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REVIEW
xScope 4
Issue: 12.4 (July/August 2014)
Author: Marc Zeedar
Article Description: No description available.
Article Length (in bytes): 3,089
Starting Page Number: 13
Article Number: 12403
Related Web Link(s):
http://xdevmag.com/browse/10.3/10304/
Full text of article...
I originally reviewed xScope in
xDev 10.3 (http://xdevmag.com/browse/10.3/10304/) and most of my thoughts about that version apply to the new 4.0 update. The app still has the same tools, but they've been refined. xScope supports the latest OS X operating systems (even Yosemite), works with Retina displays, has improved multiple display support, has better performance, and now integrates with Adobe Photoshop.On the other hand, the price has gone up, and it already was expensive for a limited-use tool. Still, when you need something xScope offers, it's a huge timesaver and there's really nothing else like it.
The basic tools included with xScope are the same: Mirror, Screens, Text, Loupe, Dimensions, Guides, Rulers, Frames, Overlay, and Crosshair.
Mirror requires the free xScope Mirror App for iOS, but with it you can instantly see selected Mac files on your iPhone or iPad. This is great for showing how your artwork or design looks on an actual iOS device. One nice new feature is support for AirPlay, so you can preview your designs on an HDTV with Apple TV.
Text is a floating palette of Unicode font glyphs. The search system is powerful: for instance, type "arrow" and it instantly shows you the hundreds of various Unicode arrows available, and "quarter" shows not just the ¼ symbol you'd expect, but a quarter music note and quarter moon shapes. This is fantastic for design, web development, and computer programming.
My favorite new feature of Overlay is the ability to take full-page screenshots of web pages. Screens has a nice new feature: a De-retinizer, which shows how a screen on a Retina display will look on a non-Retina display.
Most of the improvements are minor: almost every tool has bug fixes and polishes, but there isn't much that's ground-breaking.
End of article.