Adobe's update to CS5 is unveiled, complete with brand new monthly subscription options - we take a closer look at what's inside
In Dreamweaver you can now preview desktop, tablet and smartphone browsers side-by-side
On Monday Adobe announced Creative Suite 5.5 Design Premium and Design Standard, offering key software enhancements that support the recent boom in content for tablets and mobile devices. Creative Suite 5.5 Design Premium packs in powerful new versions of Illustrator CS5, Photoshop CS5 Extended, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional and Flash Catalyst, plus Acrobat X Pro and Fireworks CS5.
This major mid-cycle release brings users a number of innovations across app and digital publishing tools, Flash, HTML5, Video and Mobile, making design for mobile and tablet devices easier as well as welcoming the tablet directly into the creative workflow. Adobe also announces a subscription payment plan for added flexibility in the use of its products.
Subscription editions
Accompanying the upgrade is Adobe’s new subscription-based pricing plan, which enables product sampling and gives added flexibility to those with project-specific software needs. The Subscription Editions enable users to work with the most up-to-date versions of software, so customers can use the likes of Photoshop CS5 Extended from £28 per month, CS 5.5 Design Premium from £72 per month, and CS 5.5 Design Standard from £52 per month.
Upgrades for tablets and smartphones design
Dreamweaver CS5.5 – Updates to Live View mode, CSS panel and Multiscreen Preview panel enable you to preview desktop, tablet and smartphone browsers side-by-side, and streamline the design of websites that need to be optimised for viewing on multiple devices.
InDesign CS5.5 – New Folio Producer tools work in conjunction with the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to enable the addition of new levels of interactivity to page layouts. Include video, audio, panoramic views, 360-degree rotation of objects, pan and zoom of images, integration of HTML5 content and other interactive overlays in documents created for tablet devices. Also text content for a multitude of devices within InDesign, and – for those with a Digital Publishing Suite account – distribute and monetise content for tablet devices. Simplified object selection and editing also speed up the page layout process.
Flash Professional CS5.5 – Build mobile applications that run on iPhone, iPad, Android devices and Playbook, and deploy apps through markets including the iTunes App Store, Google Marketplace and AppWorld. Flash Builder 4.5 (now available in Creative Suite 5.5 Web Premium), and the Flex 4.5 framework enable easy development and deployment of mobile applications to Android, BlackBerry Playbook and iOS devices.
Photoshop CS5 Extended – A new scripting engine in Adobe Photoshop and an enhanced Photoshop Software Development Kit (SDK) enable developers to build tablet applications that interact with Photoshop from Android and iOS devices. Adobe’s three new iPad applications – Adobe Colour Lava for Photoshop, Adobe Eazel for Photoshop and Adobe Nav for Photoshop – demonstrate the creative possibilities of using tablets to drive common Photoshop workflows.
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Cost and availability
Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 products are scheduled to ship within 30 days, with availability through Adobe Authorised Resellers, the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/uk. Estimated street price for the Suites is expected to be £2,303 for CS5.5 Master Collection, £1,509 for CS5.5 Design Premium, £1,429 for CS5.5 Web Premium, £1,509 for CS5.5 Production Premium and £1,032 for CS5.5 Design Standard. Upgrade pricing and volume licensing are available.
By subscribing to Creative Suite, customers can choose a one-year subscription plan for lower payments or a month-to-month subscription for greater flexibility. For more information about Subscription Editions, visit: www.adobe.com/go/cssubscription.
Developers can access the free Adobe Photoshop Touch SDK today for Windows and Mac OS platforms on the Adobe Application Manager at www.adobe.com/devnet/photoshop. Current Photoshop CS5 customers can download and installing a free patch available on www.adobe.com or via the Adobe Application Manager, beginning early May 2011. The Adobe Color Lava, Adobe Eazel and Adobe Nav applications for Photoshop are also expected to be available in early May 2011, ranging in price, on the iTunes App Store.
For more on CS5.5 check out the full version of the article over at our sister site www.computerarts.co.uk.
