Adobe shipped CS5.5 earlier today, the latest update to their suite of software products for creative professionals. We’ve become known for providing video training for major new software releases very quickly, often on the same day that the products ship, and CS5.5 is no different. You can check out all of the new features by watching the various New Features courses, to help you either get up and running or simply help you evaluate whether you actually think you should bother upgrading this time around.
We are curious to know which product you are most interested in learning more about, so let us know by voting in our poll:
Loading ...If you are eager to start learning more, here are the links to the relevant new courses for CS5.5 available now in the Online Training Library.
InDesign CS5.5 New Features
Dreamweaver CS5.5 New Features
Flash Professional CS5.5 New Features
Flash Catalyst CS5.5 Essential Training
After Effects CS5.5 New Features
After Effects CS5.5 New Creative Techniques
Premiere Pro CS5.5 New Features
Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5 New Features
Tags: After Effects Premiere Pro, Dreamweaver, Flash Builder, Flash Catalyst, Flash Professional, InDesign
I’d be very interested learning Adobe Audition CS 5.5 now when it’s available also on Mac.
What about Photoshop 5.5 ? I would think that is the most popular. Did they not produce a 5.5 version of Photoshop?
@G: That is correct — Photoshop and Illustrator have not been updated to CS5.5, so their version monikers stay at CS5. No new features to cover in either of those two products.
@G no they did not update Photoshop to CS5.5
In other news, yikes! Not good polling numbers for Adobe (not yet anyway)
I’d would like to see some serious stuff. There are plenty of essential courses in the library allready. Too much if you ask me.
Maybe you can organize a collaboration by some of your elite trainers in an effort/project that would simulate real-world scenario. Clint->Manager->Designer->Developer workflow. One project where you can really show off the creative suite (web/mobile design & development). Discuss design patterns, long term maintenance, documentation, etc, etc.
Indesign!! I’m verry interested in digital publishing for iPads. Finally an end to the DP beta period.
I’d be interested in a “Mobile/tablet-specific upgrades” title… I purchased CS5 and don’t know if I should upgrade now or wait to purchase a future 6; but I have an interest in mobile publishing, as well, and would be curious as to what CS5.5 would have to offer me.
I was interested in dreamweaver cs5.5, so I bought the upgrade today. Too bad that I couldn’t upgrade just one program since I bought the master collection cs5. So, word of warning: if you bought a collection, you have to upgrade it all. Waiting for my refund, Adobe.
Curious in learning any software versions with a 5.5 at the end. It sucks that Soundbooth (software that shipped with CS5) is now discontinued and now everyone is forced to learn Audition. Whatever.
It’s ridiculous how much they charge for the upgrade if they are going to put them out so often, and not put new stuff into all the titles (I purchase Design Premium). Such minor upgrades should have minor price tags. On the other hand, I did see something that could revolutionize the ability of people who are not able to afford thousands of dollars for the suites – they “pay as you go” option – which I assume also means getting new upgrades as you pay. Over a lifetime, this would probably cost more than purchasing. On the other hand, with updates coming out so often, if you are the type who must always have the newest – maybe it is worth it after all. I’m considering it…as I’m still on CS3 haha!
@Coen James Fritz gives an overview of the InDesign CS5.5 DPS-related features in the InDesign CS5.5 New Features course: http://www.lynda.com/InDesign-CS5-5-tutorials/New-Features/80438-2.html. Of course, DPS has been a bit of a moving target, but we’re definitely keeping our eye on creating more content there as the system matures.
It would be great to learn more about photographic techniques. The tutorials on flash and natural lighting are excellent. I wish there more of them and more longer in time. THe ones now are also using Canon equipment. It would be excellent not to exclude the Nikon folks.
Maybe CS5.5 should have been a free update to CS 5!
Still don’t understand why Acrobat Pro X wasn’t included in CS5 but IS being included in CS5.5. Why would they make us pay for it separately like that?
I am most interested in seeing the wholly new entry of Audition into the Creative Suite. It promises to be a major step up from Soundbooth, but seems to be getting totally ignored, by both you and Adobe. As the teacher in an audio training course where we use many other Adobe products alongside the Apple Final Cut Suite, I am anxious to see how Adobe’s new stuff (and Apple’s recent announcement at NAB about Final Cut Pro X, which supposedly may absorb Soundtrack into the video editing program) are going to play out.
@LRob, Acrobat and the Creative Suite are like two separate divisions over there at Adobe, and they’re on different release cycles. So when CS5 came out, Acrobat 9 was the latest version. It was about another 5 months before they released Acrobat X.
Same thing happened with CS3. When it came out, Acrobat 8 was the latest version. When Acrobat 9 came out a few months later, Adobe had a “CS3.3″ version of the suite that they sold from then on, or that CS3 users could upgrade to. (But in that case, none of the other apps were updated, so the fee was minimal.)
Don’t forget to check out my Acrobat Pro X: Essential Training title! It’s been sitting there lonely, waiting for CS users to come by and say howdy. lol
AM
I have been a Photoshop user since its inception but they just priced themselves off the market for the average person. Bye, Bye. There are so many other products now that do the same for a lot less and not everyone has a company that will pay for it.
Most interested in alternatives to Adobe Suite Products. I remember anxiously awaiting Illustrator 88 for its revolutionary capabilities. Now the only thing I am anxious about is the heavy hit to the checkbook as upgrades only provide mediocre enhancements, at best (for the most part).
I would be very interested in a New Features class in Captivate 5.5.
Adobe is getting greedy. We just forked out all that money for CS5! .5 versions should be free. It doesn’t even cover the whole suite. They are slated to go to CS6 in 2012. How many of us can shell out that kind of money every year? I guess Adobe is trying to find out!
Put me down as someone who is VERY unhappy with Adobe. I’ve upgraded through several versions of PS and AI, CS3, Upgraded to CS4 Master Collection, grudgingly upgraded to CS5 MC not very long ago, and now this 5.5 and subscriptions nonsense. CS5.5 should be a free upgrade for registered users of CS5. Subscriptions should be a fraction of what they are asking. Adobe has become too greedy.
I’ll keep using what I have already purchased until CS5 no longer meets my needs, then I will move on to something else. Adobe just lost a long-time customer.
I have production suite and I really don’t see anything in the dot 5 upgrade that I need. I did upgrade flash builder premium but only because the price was 50$. So I guess this means I don’t see 350$ worth of changes to production suite… maybe later.
Adobe has become a joke.
While the CS5 upgrade on Mac was a must, finally all apps ran at decent speeds, this . point upgrade seems like a greedy way to cash in.
Here in Australia we pay almost double of what people pay for the upgrade in the US. Stupid thing is you download the software from a server located in the US and when you need support you are talking to someone in India. Why the local pricing has to be so exorbitant is beyond me.
Either way, the 5.5 upgrade really just seem to be a case of Adobe management trying to get some cash flow in-between the major updates.
I think I’d like to echo what Scott wrote. I’m more interested in alternatives to Adobe Products now.
I’ve pretty much given up upgrading them. I stuck on CS3 as i felt pretty disappointed that that didn’t significantly improve my work life especially for the price!
Whilst I agree with some of what is said, I have upgraded from Web Premium CS5 to 5.5 just to get Acrobat Pro X and the early availability of the added support for mobiles and tablets which is where its all happening at present. I also now KNOW it will be 12-18 months before Adobe comes asking for more money, or if they come sooner I will be joining the ‘Adobe just got greedy camp’.
I read some of the comments, I do agree Adobe’s upgrading and monthly plans cost is very expensive. CS5 just came out last year and now to add “.5″ to a few softwares in the collection will cost you $549! That is like buying a new flat screen hdtv for another room in your house every year! If you consider the monthly plan, that is like paying for service you will never own. CS6 will come out in 2012, which means dropping another $549+. I am also thinking about alternative software. I need to start saving for retirement too.
BTW, check out Photoshop Touch, great video, but in my opinion, if this is part of the upgrade for $549, that sucks. Might as well get out some sketch paper and your crayons.
@Jason: The ability for Photoshop CS5 to communicate with the Photoshop Touch apps is a free update, separate from the CS5.5 upgrade. Photoshop itself is still at version CS5.
You can update Photoshop CS5 (to CS5.1) by choosing Help > Updates… That said, the Photoshop Touch apps themselves are not free. They need to be purchased from the iTunes App Store, and I think the prices will be $4.99 each when they become available.
@Michael Ninness: thank you for clarifying Photoshop Touch and the where to get the apps.
BTW, I enjoy your Photoshop tutorial videos! You include important daily uses of the program. Very simple and easy to follow along for any level user.
I would like to see what is new in Adobe Audition CS5.5. Was never a fan of Sound Booth, so I am ecstatic that Audition is back. Have been using Audition since it was Cool Edit back in the day. From what I can tell, there aren’t a lot of changes to the new version of Audition, but I think it fits the Master Collection much better than Sound Booth did. On a side note, I actually now use Protools for my audio production since Audition appeared to have been in a state of suspension since CS3. So I will probably continue to use Protools for my recording projects, and use Audition for editing video audio and such.
~Alex
Arrrrrgh! – to upgrade from CS4 to CS5.5 is $649 – ouch! Hmmm let’s see buy gasoline or upgrade to an infinitesimally small increased performing Creative Suite. I feel like I am just mastering CS4. It takes time to learn the new programs let alone get proficient at them. Adobe issues a new upgrade before we have time to digest the previous version. They foolishly think we will keep shelling out thousands like dumb sheep. I think they are increasingly as vulnerable to open-source competitors as Microsoft.
I can’t believe Adobe is “selling” something that should have been a FREE update. This is the last Adobe product I own.
Let me get this straight. I just bought CS5 a couple of months ago for around 16 or 17 hundred dollars. Now they (Adobe) want me to upgrade for ANOTHER $1700.00, to a “light” upgrade. What do they take us for, cash cows?
I have to agree with all the comments on Adobe greed. I purchased the CS5 Master Collection in January and am definitely not ready to pay for a half done upgrade at the excessive price Adobe is asking.
Will there be an Adobe Audition 5.5 tutorial anytime soon? Because we haven’t seen it since 3.0, the changes are huge compared to the little things added in Photoshop and Premiere? Right?
@Dan & @Alex We are actively recruiting for an Audition author. You are right, with the changes Adobe has made to Audition, the fact that they’ve brought it to the Mac and that Soundbooth is no more, this is a hole we know we need to fill. Hoping we find a new author soon.
The selection being offered by Adobe is beginning to get overwhelming. I really hope that they start just focusing on a few things and doing them extremely well!
Any updates on the Audition course? I feel like I’ve been anxiously awaiting for looooong time!
T
Hi Thomas! Thanks for checking in! We have found an author to create an updated Essential Training course for Adobe Audition, and we expect to publish a new course within the first half of this year.