Source: WikipediaAdobe has launched a free, online version of Photoshop called Photoshop Express. Unlike the $600 desktop application, Photoshop Express is free, requires only the latest version of flash player, and gives each user 2gb of free storage.

Express is a far simpler image editing tool than it’s big brother; it only has 11 tools to edit with. Red eye removal is possible, but don’t expect to hear “express’d, the reflections are all wrong” any time soon.

In fact, several online image editors are more powerful. Aviary’s Pheonix, while still in beta, supports several advanced features such as layers and selections. Splashup is also very powerful.

The interface in Express, is clean, consistent, and pleasing to the eye. It follows the look of Adobe’s recent image editing software. That is to say that it’s dark, and uses very bright white fonts.

Adobe is slowly building up a strong web presence to supplement it’s desktop suite. It recently acquired Buzzword, a flash based word processor that bills itself as WYSIWYP, or what you see is what you print. It has an online color pallet creation tool called Kuler, which I personally love. As the co-editor of our middle school newspaper, I love color, design, and graphics. All of which makes me love Adobe’s products.

Adobe Kuler - via Flickr

Adobe Kuler - via Flickr

Share is a tool for uploading, managing, and sharing files. Myfeedz is an RSS based recommendation system. Brio is a web conferencing tool. All of these applications are very cool, but I have to ask. What is Adobe thinking?

How does it intend to make a profit off of these apps? Will Adobe charge to create an account, or will it use advertising to make them profitable? Or is Adobe merely trying to strengthen it’s brand name to increase sales of it’s desktop suite?

update:  ReadWriteWeb has an excellent article on the same topic- check it out