Another year, another LR beta.  Some hots & nots: Lots of video functionality added, like cropping and effects, geo-tagging and soft-proofing, but face detection didn't make it. And its still bad at making cofeee:

"New tools to enhance and share your digital photograph library

Even in a crashy, more alpha than beta stage, LR 2.0 is still a very interesting tryout. Proceed with care, and only with backed up files ofcourse: "SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 2, 2008 - Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta, a public preview of new and improved functionality to be delivered in the next major release. Lightroom is the professional photographer's essential toolbox, providing one application for managing, adjusting, and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. Lightroom 2.0 beta will feature enhancements such as dual-monitor support, localized dodge and burn correction and will be the first Adobe application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Intel Macs and Microsoft Vista 64-bit operating systems. "Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta provides early access to requested improvements over version 1.3 and continues our ongoing dialogue and open communication with the photography community," said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Photoshop Lightroom and Camera Raw. "We're excited not only for our existing customers, but also for the general public who will have an opportunity to take Lightroom 2.0 beta on a test run." New in Lightroom 2.0 beta An improved layout in the Library module allows for a more intuitive approach to image organization by simplifying the location of the features needed to find and filter photographs. A new feature called Smart Collections automatically updates collections with images that match desired criteria such as star-rating, keyword or other metadata. "The Suggested Keywords feature eases the task of keywording by making recommendations based upon keyword associations across a catalog as well as the use of keywords in neighboring images." Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta includes improved memory handling through 64-bit support for OS X 10.5 Intel Macs and Vista 64-bit operating systems. Additional enhancements in Lightroom 2.0 beta include support for a dual monitor configuration that maximizes a photographer's workspace and can be easily adjusted to meet a particular workflow. Additionally, the Develop module has been updated to provide the ability to correct specific parts of an image without affecting other areas. Now, fundamental photographic techniques such as dodge and burn can be performed using the same non-destructive approach, allowing unprecedented control within the Lightroom program. Beta Availability Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta is available as a 30-day trial for free download on Macintosh and Windows platforms at http://www.labs.adobe.com/downloads. Existing Lightroom 1.0 customers will be able to test the beta for an extended period until Aug. 31, 2008 and can invite friends to take part in this trial period. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel-based processor, or Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4 processor, 1 GBRAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen." Lightroom 2.0 beta can be downloaded from here

Another year, another version of Adobe's pretty popular entrly level of photoshop. This year the heat from Corel's Paintshop pro Photo X II is probably being felt stronger than ever, and the "what's new" list is pretty impressive. Press release: New Photoshop Elements Packs Powerful Editing Punch No. 1 Selling Consumer Photo Software Offers Fun, Unique Ways to Capture Stories SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sept. 24, 2007 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 6 software, a major upgrade to the No. 1 selling consumer photo-editing software*. Available for Windows®, Photoshop Elements combines power and simplicity for consumers to find, view and easily infuse creativity and personality into their photos. This landmark release helps consumers at all experience levels achieve outstanding results and provides interactive options for sharing unique creations via print and Web. In addition, Adobe today announced Adobe Premiere® Elements 4 software, a complete home video-editing solution (see separate press release). Available separately or together in a single retail package, Photoshop Elements & Adobe Premiere Elements give photo and video enthusiasts more creative ways to organize, edit, create and share digital photos and home movies. “Photoshop Elements is the one-stop-shop for consumers to go faster and farther with their photos,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe. “We’re helping people flex their editing muscle, without breaking a sweat. We’ve redesigned the user experience to more prominently showcase photos, direct consumers to features that help turn photos from good to great in just seconds and inject a dynamic element into their creations.” Make Photos Look Their Best Photoshop Elements software helps enthusiasts achieve desired results quickly and easily. New Photomerge® technology helps address the challenge of capturing the perfect group photo by combining the best facial expressions and body language from a series of shots to create a single cohesive group shot. The new Quick Selection Tool reduces a once time-consuming select-and-adjust task to a single click. Photographers at all grades – beginner to expert – can choose from one of three edit modes, each geared toward a different experience level. A new Guided Edit mode helps walk users through the steps of improving a photo. Photoshop Elements 6 streamlines editing with clean, uncluttered screens that draw focus to where it belongs, with new tabs providing simple access to the many capabilities of the program. Tight integration with Adobe Premiere Elements and a shared Organizer, with a common database New Photoshop Elements Packs Powerful Editing Punch accessible from either application, allow users to do more with their photos and videos with speedy performance and easy import, tagging and retrieval tasks. Additional enhancements include an improved conversion tool that dramatically converts color images into elegant, nuanced black-and-whites. Share Photos In Fun, Unique Ways Photoshop Elements 6 offers users more creative sharing possibilities, including online galleries based on Adobe Flash® which provide an interactive experience for friends and family to enjoy. With a variety of settings and themes, these galleries can be easily accessed via the Web and help bring moments and memories to life. Animated slideshows, e-mail and printed creations available in Photoshop Elements such as photo books, scrapbook pages, cards and CD/DVD labels deliver high-impact sharing options, and also require no previous experience. Pricing and Availability Adobe’s digital imaging and digital video products are available immediately at www.adobe.com and online retailers including, Amazon.com. The products will also be available at Best Buy, Staples, Costco, Fry’s, Circuit City, Office Max, Office Depot, Microcenter, J&R, Buy.com and NewEgg.com. Photoshop Elements 6 and Adobe Premiere Elements 4 for Windows are available separately for an estimated street price of US$99.99 each. Photoshop Elements for the Macintosh platform is expected in early 2008. Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 & Adobe Premiere Elements 4 for Windows is available as a bundle at an estimated street price of US$149.99. Information about the other language versions, as well as pricing, upgrade and support policies for other countries is available on www.adobe.com/go/pse6. For more information, customers can call 1-800-492-3623. *Source: The NPD Group (April 2002 to March 2007) based on units sold.