Park City, Utah - January 29, 2007 -- Chronos LC today announced the release of SOHO Labels & Envelopes 2.0, "The easiest way to design and print professional labels, envelopes, and more". This new version includes a completely revamped interface and 14+ MAJOR new features to make it easier than ever to achieve stunning results. According to Robert McCullough, V.P. of Development at Chronos, "Version 2 is the most comprehensive software package for label and envelope creation on the Macintosh. It eliminates the headaches typically associated with printing these items and this new version breaks new ground in the 'ease-of-use' department."
GROUNDBREAKING EASY-OF-USE
SOHO Labels & Envelopes 2.0 takes ease-of-use to a new level for professionals and novices alike. The new streamlined interface is remarkably simple and clutter-free to help users unleash their creative alter ego. Five major innovations contribute in this regard:
1) NEW! Smart Inspector. Most professional design applications are cluttered with intimidating inspectors all over the screen. The new Smart Inspector appears only when needed and is context-sensitive so users only see the tools they currently need. Plus, the Smart Inspector positions itself conveniently close to the work at hand so users don't need to waste time mousing around the screen.
2) NEW! Project Wizard. The new Project Wizard makes it easy to see and choose exactly the kind of project the user wishes to create. Detailed previews of blank label stocks and optional ready-made designs eliminate any guess-work.
3) NEW! Favorites Bin. The new Favorites Bin makes it easy for users to store and re-use designer graphics and shape artwork that they have created. Favorites can be organized into unlimited collections and are saved in a high-performance database for quick access.
4) NEW! Text Bin. The new Text Bin makes it easy for users to define, store, and re-use common text styles like titles, headings, captions, address text, etc.
5) NEW! Single Window Interface. The interface has been streamlined to fit in a single window. There aren't any drawers that pop out and unexpectedly change the overall width of the window.
SOPHISTICATED DESIGN TOOLS FOR EVERYONE
SOHO Labels & Envelopes 2.0 includes new design tools that were once available only in high-end graphic design applications. These sophisticated features are so easy-to-use that anyone can create labels, envelopes, and letterhead that look like they were professionally designed.
1) NEW! Object Grouping. Graphics, text, and shapes can now be grouped together as a single object that can be moved, resized, and rotated as a single entity.
2) NEW! Unlimited Layers. Artwork can now be placed on an unlimited number of layers including the standard Foreground and Background layers. Layers help organize design elements and make it easier to avoid disturbing unintended objects. Layers can be duplicated, merged, and rearranged. Plus, users can show and hide layers to quickly compare several variations of the same design.
3) NEW! 100+ Super-Masks. Super-masks take regular masks one step forward by giving the user fine control over how the mask is applied to an image. Super-masks let the user control the position of the mask, the size of the mask (doesn't have to be the same as the image size), the softness of the mask, the rotation of the mask, and whether the mask should be reversed. Further, the masking doesn't permanently alter the image so the mask can be changed at any time.
4) NEW! 30+ Special Effects. Over 30 special effects like Sepia, Gaussian Blur, Sparkle, and more in 8 different categories (Photo Effects, Color, Blur, Distortion, Stylize, Lighting, Tile, Halftone) can be applied to an image. The effects don't permanently alter the image so the special effects can be changed at any time. Plus, multiple effects can be applied at once for some truly eye-catching designs.
5) NEW! Photo Fine-Tuning. Quickly and easily adjust the brightness, contrast, sharpness, exposure, and more of any photo without permanently altering the photo.
6) NEW! Photo Cropping. Users can now easily crop photos to the aspect ratio of their choice. They can also use any shape or even text to crop the photo. The crop can be dynamically moved and resized at any time without permanently altering the original image.
7) NEW! Crop Zooming. Users can now zoom the image in a crop while they're performing the crop. This useful feature makes it possible to make the image in a crop a little bigger or smaller without starting over.
8) NEW! Grid Overlay or Underlay. Object placement on the design canvas is often easier with a grid present. Now users can choose to have the grid appear above all of the artwork or behind all of the artwork for precise object placement. This new grid option and the optional snap-to-grid feature makes it easy to align design elements for precise control.
9) NEW! Lock & Unlock Objects. Users can now easily lock a graphic, shape, or text on the design canvas so it can't be accidentally moved or deleted. Locks are available on a per-layer basis.
10) NEW! Perspective Tool. The perspective tool lets users easily distort a two dimensional image to give the impression of depth.
11) NEW! Arrow Smart Shapes. Users can now easily create arrows of any size and proportion including one-way and two-way arrows.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
SOHO Labels & Envelopes is a complete kit and includes everything the user needs to design and print impressive labels, envelopes, and even letterhead. It comes with a) 13,000+ designer-quality photographs, photos of objects and vector clip art images; b) 50 Bitstream® commercial-grade fonts so users can obtain the perfect look for their branding; c) a stunning collection of matching label, envelope, and letterhead sets; and d) 100+ super-masks. SOHO Labels & Envelopes is compatible with over 1,500 popular label and envelope stocks including those from Avery®, PaperDirect®, DYMO®, APLI, Formtec and more.
SOHO Labels & Envelopes can produce address labels, envelopes, letterhead, zip disk labels, audio tapes, file folder labels, floppy disk labels, color coding labels, video labels, automated labels, multi-use labels, name badge labels, permanent ID labels, warning labels, product labels, inventory barcode labels, name tags, gift tags, and office equipment labels. Users may print their designs on virtually any inkjet, laser or color laser printer including DYMO Labelwriters.
Users can easily add POSTNET, PLANET, U.K. Royal Mail, and Japan Post barcodes to envelopes and address labels to expedite shipping and ensure proper delivery. Users may also choose from over 11 industry barcodes for inventory and equipment labels including UPC A, UPC E, EAN-13, EAN-8 , Industrial 2 of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5, Modified Plessey, Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Code 128, and Codabar.
A powerful automatic numbering or serial number feature can be used to create raffle and admission tickets or to create numbered groups of shipping cartons such as Carton 1 of 3, Carton 2 of 3, etc.
AVAILABILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Chronos believes users should have the opportunity to try the software for free before they purchase. A fully functional 30 day trial version can be downloaded from Chronos' web site at <www.chronosnet.com>. SOHO Labels & Envelopes has been attractively priced at $39.99 and is available directly from Chronos and soon from popular resellers including the Apple Stores.
SOHO Labels & Envelopes requires Mac OS X v10.4 or later; 40MB of available disk space (1.2GB for full clip art collection); DVD-ROM drive for installation; inkjet or laser printer optional (great results from popular inkjet, laser, color laser printers including HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, et cetera). Universal Binary (for PowerPC and Intel processors).
COMPANY INFORMATION
Chronos has been developing award-winning Macintosh software since 1993 and is based in Park City, Utah, home of the 2002 Winter Games.
PR CONTACT
marketing@chronosnet.com
