Adobe, Kodak, Nik software makes the jump to new platforms

There's something of a trend in the software world today, as newly-released software from Eastman Kodak Co., Nik Software Inc., and Adobe Systems Inc. ports existing products to new platforms.

Kodak has announced the debut of its Kodak Gallery app for Google's Android operating system. The Kodak Gallery was app previously available only on Apple's iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Its Android incarnation will allow photo upload from camera phones to Kodak's sharing service, including to group albums that let everybody share their photos of a single event from a variety of devices. You can also order prints and other photo products, browse and view your galleries from the app, and receive notifications of activities like comments on your albums.

Nik Software's Snapseed, meanwhile, shipped on iOS devices last year, and was announced for the Android platform at the CES show last month, although that version hasn't yet shipped. Today, it debuts on Windows as Snapseed Desktop. The Windows version allows quick and intuitive cropping and straightening, as well as adjustment of sharpness, white balance, saturation, and more. Nik's U Point controls simplify local adjustments, and there are also a variety of filters such as tilt/shift, grunge, drama, vintage, and black & white, as well as a selection of border effects. There's also built-in functionality for printing, emailing, and sharing to Facebook and Flickr.

Finally, Adobe has launched Photoshop Touch for Apple's iPad 2. Android users have had access to the app since last November, when it was announced alongside several other Touch apps, including Collage, Debut, Ideas, Kuler, and Proto. Photoshop Touch is limited to 1,600 x 1,600 pixel images on both platforms, but beyond that limitation is quite interesting. It provides layers, selection tools, and a variety of adjustments and filter effects akin to the desktop version, but with some neat additions such as camera fill and integrated Google Image search.