Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) 
Macintosh has always been known for exceptional media software. The company makes astonishing media editors that maintain the Mac as standard equipment in many creative industries.
Of course, it's had some help along the way. Companies like Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) add to the incredible arsenal of Macintosh media applications. Here are some of the best media editors available for professionals.
Adobe Photoshop CS3
Adobe Photoshop has been a leader in photo editing for years. Many professionals rely on application for their most difficult and important photo manipulation tasks. The latest version comes in two flavors. The standard version includes all the photo editing capabilities Adobe Photoshop is famous for, plus a few additions. The extended version comes with features that stretch the known boundaries of the photo editing software. The standard one retails for US$649, while the extended version goes for $999.
Adobe Photoshop is well known for intuitive selection tools that make photo editing a breeze. The Quick Selection tool makes selecting the right objects even easier. Simply dragging the cursor across the image of a person in a picture, for instance, can highlight the entire person with no outside objects. Also, one of Adobe's most innovative additions is the use of Nondestructive Smart Filters. These filters allow manipulation of an image without altering the original image. This allows the user to alter previous changes to a new degree. These features are included in both versions of Adobe Photoshop CS3.
The extra features packaged in with Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended include 3-D manipulation, video manipulation, animation and quantitative measurement of objects in images. This version is also capable of interfacing with professional engineering software like CAD (computer-aided design) utilities and MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory).
The extended version supports DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine), the image format used by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CAT (computed axial tomography) scanners. Image stack processing of these files allows doctors to compile large volumes of these files to a clear composite image with just a few clicks. These new features ensure Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended will be a favorite of many engineers and medical professionals.
Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 is a Web editor that allows intuitive creation of professional Web pages with interactive components such as Flash or Spry objects. Web creation is made incredibly fast and easy by use of cascading style sheets (CSS). These CSS layouts can be edited at any time to give a Web site a new look in seconds.
Dreamweaver CS3 is capable of importing images and objects from products like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Flash. It also comes with tools to create interactive Web applications using Spry Framework for Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML). The browser compatibility check feature ensures a site will be optimally rendered on any machine, including mobile 
devices. The online Dreamweaver documentation with user comment and rating system ensure a never-ending supply of creative ideas for the Web page. Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 retails for $399.
Apple Final Cut Studio 2 and Pro 6
Apple's Final Cut Studio 2 includes a video editor, an audio editor, a 3-D motion graphics editor, a color grading and finishing tool, a compressor for formatting video and a video interface editor. This Emmy award-winning suite is designed to take video from start to finish.
Final Cut Pro 6 is a professional video editor with innumerable features. Its large number of video tracks makes adding and replacing videos easy. Added videos automatically adopt the options of previous clips without the need for transcoding. A vast library of filters and effects ensures the video will come alive. Final Cut Pro 6 is designed to make changes nondestructive, so the editor is free to revert to a previous step if necessary.
Soundtrack Pro 2 is the audio editor included in Final Cut Studio 2. It includes an easy-to-use surround sound creation tool. Soundtrack Pro 2 is built to make matching audio to video easy. It has configurable transitions and over 6,000 free sound effects and music clips. It also has advanced analysis tools to find and automatically repair defects in audio such as clicks and pops. Soundtrack Pro 2 also uses nondestructive changes so any undesired effects can be easily removed.
With Final Cut Studio 2, a video editor can create a video masterpiece with stunning video and audio effects. It retails for $1,299.
Adobe Premiere Pro CS3
Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 is a professional quality video editor designed for quickly creating top-quality videos for the Web or DVD and Blu-ray. Adobe OnLocation CS3 helps reduce photo and audio defects before recording to ensure a video clip is just right. Adobe Bridge CS3 organizes all of the editor's media with the ability to drag media directly to the Premiere project timeline.
Premiere Pro CS3 allows time remapping -- for example, making a scene more dramatic with slow motion. Freeze frames and backward playback followed by forward playback are also effects made simple with Premiere Pro CS3. This software makes multiple-camera shoots easy to navigate, so the user can spend less time with tedious frame editing and more time focusing on the overall story.
Adobe is well known for integrating its applications with its other software. Frames and clips can be exported to Photoshop Pro CS3 or After Effects and updated live without importing the altered work. This addition greatly increases productivity and allows professionals to preview changes with no downtime. Adobe Encore CS3 allows creation of interactive menus for Web video or DVD and Blu-ray discs. The intuitive timeline design of menus ensures easy navigation through the new video. Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 retails for $799.
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