IMAGE MANIPULATION outfit Adobe has opened the doors of its new Web-based photo storage and editing site, Photoshop Express. But not if you don't have the latest version of Flash Player installed.

And we reckon this could cause the transitive verb-wielding company a few problems attracting its target audience. Firmly aimed at the casual user, the site's front page offers you the choice of "Join Now" or "Take a Test Drive". Clicking on either of these options gave us a lovely blank grey page. Yes really... totally blank.

It was only when your normally slow-witted Inq team noticed the page title: "Adobe Photoshop Express – Flash Player Installation" that we realised something had gone horribly wrong. No link to the Flash download site, no warning that our software needed updating, nada... just that unchanging, blank, grey screen.

And we reckon that could be a huge problem if Adobe wants to attract the kind of punters we think the site is aimed at. The whole thing is, however, in beta so we hope this little hole gets fixed soon.

Those who do persist, and download the necessary update, are in for a bit of a treat, however. Photoshop has become the the de-facto standard for image editing and manipulation in both the commercial and home markets for a very good reason. Adobe is simply brilliant at anything to do with pics.

What we have here is a cut-down, Web-based version of Photoshop, complete with 2 gigs of storage, and it's absolutely free. Pro photographers will need to look elsewhere, but your average happy snapper will find everything they need right here. Adobe plans to offer premium packages with additional storage and print ordering facilities with an annual fee attached, in the near future.

In the meantime, however, you can upload your images, manipulate them using a slick Flash-based interface, share them with your buddies (or the entire world) or link seamlessly to Facebook and other pic sharing and antisocial notworking sites.

All in all a whole heap of functionality for no heaps of cash! µ