Autodesk introduced Flame Premium 2011, a high-end solution for 3D visual effects creation, editorial finishing and real-time color grading. Flame Premium combines the latest 2011 Extension 1 releases of Autodesk Flame, Autodesk Smoke Advanced and Autodesk Lustre software into a single offering, designed to help post-production companies expand and diversify their creative services more cost-effectively. Flame Premium is being launched at a price substantially less than the cost of purchasing licenses of these products individually - new U.S. customers can purchase Flame Premium software for as little as $129,000 US, not including hardware. In addition, new cross-grade pricing offers some Autodesk creative finishing customers (who own current version of at least one of the following products: Flame, Smoke Advanced or Lustre) potential savings of up to 85 percent. Autodesk Flame Premium 2011, the 2011 Extension 1 releases of Flame, Flare, Flint, Inferno, and Smoke Advanced will be available tomorrow and the Smoke 2011 for Mac OS X Subscription Advantage Pack software will be available later this month. [source]

The GPU-based rendering tool V-Ray RT GPU by Chaos Group is now in public beta. The GPU version of the interactive rendering engine V-Ray RT for 3ds Max allows up to 30 times faster rendering times and real-time interaction with the virtual environment within the 3ds Max. After the beta period, the V-Ray RT GPU will become part of V-Ray 2.0 to deliver a complete and powerful rendering solution for the demanding requirements of every production pipeline. The public beta is open for all current users of V-Ray RT; if you are one of them, apply here. [source]

At the IBC 2010 Conference and Exhibition, Adobe announced the availability of Adobe Flash Media Server 4 software, its premier Windows- and Linux-based solution for streaming video and real-time communication. With this release, Adobe introduces three new versions: Flash Media Streaming Server 4 (for small- to medium-sized customers), Flash Media Interactive Server 4 (new IP multicast and live packaging with HTTP Dynamic Streaming for superior playback quality across the broadest range of platforms and devices) and Flash Media Enterprise Server 4 (large-scale video streaming and social applications), the first release to enable peer-assisted networking, with Real Time Media Flow Protocol (RTMFP), drastically reducing bandwidth usage. Adobe Flash Media Streaming Server 4 is offered at $995 US, and Flash Media Interactive Server 4 is priced at $4,500 US; Flash Media Enterprise Server 4 pricing can be quoted by contacting Adobe. Trial versions and development tools can be found on products' respective web pages (click links above). [source]

Red Giant Software released Magic Bullet Suite 10, a collection of eight plug-in applications for professional color correction, enhancement, and film output in Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Apple Final Cut Pro. Magic Bullet Suite 10 includes full support for 64-bit systems and Adobe Creative Suite 5 as well as three new products: Magic Bullet Denoiser, Magic Bullet PhotoLooks, and Magic Bullet Grinder. For more information on features, watch the video demonstrations. Magic Bullet Suite is available for $799 US, existing customers can upgrade for $99 US. Magic Bullet Denoiser is also available separately for $99 US. Register here to download separate demo versions of all the included plug-ins... [source]

Boris FX, developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, released Final Effects Complete 6 AE (FEC 6 AE). FEC 6 AE brings over 110 designer effects and transitions to Mac OS and Windows versions of Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro CS5, CS4, and CS3. The new release features support for native After Effects lights (pictured, top), on-screen overlay control widgets for streamlined workflow, audio-driven keyframe generation, and a new Compare Mode feature to compare the filtered result with the unfiltered source via either a side-by-side or live split-screen view (more on new features). Each Final Effects Complete filter has also been re-engineered for 64-bit operating systems. Final Effects Complete 6 AE is available for an MSRP of $895 US, owners of previous versions of FEC AE may upgrade for an MSRP of $295 US. Register here to download the trial version. [source]

Adobe After Effects CS5 update version 10.0.1 provides a number of critical stability fixes, incl. OpenGL problems, Sony XCAM Transfer application import glitches, RAM Preview errors and more. Adobe recommends every user install this update. There are two versions of the update: if you installed After Effects CS5 from a disc (DVD), use the "Retail DVD" version of the update, in case of a downloaded file installation, use the "Electronic Download" version. Downloads: Adobe After Effects CS5 10.0.1 Electronic Download for Mac OS X / Windows; Adobe After Effects CS5 10.0.1 Retail DVD for Mac OS X / Windows. [source]

Native Instruments released five new plug-in products for music creation: the modal synthesizer REAKTOR PRISM, the studio reverb REFLEKTOR, the organ emulation VINTAGE ORGANS, the effect suite TRAKTOR'S 12 and the amp emulation RAMMFIRE. All products are based on the powerful technology of KONTAKT, REAKTOR and GUITAR RIG, and can be used both within the full versions and the free player versions of these instruments (more). The five new instruments and effects are now available, either individually (RAMMFIRE $59 US / 49 EUR, REAKTOR PRISM $79 US / 69 EUR, REFLEKTOR $119 US / 99 EUR, TRAKTOR'S 12 $79 US / 69 EUR, VINTAGE ORGANS $119 / 99 EUR) or as a part of the new KOMPLETE 7 bundle ($559 US / 499 EUR). [source]

Google released version 8 of its 3D modeling software SketchUp for Mac OS X and Windows. Google SketchUp 8 comes with built-in Google Maps for adding geo-locations to models; accurate 3D terrain data for added geo-locations; enhanced Match Photo functionality for tracing photographs to build a model; DWG/DXF 2010 support (Pro version only); and more. Google SketchUp is free, SketchUp Pro adds several professional features for $495 US / 430 EUR per license. Upgrades to SketchUp Pro 8 are 83 EUR. [source]

Prime Focus Software, the R&D arm of Prime Focus, announces the release of Krakatoa 1.6, the company's production-proven volumetric particle rendering, manipulation and management toolkit for 3ds Max that creates believable natural phenomena like dust, smoke, silt, ocean surface foam, plasma and even solid objects. Version 1.6 features improved performance; a dedicated Shadow Generator, compatible with other 3ds Max renderers; advanced FumeFX conversion to particles workflow and support for FumeFX 2.0 and Thinking Particles 4; support for dedicated render elements that utilize the 3ds Max Render Elements management system; and more. The price of one standard bundle of Krakatoa including one workstation and two render nodes is listed at $995 US plus $248.75 US for the first year of support and upgrades. An evaluation version can be downloaded from this location. [source]

MAXON Computer, German developer of professional 3D software, announced the immediate availability of CINEMA 4D Release 12, the next generation of its highly-acclaimed professional 3D application for Windows and Mac OS X systems. Release 12 boasts dozens of new productivity enhancing features including improved rendering with Linear Workflow, Color Profiles and IES Lights, enhanced rigid body dynamics based on the Bullet engine, new deformers for modifying objects based on a low-poly cage or within the screen space, and superior character animation capabilities including a powerful, integrated pose-mixing and morphing system (CINEMA 4D Studio only).

The CINEMA 4D Release 12 product line includes new editions, as well as an upgrade to BodyPaint 3D, MAXON's painting and texture application, as follows: CINEMA 4D Prime (core professional 3D graphics package), CINEMA 4D Broadcast (now includes features of the previous MoGraph module, GI rendering and an extensive library of objects, materials and presets), CINEMA 4D Visualize (includes all features of the previous Architecture and Engineering Editions - Advanced Render, Sketch and Toon and NET Render 3 modules plus extensive object and material libraries), CINEMA 4D Studio (the most comprehensive CINEMA 4D edition includes all available features), BodyPaint 3D Release 12 (3D Painting, Texturing and UV Editing). A Product Comparison Chart is available on the MAXON web site. MAXON will no longer be offering individual modules for purchase. Demo versions are available here (requires registration).
[source]