Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 review

Strong JavaScript support is essential if you’re going to be working with HTML5, and Dreamweaver CS5.5 fully integrates the industry-standard jQuery framework. You can use jQuery objects such as layout grids and collapsible blocks, and there are jQuery starter layouts included to help you get started on mobile projects. There’s also support for PhoneGap – the open-source mobile development framework. This lets developers build apps in languages they know such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS, rather than less well-known languages such as Objective-C, then use PhoneGap to build it for different mobile platforms. Having PhoneGap built in to CS5.5 means developers can build browser-based iOS and Android apps within Dreamweaver. You can also use CSS to alter your layout and design based on the mobile device’s screen size – such as changing the number of columns and font size. Dreamweaver’s Multiscreen dialog box lets you see quickly how the project will look on devices with different sized screens.

Finally, there are the changes to Flash Professional, which are also all about mobile devices. Adobe has tried to make it easier to produce content for different screen sizes. You have the option to scale all content automatically when you resize a project’s canvas, and a number of easy to apply code snippets let you add support for accelerometers and multitouch displays. To cut down on processor overheads, and so improve battery life, you can choose to convert vector graphics to bitmaps. Of course, Apple devices don’t support Flash, but now Apple has lifted the ban on coding apps in non-native languages using third-party development tools, it’s possible to export apps to iOS.

TO CONCLUDE

If you’re already a CS5 user, there’s little reason to upgrade to CS5.5. Photoshop and Illustrator haven’t changed, and the majority of changes to InDesign, Dreamweaver and Flash are geared towards mobile publishing. Nonetheless, HTML5 integration is welcome, and if you’re a budding app developer you’ll appreciate the new mobile-orientated tools. There are also some great upgrade deals available if you have a previous version, and the Student Edition is a bargain – check out Adobe’s Education Store to see if you’re eligible.