Product Family Advances Higher-Value Uses of PDF, Harnesses Reach of Free Adobe Reader for Collaboration on Documents Inside and Outside the Firewall.

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) 7.0 software, a family of desktop applications that provides capabilities far beyond converting documents into the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Now, workgroups can use Acrobat 7.0 and Adobe PDF to manage a range of essential business activities such as assembling documents from multiple sources, creating intelligent forms, and more securely collaborating on projects inside and outside the firewall.

For the first time, 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(R) 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.

The Acrobat 7.0 family, the latest update to the Adobe Intelligent Document platform, now offers enhanced integration with Adobe LiveCycle(TM) software, the company'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 tightly integrated with Adobe LiveCycle Policy Server. The combination enables 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 ideal for business professionals in organizations of all sizes, where the ability to effectively find, use and manage vital information -- from emails and Web pages to everyday application files -- is key to getting work done on time and budget. Acrobat Elements is a license-only product that allows enterprises to put Adobe PDF creation capability on every desktop for more secure document distribution.

Adobe also announced Adobe Reader 7.0, the company's free, universal client software. The product, which continues to deliver on the ability to reliably view and print Adobe PDF files across various operating systems, hardware and mobile device platforms, now offers more powerful capabilities, as well. Adobe Reader users can participate in document reviews, have Yahoo! Search capabilities at their fingertips and can interact 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. Adobe has distributed over half-a-billion copies of Adobe Reader since its 1993 introduction.

Pricing and Availability

Acrobat 7.0 Professional and Acrobat 7.0 Standard for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 (with service pack 2), Windows XP Professional, Home and Tablet PC Editions, and Mac OS X v10.2.8 and v10.3, are 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 expected to be available for an estimated street price of US$449. Registered users of Acrobat 4.0, Acrobat 5.0, Acrobat 6.0 Standard, or Acrobat 6.0 Professional can upgrade to Acrobat 7.0 Professional for an estimated street price of US$159. Acrobat 7.0 Standard is expected to be available for an estimated street price of US$299. Registered users of Acrobat 4.0, Acrobat 5.0 or Acrobat 6.0 Standard can upgrade to Acrobat 7.0 Standard for an estimated street price of US$99. The products also will be available through Adobe's Open Options licensing programs.