Photoshop is undoubtedly the most well-known image editor for both PC and Mac, yet it is often too large, expensive, and complex for the average user’s day-to-day tasks. One of the simpler and cheaper applications for the mac is Acorn from Flying Meat Software.

Acorn’s interface is composed of an editing canvas and tools box. The editing canvas will be a familiar sight to anyone who uses Photoshop, for it holds the same purpose of holding the document you’re working on. The tools box allows you to choose such functions as move, select, draw, erase, flood fill, gradient, text, shape, and choose foreground/background colors. You will also find the layers section in the tools box.

Along with the basic capabilities provided in the tools box, Acorn also allows for applying filters, colors & level adjustments, a screenshot assistant, brush designer, and many web export options. You can even build on Acorn by developing plugins using the Python and Objective-C scripting languages.

Compared to Photoshop CS4, Acorn holds its own very well. It loads faster, is quick to learn, and helps you accomplish tasks quicker. Sure, there are many functions that Acorn lacks from Photoshop or any of the other high-end editors, but in my day to day tasks, Acorn takes care of about 95% of my needs. Plus, at $50, the price can’t be beat.

If you’re considering taking the plunge to purchase Photoshop because you want to get into image editing, I’d encourage you to try out Acorn first. It’s a lot less frustrating and complicated to pick up, and it comes with a free trial. Find out more by visiting the Flying Meat website.

The Associated Press is an international news agency famous for their wire stories. Now, they are one of the forerunners in bringing native news applications to the iPhone with their app, AP Mobile.

One of the coolest aspects to AP Mobile is that it allows you to customize the news that you see on the front page. You can choose which sections are visible and the order that they are displayed. Of course, other sections are visible by going to the ‘Categories’ tab and drilling down to the specified content.

The Associated Press also pulls in local news stories and weather. You can either input your zip code or have it use the iPhone’s location services. In fact, you can even add multiple zip codes for even more information.

AP Mobile also comes feature-rich for sharing stories and information. For instance, you can share a story by text message, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, or Evernote. If you want, AP Mobile also allows you to save and rate stories on a 5-star scale. Introduced with the new 3.0 software update, Push Notifications can now be activated to send you breaking news when not accessing AP Mobile directly.

As a news application, AP Mobile is great. It’s a fully customizable experience that will suit the needs of most. Plus, it’s free and worth the download. See it now in the app store.

Here’s a look at this week’s top Apple-related headlines:

• Check iPhone 3GS availability online
• Apple responds to controversy over porn in app store
• White iPhone 3GS overheats, turns colors?
• Javascript benchmarks: iPhone vs.T-Mo G1 vs. Pre
• AppleTV update allows for gestures on Remote app
• iPhone 3GS costs $178.96 in parts?
• Apple updates Time Capsule, Airport firmware, Final Cut Pro
• Steve Jobs had liver transplant, back at Apple?
• New iPod Touch referenced in 3.0
• Macbook Pro and iMac firmware updates released, fixes slower SATA speeds
• Apple sells 1m+ iPhone 3GS in first weekend
• Apple gives $30 iTunes credit for faulty iPhone 3GS activations

This week’s iBAM posts:

• iPhone App Spotlight: Ambiance
• Pilot Episode

Do you wish that you could fall asleep to the sounds of ocean waves, or relax to the soothing tunes of trickling water? Well, with the iPhone and Ambiance Classic, this wish can easily be granted.

There are numerous sounds that can be played, some of which include ‘Coast’, ;City’, ‘Birds – Forest’, ‘Rain – Wind’, and ‘Waterfall’. These noises can be selected and played, or combined for a custom experience.

Timers and Alarms are an additional aspect to Ambiance Classic that allow one to select how long to play the sounds for and when to stop, and even what to do once the effects have stopped. Custom volume controls can also be added for after and during timers.

Ambiance Classic is one of a series of three applications. Ambiance is the second revision that replaced Ambiance Classic, that comes with a new interface, hundreds of new sounds, and many other features. The third version is known as ‘Ambiance Lite’ that is restricted to five sounds.

All three versions of Ambiance are available in the AppStore, for $2.99, $0.99, and free, respectively.

This week’s top Apple-related headlines:

• Steve Jobs had liver transplant two months ago, return to Apple imminent?
• iPhone OS 3.0 fixes 46 security bugs
• AT&T denies $55 additional monthly charge for tethering plan
• Rogers in Canada allows users to tether with iPhones for free until 2010
• AT&T hot-spots now auto-connect in iPhone 3.0
• Apple releases bluetooth, safari updates
• AT&T updates upgrade policy for iPhone 3GS
• iPhone OS 3.0 is now available
• Apple releases help document pertaining to non-Apple devices syncing with iTunes
• Quicktime X supports .flv files?
• Apple releases critical Java update
• Snow Leopard Up-to-date program announced for new Mac purchases
• AT&T won’t charge extra for iPhone MMS
• New 13″ and 15″ Macbook Pros shipping with Slower SATA?

This Week’s iBAM Posts:

• Shovebox: the digital data dumping ground

There is no lack of information retention and note-taking software available to mac users, but one of the emerging players is Shovebox, a new piece of software from WonderWarp.

Unlike some of the other applications available for this purpose, Shovebox acts as a menu bar application, not a program with a huge interface and lives in the dock. There is a window that you can open up for organizing and viewing documents, but many functions can be completed using keyboard shortcuts and the menu bar.

The methodology for Shovebox is also slightly different, as it serves as a dumping ground for information, and aims to make it easy for you to do so. You can import photos, text documents, websites, PDFs, bookmarks, and many other file types. Files are, by default, deposited into the Inbox, which can be then organized into folders, flagged, and labeled with colors.

Shovebox also allows for taking iSight snapshots and writing text files from within the application. In fact, Shovebox is able to ‘quick-jot’ by invoking a keyboard shortcut and writing a quick note. Notes that are created can have comments, keyboard shortcuts, export abilities, formating fonts, and titled.

Luckily, there is also a Shovebox iPhone app. You can read my Macworld review of Shovebox Mobile here. Because Shovebox is relatively simple. it can often be used in conjunction with your current productivity and note-taking system easily. If you’re on the lookout for a replacement to your current note-taking system, Shovebox can be implemented with ease.

It is available for download and purchase on the WonderWarp software. After the 30-day trial, it costs $24.95, while the iPhone app costs about $4.

This Week’s Top Apple Related Stories, Post-WWDC Keynote:

• AT&T Sells out of iPhone 3GS Pre-Orders
• Apple starts seeding Mac OS X 10.5.8
• Safari tops 11m downloads in 3 Days
• Use that SD Card Slot for More
• iPhone 3GS Specs Revealed
• Apple Launching iDisk App with iPhone OS 3.0

This Week’s iBAM Posts:

• Scanning Delicious Library
• WWDC ‘09: What Just Happened

Taking inventory of your possessions can be an immense task, if your faced with entering information into a database or spreadsheet about every product. Luckily, there’s a much more elegant and easier solution in Delicious Library.

With its revolutionary barcode scanning technology, Delicious Library allows one to scan in products using an iSight and have the computer automatically find the information. Items can also be added manually. All the products can then be viewed on virtual shelves, or by list.

The library of items are organized into a series of different groupings, such as ‘Movies’, and ‘Software’. These groups are automatically determined based on the product, but custom shelves can be created for custom groupings. Smart shelves can also be added based on a set of given criteria.

Delicious Library also allows for tracking items as you loan them out. ‘Friends’ can be added to Delicious from the OS X Address Book and their loaned out items can be tracked in iCal.

There’s also functionality within Delicious that allows for exporting to the web. Libraries can be exported to MobileMe, iWeb, using FTP, or to a local folder. The templates generated are beautiful, similar to the interface of the desktop application. Online libraries can also be imported into other users Delicious Libraries under the ‘Friends’ tab. For instance, you can add your friend’s library based on their online MobileMe Delicious Library. Libraries can also be exported to an iPod.

The application is beautifully designed, and works like a dream. If you’re interested in taking inventory of your various items, Delicious is definitely the easiest and slickest way to go. At $40, Delicious Library isn’t cheap, but the functionality provided makes up for it, and many will find the application useful. It can be purchased or downloaded for a free trial from the Delicious Monster website.