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Making Sense of Adobe Creative Suite 3
Monday, May 14, 2007 / Software
The title of this article may be a little misleading. This guide is not about learning how to use the new Creative Suit applications — that would require an undertaking of encyclopedic proportions. This article will attempt to explain the differences between the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Standard, Premium and Masters Editions.
Since the acquisition of Macromedia in 2005, Adobe has incorporated newly updated applications (such as Dreamweaver) into their suites. The result is a comprehensive, albeit confusing, collection of software.
Adobe Creative Suite 3.0 Design Premium and Standard
These editions are directed toward print designers, although the Premium edition includes copies of Flash and Dreamweaver.
Adobe CS 3.0 Design Standard:
- Photoshop CS3
- Illustrator CS3
- InDesign CS3
- Acrobat 8 Professional
PowerMax Price: $1134.88
Adobe CS 3.0 Design Premium:
- Photoshop CS3 Extended*
- Illustrator CS3
- InDesign CS3
- Acrobat 8 Professional
- Flash CS3 Professional
- Dreamweaver CS3 (replaces GoLive)
PowerMax Price: $1134.88
*What the heck is Photoshop CS3 Extended you ask? Photoshop Extended includes tools for editing 3D and motion-based content. It also includes an image analysis tool.
Both CS3 Design Standard and Premium share the following features and services:
- Bridge CS3
- Version Cue CS3
- Device Central – A new application that allows web designers and programmers the ability to test how websites perform on cell phones and PDAs.
- Acrobat Connect – (Formerly Macromedia Breeze) web conferencing software.
- Stock photos.
Adobe Creative Suite 3.0 Web Premium and Standard
This suite is directed toward web developers and includes a couple cool apps originally developed by Macromedia.
Adobe CS 3.0 Web Standard:
- Flash CS3 Professional
- Dreamweaver CS3 (replaces GoLive)
- Fireworks CS3 (replaces ImageReady) Creates animated banners and graphics for the web.
- Contribute CS3 Basically a web-content editor for those without a Master’s Degree in information technology.
PowerMax Price: $944.88
Adobe CS 3.0 Web Premium:
- Photoshop CS3 Extended
- Illustrator CS3
- Flash CS3 Professional
- Dreamweaver CS3
- Fireworks CS3
- Contribute CS3
PowerMax Price: $1509.88
Both CS3 Web Standard and Premium share the following features and services:
- Bridge CS3
- Version Cue CS3
- Device Central – A new application that allows web designers and programmers the ability to test how websites perform on cell phones and PDAs.
- Acrobat Connect – (Formerly Macromedia Breeze) web conferencing software.
- Stock photos.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium
Into video editing and production? This suite is chock-full of cool apps and editing tools. CS3 Production Premium and is slated for release in July 2007.
CS3 Production Premium includes:
- Photoshop CS3 Extended
- Illustrator CS3
- Flash CS3 Professional
- After Effects CS3 Professional
- Premier Pro CS3
- Soundbooth CS3
- Encore CS3
As well as:
- Bridge CS3
- Device Central
- Acrobat Connect
- Stock photos
- Dynamic link
- OnLocation CS3 (Windows only)
- Ultra CS3 (Windows only)
PowerMax Price: $1349.88
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection
This soup-to-nuts collection of software includes every title previously mentioned. But that won’t keep us from listing it all below. Slated for release in July 2007.
CS3 Master Collection includes:
- Photoshop CS3 Extended
- Illustrator CS3
- InDesign CS3
- Acrobat 8 professional
- Flash CS3 Professional
- Dreamweaver CS3
- Fireworks CS3
- Contribute CS3
- After Effects CS3 Professional
- Premier Pro CS3
- Soundbooth CS3
- Encore CS3
As well as:
- Bridge CS3
- Version Cue CS3
- Device Central
- Acrobat Connect
- Stock photos
- Dynamic link
- OnLocation CS3 (Windows only)
- Ultra CS3 (Windows only)
PowerMax Price: $2359.88
Click here for a Adobe Creative Suite 3 Edition matrix.
Click here for special free Adobe upgrade information! If you buy (or have bought) earlier versions of Adobe software after the CS3 announcement, you’re entitled to free software upgrades when the applications are formally released!
And there you have it, the whole Adobe Creative Suite enchilada. We hope this article has helped you to become more knowledgeable about the Creative Suite 3 line and will aid you in making informed buying decisions.
Stay tuned for more Apple-related guides and primers exclusively from PowerMax!
