Adobe has finally started to release details on the new Acrobat XI which will be their latest installment for creating, editing and viewing PDFs. They even spoke about a study done by the IDC which stated that companies spend an average of about 3.5 hours a week just compiling different file types to format into a single file type, another 3.7 hours gathering and consolidating the feedback and 3.4 hours consolidating data from forms. The study states this costs up to $15.9 million per year in annual productivity costs. With Adobe Acrobat XI, they try to address these inefficiencies. Probably the biggest tool in this version has to be the tool for editing texts and images. It will also add a drag and drop interface for merging files into a single PDF. They have also added intergration with EchoSign to make it easier to provide electronic signatures and now you can export your PDFs as PowerPoint presentations. Adobe Acrobat XI should be available in the coming month and has a list price of $299 and the Pro version for $449. No word yet on the major differences between the two.
