Update: As of 29 June 2009, Flow is now shipping. To order a copy at a special dekeOnline discount, go to gridironflow.com/deke.

Forgive our relative lack of blogging this week. But between Photoshop World and the pre-announcement of CS4, Colleen and I have been maxed to the gills. (Is that the right phrase? I ask b/c it doesn't make any damn sense. Even so, you know what I mean.)

Regardless of how busy we are, things are afoot. For example, if you hold your ear to the ground closely you can hear, just below the thunderous approach of CS4 (think T-rex), a softer but more animated advancement (3 or 4 velociraptors) that I'm thinking might be every bit as exciting. That softer sound is Gridiron Flow.

One of the most ambitious applications I've witnessed in years, Flow stands poised to be that one killer non-Adobe app that every designer cannot live without. (And I don't say that lightly. We designers can live without food, family, sleep, friends . . . just about everything.) Read more » 

Hey kids,

Per CW's post, we can tell you that Creative Suite 4 is on the horizon. But now it appears that there's more we can share.

In the interest of aggregating (if not breaking) the story: Read more » 

Well, kids, we finally get to say the name of the next version of Photoshop. Adobe announced early this week, and Adobe VP John Loiacono reiterated during the Photoshop World Keynote, that the next version of Creative Suite will indeed adopt the number 4 and not "next," "5," or "big toe." In fact, Adobe also announced that they will be announcing CS4 on September 23. There will be more details to follow about that launch date soon, and we'll be sure to keep you posted here in dekeTopia.

Meanwhile, what specific features for the next version of Photoshop did we get to see at Photoshop World? The Adobe Team isn't showing us much at the moment. Interestingly, Johnny L did demo a feature referred to as "Seam Carving" which applies a similar effect to the one Deke discussed in the Stretching Podcast and its followup article. This feature allows you to selectively scale only certain parts of an image, sort of removing and stretching and smooshing to effectively leave behind only the parts of the image you want. Apparently, it helps you make your VW van more economical and easy to park.

Adobe VP John "Johnny L" Loiacono demos seam carving and how Photoshop CS4 will help you find a parking space at the Photoshop World Las Vegas 2008 Keynote.

  Read more » 

I had too much Las Vegas last night, so I'm only giving five reasons why the new dekePod, Spirograph on Steroids, might just be my favorite.

Number 5) I hadn't read the script or been present at the taping, so it was all minty fresh goodness to my brain.

Number 4) My parents are math (Dad) and physics (Mom) geeks, so spirographs (along with mobius strips and liquid nitrogen) were part of my childhood culture.

Number 3) Deke makes a timely chicken gesture.

Number 2) My 12-year old son loved it. Yes, I know it says not for children, but a little supervised subversion results in a 7th grader bandying the term hypotrochoid.

And the number one reason I love this dekePod...

Number 1) Two Words: Spiro Agnew

Also: "What are you, a penguin?" Read more »