ascendtraining.com » Training http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog Creative Training for the Creative Professional Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:51:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Exploring Flex 4: One Day Flash Builder Training http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/07/12/exploring-flex-4-one-day-flash-builder-training/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/07/12/exploring-flex-4-one-day-flash-builder-training/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:43:09 +0000 debbie http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=388 Are you looking to see the latest and greatest Flex has to offer? Check out Adobe’s exciting event: Exploring Flex 4! You will get a one day overview and learn the basic fundamentals of working with Flex. The cost of this 1-day training is $199. For more information and registration, please visit: https://registration.mclabs.co/register.asp?m=251&c=18

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/07/12/exploring-flex-4-one-day-flash-builder-training/feed/ 0 The Ascend Experience http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/07/09/the-ascend-experience/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/07/09/the-ascend-experience/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:45:51 +0000 debbie http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=384 Ever wonder what the Ascend Training experience is like? Or what the classroom environment like? Check out our newest YouTube postings! You’ll hear from our owner and instructors about Ascend’s goals and initiatives, plus you can see testimonials from our former students.

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/07/09/the-ascend-experience/feed/ 0 A Visual History of the Photoshop Splash Screen http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/04/26/the-history-of-the-photoshop-splash-screen/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/04/26/the-history-of-the-photoshop-splash-screen/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:25:05 +0000 Jori http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=244 - by Jori Curry

For many of us, Photoshop is a lifestyle, not just a software application. Shockingly enough, Photoshop turns 20 this year making those memories of days without layers a far-off memory (or nightmare). Now in 27 languages, Adobe Photoshop touches the globe.

In 1987 Thomas and John Knoll started coding an application because his Mac Plus had a 1 bit b/w display and couldn’t display grayscale images. The early Adobe Photoshop (called Display) solved the problem and simulated a grayscale image.

In 1998, Thomas and his brother John, who worked at Industrial Light and Magic, began shopping it in Silicon Valley, where it didn’t receive a warm audience, since PixelPaint was already on the market. A company called BarneyScan decided to give it a very small chance, and bundle “Photoshop” with their scanners. Once September 1998 rolled around and the Knoll brothers showed Photoshop to Adobe, and thought it was an excellent companion to the new application “Illustrator.” Adobe had primarily been involved in the print industry until this point,

Photoshop Version 1.0 required a 8MHz Mac and at least 2 MB of RAM. The cost of the first Adobe Photoshop was $1,000. So thank you to Adobe and Russell Brown for having the vision to create a beautiful pixel based world!

Photoshop Version 1 Install Disk

Photoshop precursor .07. On the radio: George Michael - "Father Figure"

Photoshop .87. On the radio: Suzanne Vega - "Luka"

Photoshop v. 1.0.7 released 1990. On the radio: Janet Jackson - "Escapade"

Photoshop 2.0 Alt Screen

Photoshop 2.5 released 1992. On the radio: Whitney Houston-I Will Always Love You

Photoshop version 3.0 released 1993. On the radio: Stereo MC's - "Connected"

Photoshop 4.0 released 1996: On the radio: Los Del Rio - "Macarena"

Photoshop 5.0 released 1998. On the radio: Will Smith - "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It"

Photoshop 6.0 released 2000. On the radio: Train - "Meet Virginia"

Photoshop Version 7.0 released 2002. On the radio: Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out of My Head

Photoshop CS released 2003. On the radio: Fountains of Wayne - Stacy's Mom

Photoshop CS2 released 2005. On the radio: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Photoshop CS3 released 2007. On the radio: Rihanna - Don't Stop the Music

Photoshop CS4 Alt Splash Page released 2007. On the radio: Kid Rock - "All Summer Long"

Photoshop CS4 released 2008. On the radio: Katy Perry - "Hot 'n Cold"

Photoshop CS5 Alt Splash Page released 2010. On the radio: Lady Gaga - "Alejandro"

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/04/26/the-history-of-the-photoshop-splash-screen/feed/ 1 Adobe On The Go (be) http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/02/04/adobe-on-the-go-be/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/02/04/adobe-on-the-go-be/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:46:33 +0000 Blog http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=227 Now you can take Adobe Photoshop with you wherever you go! If you have an iPhone, and Android device, or even a mobile device with Windows Mobile, you can can edit, crop, and color-correct all your images just like you can at home…but you probably already knew this–what’s important is that, now that the iPad is out, we’re all going to be paying a lot more attention to Mobile Versions of things–that is, if the trendsetters at 1 Infinite Loop have again set the trend.

Adobe’s Photoshop Mobile is limited, to be sure, but its basic uses are the same as those used by many Photoshop (regular?) users; as aforementioned you can crop, color, and resize, but you can also make specialized albums, apply certain filters, add nifty effects. Perhaps coolest of all, you can add vignettes and things like “Warm Vintage” to your photos (this makes them look a little like old photos scanned from your parents’ wedding albums, with lots of red and brown and even more contrast).

At my job, we were all wondering (with, I think, good reason) if the Mystery Tablet would run Adobe software–and it will, sort of. This type of mobile approach to high-powered, sophisticated applications is not new, but it does seem to be the trend; stripped-down mobile browsers, mini-players for all sorts of files, and games that run on the (comparatively) itty-bitty screens of mobile devices have become the norm. In the effort to make mobile phones and devices that can do anything a desktop or laptop can do has made it more of a priority than ever for companies like Adobe to go mobile. Photoshop Mobile (cruise over to photoshop.com to check that out, by the way) is a step in the right direction, but where’s my Illustrator Mobile and (dare I suggest it?) Flash Mobile? At Ascend, we’ll teach you how to program for your iPhone, and how to use Photoshop, but isn’t it time we could combine them?

We all wait with baited breath for when we’ll be able to get an email of user requirements, build and code a website with interactive content, and mock up some examples for the client, all on the train from our phones. ‘Till then.

-This Blog sent from my iPhone

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/02/04/adobe-on-the-go-be/feed/ 1 What do you get for the phone who has everything? http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/01/05/what-do-you-get-for-the-phone-who-has-everything/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/01/05/what-do-you-get-for-the-phone-who-has-everything/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:47:34 +0000 Blog http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=220 iphone, rumors, questions, next

What to do next with the coolest phone Ever?

So ok–it’s going to be a while until we get Flash for the iPhone, but I think we can all agree that it’s still pretty cool. The question is: now that you can do almost everything on the iPhone, like getting GPS Driving directions, reading e-books with the Kindle App, checking your email, stock quotes, and weather forecasts, and watching movies…what’s next for this niftiest of devices? I know! NEW APPS for it!

When the iPhone came out in 2007, most users were impressed and pleased with the number of cool applications you could get for it; in fact it’s this that makes the iPhone more of a palmtop computer than strictly a phone–you can load new software and get upgrades just like you can with your laptop or desktop. That said, the idea of WRITING software for the iPhone was, and still is for many, a black box. What’s involved in writing an app for the iPhone? Do you have to learn a new language? Does it mean you have to HAVE a Mac computer…or even own an iPhone?

With the meteoric takeoff of Apple’s App Store, it’s become clear even to the comparative luddite that someone is creating all these apps, and with the iPhone gaining (still!) in popularity, it seems likely that more and more people will learn how–but how?

Well, as far as that goes, there are a couple of ways to get going, but the best we can think of is a class on iPhone Application Development – how to use Objective-C, how to upload and test the apps, and how to get the most out of what you create.

Since the much-touted PastryKit is only a theory at this point, and since it’s gotten even easier to market new Apps with all the upgrades to the App Store, we think now is a fantastic time to start learning to program for what is STILL the coolest phone out there…and what can only be made cooler by a new app…by You!

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2010/01/05/what-do-you-get-for-the-phone-who-has-everything/feed/ 1 Pay-Per-iView…Apple to get into the digital TV biz? http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/12/22/pay-per-iview-apple-to-get-into-the-digital-tv-biz/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/12/22/pay-per-iview-apple-to-get-into-the-digital-tv-biz/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:50:59 +0000 Blog http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=208 In November, it was leaked that Apple may be getting into bed with a few of TV’s major networks to begin offering a paid, subscription-based package of digital content using Apple TV. Apparently, for a tithe of about $30, subscribers will get to watch whatever they want using Apple’s existing network of streaming and downloadable content through iTunes. The latest seems to be that no major networks have agreed so far, but the larger question is: can Apple really compete with the likes of Comcast, AT&T, and DirectTV?

Not many people got really excited about the Apple TV when it came out; for sure, not enough people bought it for it to come down in price along with the rest of Apple’s line. Among the issues it carried in the door were enormous updates to install right out of the box, incompatibilities with various TV sets, and wildly variable streaming speeds. Nevertheless, their sales since then increased exponentially, and now it’s not that hard to conceive of a widely-used, Apple-based system for watching TV the way we already do. We’ll be watching to see which, if any, of the big networks sign on to become part of the new Apple TV Paid subscription system–and who signs up.

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/12/22/pay-per-iview-apple-to-get-into-the-digital-tv-biz/feed/ 0 Cloud Computing then and now; a look at how far we’ve come http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/12/11/cloud-computing-then-and-now-a-look-at-how-far-weve-come/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/12/11/cloud-computing-then-and-now-a-look-at-how-far-weve-come/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:23:07 +0000 Blog http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=197 About a year ago (specifically last February), “Cloud Computing” was a fairly new techno-buzzword. In fact, when Jori blogged about it then, we got a fair few comments asking what it was. At the time, the “cloud” was a nebulous thing true to its name; when something went into the electronic “cloud,” just where was it going and how were you supposed to get it back?

For those who don’t know: the “Cloud” is the general name for the dynamic, functional space on the internet (so on servers all over the world) where data can be stored and accessed by anyone through the web. Think of your Gmail account; your messages live online somewhere, and when you log into Gmail to get them, you go out to the web instead of the messages coming to you. The same functionality can be applied anywhere, and we see it being used more all the time. Apple’s MobileMe (formerly .Mac) essentially rents subscribers a chunk of space on Apple’s servers to post photos, host a website, send and receive email, etc. Practically, the user doesn’t really do anything she or he didn’t already; you still put in a username and password and there’s your stuff, whatever it is–the difference is that all of that stuff used to have to be on a hard drive somewhere, and now it’s in the aether, floating around between computers, easy to access but impossible to locate-and for some, this is troubling.

But not everyone sees it that way; many respected institutions including universities, government agencies, and even corporations are beginning to see Cloud Computing as a way not just to maximize investment but a way to reach more people. In September of this year, the White House announced a multi-billion-dollar initiative aimed at streamlining the transition of much of its data into “cloud-accessible” form. Even NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) uses the Cloud, and in a way that would have been impossible without the architecture built by Google, IBM, Apple and others; Satellite data from multiple government agencies are aggregated together in “constellations”, or mini-clouds, so that anyone behind the firewall can see it all at once.

Speaking of making our jobs easier, I’d love to mention the success we’ve had at Ascend using Adobe’s Acrobat Connect, which in addition to being incredibly cool (think of a Wiki, only everyone can work on it at the same time), is incredibly useful. Ascend uses Acrobat Connect to hold online training sessions on Adobe’s own software–so now, thanks to the “Cloud” in which the class data and all the various users’ information can be temporarily housed, students in London can tune in and take a Photoshop class with students in Phoenix, which is good news, since most companies are going global faster than we can keep up.

Personally, I think the Cloud is awesome; I use MobileMe and Gmail for my email, PhotoBucket to share photos, and YouTube to express myself and get my daily dose of entertainment–but you know what? For the moment, I’m still making back-ups of it all on my external hard drive, and that sits on my desk…so I can keep an eye on it. Know what I mean?

For further reading:

White House unveils cloud computing initiative

Microsoft’s Azure

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/12/11/cloud-computing-then-and-now-a-look-at-how-far-weve-come/feed/ 0 Adobe Online Training Classes http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/05/07/117/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/05/07/117/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 16:29:54 +0000 admin http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/?p=117 online-press-release999- by Jori Curry…

In addition to our hands-on classes, Ascend is now offering Adobe training online by Adobe Authorized instructors. Ascend is dedicated to providing companies a convenient, cost-effective training solution, and the Adobe Online division of Ascend Training offers an affordable and results-driven online solution.

Using Adobe Acrobat Connect, students interact with the instructor online for a user-friendly, interactive experience. Students can ask questions, and interact with both the instructor and the rest of the class. Benefits to Online Training: Live, interactive experience with Adobe Authorized Instructors,Elimination of travel costs, Delivered on a Macintosh or Windows platform.

Upcoming Online Training Dates:

Online: Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Level 1, Beginner to Intermediate
Jun 17 – 19
Jul 29 – 31
Sep 30 – Oct 2

Online: Adobe Flash CS4 Level 1, Beginner to Intermediate
Jun 24 – 26
Jul 22 – 24
Sep 16 – 18

Online: Adobe Flash CS4 Level 2, Actionscript 3.0
Aug 26 – 28

Online: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Level 1, Beginner to Intermediate
Jun 11 – 12
Aug 20 – 21

Online: Adobe InDesign CS4 Level 1, Beginner to Intermediate
Jun 29 – 30
Sep 21 – 22

Online: Adobe InDesign for Quark Users Level 1
Jul 27 – 28

Online: Premiere Pro CS4 Level 1, Beginner to Intermediate
Sep 9 – 11

Online: Adobe Flex 3 – Developing Rich Client Applications, Beginner to Intermediate
Aug 10 – 12

Online: Adobe Illustrator CS4 Level 1, Beginner to Intermediate
Aug 5 – 6
Nov 9 – 10

]]> http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/05/07/117/feed/ 0 The 5 Top Reasons to Upgrade to Acrobat 9 http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/03/12/the-5-top-reasons-to-upgrade-to-acrobat-9/ http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/03/12/the-5-top-reasons-to-upgrade-to-acrobat-9/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:08:19 +0000 Gretchen http://www.ascendtraining.com/blog/2009/03/12/the-5-top-reasons-to-upgrade-to-acrobat-9/ Have you upgraded to Acrobat 9 yet? Here are the five top reasons to upgrade: 
  •  
    • Improved Interface and faster performance
    • Close integration of Flash for better electronic/interactive documents
    • Simplified Forms interface and tools
    • Easy built-in on-line collaboration with co-workers and customers
    • Improved security and redactment features

Acrobat 9 is one of the most impressive upgrades of a single product that we have seen in a long time. Visit Adobe’s Acrobat site to see an impressive demo of the software in action! 

Ascend’s two day Acrobat 9 Adobe Certified workshop will show you how to take advantage of all the new features and put Acrobat 9 to work for you.

A few of the topics that will be covered are: 

    • How to create electronic/interactive documents that improve your corporate images and customer relations
    • How to create and  send forms quickly and easily
    • How to send out forms electronically and collect data automatically
    • How to share doscuments with co-workers and customers online
    • How to set up on-line meetings and workflows
    • How to embed Flash video in PDFs and your Web pages with a simple click of the mouse

  

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