Description:
Designed to make quick work of complicated print projects, The Print Shop for Mac does what it claims and does it well. Whether you want to make signs for a garage sale, pamphlets for an organization, or even personalized Post-It notes, The Print Shop features a toolbox full of options. Pair it with a digital camera, and buying greeting cards could quickly become a thing of the past. Getting started is simple. Installation is brief and straightforward. This version is compatible with Mac OS X; however, the software runs in the Classic Mac environment. Upon launching the program you're given a menu of 15 project options--calendars, business cards, banners, etc.--including a blank-page option to make whatever you want. Before diving into a creation, head to the help menu. There you'll find easy-to-follow directions for developing your projects and understanding the software tools and interface. The lack of a printed user's manual is a disappointment, but an electronic version is included in the software. The Print Shop includes thousands of graphics and images to be used in your projects. All are broken down into various categories and are searchable by name, keyword, or subject. And if you can't find what you need, you can always import it from somewhere else. This is particularly nice if you want to use your own photos in a design. The new, integrated photo editor helps you clean up images a bit before you use them, as well. Basic functions include crop, rotate, color adjustment, and dust and scratch removal. It even corrects red eye so your dog doesn't look like a demon. Other new features include an address book, photo frames, quotes and verses to add to your works, and text tools. A 3-D headline tool has been added, too. Use one of the ready-made designs or custom-build a headline using a variety of shape, proportion, color, and outline effects. Plus, a preview box lets you see your creation before it's part of your project. Simplicity is key to The Print Shop for Mac. While there are certainly more powerful page layout programs on the market, the learning curves are considerably steeper. The Print Shop really does allow you to easily complete a variety of print projects in minutes. --Joshua Goldman
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