Adobe Systems (NASDAQ:ADBE) has announced that it is making eSignatures available to hundreds of millions of Adobe Reader users, adding greater flexibility for signing, sending and managing documents, whether from a desktop or an iOS or Android mobile device.
Adobe announced integration between Adobe Reader and the Adobe EchoSign eSignature service, where users can gain real-time visibility into the signature process and status of contracts. The integration also ensures that end users get the assurance that their signed documents have been received, and can be easily organized and managed.
The days of printing, signing and faxing back signed documents are numbered. With Adobe Reader and EchoSign, were making it easy for anyone to send important contracts to customers so that they can quickly and easily sign and send them electronically and get the deal done faster, said Kevin Lynch, senior vice president and general manager of Acrobat and Document Services at Adobe, in a statement.
Weve tightened the integration between Adobe Reader and Adobe EchoSign eSignature service, so you and your customers can gain real-time visibility into the signature process and status of contractsgiving you greater assurance and control over the management of all signed documents, Lynch said in a blog post. Weve also streamlined the desktop experience and added features that give you more choice and greater functionality.
Adobe Reader X (version 10.1.3) for desktop offers new signature functionality with Adobe EchoSign that lets users choose how they want to electronically sign a document, either by drawing their signature or by adding a typed or cursive signature. Also available is the latest version of Adobe Reader for mobile, which now lets users electronically sign a document by simply drawing their signature, making it easy to conduct business while on the go.
Adobes new capabilities for smartphones, tablets and desktops include the Ink Signature Tool, with which users can electronically sign a document by hand-drawing their signature with their finger on a touch screen. And the new Send for Signature capability lets users connect to Adobe EchoSign to get others to sign documents electronically, enabling senders to track and manage the status of documents online. In addition, signed contracts are archived in the cloud, making it easy for users to retrieve documents from anywhere, at any time, via a Web browser.
Adobe Reader for mobile also has new features that let people interact with PDF documents directly from their iOS or Android devices. These include:
- AnnotateUsers can choose the Highlight, Strikethrough or Underline annotation tools, and drag over any text to easily mark up text.
- CommentUsers can add Sticky Notes anywhere on a PDF document. Just choose the Note tool, tap and add the comment.
- Forms FillUsers can fill out simple PDF forms, save them and forward them on to the recipient.
These new capabilities complement the wide range of features already available in Adobe Reader for mobileincluding viewing PDF Portfolios, password-protected PDF documents and Adobe LiveCycle rights-managed PDF files; and opening and viewing PDF files from email, on the Web or from any application that supports the Open In function. The intuitive user interface provides an efficient PDF viewing experience regardless of the device.