Adobe Debuts Free Multimedia App for iPad
Adobe has unveiled Slate, a new tool for iPad that allows students and teachers to produce multimedia presentations that are viewable on any platform.
Slate allows users to combine text and images into template-driven, multi-page interactive documents that offer transition effects, professionally designed typographical themes and photo layouts and cover treatments, all in an HTML5 package that is viewable through all modern browsers.
Adobe piloted the software with a small number of teachers and students. An example of one student's work in Slate (a report on the Grand Canyon) can be viewed below.
As Adobe described it: "Bringing Adobe's unrivaled creative software expertise — across digital imagery, page-layout, typography, and Web design — to a mass audience, Slate is made for anyone who wants to communicate with impact. Students, teachers, non-profit organizations, small business owners or corporate communicators can now turn their next report, newsletter or travel adventure into a document that captures attention. Through professionally designed magazine-style layouts with elegant fonts, beautiful colors and eye-catching motion, Slate content automatically adapts to any device for a high-impact reading experience on tablets, smartphones or computers. Slate creations are links that can be shared easily via text message, email, embedded in websites, or posted on social media channels."
Adobe has also released an update to Adobe Voice, its free storytelling tool for iPad. The new version offers improved text overlays, new font layouts and new motion graphics. It also offers the ability to see how many times a presentation has been viewed, and it includes categorized video examples.
Adobe Slate is available now via iTunes. It requires an iPad 2 or newer running iOS 8. When asked whether an Android version was in the works, Adobe representatives said they were making no announcements about Android at this time. Further details can be found at adobe.com/slate.