Version 3.9.0 of the free App Studio Issue Previewer is now available at the iTunes store. (App Studio Issue Previewer is the iPad app that lets you preview apps you make with App Studio.)

According iTunes, here’s what’s new:

What’s New in Version 3.9.0

New features:
- Predictive searching – search results update as you type
- History navigation buttons – navigate back through the pages you visited
- Ability to show/hide the status bar of the previewer app. This allows users who design fullscreen content to test appropriately using this app

Bug fixes:
- External Video links now open correctly on the iPhone
- Ability to swipe between pages when in accessibility mode
- Bug with logging in and out of the app resolved
- Bug with updated issue notifications resolved
- Minor bugs with bookmarking resolved
- Minor bugs with notes resolved
- Other minor bugs resolved

Responding to requests from users, Quark has added powerful new features to their free DesignPad App for iPad. In addition, a new “Pro” version adds direct PDF output, wireless printing, and Dropbox integration. These new features are in addition to all the previous improvements to the original release.

See their announcement below for details:

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Quark’s DesignPad iPad App Now Offers Even More Design Functionality Plus Direct PDF Output, AirPrint and Dropbox Integration

Users Can Download Version 1.5 for Free and Opt to Unlock the Pro Feature Pack for only $9.99

DENVER, CO – April 4, 2013 – Quark announced today a new update to DesignPad^TM, the app developed to help creative people explore design while giving professional designers a way to concept and start projects from an iPad. The updated version offers all DesignPad users even more of the design and production functionality found in professional layout tools.

With the free update, all users will have access to more design flexibility, more preference options, and more ways to bring their creativity to life. The update includes:

• Box Adjustments: Move, resize, delete and change the order of boxes with new controls
• Shadow Color: Use the color picker to change shadow color from default black
• Text Outlines: Add outlines to text and set color and thickness preferences to outlines
• Blank Document: Opt to remove all boxes in the starting layout with the tap of one button
• Improved Performance and Responsiveness: Control value settings precisely with Smart Sliders and faster layout updates
• Undo/Redo: Revert to the last captured state and redo if desired
• Switch Box Types: Change any box from text to picture or vice-versa
• Precision Image Placement: Nudge and zoom images with touch gestures or using the new Image Placement controls

The free version of DesignPad outputs PNG files and allows users to create QuarkXPress® layouts. However, for $9.99 users can now unlock the Pro Feature Pack, a set of advanced features that provide the type of design, output, and saving functionality that make it possible to start and share professional design projects with colleagues and collaborators. The advanced functionality includes:

• PDF Output: Save and share print-quality PDFs
• Print: Use AirPrint to print layouts using a postscript or inkjet printer
• Dropbox: Save PNG and PDF versions of designs to Dropbox for immediate access anywhere
• Wave Shapes: Automatically create unique wave shapes based on the ShapeMaker functionality in professional layout software QuarkXPress
• No Product Marks: ”Made with Quark DesignPad” text at the bottom of saved and shared images will be removed
• Dynamic Grids: Dynamically adjust boxes and columns within layouts, including header size, caption size, margins and gutters

Download the updated version of DesignPad to explore these updates and to opt into the advanced version: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quark-designpad/id551786067?ls=1&mt=8.

About Quark
Quark’s software enables organizations of all sizes to meet customer demand for engaging, relevant communications when, where, and how they want them. Our solutions combine the power of XML with flexible layout and design to automate the delivery of customer communications to print, Web, and interactive experiences on the latest digital devices. Financial services firms, manufacturers, and governments around the world rely on Quark solutions to elevate customer communications to new levels, reduce time to market, and lower costs.

Version 9.5.1 now creates smaller files, allows embedding of TrueType and OpenType fonts into apps, enhances scrolling options, allows interactivity in anchored boxes, lets you embed additional kinds of media within HTML5 content, and supports Windows 8.

See Quark’s press release below for additional details.

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Free Update Enhances App Studio Support in QuarkXPress 9

DENVER, CO – March 14, 2013 – Quark announced today a new update to QuarkXPress^(R) that is available free of charge to all version 9 users. The update optimizes App Studio^TM for QuarkXPress with improvements made to file size, font compatibility, and interactive features. App Studio is the digital publishing solution that allows designers to create HTML5 apps for iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire and Android devices with the page layout software they already know. The updates to QuarkXPress to enhance app creation with App Studio include:

• Issue file size optimization to create even smaller App Studio  downloads
• Option to embed any TrueType or OpenType font into App Studio layouts
• New horizontal scroll box interactive enrichment
• Scroll support for web views
• The ability to add interactivity to anchored boxes
• New “Open File” action for embedding additional media within HTML5 content

QuarkXPress 9.5.1 also adds Windows 8 support.

Download QuarkXPress 9.5.1 here: http://www.quark.com/Support/Downloads/.

About App Studio
App Studio (www.AppStudio.net) is the next generation digital publishing solution that uses HTML5 to push the bounds of user experience without the high cost and effort associated with custom app development. By combining the market-leading HTML5 technology from the recent acquisition of PressRun with Quark’s existing digital publishing technology, App Studio is the only digital publishing solution that allows users to create branded content apps using QuarkXPress, InDesign, HTML5, and XML. Through a managed cloud environment, designers, authors, and extended teams are able to collaborate to create rich, interactive content that can be delivered across multiple platforms and devices.

About Quark
Quark’s software enables organizations of all sizes to meet customer demand for engaging, relevant communications when, where, and how they want them. Our solutions combine the power of XML with flexible layout and design to automate the delivery of customer communications to print, Web, and interactive experiences on the latest digital devices. Financial services firms, manufacturers, and governments around the world rely on Quark solutions to elevate customer communications to new levels, reduce time to market, and lower costs.

It also adds a new App Studio Publishing palette for uploading your issue content to the App Studio Publishing Portal (and subsequent export to iPad or Android devices). Click here to read more about the new App Studio, or here for the App Studio guide.

Users of the older App Studio are supported by the new Quark AVE Interactivity palette.

The update is free for users of QuarkXPress 9.

Just 90 days after releasing their free DesignPad app for iPad, Quark has released an update with new features and improvements suggested by users!

Have a look at their press release below for details:

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Free Quark DesignPad App Update Available

DesignPad Now Features Retina Display Support, Save to Photo Library, Post to Facebook, Duplicate Layout, Change Box Shapes, Rotate Box, Add Drop Shadow, Control Line Spacing on Text, and a Choice of More than 100 Fonts

Denver, Colorado – 21/11/2012 – Quark announced today a free update to Quark DesignPadTM, the iPad app for aspiring designers that helps them explore the fundamentals of grid-based design and create professional-looking artwork from a mobile device.

Using simple multi-touch gestures, novice and design hobbyists through to professional designers can use Quark DesignPad to experiment with various pre-defined designs for standard document types such as ads, posters, newsletters and brochures. Within each design users can interactively customize the layouts and then share with friends on Twitter, Facebook, and by email. Concepts designed with Quark DesignPad can even be sent to the user for further development in QuarkXPress® 9.

The update for the Quark DesignPad app is free to download from the App Store. Users are encouraged to share their feedback on forums.quark.com and know the Quark DesignPad development team will consider all serious feature requests.

Gavin Drake, Vice President of Marketing at Quark said, “More than 30,000 people downloaded Quark DesignPad in its first two weeks, topping the app charts in several countries. We’re eager to continue adding to and updating Quark DesignPad to make it the essential app for both aspiring and professional designers. Thank you to all the users and especially those who provided feedback to help shape this version.“

Quark DesignPad updates:

• Added new easy-to-navigate Getting Started Guide within the user interface
• Added Retina interface update
• Added Save to Photo Library
• Added Post to Facebook (iOS 6 Native)
• Added duplicate layout (Save As…)
• Added change any box shape to: beveled rectangle, inset rectangle, rounded rectangle, polygon, star, oval, speech bubble, thought bubble
• Added additional shape controls: change speech/thought bubble angle, change polygon/star orientation relative to content, change star inner radius, toggle corners on rounded rectangle
• Added rotate box and control box angle
• Added drop shadow toggle and special shadow controller
• Added line spacing on text
• Added justified text control (left, center, right, block)
• Added expose full font list, including bolds, italics, lights and condensed (over 100 font choices added)
• Fixed text fields for Layout Sliders
• Fixed interface glitches, including active disabling of non-relevant controls
• Fixed auto-hide of guides on export, with option to show if desired

For more information on Quark DesignPad please visit www.quark.com/products/designpad.

DesignPad can be downloaded for free from the App Store. To download DesignPad’s User Guide, click here.

About Quark
Quark’s software enables organizations of all sizes to meet customer demand for engaging, relevant communications when, where, and how they want them. Our solutions combine the power of XML with flexible layout and design to automate the delivery of customer communications to print, Web, and interactive experiences on the latest digital devices. Financial services firms, manufacturers, and governments around the world rely on Quark solutions to elevate customer communications to new levels, reduce time to market, and lower costs.

Yay! QuarkXPress is now officially certified for OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), as well as 10.7, 10.6 and 10.5.

See Quark’s press release below.

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Free Update to QuarkXPress 9 Adds Support for OS X Mountain Lion

Software Supports Gatekeeper; Helps Designers Create Print, iPad Apps, and eBooks with One Software Tool

Denver, CO – August 14, 2012 – Quark announced today the availability of a new, free update to QuarkXPress® 9 that allows designers to use all features of QuarkXPress 9 on OS X Mountain Lion. QuarkXPress 9.3.1 is now certified on four versions of OS X: Leopard (OS X 10.5), Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6), Lion (OS X 10.7), and Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8).

Additionally, QuarkXPress 9.3.1 supports Gatekeeper, a new security feature Apple added in Mountain Lion to help users keep their Mac safe. With version 9.3.1, QuarkXPress 9 now installs with the default setting of Gatekeeper to prevent malicious software installations.

QuarkXPress 9.3.1 is available free-of-charge to Mac QuarkXPress 9 users and can be downloaded here: http://www.quark.com/support/downloads/. Please note that Windows users of QuarkXPress should continue to use QuarkXPress 9.3.

Upgrade for $349
Currently all QuarkXPress users – even those with versions dating back to version 3 – are eligible to upgrade to QuarkXPress 9 for just $349. In addition to support for publishing to the Kindle, the iPad, and ePub devices, QuarkXPress 9 features productivity-boosting print and digital design functionality and Mac OS X Lion certification. For more information about QuarkXPress, visit: http://www.quark.com/Products/QuarkXPress/.

Get Markzware PDF to QuarkXPress 9 for Free
For a limited time, all purchases of and upgrades to QuarkXPress 9 will include a free copy of Markzware’s brand new PDF2DTP (PDF to Desktop Publishing) software – a $199 value. PDF2DTP is XTensions software for QuarkXPress that enables designers to turn any PDF into an editable QuarkXPress 9 project. PDF2DTP for QuarkXPress 9 is the first tool of its kind and supports both Mac and Windows platforms. Learn more or redeem the offer here: http://www.quark.com/pdf2qxp_US.

To purchase or upgrade to QuarkXPress 9, please visit the Quark Store http://shop.quark.com, call 1.800.676.4575 option 3, or visit Quark’s authorized resellers http://www.quark.com/Buy/QuarkXPress_Sales/ResellerSearch.aspx. Then complete the redemption form found here: http://www.quark.com/pdf2qxp_US.

About Quark
Founded in Denver in 1981, Quark’s vision was to create software that would lay the foundation for modern publishing. For 30 years, Quark has delivered on that promise. Quark’s dynamic publishing solutions are setting new standards in automated cross-media publishing by combining the power of XML with flexible layout and design to automate the delivery of customized, intelligent communications across print, the Web, and digital media.

If you are planning to upgrade to Mountain Lion and use QuarkXPress, please read this; it’s Quark’s official statement on QuarkXPress’ compatibility with Mountain Lion:
http://forums.quark.com/t/28997.aspx

QuarkXPress and OS X Mountain Lion

With the release of OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) on Jul 25, Apple introduced a new security feature called Gatekeeper, which helps you to keep your computer free of malicious software that you downlaoded. Gatekeeper allows only software from trusted sources to be installed: Apps from the Mac App Store, and apps from registered software vendors who have built their installers with a Gatekeeper signature.

Because QuarkXPress 9.3 was released before Apple introduced this new feature, Gatekeeper (at its default settings) does not allow the installer for QuarkXPress 9.3 (or earlier) to launch if you try to install from a downloaded Installer.

However, there are two ways to install QuarkXPress 9.3 (or earlier) under Mountain Lion:

• Control+click/right-click the installer icon and choose Open.
• Open System Preferences, click Security and Privacy, display the General tab, and then click Anywhere under Allow applications downloaded from. (After installation, be sure to return this setting to its default state.)

While Quark has been testing with Mountain Lion for several months, the team is currently wrapping up testing. So in a few weeks, Quark will release a free update for QuarkXPress 9 that is compatible with Gatekeeper and has been extensively tested on the release version of Mountain Lion. That version of QuarkXPress will be the first version officially supported on Mountain Lion.

Until this upcoming version is released, Quark recommends that you use QuarkXPress 9.3 on Mac OS X Leopard, Snow Leopard, or Lion.

Today, Quark added the ability to publish directly to the Amazon Kindle e-book format from QuarkXPress. The free 9.3 update also adds support for inline table of contents in ePub files and various fixes and improvements to EPS/PDF display, PDF boxes, page reordering, and more.

As Quark’s press release below points out, “Now, with a single design tool, designers, authors, and publishers can reach audiences across print, Web, Kindle, iPad, and devices that support ePub such as Sony Reader, and NOOK.”

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Quark has released an update to QuarkXPress 8, bringing it to version 8.5.1 for Mac OS X and Windows.

One improvement it brings is the ability to tell QuarkXPress where you want it to look for a Preferences file. This will be handy for those who don’t want to store it in the normal location: /Users/<user name> /Library/Preferences/Quark/QuarkXPress <version number>/

(For more information on where and why the Preferences folder should live, see my previous post here.)

Other than that, it’s not clear what has been improved or fixed. When Quark releases that information, you’ll find it here.

The updater is available through the Quark Update utility, or at http://www.quark.com/support/downloads/.

Troubleshooting tip: If the update fails for any reason, or if you want to update multiple machines, you can re-run the updater or copy it to another machine. On a Mac, you’ll find it here:

/Library/Application Support/Quark/AutoUpdate/Updates/qxp851_mac.dmg. (If you know where this file lives on Windows, please let us know!)

If you’re considering upgrading to QuarkXPress 9 from QuarkXPress 6 or 7, or if you want to buy a new copy of QuarkXPress 9, you can save 10% off the upgrade or new purchase at ThePowerXChange.com.

Here’s how it works:

Buy your upgrade or new copy before March 31 from ThePowerXChange.com and receive 10% off by using this code at checkout: TPX18954

Get your free copy of QuarkXPress 9 when it ships in April. Details are here.

The upgrade normally is on ly $299, so you’ll save $30. New copies are $799, so you’ll save $80. Either way, you’ll get QuarkXPress 9 free!

(Note: to receive notifications of deals like this from ThePowerXChange, just sign up at www.thepowerxchange.com/ccode.php)