so, I’m more than a little enthusiastic to get on the go with this latest release.

Version 2 continues the strong tradition which Nitro has established with previous version – it’s fast, lightweight, and incorporates customizable security controls, including the option to completely disable JavaScript – no small consideration for security conscious users.

Sample screens – Click on any screen shot to expand to original size.

Standard screen

Fill in form

Collaboration

Fast facts:

Nitro PDF Reader 2.0 includes the following features and enhancements:

Web Browser Integration – preview PDF files from within Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Internet Explorer

Nitro PDF Creator 2 – all-new PDF creation engine enables users to create PDF files up to 4 times faster, with 50% reduction in file size

Optimized Rendering Engine – draw and display PDF files on-screen faster with crisp rendering of text and graphics

QuickSign– import a scanned image of your handwritten signature to sign and return documents electronically in just seconds

Optional Content Group (OCG) Layers – show and hide content layers within PDF files with support for printing layer views and scripting OCG interaction in form controls

XFA Form Support – fill-in and save static XML Form Architecture (XFA) forms

Hundreds more significant enhancements – updated Ribbon UI, workflow refinements, improved performance, and more

If you really want to be impressed with just how much capability is built into this application, then visit the developer’s feature page.

System requirements: Windows XP, Vista, Win 7 (32 bit  and 64 bit, Vista and Win 7).

Available languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Download at: Nitro PDF Reader

If you’re tired of working with that malware magnet, Adobe Reader – I think you’ll find that PDF Reader 2.0 is the substitute you’ve been searching for. On top of that – how do you beat FREE!

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FastStone Image Viewer – Browser, Converter and Editor – Supports All Major Graphic Formats (and then some)!

FastStone Image Viewer (updated November, 2009), is one of my favorite photo applications, with good reason. It’s not just a viewer, but an image browser, converter, and an editor as well. You’ll find the interface intuitive and very easy to use.

This program is loaded with features including, renaming, cropping, color adjustments, lossless JPEG transformation, drop shadow effects, image frames, scanner support, histogram and much more.

With FastStone installed you’ll have support for all major graphic formats including (BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, animated GIF, PNG, PCX, TIFF, WMF, ICO and TGA) and popular digital camera RAW formats (CRW, CR2, NEF, PEF, RAF, MRW, ORF, SRF and DNG).

Quick Facts:

True Full Screen viewer with image zoom support and unique fly-out menu panels

Crystal-clear and customizable one-click image magnifier

Superior Red-Eye effect removal/reduction with completely natural looking end result

Image modification tools: Resize/resample, rotate/flip, crop, sharpen/blur, brightness/contrast, etc.

Eleven resampling algorithms to choose from when resizing images

Image color effects: gray scale, sepia, negative, Red/Green/Blue adjustment

Image special effects: watermark, annotation, drop shadow, framing, bump map, lens, morph, waves

Draw texts, lines, highlights, rectangles, ovals and callout objects on images

Multi-level Undo/Redo capability

One-touch best fit/actual size image display support

Image management, including tagging capability, with drag-and-drop and Copy To/Move To Folder support

Histogram display with color counter feature

Compare images side-by-side (up to 4 at a time) to easily cull those forgettable shots

Image EXIF metadata support (plus comment editing for JPEGs)

Configurable batch processing to convert/rename large or small collections of images

Slideshow creation with 150+ transition effects and music support (MP3, WMA, WAV…)

Create efficient image attachment(s) for emailing to family and friends

Print images with full page-layout control

Create fully configurable Contact Sheets – just like the pros (and save $$$ on ink)

Create memorable artistic image montages from your family photos for personalized desktop wallpapers (Wallpaper Anywhere)

Acquire images from a scanner

Versatile screen capture capability

Powerful Save As interface to compare image quality and control generated file size

Run favorite programs with one keystroke from within Image Viewer

Offer portable version of the program which can be run from a removable storage device

Configurable mouse wheel support

Support multiple program skins

Support dual-monitor configurations

System requirements: 32 bit Windows – XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7

Download at: Download.com

This really is an incredible application and I often wonder why it’s still free. The author does ask for a donation, if you find the application useful. This is an application that’s worth supporting so please, consider doing so.

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Free FastStone Image Viewer – Stands Up to XNView and Irfanview

FastStone Image Viewer is one of my favorite photo applications, with good reason. It’s not just a viewer, but an image browser, converter, and an editor as well. You’ll find the interface intuitive and very easy to use.

This program is loaded with features including, renaming, cropping, color adjustments, lossless JPEG transformation, drop shadow effects, image frames, scanner support, histogram and much more.

With FastStone installed you’ll have support for all major graphic formats including BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, GIF, PNG, PCX, TIFF, WMF, ICO and TGA.

Quick Facts:

Windows Explorer-like user interface

Supports popular image formats

Full Screen viewer with image zoom support and unique fly-out menu panels

One-click image magnifier

Red-Eye removal/reduction

Resize/resample, rotate/flip, crop, sharpen/blur, brightness/contrast, etc.

Image color effects: gray scale, sepia, negative, Red/Green/Blue adjustment

Image special effects: watermark, annotation, drop shadow, framing, bump map, lens, morph, waves

Multi-level Undo/Redo capability

Acquire images from a scanner

Screen capture capability

A no-install, fully portable version, can be run from a removable storage device

Latest Version 3.5 – January 15/2008

FastStone Image Viewer includes two versions in one installation:

Standard Edition – Free for private or educational use.

Professional (Pro) Edition – Registration required.

Download at: Download.com

This article is a followup to an earlier review of this application in April, 2008.

XnView – An Irfanview Competitor?

For those readers who prefer XnView over Irfanview, here is an older post (April, 2008), which reviews this graphics editor. XnView is a free utility for viewing graphic files, and the simple and easy conversion of those files.

Having XnView installed on your system allows you to resize, crop, correct red eye, flip, rotate, and carry out a wide variety of image adjustments, including brightness, contrast, and gamma.

With XnView you can import more than 400 graphic file formats then convert them to other formats such as GIF, BMP, JPG, PNG, multi page TIFF. As well, you can export more than 50 graphic file formats.

The Image viewer (Browser) resembles the very familiar Windows Explorer. You simply navigate the directory structure and any image files found in a directory, are displayed in miniature (Thumbnails). This gives you an overview of the images available and at the same time lets you rapidly view and select specific images.

XnView doesn’t stop there however; it also provides you with more advanced features such as Web page creation, contact prints, multiple conversion (format and transformation), slide shows, screen capturing and twain support for scanners and digital cameras.

Quick facts:

· Import over 400 graphic file formats

· Export over 50 graphic file formats

· Multipage TIFF, Animated GIF, Animated ICO support

· IPTC, EXIF

· Resize

· Copy/Cut/Crop

· Adjust brightness, contrast…

· Modify number of colors

· Apply filters (blur, average, emboss …)

· Apply effects (lens, wave …)

· Full screen mode

· Slide show

· Picture browser

· Batch convert

· Thumbnail create

· Screen capture

· Contact Sheet create

· Multi-page file create (TIFF, DCX, LDF)

· TWAIN support

· Print support

· Drag & Drop support

· 44 languages support

System requirements: Windows XP/2003 Server/Vista

Download at: Download.com

XnView – Free and Easy Photo Tool

XnView is a free utility for viewing graphic files and the simple and easy conversion of those files. With XnView installed on your system you can resize, crop, correct red eye, flip, rotate, and carry out a wide variety of image adjustments, including brightness, contrast, and gamma.

With XnView you can import more than 400 graphic file formats then convert them to other formats such as GIF, BMP, JPG, PNG, multi page TIFF. As well, you can export more than 50 graphic file formats.

The Image viewer (Browser) resembles the very familiar Windows Explorer. You simply navigate the directory structure and any image files found in a directory, are displayed in miniature (Thumbnails). This gives you an overview of the images available and at the same time lets you rapidly view and select specific images.

XnView doesn’t stop there however; it also provides you with more advanced features such as Web page creation, contact prints, multiple conversion (format and transformation), slide shows, screen capturing and twain support for scanners and digital cameras.

Quick facts:

· Import over 400 graphic file formats

· Export over 50 graphic file formats

· Multipage TIFF, Animated GIF, Animated ICO support

· IPTC, EXIF

· Resize

· Copy/Cut/Crop

· Adjust brightness, contrast…

· Modify number of colors

· Apply filters (blur, average, emboss …)

· Apply effects (lens, wave …)

· Full screen mode

· Slide show

· Picture browser

· Batch convert

· Thumbnail create

· Screen capture

· Contact Sheet create

· Multi-page file create (TIFF, DCX, LDF)

· TWAIN support

· Print support

· Drag & Drop support

· 44 languages support

System requirements: Windows XP/2003 Server/Vista

Download at: Download.com

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Free FastStone Image Viewer! – Browser/Converter/Editor – USB Compatible

As the heading of this article sets out, FastStone Image Viewer allows you to work on your photographic images to your hearts content. You can even build a musical slideshow with over 150 transitional effects.

FastStone Image Viewer is one of my favorite photo applications, with good reason. It’s not just a viewer, but an image browser, converter, and an editor as well. You’ll find the interface intuitive and very easy to use.

This program is loaded with features including, renaming, cropping, color adjustments, lossless JPEG transformation, drop shadow effects, image frames, scanner support, histogram and much more.

With FastStone installed you’ll have support for all major graphic formats including BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, GIF, PNG, PCX, TIFF, WMF, ICO and TGA.

Quick Facts:

• Windows Explorer-like user interface
• Supports popular image formats
• Full Screen viewer with image zoom support and unique fly-out menu panels
• One-click image magnifier
• Red-Eye removal/reduction
• Resize/resample, rotate/flip, crop, sharpen/blur, brightness/contrast, etc.
• Image color effects: gray scale, sepia, negative, Red/Green/Blue adjustment
• Image special effects: watermark, annotation, drop shadow, framing, bump map, lens, morph, waves
• Multi-level Undo/Redo capability
• Acquire images from a scanner
• Screen capture capability

A no-install, fully portable version, can be run from a removable storage device

Latest Version 3.5 – January 15/2008

FastStone Image Viewer includes two versions in one installation:

Standard Edition – Free for private or educational use.

Professional (Pro) Edition – Registration required.

Download at: Download.com

XNView is an alternative application with similar features, but with support for more than 400 graphic file formats. As well as offering easy image viewing, XnView also offers more advanced features such as Web page creation, contact prints, multiple conversion (format and transformation), slide shows, screen capturing and twain support for scanners and digital cameras.
For a review and free download read my article on this Blog.

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