New Adobe Premiere and Photoshop Elements

Not everyone has time to master a comprehensive suite of photo and video editing software, so Adobe has updated its line of user-friendly Elements software packages.

Adobe refreshed its offering of novice-friendly media editing software with the release two new versions of its Elements line on Monday. Photoshop Elements 6 and Premiere Elements 4 offer non-expert users easy ways to produce slick photos and videos, respectively.

Updates to Photoshop Elements include a streamlined interface and reworked Organizer tool to speed performance and make importing, tagging and retrieving easier. The all-new Photomerge tool allows users to pick and choose the best individual faces from a series of group photos and merge them all together to create the best combination. Selection can be performed in one click the new Quick Selection Tool. To allow for more flexibility for more experienced users, Adobe has also included the ability to switch between three different editing modes from beginner to expert, each with different options.

Premiere Elements 4 gets the same new Organizer found in Photoshop Elements, for sorting and keeping track of videos more easily. Once users select various clips for a movie, they can string them all together automatically using Adobe’s event or style-based themes. A new audio mixer gives heightened control of relative volumes with a recording-studio-style soundboard. Adding background music is also even easier, since Premiere Elements will automatically detect the tempo of the musical soundtrack and sync the beginning and end of each scene with the beats.

Both software packages are available immediately from Adobe and retail stores for $99.99 apiece. A bundle with both runs for $149.99. Photoshop Elements 6 isn’t yet available for the Mac, but Adobe predicts it will be out by early 2008.