Adobe announces Creative Suite 4

Adobe has introduced Creative Suite 4, claiming workflow improvements, better support for Flash and more integration across the suite.

Creative Suite 4 is an extensive release, it includes: Soundbooth, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Flash, Fireworks, Dreamweaver, After Effects as stand alone apps. Bundles: There’s a Master Collection which includes everything, and standard and premium versions of both design and web product groups, along with a new Production Premium collection.

“Designers and developers are shaping the way that people consume information, share ideas, sell products, tell stories and create memorable experiences – in print, online and via mobile handsets,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer at Adobe.

“Whether you’re creating a rich Internet application, a video or a best-selling magazine, Adobe Creative Suite 4 delivers powerful crossmedia technologies that have the ability to elevate products, brands and ideas above the clutter.”

There’s no end to the stand-out features within this release. Photoshop Extended, for example, now allows users to paint and composite 3D models; Dreamweaver users get to see accurate renderings of site designs, complete with the ability to test interactions; and it’s now possible to create transparent gradients and draw more naturally with the blob tool that you’ll find inside Illustrator. 

The suite’s simplified workflow means users can design across media more efficiently, making it easier to complete common tasks and switch between mediums without leaving a project. InDesign CS4 includes a new Live Preflight tool that allows designers to catch production errors and a newly customisable Links panel to place files more efficiently.

A new Content-Aware Scaling tool in Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended automatically recomposes an image as it is resized, preserving vital areas as it adapts to new dimensions. An expanded version of Dynamic Link in CS4 Production Premium enables users to move content between After Effects CS4, Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, Soundbooth CS4, and Encore CS4.

The software offers better support for 3D, adding the ability to paint, composite, and animate 3D models using familiar tools.

Adobe has also introduced suite of online services, which it is calling Adobe ConnectNow, which can be accessed from within applications included within the suite and which offers tools for collaboration, back-up and more.

Other online resources include: Adobe Community Help for technical questions; Resource Central for accessing video and audio product-related news and tutorials, as well as Soundbooth scores, sound effects, and other stock media; and Adobe Bridge Home, a customisable resource for tips, tutorials, news and inspirational content.