Apple just released Aperture 2.0.1,. This is great and all, but is it so hard to tell me exactly what was fixed?! Descriptions like these are so insulting and simply not useful at all:
The Aperture 2.0.1 Update addresses issues related to performance and overall stability. It also fixes a number of other minor issues. The update is recommended for all Aperture 2 users.
Come on Apple, some of us actually care what specific fixes we can expect from upgrading.
Update: Seems I spoke too soon. Apple has now posted a link to the Aperture 2.0.1 Update page, which has a link to page with more details about the changes found on 2.0.1.
The update includes fixes that impact the following areas:
- Upgrading libraries from earlier versions of Aperture
- Publishing .Mac Web Gallery albums
- Preview generation and deletion
- Creating and ordering books
- AppleScript support
- Keyboard shortcut customization
- Appearance of metadata overlays in the Browser, Filmstrip, and on light tables
- Watermarking of emailed photos
- Highlight Hot and Cold Areas
It also fixes a number of other minor issues, some involving the following areas:
- Loupe
- Smart Albums
- All Projects View
- Straighten Tool
- Filmstrip
- Drag and drop import
- Thumbnail generation
- Import window
- Export plug-in reliability
Even though I was dead wrong about its release a the 2008 PMA, it was indeed being “held back” until the release of Mac OS X 10.5.2. Apple released the 10.5.2 last night, and shockingly enough released Aperture 2.0 this morning. Coincidence? I think not!
Aperture 2.0 seems like one solid release that addresses most (if not all) the requests that have been topics of heated debates on the message boards. A true “upgrade” (not a mere “update”), just as promised by Joe Schorr (Sr. Product Manager, Photo Applications at Apple) on his Apple discussion board posting back in 01/30/08. With over 100 (I’m just now reading #5, only 95 more to go!) new features it is sure to not disappoint all those who have been waiting for what seems to be an eternity for this upgrade.
The other great thing about Aperture 2.0 is that Apple has lowered the price by $100 to $199, making this one of the most affordable prosumer applications they offer. Obviously this is meant to make it much more attractive than Adobe’s Lightroom, which still retails for $299.
Those of you out there who recently purchased Aperture 1.5 (between 01/01/08 – 03/14/08) you can upgrade to Aperture 2.0 for only $9.95. I think Apple should make that a free upgrade since you already paid $100 more than the new version costs, but that’s just my opinion.
The 2008 PMA photography show starts tomorrow, January 31st, and seeing I’m so good at predictions (NOT!) here’s what I see happening by tomorrow:
- Mac OS X 10.5.2
- Aperture 2.0 (or at least 1.6)
My reasons for thinking this is happening are simple and obvious, mixed with a whole lotta hope. Here are the facts:
So there you have it. There are some seriously pissed-off Nikon D3/D300 users out there and Apple has been rather mum about the whole thing, suspiciously mum if you ask me. I find it hard to believe that Apple simply doesn’t care, nor do I believe Apple would bother going to the 2008 PMA with nothing new to show.
I’ll be extremely surprised, and disappointed, if neither of my predictions come true by the time the show opens its doors tomorrow morning.