I'll spare you the verbose on my lengthy history with adobe products and such.

For those of you purchasing Photoshop CS4 extended for the first time you'll be impressed with what it can do and probably grow to love it.

For the rest of us who are more familiar, save your money for CS5. Purchasing software upgrades has never been an issue especially if that software makes you money. That said, when the upgrade offers little true value for money you can't help feeling cheated.

Regardless of platform arguments, I loathe the look and feel of the current release. I have a particular love of adobes time saving claims, I'd like to take advantage of them but am learning the new keyboard shortcuts.

Adding a colour correction palette isn't a real feature. The 3D features are tragic, all the artists I know use proper 3D apps to create there work, render, then open in CS4 if they have to - they simply don't import any models. The overall stability of the product should be called into question.

Doubtless it's a killer app, well honed and written by talented individuals. However this release already feels tired, poor value for money, moody, aimed at newcomers and with pitiful 3D tools not god enough for the high end market and not adaptive enough for the novice.

Would I be surprised to see adobe release a 3D app soon or purchase an existing app? Not really, it's the only thing missing from the line up.