CorelDRAW X4 announced
Two years since the impressive X3 release Corel has finally announced the launch of its X4 Suite.
New highlights include:
Live Text Preview - so that you can quickly explore different font choices in situ. And more fonts are included in the package...
Interactive Table Tool for creating grid-based layouts for text and graphics.
Independent Layers meaning that the master page can have separate content layers and the following pages can each have their own content and guide layers
In addition there are a couple of tie-ins with MyFont.com and ConceptShare.com to provide in-built font identification and web-based review and collaboration though the latter in particular proves less interesting than it looks at first sight.
I've been testing X4 out for PC Pro and my review is available at
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/158352/coreldraw-graphics-suite-x4.html
In due course, when the magazine is published, I'll post it here.
The bottom line is that after X3, X4 comes as a disappointment and certainly isn't a must-have upgrade. For new non-professional users though CorelDRAW X4 still has a lot to recommend it most obviously ease of use, general productivity, multipage support and the bundled content and, for some users, the inclusion of Photo-Paint.
Tom Arah is the webmaster of designer-info.com. He has been a professional designer working with computer software since 1987. He also offers training and consultancy and since 1997 has been the contributing editor covering design issues for PC Pro, the UK's biggest-selling (and best) computer monthly.
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I am a professional user of
I am a professional user of Corel and have been for years (from V6). I design for the music and movie industry. Covers, In-store displays and websites. I am always excited when a new version comes around, eager to get my hands on the new features and productivity improvements. So I downloaded the trial of X4 from the Corel site and got stuck into the new features. That took all of ten minutes. What a disappointment, there are so few new features and what is new is of little use. Not only that, but on my systems (all XP) X4 seems to be slower than X3. Needless to say I will be in no hurry to shell out £180 for the upgrade. I think I'll wait for X5.
Murph
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