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MEDIA REVIEWS Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended $699.00; Upgrade $229 Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, Acrobat’s top-of-the-line software, successfully:
Adobe Flash Adobe flash allows all users of Acrobat 9 to natively open/read Flash Video FLV files embedded into PDF files once video file formats such as QuickTime MOV, AVI, MPEG, and WMV are converted into Flash Video FLV format. Once the video is converted, third-party video player applications are unnecessary. Portfolios Abobe’s Portfolio software allows users to assemble a variety of multimedia documents, including videos, photos, graphical images, and interactive models into groups of digital image files. Such “Portfolios” should provide an effective means for presenting facts and evidence persuasively at conferences and trials. Portfolio layout displays may be based on many formats, including: Basic Grid, Files as Thumbnails with Text, Grid with File Preview, Files atop an Image, and Revolving Focus. When the mouse is slid atop a component file, its contents may be previewed. A subsequent mouse click on a component file opens the file and displays its contents according to the Portfolio’s layout or in the file’s native application. Redaction The Acrobat Redaction Tool has been enhanced to assure that prescribed words and phrases are redacted and to allow all or just a portion of images and graphics to be redacted. Once the Search and Redact function is activated, Acrobat searches for specific text or textual patterns; textual content in the form of lists of words and phrases may be copied into the search criteria box. Pro versions arrive with five code patterns for SSN, credit cards, emails, and dates. Code patterns for other terms, e.g., Canadian Social Insurance Numbers, may be prepared by applying syntax rules or invoking third-party plug-ins that define regular code (“REGEX”) patterns. It also allows entire pages to be redacted using the Mark Page Range option and also accommodates comments affixed to redacted content. A handy option is to have Acrobat automatically name redacted documents by concatenating the character string “_redacted” to the PDF filename. Metadata Removal Commercial versions of the software also allow metadata to be removed. Invoking the “Examine Document” feature enables attorneys to assure that PDFs are clean and safe for sending or distributing electronically via email or online. Passwords & Encryption Adobe has implemented both passwords and 256-bit encryption for safeguarding the integrity and confidentiality of documents stored as PDF files. Passwords may be invoked to restrict users from opening, printing, and editing PDFs. Certificates may be invoked to encrypt PDFs so that only an approved list of users can open encrypted files. Bates Numbering Bates Numbering has also been enhanced allowing Bates Numbers to be applied to one document, a whole set of documents, or to different numbering sequences. Document sets may also be given a unique set of numbers or prefixes which could optionally include text indicating a set number, a case, or a law firm. Acrobat 9 Pro keeps track of pages excerpted from a Bates-numbered document, wherein the page index information is stored in each extracted page’s dictionary of unique identifiers (“PieceInfo” dictionary). Color-coding may be invoked to make Bates Numbers conspicuous from the underlying text. Endorsements such as “Confidential” or disclaimers may be incorporated into page labeling. Collaboration By invoking the built-in Adobe Connect feature, an attorney may confer in real-time with one or two other users and, in so doing, rely upon Acrobat.com for providing 5 gigabytes of secure, complimentary online storage. So long as the conference initiator has Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, the participants may have any version of Acrobat 9 including free Reader. Collaborators can interact to jointly develop documents in real-time regardless of geography. Recap Adobe’s Acrobat 9 Pro Extended software offerings has raised the bar yet again, offering a full gamut of leading-edge functions and features focusing on security, dynamic communications using e-paper augmented by e-media, collaboration and instantaneous connectivity. It will be very useful for attorneys whose practice is fraught with electronic documents and email communications, and PDF court-filings. Al Harrison is a patent attorney practicing intellectual property and computer law in Houston, with Harrison Law Office, P.C. He is a member of The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board. Prior to practicing law, he was a computer consultant and systems engineer.
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