Mikko Koppanen has been posted several new items about the updates being made to the Imagick functionality in PHP (added as a PECL extension). In order o posting they are:

• A quick link to the latest Windows build
• Some updates on the Imagick refresh he's been working on
• Details on some specific updates around the countable interface, writing files and memory management changes

The Imagick extension is a more advanced image manipulation library that the built-in GD functionality. You can find out more about the functions and features it offers in its manual page.