The Plugin Site (http://www.thepluginsite.com) has released version 2
of Plugin Galaxy for Mac OS X. Plugin Galaxy 2 is a plug-in for
creating special effects and enhancing images with the help of more
than 160 basic effects.

It works in various graphics applications including Photoshop,
Photoshop Elements, Fireworks, Photoline, GraphicConverter and
Illustrator. It supports 8bit and 16bit RGB and grayscale images.

Version 2 of Plugin Galaxy is now available as an Universal Binary
that runts natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It offers all
effects in a new resizable dialog and renders more than two times
faster. The new Layers and Blend features lets you apply multiple
effects to the image in one session and create effect combinations
that the folks at The PluginSite say weren't possible before. The new
batch processing option applies the same effect to hundreds of images
with a few clicks. Saving and opening filter settings as preset files
is now supported, too.

Ten new effects, many new effect features and 400 presets are
included. The new Play button generates random slider values, which
are displayed as preview animations. Support for the alpha channel of
image layers was enhanced and the preview now also works correctly
for selections. The new Constant Size check box makes sure that the
same output is rendered for different image sizes.

Plugin Galaxy 2 provides filters for transparency manipulation,
blurring, texture and pattern generation, noise creation, mirroring
and warping. It also includes metal, chrome, neon, pop art, glass,
page curl, rainbow, sunshine, sunset and star effects and lets you
enhance, colorize, add edges to your photos and even encrypt them.
There are also effects like feedbacks, grids or zooming.
Additionally, Plugin Galaxy includes presets for creating fire, rain,
snow, water surface, metallic text, contrast and frame effects as
well as rendering cosmic scenes.

Plugin Galaxy 2 sells at US$69.95 (regular license) or $39.95
(academic/educational license). A demo version with a few free
effects is available for download.