Adobe Releases Creative Suite 2 Premium Edition

Adobe Systems has released Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium Edition, which comprises new full versions of Photoshop CS2, InDesign CS2, Illustrator CS2, and GoLive CS2, as well as the all-new Version Cue CS2 and the recently released Acrobat 7.0. Each software application is also available as a standalone tool.

Photoshop CS2 integrates a new set of tools, including: Smart Objects, which allows users to scale and transform images and vector illustrations without losing image quality.; Spot Healing Brush, which handles common photographic problems such as blemishes, red eye, noise, blurring, and lens distortion; Vanishing Point, allowing users to clone, paint, and transform image objects while retaining visual perspective; and Image Warping, which makes it easy to fold, stretch, pull, twist, and warp an image “into shape” by dragging custom control points or selecting an on-demand preset.
In addition, its new Camera Raw 3.0 workflow allows settings for multiple RAW files to be simultaneously modified. And batch processing of RAW files can now be done in the background.
Estimated street price of Photoshop CS2: $599; licensed users can upgrade any previous version of Photoshop for $149.

InDesign CS2 adds features including: InDesign snippets, which enable users to share or repurpose live InDesign content and layouts from part of a page; saving graphics, text, etc. attributes as Object Styles, which are then easily applied and updated; drag-and-drop text with or between frames; selective display of layers and layer comps in Photoshop; and anchored objects that allow users to associate graphics, callouts, etc. with specific text. InDesign CS2 also features flexible new XML import options, the ability to link XML files, and new support for tagging tables.
Estimated street price: $699; upgrade pricing begins at $169.

Illustrator CS2 now features an enhanced user interface as well as expanded support for a variety of file formats (including PDF/X, Macromedia Flash, and SVG). In addition, it now includes new creative tools, including: Live Trace, which converts scans of hand-drawn sketches and digital photos into fully editable and scaleable Illustrator artwork in seconds; and Live Paint, which enables users to color artwork quickly and intuitively based on how it appears on screen (rather than how it was constructed). Estimated street price: $499; upgrade prices begin at $169.

GoLive CS2, for Web and mobile content, features new Layer and Grid Text Box tools, comprehensive mobile authoring tools based on open standards, and tight integration with Creative Suite 2 to allow for repurposing of print content. Estimated street price: $399; upgrade prices begins at $169.

Creative Suite 2 also includes three new components: Adobe Bridge, Version Cue CS2, and Adobe Stock Photos.

Adobe Bridge is a visual file browser that lets users browse, organize, and process design assets within Creative Suite 2 software components. For instance, users can preview multi-page PDF files, drag and drop from floating Compact Mode windows, process images with built-in Camera Raw 3.0, search for Adobe XMP metadata, etc.

Version Cue CS2 is a file-version manager the collaboration tool that helps users visually preview, track, and access historical and alternate versions of files in Creative Suite 2 projects. Workgroup users can share their work and initiate Web-based collaborative reviews of PDF project files.

Adobe Stock Photos simplifies the purchase and management of stock imagery. It brings together more than 230,000 images from leading stock-image providers into a single location.

Estimated street price of Creative Suite 2 Premium Edition: $1199; $899 for the Standard Edition, which does not include GoLive or Acrobat. (Adobe Systems: www.adobe.com)