Michael Ninness, Senior Product Manager of InDesign at Adobe Systems, presented an awesome keynote address at The InDesign Conference in Miami last week. You can see some of it — in particular the parts where he did a sneak peek of a “technology preview” in which he exported Flash (SWF) files from InDesign, and even edited the files in Flash.

http://www.design-tools.com/add-ons/

You might think of PDF as being a “standard” in its own right, but there are actually a number of PDF standards, including PDF/X1-a, PDF/X4, and PDF/A. Explore the differences and these standards can make a difference in your workflows.
Best practices for archiving your work
Why the new PDF/X4 is so important
When to use PDF/X1 vs X3

PDF Standards: What You Need to KnowLeonard RosenthalYou might think of PDF as being a “standard” in its own right, but there are actually a number of PDF standards, including PDF/X1-a, PDF/X4, and PDF/A. Explore the differences and these standards can make a difference in your workflows.

• Best practices for archiving your work
• Why the new PDF/X4 is so important
• When to use PDF/X1 vs X3

3 attendees visiting the Create Chaos iStock booth from the Creative Suite and WDDC conference in Orlando.  And to think you missed this.

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=78180

Coming to The Creative Suite Conference in Nashville, TN? As you know, this city is internationally renowned for its music and culture, and you should definitely plan on getting out while you’re in town. Here are a few things that are going on around town.

Note that we’re at the Sheraton, downtown. Here’s some information on this location.

Airport

If you’re flying in to Nashville International, take a look around. They have a number of arts exhibits up. You can find out more about them here. If you want to look into ground transportation before you show up, check out this page.

Arts and Museums
Nashville is home to some wonderful museums and galleries. For example:

• Frist Museum (currently showing Monet to Dali, and a collection of Tiffany glass works).
• Country Music Hall of Fame
• Tennesee State Museum (including a current Renoir exhibit)

Music and Events

You can’t walk down the street in Nashville without being slapped upside the head with 15 different kinds of music! There’s also theatre and other fun events going on while we’re here.

• List of live music playing around Nashville.
• Grand Ol Opry (Tuesday night performances)
• Assassins (Stephen Sondheim’s oddest musical; in fact, one of the strangest topics for a musical ever)
• The Kids in the Hall (remember their HBO comedy show?)

Restaurants

There are a lot of restaurants in Nashville. I’m looking forward to some excellent eatin’! (I had the best-ever Reuben sandwich in this town.) Here’s google’s take on a few restaurants near the Sheraton hotel.

More Stuff

If you want even more information, check out the Nashville Visitor’s Bureau, or Citysearch!

It looks like the InDesign Conference and the Vector Conference will start off with a bang in Miami next week. Word has it that Adobe is planning on showing some kind of a technology preview at their keynote address – something to do with InDesign and Flash. Michael Ninness and Tim Cole are scheduled to deliver the keynote — both of them showmen in their own right. So it should be interesting. Can’t wait!

As I live in the northern part of the USA, and it’s February, I have to admit that I’m really looking forward to the four conferences in Miami at the end of the month (plus GOA). But the conferences aren’t the only things happening in Miami that week! There’s all kinds of cool stuff going on around town. Here’s a quick rundown of some events, things to watch out for, and places to eat around town to get you started.

Art

If you’re flying in, check out this art at the Miami International Airport.

Then, look at the Miami Art Guide for everything else happening around town

Near the conference center, you’ll find a very wide spectrum of museums, including:

• Jewish Museum of Florida which has a number of exhibits, including the one I’m looking forward to: Zap Pow Bam – Super Heroes of the Golden Age of Comics 1938-1950
• The Wolfsonian
• World Erotic Art Museum
• Art Center
  

Music and Events

1. If you’re coming in a little early, you might (or might not) be interested in a Barry Manilow concert on Sunday. Or, here’s a list of what’s happening Monday night (or any other night that week).
2. Manheim Steamroller is playing at the Jackie Gleason (next door to the convention center) while we’re there.
3. In case you’re not spending enough time inside in the dark, the Miami International Film Festival is happening that week, too.
4. New World Symphony has some wonderful Bach and Baroque coming up at the end of the week.
5. Need a more quiet form of “wildlife”? The International Orchid Festival is going on in town, too.

Restaurants

Top Twenty Miami Beach Restaurants

If you’re a vegetarian, check out the restaurant ideas at Meatless Miami ; we’ve heard very good things about this kosher vegetarian restaurant, called Gourmet Carrot

And, if you’re interested in Kosher, here’s one of Mordy’s favorites: Tea for Two: Italian food… and sushi!

And More…

You can find even more at the Miami Visitor’s Bureau, of course.

Do you know any cool things going on in town that week? Any recommendations? Let us know below!

Question: I’ve been a life-long, 17-year user of FreeHand and this is just killing me. In FreeHand I could “Cmd-C” an object to move it then “Cmd-D” would repeat that to create simple patterns. How do I do that in Illustrator? I tried “Cmd D” but it just moves the same shape. It doesn’t create new ones?

Check out the AskMOGO.com video podcast answer here.

I’m working on a 4 color-process job in Illustrator that uses a blue that is our corporate blue. Well now the job is almost ready for press and they decided to make this a 5-color job. I know there is an easy way to make all this blue a PMS5425 blue. Is this enough info? Can you help me out?

Check out the AskMOGO.com video podcast answer here.