Launch: Adobe Creative Suite 3

The highly anticipated next release of Adobe Creative Suite CS3 will be launched today.  With the acquisition of Macromedia, the two innovative companies have completely integrated and converged their individual product lines into a powerhouse of applications and suites.  Additionally, the Mac audience will finally have an universal binary suite optimized for the Intel-based Macs.  Previous versions of Adobe CS on Intel Macs had nearly completely eroded the performance benefits of the Intel processor.

With this consolidation and unification of products, Adobe will expand its CS offerings in a variety of suite solutions that best fit an individual designer, developer or production artist.  Suites include:

• Design Standard
• Photoshop CS3 Extended, Illustrator CS3, InDesign CS3, Acrobat 8 Professional
• Design Premium
• Design Standard applications + Dreamweaver CS3, Flash CS3 Professional

• Web Standard
• Dreamweaver CS3, Flash CS3 Professional, Fireworks CS3, Contribute CS3
• Web Premium
• Web Standard applications + Photoshop CS3 Extended, Illustrator CS3, Acrobat 8 Professional
• Production Premium
• After Effects CS3 Professional, Premiere Pro CS3, Photoshop CS3 Extended, Flash CS3 Professional, Illustrator CS3, Soundbooth CS3, Encore CS3
• Master Collection
• After Effects CS3 Professional, Premiere Pro CS3, Photoshop CS3 Extended, Flash CS3 Professional, Illustrator CS3, Soundbooth CS3, Encore CS3, Dreamweaver CS3, Flash CS3 Professional, Fireworks CS3, Contribute CS3

I have been fortunate enough to see the earlier versions of many these applications while attending Adobe MAX 2006.  There are many compelling reasons to upgrade to these newest releases and amazing new capabilities.  I have been a beta tester for Photoshop CS3, Fireworks 9 (CS3), and Soundbooth for several months.  Each application has been tremendously improved.  In particular, Adobe has leveraged Macromedia's expertise in interface design to improve application workflow and usability.  The Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 is just one example.  Its a much cleaner and usable solution.  In line with these changes, Adobe modified its traditional pallettes to the more functional docks, but most importantly added a single bar rollover for each dock to increase workspace and lessen visual clutter.  It rocks.

I'm sure there will be much more to write here after I receive my official release.  Adobe is one of my favorite companies and one of the most respected innovators in software.  So get your creative juices flowing and check out these kick-butt applications!