Adobe has just unveiled the new “CC” release to follow CS6 (it’s not CS7) – and one of the upgrade ques­tions people are asking is what’s new, what’s different, what’s changed in CC (Creative Cloud) compared to the previous version?  The company says it “brings together everything you need to create your best work with incredible new versions of our flagship desktop tools, services that take publishing content to the next level, and making it easier than ever for creatives to collaborate and share their work worldwide.”  So our job here is to give you a quick “cheat sheet” on top new features, to help you decide about upgrading…

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[UPDATE (May 6th) – The next release is announced! Learn more about new Adobe CC.]

Normally in the weeks before a new version of Creative Suite comes out, we don’t have a very concrete idea of what will be in it…

However this year – thanks to the early upgrades already out for Creative Cloud members, some telling blog posts, several “first look” videos, and a “major reveal” at the recent NAB show – we have already a pretty good picture of some of the major new features that CS7 (let’s call it) will include. Adobe says all of the new products will be included in the Creative Cloud as soon as they’re out.

Here below we’ve compiled some of the key information on what’s new and expected in the upcoming release, and will keep this list up-to-date as we move forward…

Adobe promises much more will be revealed in the presentation on May 6th – so stay tuned!

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Just back from Adobe MAX 2013 and as in previous experiences, it’s always the three most intense days of the year… It’s wall-to-wall with larger-than-life presentations, keynotes with creative luminaries, diverse educational sessions, connecting with other leaders in the Adobe space, hands-on with the latest design tools, meeting the product teams, feeling the energy of the show floor, the buzz over “Sneak Peek” demos of cool new technology, and of course the fantastical MAX Bash party with 5,000 of your closest friends.

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Summer is coming and school will be out soon… But if you want to take the break as an oppor­tunity to learn new skills, did you know that Adobe offers free full-year curriculums on print, web, and video design? The three extensive, project-based courses are downloadable to anyone for building career and communica­tion expertise using industry-leading tools, although naturally you can go at your own speed. The programs include presentations, technical guides, project guidelines, reproducible student materials and select media assets, and each project builds on lessons learned previously. Time-saving new features in CS6 are high­lighted within the 2,400+ pages of total content.

Adobe collaborated with a community of educators across the US and UK to develop the appropriate depth and breadth of each project. Additionally, Adobe co-developed the classes with the International Society of Technology Education (ISTE) to create standards-aligned, career-track, course materials that focus on the major fields below. They are recommended for use when preparing for Adobe certification (Adobe Certified Associate, or ACA).

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[UPDATE (May 6th) – Major news out: Adobe Unveils New “CC” Release (CS7)...]

Based on recent indications from Adobe, we expect a new release of Creative Suite and/or Creative Cloud to be unveiled at their big annual MAX Conference on May 6th, just a few weeks away…

Historically during times like these, the company has set a “grace period” or grandfather offer to provide free upgrades to the next versions for customers buying the older software around the time of new releases – and in fact, such an “Upgrade Assurance promotion” deal was announced for CS6 in March of last year.

However, no such announcement has been forth­coming this year, perhaps due to the advent of Creative Cloud – where all paid members already receive all product updates and upgrades at no additional charge as soon as they are available.

But no matter – you can actually create your own grace period now, whether one officially exists or not.

The key is in awareness of Adobe’s longstanding Software Return/Exchange Policy – whereby you can return your purchase to them within 30 days and they will grant you a full refund, no questions asked. This is possible even if you’ve already opened, installed, activated, and started using your product – and can be done quickly over live online chat with their customer service team.

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The Creative Cloud and Creative Suite 6 are the most powerful and versatile toolsets Adobe has ever produced and so we’re seeing a lot of demand for training resources to learn how to best use these products…

In January we posted details on over 30 hours of free video tutorials for CS6.  But if you’re just getting started with Adobe’s core design tools, what’s better than a step-by-step book that will teach you the essentials of Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign from the ground up?

Fortunately there’s a terrific new book you can download that will teach you all of this for free, courtesy of author Professor Thomas Payne… The way the book does this is by intro­ducing and explaining the tools in a logical way that builds upon what is previously learned. These applica­tions present a vast array of buttons and gadgets that can be overwhelming to the new user. This book makes sense of it all, not showing how everything works, but instead giving a foundation and a path to learn about all those controls and what they can do for you.

The 12 chapters in this book (listed below) look a bit like tutorials. As with tutorials, you work in the programs as you follow along with the reading. Unlike tutorials, the steps here present the informa­tion in a way that is geared to having you actually learn the material, not just a list of steps to get something that looks decent.

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The Creative Cloud and Creative Suite 6 are the most powerful and versatile toolsets Adobe has ever produced and so we’re seeing a lot of demand for training resources to learn how to best use these products…

In January we posted details on over 30 hours of free video tutorials for CS6, and last month published details on a fantastic new ebook for getting started learning the Adobe Design Suite (194 pages).  But if you’re looking for a nice primer or beginner’s lessons for Adobe Dreamweaver, that’s harder to find.

Fortunately there’s a a new book you can download that will teach you the essentials of Adobe Dreamweaver for free, thanks to the generosity of author Professor Thomas Payne… He writes:

“These tutorials are designed to get you through the basics of making web sites in Dreamweaver with the most flexibility and the least amount of work. Think of them as supplying you with a toolbox full of tools to start making good websites.

They are deceptively packed with informa­tion, and they are designed to also act as reference after you are finished completing them. Web pages across the Internet have a lot of similarities, and the information here is designed to cover many of these similarities.”

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[UPDATE (May 2013) – The 60%-70% discount is back! Get the CC Student & Teacher Edition for just $19.99/£15.88/€19,99/A$14.99 a month, with no coupon code required.]

The regular pricing for Adobe’s new Creative Cloud all-in-one offering is US$50/month with an annual membership. Recently, the company extended their introductory offer for existing CS customers, which gives a 40% discount off that price…

How about for education customers? On price, the offer is similar – all students and teachers can now pay just US$29.99/month with an annual plan (under $1/day) – but importantly, no previous ownership of any Adobe product is required and no coupon code is necessary.  Outside of North America, it’s an even greater level of reduction at £22.46 or €30,74 or A$24.99 per month (including VAT), which is up to 52% off.

Get every CS6 tool — everything in the entire CS6 Master Collection — plus more, including exclusive new products and features whenever they’re released — at a special rate for students and teachers… Just $29.99 a month.

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Did you miss Adobe’s Create Now Tour? Would you like to see it now, online and on-demand?

The two-hour session we attended earlier this month was packed – standing-room only – and got terrific audience reviews and feedback…

In the video below, Adobe Creative Evangelist Terry White presents the Create Now World Tour at a recent stop in Michigan. Watch as Terry walks you through powerful capabilities and new features in the latest versions of Creative Cloud, Photoshop CS6, Illustrator CS6, InDesign CS6, Digital Publishing Suite Single Edition, and Adobe Muse! If you missed the tour in your city, here’s your chance to see what happens at these live events.

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[UPDATE (May 6th) – The next release is announced! Learn more about new Adobe CC.]

Adobe has just now confirmed what’s been going around as a rumor – that they will soon discontinue selling all boxed versions of Creative Suite 6 software…

Here it is direct from the company themselves:

… As Adobe continues to focus on delivering world-class innovation through Creative Cloud and digital fulfillment, we will be phasing out shrink-wrapped, boxed versions of Creative Suite.  Electronic downloads for Creative Suite products will continue to be available as they are today …

Now there’s been some confusion about this, so we’ll try to make it clearer:  This news does not mean Adobe will stop selling any of the traditional CS products, only that you will no longer be able to buy them in the form of a shrinkwrapped box package, physically hand-delivered via mail, courier, or store. Customers can continue to download their purchases instantly as most already do, saving on both shipping costs and the environment.

Why is Adobe doing this?  Besides not being green, boxed software is static and costly to produce, manage, and deliver. In line with software industry trends, Adobe is focusing more on the Creative Cloud – which for an affordable membership rate, digitally delivers the entire Creative Suite and more to your desktop, and is always up-to-date with the latest upgrades.

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