Adobe announces Adobe Acrobat 7.0
updated 08:30 am EST, Mon November 15, 2004
Adobe Acrobat 7.0
today introduced Adobe Acrobat 7.0, an update to its family of desktop applications creating and working with PDF files. Version 7 allows workgroups to assemble documents from multiple sources, create intelligent forms, and more securely collaborate on projects inside and outside the firewall. Acrobat 7.0 Professional customers can now include virtually anyone in an electronic review of a PDF document by enabling access to commenting tools in free Adobe Reader 7.0 software. Adobe Reader users can quickly provide feedback on a PDF file that consists of several content types -- from scanned paper to spreadsheets, presentations, and now, 3D computer-aided design (CAD) content. It will ship by the end of year along with an updated version of its Adobe Reader 7.0 software.
The Acrobat 7.0 family also offers enhanced integration with Adobe LiveCycle software, Adobe's product line for document services that connect people with business processes. The inclusion of Adobe LiveCycle Designer, the company's professional form design tool, with Acrobat 7.0 Professional provides users the ability to create sophisticated XML and PDF forms that can be integrated into back-end systems. Also, Acrobat 7.0 Professional and Acrobat 7.0 Standard are both tightly integrated with Adobe LiveCycle Policy Server, allowing organizations to apply and manage document policies for helping control access, auditing, expiration, and revocation rights to a PDF document.
"Over time, PDF has evolved from a static format for publishing final documents to a flexible technology more widely and thoroughly leveraged by workgroups and enterprises," said Timothy Hickernell, vice president at META Group, a leading provider of IT research, advisory services and strategic consulting. "As the format's evolution has taken place, the market for products that offer more than basic PDF creation has begun to flourish."
The Acrobat 7.0 family offers different functionality to address specific customer workflows. Acrobat 7.0 Professional provides more advanced control over engineering and design documents for technical and creative workgroups that rely on specialized software such as CAD and publishing applications. Acrobat 7.0 Standard is designed for more general business applications, while Acrobat Elements is a license-only product that allows enterprise licensing.
Adobe also announced Adobe Reader 7.0, the company's free, universal client software. It continues to deliver on the ability to reliably view and print Adobe PDF files across various operating systems, hardware and mobile device platforms and now offers more powerful capabilities, such as the ability to participate in document reviews, integrated Yahoo! search capabilities, and interaction with 3D objects placed in PDF. The product is also the client for intelligent document services, enabling individuals to participate in business processes, interact with many types of specialized content more securely on- and off-line, and enforce security and control policies on PDF files.
Acrobat 7.0 (Professional/Standard) will be available for Mac OS X 10.2.8 and Mac OS X 10.3. It is expected to ship in English by the end of the current calendar year, and in French, German and Japanese in early 2005. Acrobat 7.0 Professional is $450, while registered users of Acrobat 4.0, Acrobat 5.0, Acrobat 6.0 Standard, or Acrobat 6.0 Professional can upgrade for $160. Acrobat 7.0 Standard is $300, with upgrades priced at $100.
