QuarkXpress 7 released for Mac and Windows. The latest release of the DTP software tool challenges Adobe InDesign.

QuarkXpress 7 released

Quark leapfrogs Adobe with new version of QuarkXpress.

QuarkXpress 7 box Quark Inc., has pulled ahead with the release of version 7 of it's desktop publishing application QuarkXpress, for both the Windows platform and for Power PC Macs, with the Intel version due out later this year.

Quark's page layout design package had been losing ground to Adobe InDesign in the battle for designer's allegiance to the page layout tool. The current release is for computers running Windows XP and PowerPC Apple Macs only, but the universal binary, for the new Intel equipped Apple Macs, will be available as a free update later in the summer of 2006.

With the release of the universal binary version of the program, Quark will have beaten Adobe to the punch, as regards having a version of the program that will run natively on the new Intel processor Macs. Adobe InDesign for Intel Macs is not due to be released until 2007, when Adobe updates it's design product range to Adobe CS 3.

Quark 7 ships with a number of new features for both Mac and Windows PC users. These include;

Smart transparency: This allows page layout designers to set the transparency of frames, backgrounds and a single characters, without the need to resort to awkward workarounds or third-party Xtensions.
Composition Zones: These allow several people to work on a single layout at the same time. Designers can define portions of each page, single pages, or complete layouts as Composition Zones. Other members of the publishing team – such as sub-editors, writers and production staff – can then work on and assigned zone as if it were a regular QuarkXPress layout. The document is automatically updated when the file is saved.
Job Jackets: This is a pre-press feature which helps ensure the integrity of a document from the beginning of the design project, to the printed output. Job Jackets allow for preflighting, project linking and synchronized job specifications to allow for a smooth creative workflow.

QuarkXpress 7 offers several other enhancements and new features including an expanded measurements palette, additional image handling tools, support for OpenType and Unicode font technology, new output formats including PDF/X, JDF and PPML, more Pantone color libraries and various enhancements to table management including integration with Microsoft Excel.

Quark Inc.

23 May 2006