Adobe has released its Acrobat 9 software, an upgrade that the company claims will transform the process of creating and sharing electronic documents.
Acrobat 9 provides deep support for Adobe Flash technology, enabling users to include Adobe Flash Player compatible video and application files in PDF documents. Recipients need free Adobe Reader 9 software to consume the content. Now, static documents can come to life as dynamic communications.
The upgrade also includes the ability to unify a range of content into a single document with the new concept of PDF Portfolios. PDF Portfolios allows users to assemble multiple media types, such as documents, video, audio, and 3D objects, into one, compressed PDF file. Users can then choose a layout to integrate content, define navigation, and add polish and branding.
In addition, Acrobat 9 provides access to capabilities for collaborating live within a PDF document – enabled by working with Acrobat.com, a new suite of hosted services Adobe introduced as public beta. For example, a salesperson could use Acrobat 9 to send a lengthy contract to clients. The sales professional, or any of the recipients using Adobe Reader1, can then drive the group’s navigation through the PDF document in real-time working with Acrobat.com. This helps ensure everyone is literally, and figuratively, on the same page.
Additionally, Acrobat 9 users can access Acrobat.com for storing and sharing files, use it as a central location for collecting data as part of a forms process, and to gather comments in a shared document review. Acrobat.com includes other services, such as Adobe ConnectNow, personal Web conferencing that provides desktop sharing, video and voice conferencing, and integrated chat; and Adobe Buzzword, an elegant, web-based word processor that can be used to co-author and share documents for comment and review.
The Acrobat 9 family consists of Acrobat 9 Standard, Acrobat 9 Pro, and the new Acrobat 9 Pro Extended software. Acrobat 9 Pro Extended includes Adobe Presenter software for turning Microsoft PowerPoint presentations into multimedia experiences that can be published as PDF files.
RRP
Acrobat 9 Pro Extended
Full/Upgrade
$999/$329
Acrobat 9 Pro
Full/Upgrade
$749/$279
Acrobat 9 Standard
Full/Upgrade
$549/$179
