Elements 4.0 for Windows is here, leaving Mac users to ponder the fate of this program on the Macintosh platform.

Adobe announced the new version of their entry-level photo editing and organizing program Photoshop Elements 4.0 for Windows XP today. As in version 3, there are two options: Photoshop Elements comes by itself or bundled with Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0.

Also as in version 3, the Organizer is integrated into the program, allowing you to manage your photos and switch from Editor to Organizer with a click. Different from version 3 is that no Mac version was announced, and until I hear differently from Adobe, it is my understanding there is none planned for this version of Elements. Adobe Premiere Elements 1.0, released at the same time as Photoshop Elements 3.0, was only released on the Windows platform, and Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 has also been released as Windows only.

According to [1] Adobe, Elements 4 has everything you need to edit, organize, and show your photos.

For users who want to upgrade from previous versions, there are upgrades with a $20 price differential available from Adobe. Whether the upgrades will be sold retail as well is not known at this time; the upgrades for version 3 were only offered through Adobe.

Features in Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0

• Use Quick Fix Mode to automatically fix common image exposure and color problems with a few clicks. Use before and after views to preview changes in real time
• Get realistic skin tones, even in photos taken in poor lighting
• New selection tools let you brush over an object to isolate it for spot-editing
• Photoshop Elements 4 eliminates red eye automatically as you download photos from your camera, or removes it from individual photos without even clicking on the photo
• Correct color effortlessly by comparing a range of variations side by side and making the best choice
• With Scan and Divide, scan multiple photos at once and let Photoshop Elements automatically divide, straighten, and save each photo separately
• Use Rotate and Crop to automatically turns photos right side up and crop out unwanted areas
• Use special effects filters to stylize photos
• Create one-of-a-kind composite images and collages using layers

Sharing your Photos

For those who want to share photos with others, Elements 4 offers many ways to do just that. PDF slideshows can be posted to the web or mailed to friends and family. Choose your photos and a design and build professional-looking web galleries in a few steps. Send personalized photo email from within the Elements Organizer. You can upload your photos to a personal online album, and update with new photos at any time. Family and friends can view your photos and order professional-quality Kodak prints, or even a hard-bound photo book. Photos can be shown on your TV, over a home network or burned to Video CD.

System Requirements

Windows

• Intel® Pentium® III or 4 or Intel Centrino™ (or compatible) 800MHz processor
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional, Home Edition, or Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 2
• 256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
• 900MB of available hard-disk space
• Color monitor with 16-bit color video card
• 1,024×768 monitor resolution
• Microsoft DirectX 9 compatible display driver
• CD-ROM drive
• For handhelds: Requires Palm OS® 4.0, 4.1, or 5.0 and Palm Desktop 4.0 or 4.01

For more information, see Adobe’s Photoshop Elements [2] New Features page. To see movies and documentation on the new features of Elements 4, visit [3] Photoshop Elements User Learning Center.