Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Logitech and Adobe have released a new product designed to produce an advanced level of control for Adobe’s Creative Suite, CS2. The Logitech product line comprises the NuLOOQ navigator (an innovative device used in conjunction with a mouse and a keyboard to manipulate images and documents) and the NuLOOQ tooldial (customizable on-demand interface software that provides quick access to design tools). Both are designed for use with the Mac versions of CS2, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

The NuLOOQ Professional Series places the frequently used tools and options in the Adobe Creative Suite right at creative professionals’ fingertips, saving them time and giving them the ability to shift their focus to the most important aspect of design, imagery, and layout. Many designers today use multiple large monitors, which means the mouse cursor has to travel farther to complete basic tasks. This takes up valuable creative time and results in workspace inefficiency. The NuLOOQ Professional Series addresses these challenges and provides solutions for the time-intensive elements of design: navigating images, adjusting option values, and accessing menus so that creative professionals can accomplish more. Keep reading for a detailed explanation of the products.

NuLOOQ navigator: Complete Creative Control

The NuLOOQ navigator is a companion to the creative designer’s existing toolset - a mouse and a tablet or keyboard. Approximately the size and shape of half a tennis ball, this stationary device sits under the non-mousing hand and has a circular touch-sensitive surface for adjusting option values in supported applications. A moveable rubber-like ring at the base allows designers to easily navigate images and documents, while embedded buttons call up frequently used tools. Additional features include:

• Scroll and zoom with ease: A minor nudge of the navring controller moves selected images, while twisting it controls the zoom feature. The navring controller’s built-in sensor is based on advanced robotics technology that senses small movements for quick reaction.
• Touch-sensitive control: Located on top of the NuLOOQ navigator, the tooltuner dial gives creative designers the ability to adjust or tune tool-option values, such as text leading or brush size. This feature minimizes arm movement and saves valuable time by eliminating repeat trips to the option bar to adjust values.
• Context-sensitive and application-aware: The NuLOOQ navigator automatically detects the current Adobe CS2 application, selected object or tool, presenting applicable option values for that application when prompted.
• Instant access to frequently used tools: Three built-in triggerpoint buttons embedded in the tooltuner dial provide instant access to commands, modifier keys, and tooldial menus.

NuLOOQ tooldial: Complete Interface Control

Included with the NuLOOQ navigator or available for purchase separately, the NuLOOQ tooldial software centralizes frequently used tools, commands and files within an intuitive, on-demand circular menu that is divided into eight wedges. Each of these wedges can have up to eight associated wedges appear when the cursor lingers over the original wedge for a total of 72 available tools, commands and files per tooldial. When launched using a keystroke, mouse click or one of the NuLOOQ navigator triggerpoint buttons, the tooldial wheel appears centered under the cursor and disappears when the activity is completed, giving creative designers full control over their interface while keeping their virtual desktop clutter-free. Specific features include:

• Easy configuration: Tooldial menus can be configured simply by dragging and dropping commands directly into the wedges or moving files or executables from the Finder.
• Fully customizable: Creative professionals can build customized tooldial menus for specific workflows, tasks or workgroups. By customizing tooldials with their most-used tools and commands, they no longer have to navigate complex menus or search for palettes in applications.
• One-step functionality: Because designers can access up to 72 defined commands, files or folders per tooldial, they no longer have to drag the cursor across the desktop to access a menu system or remember individual shortcuts.
• Application-aware: NuLOOQ tooldial automatically detects the current application and brings up the associated tooldial menu so people can program just one shortcut key that works across all supported Adobe applications. For example, a tooldial configured for Photoshop appears only when Photoshop is running, and it changes automatically when another supported application is selected. Also, when the tooldial command is executed outside of Adobe CS2 applications, a universal, customizable tooldial appears for instant access to files, folders and applications.
• One-click tweak tools: With one easy click, users can select brush tools and set brush size in Photoshop, or select leading, tracking or point size in Adobe InDesign CS2.
• Real-time feedback: Feedback appears directly on screen while users tune values, allowing creative designers to receive immediate feedback while keeping the desktop clutter-free.
• Easy to share: Creative professionals can export their customized tooldials for use in workgroups. In addition, they can download tooldials created by expert designers from www.logitech.com/nulooq.

The NuLOOQ Professional Series has a suggested retail price in the U.S. of $149.99 and will be sold beginning in March through select resellers, including CDW, Mac Warehouse, MacMall and Amazon.com, as well as through Logitech’s online store. The NuLOOQ tooldial can be purchased separately online for a suggested retail price of $49.99 at www.logitech.com/nulooq. A 30-day free trial is also available for download at the NuLOOQ Web site.