Mike Swanson, commenting on modern software's intrusive, attention-seeking behavior: What if your car worked like so many apps? You're driving somewhere important...maybe running a little bit late. A few minutes into the drive, your car pulls over to the side of the road and asks: "How are you enjoying your drive so far?" Annoyed by the interruption, and even more behind schedule, you dismiss the prompt and merge back into traffic. A minute later it does it again. "Did you know I have a new feature? Tap here to learn more." It blocks your speedometer with an overlay tutorial about the turn signal. It highlights the wiper controls and refuses to go away until you demonstrate mastery. Ridiculous, of course. And yet, this is how a lot of modern software behaves. Not because it's broken, but because we've normalized an interruption model that would be unacceptable almost anywhere else.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Fast, Precise, Automatic Background Removal with Aiarty Image Matting (Limited-time Exclusive Deal)

Extracting a subject from its background is often a tedious, mechanical chore, especially when dealing with fine edges like hair, cluttered backgrounds, or scenes where the foreground and background share similar colors.

Aiarty Image Matting aims to simplify this process using AI, turning what used to be time-consuming manual work into a much faster and more streamlined step in a photographer’s editing workflow.

What Is Aiarty Image Matting?

Aiarty Image Matting is an AI-powered image background remover that automatically separates subjects from their backgrounds with high accuracy, while also making it easy to replace the background with a solid color or a custom image when needed.

It features four dedicated AI models that adapt to different image types and subject characteristics, allowing it to handle a wide range of photographic scenarios. The software works fully offline, processes images quickly, and combines automatic background removal with simple manual tools for fine adjustments when needed.

New Year Exclusive Offer: Get Aiarty Image Matting with lowest-ever price

For photographers who regularly deal with background removal or subject isolation, Aiarty Image Matting is also currently more affordable than usual.

As part of its New Year promotion, Aiarty is offering 43% OFF the Aiarty Image Matting Lifetime License. This one-time purchase gives you full access to the software and all future updates with no subscription required.

• Licensed for use on 3 Windows or Mac computers
• Unlimited access to all features and lifetime updates, with no ongoing costs
• 30-day money-back guarantee.

Exclusive time-limited discount: At checkout, enter the coupon code NYSPECIAL to enjoy additional $5 off on top of the discounted price. That’s the lowest price you can ever find. The coupon will expire on January 31.

Key Features That Matter for Photographers

Multiple AI Models Tailored to Different Subjects

Unlike basic background removal tools that rely on a single algorithm, Aiarty Image Matting uses multiple AI models optimized for different types of subjects. This allows photographers to select a model that best matches the content of the image rather than forcing every scene through the same processing logic.

In practical terms, some models are better suited for subjects with clean, well-defined edges such as products or vehicles, while others perform more reliably with semi-transparent materials, fine hair, or soft transitions. This flexibility helps produce more consistent results across portrait, product, and commercial photography without constant trial and error.

The overall workflow remains simple: import an image, choose the appropriate AI model, start the matting process, and export the result.

High-Precision Edge Detection for Fine Details

Edge quality is where most background removal tools struggle, and it is also where photographers notice problems immediately. Aiarty Image Matting places strong emphasis on preserving fine details around complex edges, including hair, fur, and overlapping elements.

Example of automatic background removal processed by Aiarty Image Matting

Even in situations where the subject blends into a busy background or shares similar colors, the extracted results tend to maintain natural transitions rather than overly hard or artificial outlines. This is particularly valuable for portrait, fashion, and pet photography, where realistic edges are essential for believable composites.

Example of automatic background removal processed by Aiarty Image Matting

The goal here is not just isolation, but extraction that remains visually convincing when placed into a new scene.

Automatic Extraction with Practical Manual Control

Aiarty Image Matting is designed to work automatically first, minimizing the need for manual masking. In many cases, a clean subject extraction can be achieved with a single click, making it suitable for repetitive or time-sensitive workflows.

When adjustments are needed, the software includes a small set of intuitive mask refinement tools that allow photographers to correct problem areas or fine-tune transparency. These tools are optional and focused, helping refine results without turning the process into a full manual selection job.

This balance keeps the workflow fast while still giving users enough control to handle challenging images.

Fully Offline Processing for Speed and Privacy

All processing in Aiarty Image Matting is performed locally, without uploading images to the cloud. For photographers working with client material, this offline approach offers both privacy and reliability.

Local processing also avoids delays caused by internet connections and makes it easier to work consistently with large images. This is especially useful in professional environments where stability and file control matter as much as speed.

Flexible Background Replacement for Practical Use Cases

Once a subject is extracted, Aiarty Image Matting allows it to be placed against a solid color or a custom background. This is particularly useful for product photography, catalogs, marketing visuals, and social media content where clean and consistent backgrounds are required.

Batch Processing for High-Volume Projects

For workflows involving large numbers of images, Aiarty Image Matting supports batch processing, allowing multiple photos to be handled in a single session. This can significantly reduce post-production time for e-commerce shoots, content libraries, or repeated background replacement tasks.

A Useful Extra: Built-In AI Enhancement

In addition to background removal, Aiarty Image Matting also includes a basic AI enhancement option that supports up to 2× image upscaling. While not a replacement for dedicated enhancement tools, it can be useful for preparing extracted subjects for different output sizes or platforms.

Final Thoughts: A Smarter, More Seamless Cutout Tool for Photographers

Background removal no longer has to be a slow, tedious process. Aiarty Image Matting combines AI-powered automatic extraction with optional manual refinement, making it a fast and reliable tool for photographers.

Right now, all PhotoRumors readers can save up to 43% on Aiarty Image Matting Lifetime License, which includes free updates forever and installation on up to three computers. Remember to enter the coupon code NYSPECIAL at checkout for an extra $5 off. Again, there are no subscriptions and no hidden fees. This limited-time deal ends January 31.

Get the Aiarty Image Matting Lifetime License Deal here.

The post Fast, Precise, Automatic Background Removal with Aiarty Image Matting (Limited-time Exclusive Deal) appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach on Thursday tried to ease worries that AI is destroying software business models. From a report: "It's an overblown narrative, and it's not true," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, calling AI a tailwind and "absolutely not a headwind" for the company. Software stocks have sold off in recent months on concerns that new AI tools will upend the sector and displace longstanding and recurring businesses that once fueled big profits. Workday shares lost 17% last year and have sunk another 15% since the start of 2026.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The new year was supposed to bring opportunities for beaten-down software stocks. Instead, the group is off to its worst start in years. From a report: The release of a new artificial intelligence tool from startup Anthropic on Jan. 12 rekindled fears about disruption that weighed on software makers in 2025. TurboTax owner Intuit tumbled 16% last week, its worst since 2022, while Adobe and Salesforce, which makes customer relationship management software, both sank more than 11%. All told, a group of software-as-a-service stocks tracked by Morgan Stanley is down 15% so far this year, following a drop of 11% in 2025. It's the worst start to a year since 2022, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. While unproven, the tool represents just the type of capabilities that investors have been fearing, and reinforces bearish positions that are looking increasingly entrenched, according to Jordan Klein, a tech-sector specialist at Mizuho Securities. "Many buysiders see no reasons to own software no matter how cheap or beaten down the stocks get," Klein wrote in a Jan. 14 note to clients. "They assume zero catalysts for a re-rate exist right now," he said, referring to the potential for higher valuation multiples.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from MacRumors: Apple today introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Here are the six apps included with an Apple Creator Studio subscription: Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad; Logic Pro on the Mac and iPad; Pixelmator Pro on the Mac and iPad; Motion on the Mac; Compressor on the Mac; and MainStage on the Mac. Pixelmator Pro was previously only available on the Mac, but it is coming to the iPad. Apple Creator Studio subscribers will also receive access to exclusive AI features and premium content across not only the Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro apps, but also the iWork apps Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, and the Freeform app later this year. So if you want the best, fully-featured versions of all of these apps going forward, you will need to subscribe to the bundle. Apple says there will be separate Creator Studio and one-time purchase "versions" of each app. If you have both versions installed on your Mac, the Creator Studio versions will have "unique icons" so that they stand out, according to Apple. Apple Creator Studio will be available through the App Store starting Wednesday, January 28. All new subscribers will be able to receive a one-month free trial, and customers who purchase a new Mac or a qualifying iPad model with an A16, A17 Pro, or M-series chip or later will be eligible for an extended three-month free trial. "If you are not interested in subscribing to the new Apple Creator Studio bundle introduced today, you will officially start to miss out on some new features," adds MacRumors in a separate article. If you bought the apps via a one-time purchase, or plan to do so in the future, "you will no longer have access to all new features," though they will continue to receive updates. "There are some exceptions, as Apple says Logic Pro and MainStage will have all the same features whether they are subscription or one-time-purchase versions," notes MacRumors. "It looks like most if not all of the new features that will be limited to Creator Studio subscribers will be powered by AI, as Apple repeatedly describes them as 'intelligent' features. The apps are continuing to receive other new features that do not require a subscription over time, so one-time purchasers are not completely left out."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The Topaz Labs Holiday Sale is ending on January 7th and includes Topaz Studio, Studio Pro, and all single apps. Here are the details:

For new customers:

• 35% off Topaz Studio & Studio Pro
• 25% off all single apps

For existing customers:

• 47% off Topaz Studio & Studio Pro
• 25% off all single apps

Topaz Labs recently released a major Realism Update. Multiple apps are getting a realism boost, enhancing fine details and lighting, and giving photos, videos, and AI-generated content a more realistic look (Astra, Bloom, Topaz Video, Topaz Photo, and Topaz Gigapixel).

The post The Topaz Labs Holiday Sale is ending soon appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Irish competitor Diarmuid Early, dubbed the "Lebron James of Excel spreadsheets," has won the 2025 Microsoft Excel World Championship in Las Vegas, dethroning three-time champion Andrew Ngai. The BBC reports: The esport showpiece in December attracted competitors worldwide as 256 spreadsheet heads battled it out across knockout rounds to join the final 24 in Vegas. [...] A three-time champion in the financial Excel tournaments, this win was Diarmuid's first in the overall competition. He held the triple-world champion Andrew Ngai to second place, and won the $5,000 prize and title belt. [...] Excel esports transforms a common office tool into a dynamic sport. More than 20 years old, the competitive scene has evolved from being finance based to now involving more general problem solving. Although it might help, Diarmuid said "it doesn't require accounting or finance knowledge." He described an example where Excel is used in solving a maze, scoring poker hands, or even sorting Kings and Queens into the battles in which they fought. Generally there is a 30 minute challenge, with each challenge broken up into levels. The questions increase gradually in difficulty, with each correct answer gaining a player points. Whoever gets the most points wins, and in a tie, it is whoever got there first. "It's just, can you think on your feet and do things quickly in Excel?" he said. "If you solve the earlier levels in a neat way, that'll let you hit the ground running faster on the later ones."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

An anonymous reader shares a report: It's been more than eight years since Amazon bought Whole Foods, but the two companies still haven't aligned their setup for the Microsoft software their employees use. That disconnect was flagged in an 8-week Deloitte review of Whole Foods' use of Microsoft 365 apps earlier this year, according to an internal document obtained by Business Insider. Deloitte found that Whole Foods relies on "fragmented" Microsoft toolsets, has loose security and data-retention practices, and employs a complex user-management setup -- all of which contribute to inefficiencies and lower productivity when working with Amazon employees. The consulting firm recommended a 24-month integration plan that would first move Whole Foods' corporate employees onto Amazon's backend system, followed by its frontline workers. The phased approach would ensure a "smooth transition for users and minimal disruption to business processes," while generating cost savings, the document said. The review, completed in May, highlights Amazon's ongoing challenges in integrating Whole Foods. Since acquiring the chain in 2017, the company has struggled to scale the business and integrate operations, resulting in frequent reorganizations and shifting strategic priorities.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

If you missed Black Friday, Topaz Labs just started a new Holiday Sale that includes Topaz Studio, Studio Pro, and all single apps (valid from December 16th to January 7th). Here are the details:

For new customers:

• 35% off Topaz Studio & Studio Pro
• 25% off all single apps

For existing customers:

• 47% off Topaz Studio & Studio Pro
• 25% off all single apps

Topaz Labs will also announce a major Realism Update tomorrow. Multiple apps are getting a realism boost, enhancing fine details and lighting, and giving photos, videos, and AI-generated content a more realistic look. Astra, Bloom, Topaz Video, Topaz Photo, and Topaz Gigapixel will all receive new models, features, and updates. Here’s what’s new in the Topaz Realism Update:

BLOOM

• Bloom Realism

TOPAZ PHOTO

• Sharpen Wildlife & Portrait
• Adjust Lighting 3
• Dust & Scratch 2

TOPAZ GIGAPIXEL

• Grain with toggle

TOPAZ VIDEO

• Nyx High-Fidelity Denoise
• Grain

ASTRA

• Starlight Precise 2
• Batch Render
• Scene Control

Via NikonRumors

The post If you missed Black Friday, Topaz Labs just started a new Holiday Sale appeared first on Photo Rumors.

We all encounter situations where the environment fights against us: the lighting is too dim, the subject moves too fast, or the focal length just isn’t long enough. You end up with a composition you love, but the photo itself—plagued by high-ISO noise, slight motion blur, or low pixel count from cropping—becomes a headache to process.

Manually correcting these fundamental image quality issues in traditional photo editors often requires tedious fine-tuning to perfectly balance sharpness and natural texture.

Aiarty Image Enhancer is designed to simplify this crucial post-processing step. It acts as an efficient specialist tool that quickly and automatically uses AI to denoise, deblur, sharpen, and upscale your photos. This approach hands you a clean, high-fidelity foundation, allowing you to spend less time fighting pixels and more time on the final artistic grade.

Christmas Special Offer: 49% off Lifetime License + extra $5 coupon

If you are tired of monthly subscriptions piling up, this offer is specifically for you. In celebration of Christmas, Aiarty is offering 49% off Aiarty Image Enhancer Lifetime License. And that’s not all! You can also use the limited-time coupon “XMASSAVE” to save an extra $5. Originally priced at $155, now you can grab it for just $74 – the lowest-ever price!

With your purchase, you’ll enjoy:

• Full access to all features and lifetime free updates
• Installation on up to 3 Windows or Mac computers
• 30-day money back guarantee
• One-time payment, no subscriptions or hidden fees

This is arguably one of the best value propositions in photo enhancement software this year. But is the software worth it? Let’s break down the performance.

Deep Dive: Why Aiarty Image Enhancer Belongs in Your Workflow

1. AI Denoise: The High-ISO Savior

Noise is the enemy of detail. Whether you are shooting indoor events, astrophotography, or wildlife at dawn, pushing your ISO is often necessary. Traditional noise reduction software works by blurring the image to hide the grain, which often results in the dreaded “waxy skin” effect or loss of fine textures like fabric or fur.

Aiarty uses advanced AI denoise technology to intelligently analyze the image. It distinguishes between luminance noise, chroma noise, and actual image detail. It allows you to remove noise from images without sacrificing the sharpness that your expensive lenses provide.

2. De-blur & Sharpening: Fixing the “Almost Perfect” Shot

Blur comes in many forms, and Aiarty tackles them all.

• Camera Shake: Even with IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization), handheld shots at slow shutter speeds can suffer from micro-jitters.
• Motion Blur: Subjects don’t always stay still. A moving child, a running pet, or a swaying branch can ruin a shot.
• Lens Softness: We all love vintage lenses or wide-open apertures, but they often lack sharpness at the edges.

Aiarty doesn’t just apply a “sharpening mask” which increases contrast at edges. Instead, it hallucinates (in a good way) the missing pixel data to reverse the blur. It restores edge definition and clarity without introducing the artificial white halos or “crunchy” look associated with over-sharpening.

3. The Upscaling Powerhouse: From Crop to Print

The freedom to crop is a luxury. Sometimes, your 200mm lens isn’t long enough, and you have to crop 50% or more of the frame to get the composition you want. In the past, such heavy cropping drastically reduced pixel density, rendering images unsuitable for large-format printing.

Aiarty excels in AI upscaling. Leveraging deep learning algorithms, it can enhance image resolution to 4K, 8K, 16K, and even up to 32K. Crucially, it generates new, realistic details and textures—like feathers, individual strands of hair, or intricate fabric patterns—rather than simply stretching pixels. This means you can crop without fear, transforming what would have been small, social media-only images into print-ready, large-format works with every pixel looking sharp and natural.

Furthermore, Aiarty allows for precise control over your output, enabling you to set custom DPI values directly within the software, a critical feature for professional printing workflows.

4. One-Stop Color & Tone Correction

While most professionals stick to Lightroom for grading, Aiarty includes a surprisingly robust set of adjustment tools. This is particularly useful for a “One-Stop” workflow. If you are rescuing an old, faded family photo or a poorly exposed JPEG where the RAW data isn’t available, you don’t need to open another app.

You can adjust temperature, tint, exposure, contrast, highlights, and shadows directly within the interface. It is perfect for quickly reviving the dynamic range and color vibrancy of an image immediately after denoising or upscaling.

Professional Workflow Features

1. Extensive Format Support (Including RAW)

It doesn’t just handle JPEGs. It supports a vast array of input formats including HEIC, TIFF, PNG, and crucially, RAW files. It works seamlessly with .CR3 (Canon), .ARW (Sony), .NEF (Nikon), .RAF (Fujifilm), .DNG, and virtually every other proprietary RAW format from Leica, Panasonic, Olympus, and Hasselblad. This means you can integrate it right at the start of your editing pipeline.

1. Hardware Acceleration

Processing AI models is demanding. Aiarty is optimized for GPU acceleration (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), dramatically cutting down processing time and ensuring a much smoother workflow, particularly when dealing with large-format files or applying complex enhancements across batches.

1. Batch Processing

Have a folder of 500 shots from a wedding that were shot at ISO 3200? You don’t need to edit them one by one. You can batch process thousands of images.

1. Granular Control

• Flexible Scaling: Many AI enhancement tools restrict control to fixed ratios (e.g., only 2x upscaling). Aiarty provides flexibility. It allows users to freely select the enlargement multiplier or directly set the final target resolution.
• Strength Slider: The software offers an intensity slider to manually adjust the strength of the AI enhancement and sharpening. This ensures you can achieve the optimal balance between maximum quality improvement and preserving the image’s natural, artifact-free look.

Verdict: Don’t Miss This Deal

In the world of photography, “saving” a photo used to mean spending hours cloning and masking in Photoshop. Aiarty Image Enhancer turns that into a simple, automated process. It is the perfect companion to your existing RAW editor, stepping in when you need to go beyond the limits of your sensor.

With the Christmas Lifetime Deal, you aren’t just buying software; you are buying an insurance policy for your images. No monthly fees, just permanent access to better image quality.

Get the Aiarty Image Enhancer Lifetime License for just $74! Grab it before this limited-time holiday deal ends!

Enhance your photos effortlessly this season and make your memories shine like never before!

The post Aiarty Image Enhancer instantly fixes blurry, grainy, and low-res photos (49% off lifetime license + extra Xmas coupon) appeared first on Photo Rumors.