This very cool InDesign “sneak” comes fresh from the big Adobe MAX conference earlier this month…  What’s a sneak?

We’ve gone through the company and found the 11 coolest demos of technology that are at work within Adobe. These are things that are on the cutting edge of the technology. They may show up in a product, they may not. The demo may work, it may not. But this is your chance to get closer and really understand where we’re going and what we’re doing.

OK fair enough.  Here’s the set up:

“I want to show you some things we’re thinking about on the InDesign Team. As you know, it’s actually been about a year since we launched Digital Publishing Suite, and we’ve had fantastic traction in terms of getting great-looking content on tablet devices. So I have an iPad here and as you see I can turn it over and tilt it, let the accelerometer do its trick. We’re actually seeing two different layouts here – two different layouts – which creates two different files. So designers actually have to create two separate InDesign files for this one device.

Another thing that’s happening is you’ve got another device like the Motorola Xoom – and on the Xoom you’ve got an totally different size, shape, aspect ratio. And the best we can do right now is if you notice the black bands here – this is all white space – you have to scale down the layout to fit on this size screen. It drives designers crazy – God abhors white space – and this just drives us insane. But it’s the best that we can do right now.

So, how are we going to make things a bit easier for the designer?”

The InDesign Sneak

For the rest, words can’t accurately capture what happens in the demo, so the video is the only way:

Thanks to Adobe presenter Kiyomassa Toma.  Notice the new Adobe Edge even makes a guest appearance of sorts, with the embedding of the HTML5 animation in the document displayed across multiple platforms.

So, could this whizzy new capability be coming in InDesign CS6?  Well, Creative Suite 6 could be about six months away or so – and the smooth and polished nature of the demonstration suggests to us that (hopefully) this kind of thing could be ready to go by then. That contrasts with the “prototype” feel to the (nonetheless impressive) Photoshop Image Deblurring sneak that was shown by Adobe at the same session.

Certainly, this type of liquid layout feature – to be able to automatically adapt layouts across devices and screen orientations – is hugely needed as the number of smartphone and tablet models continues to skyrocket, all with different profiles. It also becomes an even bigger deal with the announcement of the new Digital Publishing Suite Single Edition at MAX, for smaller publishers.

See more from the show – including the keynote presentations plus over 160 hours of free tutorials and training sessions from the experts, on a wide range of topics covering all major Adobe products.  And we’ll have more MAX sneaks here for other Adobe products in the coming weeks… For instance, the aforementioned, much-buzzed-about Photoshop sneak.

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Adobe has just put out an excellent resource updated for CS5 / CS5.5 – a free printing guide in the form of a 140-page downloadable e-book. Earlier versions of this have been out for previous releases (see the older CS4 and CS3 links below), but now this is fully refreshed and upgraded for the latest versions of the products.

This very handy tome will tell you everything you ever need or wanted to know about getting great print results with your projects in Photoshop CS5 (including Extended), Illustrator CS5, InDesign CS5/CS5.5, and Acrobat X Pro. All the different tools, setups, settings, options, functions, and formats – what they mean and how to best use them to achieve your goals.

Adobe describes it as, “learn the best ways of handling and preparing CS5 and CS5.5 files for print with this in-depth technical reference, designed especially for printers and production artists” – but anybody who would like a tutorial on how to print and generate the most optimal output from their designs can gain something here…

Because some technologies and concepts – such as PDF creation, transparency, and the Graphics Model – are common across all Adobe products used for print design and production, the first chapter of a dozen pages is devoted solely to explaining common terminology and back­ground resources. And with the groundwork laid, the rest goes into comprehensive detail on things you probably have wanted to know at some point but were afraid to ask or didn’t know where.

So now, whether you print from Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, or Acrobat, this ebook explains all you need to know about successful printing and output generation.

And luckily, the price is right!

• Read/download the Adobe CS5/CS5.5 Printing Guide (PDF, 140 pages, 20MB)
• Read/download the Adobe CS4 Printing Guide (PDF, 139 pages, 5MB)
• Read/download the Adobe CS3 Printing Guide (PDF, 120 pages, 7MB)

You may also be interested in another free e-book, the 172-page “Learn CS5: Step-by-Step and On-Demand” for training on Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Illustrator, and Flash…

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[UPDATE (April 11th) – Adobe CS5.5 is out!]

We just got confirmation from Adobe that a “mid-cycle release” of Creative Suite 5 will be out later this year, perhaps in the coming months.

The definitive word came from a conference call on Tuesday afternoon with financial analysts, where the Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen stated:

We will continue to expand our content authoring offerings by providing a mid-cycle release to CS5.

[ Read the full transcript here ]

We’ve known for some time now (see our October piece) that a “dot release” of Creative Suite 5 would be coming and due to incorporate the new version of Acrobat X Pro – similarly to how CS2 and CS3 had mid-cycle upgrades for that exact reason…

But here Adobe has been working quite a bit harder and longer, with no “CS5.3″ at the November ship date of Acrobat X… So instead, we have clear indications of a larger upgrade in store – and here’s what’s going to be in it:

I think we’ve been saying for a while that we are hearing from our customers that in order for us to enable them to deal with the multiscreen revolution that’s happening, to deal with all of the multiple formats, we’ve been asked to provide more frequent releases.

Traditionally we’ve added Acrobat because Acrobat is on a different product cycle than Creative, because Acrobat is also used a lot by the Creative community in terms of updating the releases.

The release will enhance our digital publishing capabilities, help customers address the multiscreen challenges they face, and include new innovative features in areas like HTML and Flash authoring, application creation, and video authoring and production.

The release will start to focus on both integration of the Creative Suite with the Digital Publishing Suite. There will be a fair amount of video production features [going in], as well as more capability, both for Flash and for HTML.

So we’re clearly looking at a bigger and more expansive release (more than a .3 point move) – along the lines of a “CS5.5″ or similar.

Recently Adobe has also been talking about the possibility of offering subscriptions for Creative Suite software, and that appeared to grow firmer for this next version:

… The real goals for the mid-cycle release are: continue to enhance the functionality, as I mentioned. We have talked about our desire to introduce subscriptions worldwide, which enables us to target the more price-sensitive customers.

This would be in addition to the standard models that we have. We do not expect the mid-cycle release to cause a big shift in how people buy software. It will continue to be predominantly the shrinkwrap and the licensing, and I think we’ll see a nice [addition] through the subscription model.

The goal is to allow new customers to use the Creative products, sort of on a pay-as-you-go basis. And what we found in the early reports is that it’s really valued by customers who seek flexibility and affordability of the monthly payments, and it attracts new customers who otherwise would not buy, [or] customers who haven’t stayed current with CS4 or CS5.

Adobe has already offered subscriptions to CS products in Australia for several years, and seems poised to make the option available on a wider scale.

The last point is, when might this CS5.5 be available? As indicated above, there were no dates or plans given. However, the CEO did say this about Creative Suite development generally:

I think for the amount of fundamental innovation that continues to go in, a 24-month cycle is a good timeframe for us to update most of the customers. But there’s significant value that we can continue to provide on an annual basis, and that really is our goal.

Well, Adobe CS5 was released on April 29th, 2010 – so if we take Mr. Narayen’s statement at face value regarding the annual basis, it could mean we have the possibility to see a CS5 “mid-cycle” upgrade being announced around a year later, or sometime during the spring.

The next question: When is CS6 coming out?

[UPDATE (April 6th) – Looks like CS5.5 will be launched on 4/11!  Find out more and see new sneak-peek videos out from Adobe on what to expect...]

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The fine folks over at Que Publishing, who have over thirty years of experience writing good books about software and technology, have put out a free sampler edition of their new series of books on learning Adobe Creative Suite 5… This “CS5 on Demand” e-book runs 172 pages (11.3 MB to download, in PDF format) and includes five full chapters on Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Illustrator, and Flash Professional.

This collection has been designed to teach CS5 through step-by-step tutorials with easy-to-follow instructions, to be rich in illustrations for those who want to learn visually, and to be complete and in-depth references for those seeking a trusted desk resource to quickly provide the answers you need.

Topics covered in the free downloadable ebook include Using the Paint, Shape Drawing, & Eraser Tools in Photoshop CS5, Creating an Interactive Document in InDesign CS5, Viewing the HTML Behind the Page in Dreamweaver CS5, Working with Objects in Illustrator CS5, and Developing iPhone Apps with Flash Pro CS5.

So if you’ve been meaning to learn more about Creative Suite 5, here’s a good opportunity…
If you don’t have the software itself yet, you can just download and run Adobe’s free fully-working trial (any or all products) for 30 days, and then follow along with that. If you then decide to purchase it, you might save some money with their currently running specials.

These Que books are well-reviewed and highly rated – each of them receiving up to 4½ stars on Amazon.com (“Excellent and easy-to-follow,” “Useful for veterans and novices alike,” “Great CS5 reference books”) – so if you want to find out more, click for the details of each individual volume:

» See also: Over 17 Hours of Free New Online Video Tutorials for Adobe CS5

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The Digital Publishing Suite will be released in the second quarter of 2011, likely in conjunction with a CS5.5 point release update. In the meantime, Adobe Labs has made some tools available now for writers to get started and create, preview and share their content in the new format. The tools include the Digital Content Bundler and Interactive Overlay Creator, plus the Digital Publishing Plug-in for InDesign, which allows InDesign to interface with and transfer information to the Digital Content Bundler.

With the Labs release, publishers can create and assemble digital publications now and add interactivity without writing code using InDesign CS5, as well as preview and share their content using a new Digital Content Preview Tool provided by Adobe and available in the Apple App Store. Other platforms and tablet devices are expected shortly.

See the video tutorial below for how to get started with the new Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. InDesign CS5 or later is required, so if you don’t currently have it, you can download a fully functional, 30-day trial version.

See more video training and overviews on Adobe TV’s Digital Publishing Channel.

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Adobe MAX 2010 – the worldwide user conference – runs this week and if you aren’t in Los Angeles, the two major keynotes will be broadcast live plus all of the conference sessions will be available on demand for free… A full attendance pass with these informative technical sessions normally goes for $1,500, so this is a great deal (see a full listing of the hundreds of programs offered below).

Adobe InDesign tweets, “don’t be the last to know… if you can’t be at Adobe MAX, you can still watch the keynotes LIVE for some exciting announcements!”

One of these announcements is sure to be the arrival of the long-awaited preview release of the new Digital Publishing Suite on Adobe Labs, just out… Read all about it in the press release here.

Per Adobe:

Stay tuned to watch Adobe MAX 2010 keynotes live
While there’s nothing that compares to being there in person, you can still experience some of the excitement of MAX 2010. Join Adobe executives, Adobe product experts, and special guests to be immersed in technologies, techniques, and inspiring work – watch the keynotes live.

1. Welcome to the Revolution
Monday, October 25, 9:30 am-11:30 am PDT (convert time zone)
We are in the midst of a revolution across a variety of screens, new input methods, new formats, and new distribution models. Join Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch as he shares insights, future perspectives, and plenty of demos.

Join us 10 minutes early to get a glimpse of the behind the scenes action.

2. User Experience: The Next Generation
Tuesday, October 26, 10:00 am-12:00 pm PDT (convert time zone)
User expectations and experiences are evolving rapidly, and Adobe has long taken the lead in creating the tools and services to design for the future. Join us to be inspired (and, yes, entertained) as we show you the future of building interactive and engaging experiences in ways you’ve yet to imagine.

Watch keynotes and sessions on demand
If you can’t watch the keynotes live, you can view them immediately on demand. You will also be able to view the top session from each track at the end of each day on demand – with the balance of the sessions being posted shortly after the conference has ended. Bookmark this page and check back often for updates.

The number of sessions at MAX is vast and covers virtually every Adobe product out there… Here’s a complete list of all 196 sessions available, with something for everyone – for free:

• Adobe Acrobat for the Web Designer
• Adobe TV: The Business and Technology Behind a Global Enterprise Video Platform
• Adobe’s New CMS for Business: Real-World Case Studies in Business Catalyst
• Advanced ActionScript with Apparat
• Advanced Audio Restoration and Editing
• Advanced Data-Centric Application Development with Flash Builder
• After Effects + Flash = Killer Rich Media
• Animation with Chris Georgenes
• As the Logo Turns: Introducing CSS3 Transitions and Animations
• Authoring Rich Experiences for Every Room in the Home
• Best Practices of the Modern ColdFusion Developer
• Book Design: Pushing the Frontiers in Digital Reading
• Building “Plants vs. Zombies” in Flash
• Building a PHP Remote End Point with Flash Builder and Zend
• Building Android Data-Driven Applications with Flex
• Building Enterprise Adobe AIR Applications for Android
• Building Flex Applications with Advanced Real Time Messaging
• Building Language Learning Tools w/ Flash Catalyst, Flash Builder, and Flash Media Server
• Building Mobile Learning with Your Existing eLearning Toolkit
• Building P2P Multiplayer Games
• Building Rich Multi-User Applications with LiveCycle Collaboration Service
• Camera, GPS, and Accelerometer: Tapping into Device Features with Adobe AIR
• ColdFusion Skunkworks
• ColdFusion Undocumented
• Configuring and Maintaining Healthy ColdFusion Servers
• Create Interactive Content without Writing Code with Creative Suite 5
• Creating Accessible Content with Flash Professional
• Creating Compelling Mobile User Experiences: What You Need to Know
• Creating Engaging, Viral Apps by Adding Social Interaction
• Creating Industry-Standard eBooks for Distribution on Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, and Apple iPad
• Creating Interactive Rich Media Advertising Campaigns with Video
• Creating Open@Adobe: Source Made Simple through SourceForge and Adobe
• Creating Secure ActionScript Applications
• Creating Testable Flex Applications
• Creating Video Solutions for the Enterprise
• Creating Web Apps for Google TV
• Data-Driven Design: Measuring Impact and Consumption of Video for Flash
• Debugging, Profiling, and Testing Applications in Flash Builder
• Deconstructing the HTML5 Mobile Development Workflow
• Deep Dive into Flash Player Rendering
• Deep Dive into Mobile Development with the Flex SDK
• Deep Dive into the Spark DataGrid Component and Item Renderers
• Delivering Repeatable Solutions with Deloitte Consulting and Adobe Enterprise Solutions
• Delivery of Interactive PDF or Interactive SWF?
• Designer-Developer Workflow Panel
• Designing and Developing for Touch-Based Devices
• Designing Documents for Tablet Devices using InDesign CS5
• Designing PDF Portfolio Layouts with Flash Builder 4
• Designing with CSS3 Effectively and Efficiently
• Developer Tips for Building Great Games using AIR for Android
• Developing Adobe AIR apps for the BlackBerry® Tablet OS
• Developing Well-Behaved Mobile Applications For Adobe AIR
• Developing World-Ready Applications
• Development of Mission-Critical Rich Internet Applications in Support of Government Operations
• Distributing Apps via the Intel AppUp? Developer Program
• Dreamweaver and HTML5 & Javascript Based Widgets
• Dreamweaver CS5 Deep Dive: Next-Generation Workflows
• DROID and Adobe AIR: Creating Stunning Applications for DROID Devices
• Dynamic, Targeted, Relevant: Super-Charge Your Ads and Your Sites
• Editing video with HDSLR cameras in CS5 Production Premium
• Enterprise Live Video with Multicast and P2P
• Essential Eclipse Plug-ins and Tools for Flash Builder Developers
• Flash Builder Advanced Tips and Techniques
• Flash Catalyst CS5 Up Close with Rain, a Digital Agency
• Flash Catalyst: What’s Next with “Panini”
• Flash Platform for TV: A New Ecosystem
• Flash Player 3D Future
• Flash Player in Acrobat: Building Interactive PDF Documents
• Flash Sneak Peek: A Glimpse at the Future
• Flash, Flex, HTML5: Ouch, My Head Hurts!
• Flex and LiveCycle Data Services Best Practices from the Trenches
• Flex and PHP: Beyond the Basics
• Flex Component Development
• Flex Roadmap
• Flex/ActionScript 3.0 Architecture and Dependency Injection Frameworks Overview
• Flex: The New Standard for VMware Management Consoles
• FlexPMD: Your Canary in a Coal Mine
• Free the Television: The New Opportunity in TV Applications
• From Design to CSS and HTML with Fireworks and Dreamweaver
• Fusing Art and Technology with Flash Professional CS5
• Future of Mobile Content: Content Owners Talk about HTML5, Flash, and Apps
• FutuRIA: The Convergence of Rich Internet and Enterprise Applications
• Game Theory and Design for the Flash Platform
• Get hands on Adobe BrowserLab to check your websites for cross-browser compatibility
• Getting Paid: Leveraging Payments to Monetize Your Content
• Getting Started with Flare3D: The New Generation of Flash 3D
• Getting Started with jQuery Mobile
• Google + Flash Platform = Awesome
• H.264 Encoding Strategies for All Screens
• Having Fun with Layouts in Flex 4
• HD Streaming with HTTP Dynamic Streaming
• HD Video Production for the Web
• Hidden Gems and Technologies in Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended
• Hidden Gems for the LiveCycle Community
• Hot Tips and Cool Tools in Illustrator CS5
• How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (with Threadless)
• How the com.bigspaceship ActionScript Package Brings Designers and Developers Closer
• How to Build Adobe AIR Apps for the iPhone and Android
• How to Develop AIR for TV Applications
• How to Monetize Your Apps on the BlackBerry PlayBook
• How to Work Creatively and Quickly with 3D in Photoshop CS5 Extended
• HP and Adobe Innovation: Reinventing How Creative Pros Work with Creative Suite 5
• HTML Accessibility with Dreamweaver
• HTML5: Half-baked, Baked, or Ready for the Table?
• Illustrator CS5: Creating Killer Graphics
• Improving the User Experience: Contract Servicing Improvements at Northwestern Mutual
• Innovation and Inspiration: Top Creative Shops Share Their Passion and Vision
• Internationalization Techniques for the Flash Platform
• Introduction to Adobe AIR for Mobile
• Introduction to BlazeDS and LiveCycle Data Services
• Introduction to Perspective Drawing in Illustrator CS5
• JibJab Case Study: Using Adobe Tools to Create and Monetize Online Content
• jQuery: A Web Designer’s Secret Sauce
• Learn about the Samsung SDK to Distribute Your AIR Apps to Samsung Smart TVs
• Learning Integration Tips among Tools in CS5 Master Collection
• Magazine Design in the Brave New World of Digital Devices
• Make Your Flex Application Collaborative with Adobe Connect
• Making Money with Your AIR Applications
• Making Video Pay with Advertising and Analytics
• Making Your Flash Application Extendable by Others
• Mastering Flash Catalyst
• MAX UnAwards widget uncovered: developing personalized video apps on the web
• Measuring and Optimizing the User Experience for Flash Apps with Solutions Powered by Omniture
• Mobile Devices as Application Controllers
• Move It! Shake It! All in Sync: It’s the 2010 Rich Media Ad Shootout
• Multiple Screens, One Server
• Multiscreen Development Techniques with Flex and Adobe AIR
• Multitouch and Immersive Experience
• New 3D Features for Flash
• New Experiences in Digital Magazines
• New LiveCycle Data Services Support for HTML5/JavaScript, Android, Apple iOS, Java, and .NET
• Open Screen Project: Today and Beyond
• Open Source Game Development with Flash and PushButton Engine
• Optimizing Flash Player Compatible Content for Mobile Devices
• Optimizing for GPU-accelerated Flash Player 10.1 on Android
• Painting in Photoshop CS5 with the Master Painter
• Panel Discussion: Reach Millions, Make Money
• Performance Tips and Tricks for Flex and Flash Development
• Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: The Ultimate Photography Workflow
• Photoshop CS5 Extended 3D tools and the iPad: Digital Publishing for Real-World Work
• Photoshop CS5 Instant Effects: One-Click Techniques for Designers and Photographers
• Pixel Bender: Now with 50% More “D”
• Pixel-Perfect: Photoshop CS5 Power Shortcuts for Web and Interactive Designers
• Planning and Tracking Successful Projects with WorkflowLab
• Plugging Creative Suite into the Cloud using ActionScript
• PointRoll in Your Pocket: The How and Why of Mobile Advertising with Flash Player 10.1
• Practical ActionScript 3.0 for Flash Professional
• Principles of Interaction Design for Graphic Designers
• Print Your Digital Design Without Losing Your Mind
• Programming HTML5 Canvas
• Progressing beyond the Desktop at Universities with Adobe AIR
• Quick as a Flash
• Rapid Development using LiveCycle in the Cloud
• Rapidly Building Flex RIAs with Spring BlazeDS Integration and Spring Roo
• Realizing Great Customer Experiences with LiveCycle ES Next
• RIA Design and Development Workflow Examined
• Roadmap: Flash Platform Runtimes
• Roadmap: Flash Platform Servers and Services
• Roadmap: Flash Platform Services and App Monetization
• Roadmap: Flash Platform Tooling and Framework
• Sandboxing Adobe Reader: Protected Mode
• Screens of Possibility: Pushing Multiscreen Experiences with Spark and Flex
• Secure Enterprise Video Streaming with Flash Media Server and P2P
• Securing ColdFusion Applications
• See. Say. Do. How Africa Changed Everything
• Shooting and Editing Interviews with CS5 Production Premium
• Shooting Movies with a RED One Camera Through a Microscope
• Simplifying Cross-Browser Testing with BrowserLab
• Streamlining Development Processes with Powerful Tools from the Flex Ecosystem
• Strengthening Adobe’s Enterprise Platform with Day Software and Open Development
• Tablets: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
• Technical Tips and Best Practices for Getting Content on the Akamai HD Network
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• The Future of Advertising
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• What’s New in Photoshop CS5 & Photoshop CS5 Extended
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[UPDATE (April 11th) – Adobe CS5.5 is out!  See also when CS6 is penciled.]

Last week Adobe held a private briefing for partners under non-disclosure agreement, where they gave “an overview of the upcoming Creative Suite release”… While we can’t speak to what transpired within the presentation, the invitation itself is publicly available.

Given that the next release of Adobe Acrobat is due out within a matter of weeks (see why and when, or get a chance to win a free upgrade to Acrobat 10 Pro), and given the two year age of Acrobat 9, it’s likely Adobe would be refreshing CS5 with the addition of the new Acrobat X. When Acrobat moved from version 7 to version 8, Adobe subsequently updated the Creative Suite and issued CS2.3 – and then once again when Acrobat revisioned from 8 to 9, Adobe incorporated the new version into CS3.3 in 2008. Acrobat 9 is still what we have today in CS5 – but since it’s obviously way too early for CS6, it seems a safe bet we’ll be seeing a point release (CS 5.3?) that would incorporate the new Acrobat 10.

But from reading the briefing invitation, it looks like there will be more in store for this next release than “just” integrating the new version Acrobat X Pro. It says, “… an overview of the upcoming CS release with a focus on InDesign and ePublishing…” Adobe has been hard at work on a new Digital Publishing Platform (you may have seen or read about the tablet editions of WIRED or The New Yorker magazines) that ties in with InDesign, and is (over)due to be made available on Adobe Labs. It seems logical that this would also be part of a CS5 point release, as it is a major deal for magazine and print publishers to deliver their content to the iPad, iPhone, Android, and other mobile devices, and has been quite successful thus far… But since the publishing tools haven’t yet been released in beta form on the Labs, it could be a while longer before the final version of this new technology is ready for the world at large.

There are hints that other applications may be receiving updates as well – for example the Flex team has been slipping out sneak peek videos for the next version of Flash Builder, code­named “Burrito.” There’s also talk by Adobe of some future vector drawing improvements for Photoshop CS5 (for vector shapes and layer effects – strokes, gradients, etc.). And finally there’s an unnamed “cool” new Adobe product in development that aims to improve the way visual people create for the Web.

Add it all up and it means we may not see a CS5.3 released at the same time Adobe Acrobat 10 ships, but rather a larger upgrade to more products (CS5.4 or CS5.5?) coming out a bit further down the road, perhaps sometime during the winter or spring… In the meantime, undoubtedly, we should expect that when AA10 arrives it will work well as a separate upgrade add-on to CS5, if desired.

[UPDATE (October 18th) — Confirmed! Adobe Acrobat X was just announced this morning and the following appears in Adobe's Acrobat X FAQ — "Q: When will Adobe CS5 include Acrobat X Pro? A: Because Adobe CS5 contains so many applications, it isn't always possible to update the entire suite edition when a single product release becomes available. Acrobat X Pro will be included in the next dot release of Creative Suite."]

One question: If you buy Creative Suite 5 now, what would an eventual point upgrade cost? (e.g., from CS5 to CS5.5) Well, the best yardstick we have is what it cost in previous years to move from CSx to CSx.3… The price was $159 in both cases for the suite upgrade, which is the same as the cost to upgrade just Acrobat Pro from one version to the next. Obviously we can’t state what Adobe’s future pricing will be, but if past history is any guide then it could be close to this. And of course, if you’re happy with CS5 as it is and wouldn’t need these updates, you wouldn’t need to upgrade to CS5.x.

What would you like to see in a CS5 point release? Please share your thoughts below and/or at Adobe’s official feature request “wishlist”…

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The presentations are 90-minute live “deep dives” with Adobe product experts where you can get firsthand detailed information on the new features of these releases, see demonstrations, and get direct answers to your questions. All sessions are from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM ET on upcoming Tuesdays, and will be presented in English:

Deep Dive: Adobe Illustrator CS5
Tuesday, July 13, 11:30am – 1:00pm US/Eastern
Complimentary Registration

Deep Dive: Adobe InDesign CS5
Tuesday, July 27, 11:30am – 1:00pm US/Eastern
Complimentary Registration

Deep Dive: Adobe Flash Professional CS5
Tuesday, August 10, 11:30am – 1:00pm US/Eastern
Complimentary Registration

Deep Dive: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5
Tuesday, August 24, 11:30am – 1:00pm US/Eastern
Complimentary Registration

The only requirements to participate are a web browser with an Internet connection and Adobe Flash Player.

If you’re also interested in Photoshop or Lightroom, this additional free webinar is a bonus:

  Professional Photographer Workflow — Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Adobe Lightroom
  Thursday, July 15, 2010, 1:00pm – 2:00pm US/Eastern — Watch On-Demand

Adobe Digital Imaging Evangelist Julieanne Kost will demonstrate how you can leverage the tight integration between Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software to create a completely fluid workflow to manage and edit images. Learn how to easily select multiple photos in Lightroom and automatically open them in Photoshop CS5 to merge them into a panorama, an HDR image, or a multilayered Photoshop document. Discover the ease of “Edit in” the power of presets for exporting files as well as how to hand off images from Lightroom to Photoshop CS5 to automat­ically run actions for speed and efficiency.

[Photo credit: javiy]

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Back at the TED Conference in February, Adobe unveiled a prototype of a new digital magazine solution running on a tablet computer… The demo was built on the cross-platform (and Flash-based) Adobe AIR environment and illustrated the possibilities for magazine publishers to reach readers in new ways. The concept enabled — in digital form — the immersive content experience maga­zines are known for, and allowed new interactive features to stimulate reader engagement. The idea was that with the upcoming release of Creative Suite 5, publishers could use the new InDesign CS5 to create the rich media content for the new format, and then run the reader applications across a variety of device types because Adobe AIR is portable – including the iPhone and iPad through the new Packager for iPhone capa­bility included in Flash Professional CS5…

But then in early April, just before CS5 was launched, Apple made some changes to their SDK license restricting the technologies that developers can use for their products, including Adobe Flash software… So without Flash-derived apps being approved in Apple’s App Store, would that mean the end of Adobe’s new magazine publishing initiative on Apple devices?

On the contrary actually – showing remarkable speed and resourcefulness, Adobe yesterday announced the official release of the first magazine (WIRED) and Reader application using the new format, available now through the Apple iTunes App Store:

Created with InDesign® CS5 and additional Adobe® publishing technologies, the WIRED Reader is designed to revolutionize the magazine reading experience and allows readers to immerse themselves in magazine content like never before. This Digital Publishing Solution showcases how Adobe is enabling magazine and other publishers to deliver groundbreaking experiences across tablets, smartphones and other devices. Soon, the company plans to deliver software on Adobe Labs that will help publishers to transform InDesign CS5 layouts into compelling applications like WIRED Reader. Because this digital magazine solution integrates tightly with Creative Suite® 5, pub­lishers can expect to leverage their existing workflow investments and designer skills.

So how did they do it?

The answer is revealed by putting together the pieces from a new FAQ on Adobe’s site – in just two months Adobe reimplemented their Digital Publishing Platform to use Objective-C to support the iPad, and will continue to use Adobe AIR and Flash everywhere else:

Adobe is pursuing a multiplatform development strategy that will include Objective-C for the iPad and the Adobe AIR® runtime for the desktop and other mobile platforms. Adobe AIR is a cross–platform solution for building applications based on Adobe Flash technology. AIR 2 and Flash Player 10.1 software will deliver high performance on mobile screens and allow publishers to create engaging, standout experiences for a wide variety of devices (Android™, Windows, Linux), as well as leverage the industry-standard advertising platform built with Flash technologies.

So there you have it – showing there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and a victory for both companies really… Also exciting is the release of the new portable publishing technology this summer on the (free) Adobe Labs – software which, “in combination with InDesign CS5, will equip you to begin developing your digital publishing workflows and creating a solution similar to the WIRED Reader experience.”

[UPDATE (July 19th) – Late this summer, Adobe will release these new publishing technol­ogies (Digital Content Bundler and Digital Content Viewer) on Adobe Labs... Publishers can add interactivity without writing code using InDesign CS5 and create monetizable digital magazines for the Apple iPad – with other platforms and devices expected in the future.]

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Yes, CS5 is out! It looks like a phenomenal release, and we have full coverage – including new products, pricing, configurations, system reqs, videos, “what’s new” feature lists, and more:

• Creative Suite 5 Product Overview  
• CS5 Full Product Configuration Matrix
• CS5 Complete System Requirements
• CS5 Pricing for Commercial and Education
• What’s New in Photoshop CS5  
• What’s New in Dreamweaver CS5  
• What’s New in Illustrator CS5  
• What’s New in InDesign CS5  
• What’s New in Flash Pro CS5  
• All About New Flash Catalyst CS5  
• What’s New in Contribute CS5
• What’s New in Premiere Pro CS5  
• What’s New in After Effects CS5  

ALL CS5 products are immediately available for purchase and instant download, with free shipping on all Adobe orders over €500/£350 in Europe and the U.K. (no coupon or promo code is required)…

On Adobe’s site: If you’re considering upgrading from your current software, here’s a helpful upgrade guide. Also new is an excellent FAQ covering purchasing policies and key product changes… The online documentation for all CS5 products also just went up.

Lastly and importantly, the CS5 free trial downloads and Student and Teacher Editions
(up to 80% off) are also now available!

[UPDATE (May 13th) – Adobe CS5 is now shipping and downloadable in 16 languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Czech, Polish, Russian, and Korean.]

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