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Milestone Release Radically Improves Creative Workflow Efficiency; Redefines Collaboration Between Designers and Developers

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Oct. 15, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of the Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 product family, the highly-anticipated release of industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow. Delivering radical breakthroughs in workflow efficiency – and packed with hundreds of innovative, time saving features – the new Creative Suite 4 product line advances the creative process across print, Web, interactive, film, video and mobile.

Customers can choose from six new versions: Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, Web Standard, Production Premium and Master Collection. The combination of Creative Suite and the new capabilities of Adobe Flash® Player 10, also available today (see separate press release) deliver new levels of creativity and expressiveness across media channels. Designers using the Adobe Creative Suite 4 product family will gain unprecedented creative control using the new expressive features and visual performance improvements in Adobe Flash Player 10 to deliver breakthrough Web experiences across multiple browsers and operating systems.

“Creative Suite 4 and Flash Player 10 introduce vital time-saving features, new levels of integration and the jaw-dropping innovations our design and developer customers expect from us,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president, Creative Solutions Business Unit at Adobe.

“CS4 continues to fulfill our promise to customers to break down more barriers in cross-media workflows, while also providing new services and collaboration tools that help them manage complex client demands.”

As part of the CS4 product launch, the largest in Adobe’s history, also available today are brand new versions of Photoshop® CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, InDesign® CS4, Illustrator® CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver® CS4, Fireworks® CS4, Contribute® CS4, After Effects® CS4, Adobe Premiere® Pro CS4, Encore® CS4, Soundbooth® CS4 and Adobe OnLocation™ CS4.

Intuitive Workflows Improve Creative Efficiency
A simplified workflow in Adobe Creative Suite 4 enables users to design across media more efficiently by making it easier to complete common tasks and move content seamlessly among applications. InDesign CS4 includes a new Live Preflight tool that allows designers to catch production errors and a newly customizable Links panel to manage placed files more efficiently. The revolutionary new Content-Aware Scaling tool in Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended automatically recomposes an image as it is resized, preserving vital areas as it adapts to new dimensions. An expanded version of Dynamic Link in CS4 Production Premium enables users to move and update content between After Effects CS4, Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, Soundbooth CS4, and Encore CS4 without rendering, saving countless hours in production. With deep XMP metadata support, the production workflow is simplified, resulting in online content that gives viewers new ways to interact with and search for video, while giving content owners new opportunities to track and monetize content.

Adobe Creative Suite 4 brings 3D center-stage providing the ability to paint, composite, and animate 3D models using familiar tools in Photoshop CS4 Extended. Flash CS4 Professional now offers the ability to apply tweens to objects instead of keyframes, providing greater control over animation attributes. Also in Flash CS4 Professional, the new Bones tool helps create more realistic animations between linked objects. With a searchable library of more than 450 dynamically updated device profiles from leading manufacturers, Adobe Device Central CS4 enables users to easily test mobile content designed using many of the Creative Suite 4 products.

New and Expanded Services Extend Capabilities for Online Collaboration
Adobe Creative Suite 4 now also offers a host of services* for online collaboration. Adobe ConnectNow, a service of Acrobat.com, allows real-time collaboration with two colleagues or clients. Designers can also share color harmonies with Adobe Kuler™

Other online resources include: Adobe Community Help for technical questions; Resource Central for accessing video and audio product-related news and tutorials, as well as Soundbooth scores and sound effects; and Adobe Bridge Home, a customizable resource for tips, tutorials, news and inspirational content.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Creative Suite 4 and its associated point products are immediately available through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store . Estimated street price for the Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium is US$1799, US$1699 for Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium, US$1699 for Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium, and US$2499 for Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection. To reward customers for staying current, Adobe is offering Creative Suite 3 customers moving to Creative Suite 4 a lower upgrade price than it offers to those moving from older, qualifying versions. For a limited time, a special introductory offer enables customers with older qualifying products to enjoy the same lower price with savings of up to US$200 off their actual upgrade price. For more detailed information please visit www.adobe.com/creativesuite .

Adobe Flash Player 10 is available immediately as a free download for Windows, Macintosh and Linux platforms (including new support for Ubuntu 7 and 8  ) from www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer .

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

New Foundation’s First Initiative Engages Youth to Drive Social Change

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Oct. 1, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the Adobe Foundation, a global philanthropic organization focused on driving positive social change and community improvement. Formation of the foundation builds on Adobe’s long history of philanthropy - including grantmaking, software donations and training, employee volunteer programs and education initiatives - focused on making the communities where Adobe operates strong and more vibrant places to live, work and do business.

Adobe has historically allocated one percent of its annual net income to philanthropic giving, managed through a donor-advised fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF). Going forward, these funds will be managed by the Adobe Foundation, creating a closer connection between Adobe and its philanthropic interests. The Adobe Foundation will initially manage Adobe’s flagship community program, Adobe Youth Voices, and administer new programs in the future.

The Foundation’s Adobe Youth Voices (AYV) program aims to empower pre-teen and teenage youths in underserved communities with hands-on experiences and digital tools, enabling them to communicate their ideas and share their stories in a range of mediums. Intended to deepen student passion for learning and activism by engaging youth on matters of personal interest, AYV programs are offered through 75 schools and non-profit organizations worldwide.

AYV participants walk in the footsteps of some of the world’s best-known creative minds, using the same video, multimedia, digital art, Web, animation and audio tools. The tools and instruction offered through AYV have enabled students to make expressive projects tackling diverse social issues ranging from bullying and gang violence to teen pregnancy and climate change. Student projects have been showcased at prestigious venues such as the Human Rights Watch Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival. Highlights of student projects can be found by visitinghttp://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/philanthropy/youthvoices .

“The Foundation is a natural extension of Adobe’s 25-year history of giving back,” said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe’s president and CEO. “Adobe’s products and technologies empower people to express themselves creatively and engage audiences in virtually every medium. The Foundation and the AYV program will enable under-privileged youth to learn new digital skills and, even more importantly, become more informed, engaged global citizens.”

“Adobe Youth Voices aligns with our corporate philosophy, products and values. We’re very proud to be taking this step to manage our philanthropic activities at Adobe,” said Michelle Mann, executive director of corporate social responsibility and director of the Adobe Foundation. “The Foundation will help our current program be even more effective and expand our programs into more countries.”

In 2007, Adobe donated more than $25.4 million in cash and software to schools and nonprofits throughout the world, including: the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston; Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley; Jan Madhyam in New Delhi; Give2Asia in Beijing; the Glide Foundation in San Francisco; IslandWood in Seattle; and iSisters Technology Mentoring Inc. in Ottawa, Canada.

About Adobe Youth Voices

Adobe Youth Voices is a global philanthropic initiative that empowers youth worldwide to comment on their world using multimedia and digital tools to communicate and share their ideas, demonstrate their potential and take action in their communities. Now in its second year, Adobe Youth Voices is bringing digital tools and training to students and educators at 75 schools and nonprofit organizations worldwide, including sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and India. For more information, visit www.adobe.com/go/youthvoices .

About the Adobe Foundation

The Adobe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation created and funded by Adobe Systems Incorporated to leverage human, technological and financial resources to drive social change and community improvements. The organization honors the philanthropic spirit initiated by Adobe founders John Warnock and Chuck Geschke. The Foundation aligns its giving to support communities where Adobe has employees, focusing on issues including homelessness, hunger, arts/culture, environment and access to technology for people with disabilities.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Revenue and Earnings Performance Driven by Record Acrobat and LiveCycle Revenue

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sept. 16, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today reported financial results for its third quarter ended Aug. 29, 2008.

In the third quarter of fiscal 2008, Adobe achieved revenue of $887.3 million, compared to $851.7 million reported for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and $886.9 million reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. Adobe’s third quarter revenue target range was $855 to $885 million.

“Our strong performance in Q3 was driven by record revenue for our Acrobat and LiveCycle products, as well as the overall diversity of our business,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer. “We continue to execute exceptionally well against our strategy, and we look forward to the launch of our flagship Creative Suite 4 product family next week.”

Third Quarter GAAP Results
Adobe’s GAAP diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2008 were $0.35, based on 541.3 million weighted average shares. This compares with GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.34 reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 based on 597.3 million weighted average shares, and GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.40 reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2008 based on 542.4 million weighted average shares. Adobe’s third quarter GAAP earnings per share target range was $0.34 to $0.36.

GAAP operating income was $219.5 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to $255.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and $260.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. As a percent of revenue, GAAP operating income in the third quarter of fiscal 2008 was 24.7 percent, compared to 29.9 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and 29.3 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2008.

GAAP net income was $191.6 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to $205.2 million reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and $214.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2008.

Third Quarter Non-GAAP Results
Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2008 were $0.50. This compares with non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.45 reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.50 reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. Adobe’s third quarter non-GAAP earnings per share target range was $0.45 to $0.47.Adobe’s non-GAAP operating income was $351.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to $340.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and $349.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. As a percent of revenue, non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of fiscal 2008 was 39.7 percent, compared to 40.0 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and 39.4 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2008.

Non-GAAP net income was $269.1 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to $269.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007, and $272.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2008.

A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP results is provided at the end of this press release.

Adobe Provides Fourth Quarter Financial Targets
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008, Adobe announced it is targeting revenue of $925 million to $955 million. The Company also stated it is targeting an operating margin of approximately 30.5 percent on a GAAP basis, and an operating margin of approximately 39.5 percent on a non-GAAP basis.

In addition, Adobe is targeting its share count to be between 544 million and 548 million shares in the fourth quarter. The Company also is targeting GAAP and non-GAAP non-operating income to be between $6 million and $7 million. Adobe’s GAAP and non-GAAP tax rates are expected to be approximately 25 percent.

These targets lead to a fourth quarter diluted earnings per share target range of $0.39 to $0.41 on a GAAP basis, and an earnings per share target range of $0.51 to $0.53 on a non-GAAP basis.

A reconciliation between these GAAP and non-GAAP financial targets is provided at the end of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those related to revenue, operating margin, non-operating income, tax rate, share count, earnings per share, and business momentum which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: delays in development or shipment of Adobe’s new products or major new versions of existing products, introduction of new products and business models by existing and new competitors, failure to successfully manage transitions to new business models and markets, failure to anticipate and develop new products and services in response to changes in demand for application software and software delivery, computers, printers, or other non PC-devices, adverse changes in general economic or political conditions in any of the major countries in which Adobe does business, difficulty in predicting revenue from new businesses, costs related to intellectual property acquisitions, disputes and litigation, inability to protect Adobe’s intellectual property from third-party infringers, use, disclosure or malicious attack, failure to realize the anticipated benefits of past or future acquisitions and difficulty in integrating such acquisitions, failure to manage Adobe’s sales and distribution channels effectively, disruption of Adobe’s business due to catastrophic events, risks associated with international operations, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in, or interpretations of, accounting principles, impairment of Adobe’s goodwill or intangible assets, unanticipated changes in, or interpretations of, tax rules and regulations, Adobe’s inability to attract and retain key personnel, impairment of Adobe’s investment portfolio due to further deterioration of the capital markets, market risks associated with Adobe’s equity investments, and interruptions or terminations in Adobe’s relationships with turnkey assemblers. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, individuals should refer to Adobe’s SEC filings.

The financial information set forth in this press release reflects estimates based on information available at this time. These amounts could differ from actual reported amounts stated in Adobe’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended Aug. 29, 2008, which the Company expects to file in October 2008. Adobe does not undertake an obligation to update forward-looking statements.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information — anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (PDF: 48k)
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (PDF: 44k)
Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (PDF: 40k)
Non-GAAP Results (PDF: 64k)

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Major Software Upgrade Further Simplifies Photography Workflows

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. — July 29, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2 software, the photographer’s essential toolbox for managing, adjusting and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. With new enhancements such as dual-monitor support, radical advances in non-destructive localized image correction, and streamlined search capabilities, Lightroom 2 is a compelling upgrade that simplifies photography from shoot to finish. As Adobe’s first application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Macintosh computers with Intel® processors and Microsoft® Windows® Vista® 64bit operating systems, Lightroom 2 also provides improved memory performance for dealing with large scale images.

“A worldwide community of photographers provided valuable insight and feedback, as part of the Lightroom 2 public beta program, ultimately helping us deliver a better product,” said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Lightroom and Camera Raw at Adobe. “We’ve considered their requests which helped us develop useful features that make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly refine, enhance and present brilliant photographs.

Photoshop Lightroom 2: Smarter, Faster and More Accurate
The enhanced Library module in Lightroom 2 helps streamline and accelerate photographers’workflows. With the ability to visually organize images across multiple hard drives, Lightroom 2 and its powerful Library Filter Bar makes it easy for users to quickly find the images they need. The Suggested Keywords feature helps photographers keyword their images by making intelligent suggestions based on their own previous efforts. New dual-monitor support allows users to expand their workspace, giving them flexibility to edit and organize images in a way that maximizes an additional display.

In the Develop module, the new Local Adjustment Brush lets photographers fine-tune specific areas of an image to precisely adjust color, exposure and tonal range without affecting other areas of the image. The new Graduated Filter expands the toolbox in Lightroom, allowing for edits to larger areas by applying gradually diminishing or increasing adjustment effects such as exposure, clarity, and saturation, alone, or in any combination. Lightroom 2 also helps photographers print more efficiently by quickly arranging photos of multiple sizes on one or many pages with flexible and customizable templates to maximize paper and ink. Intelligent algorithms automatically determine optimal sharpening for screen or print, producing crisper images faster.

Developers can further extend the Lightroom workflow with Web, Export and Metadata Software Development Kits available at the Adobe Developer Connection, http://www.adobe.com/devnet/.

Ground-Breaking Innovation in Raw Technology
New raw technology gives photographers access to flexible camera profiles. Camera profiles are the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow, but image preferences vary for every photographer. To minimize surprises, Adobe is supplying default camera profiles that closely emulate the visual looks that photographers are used to seeing from their favorite camera, while also providing the ability to create highly customized profiles to suit different tastes. Camera profiles are available for immediate download on Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com) for use with Lightroom 2 and Camera Raw 4.5, along with the DNG Profile Editor for the community to test and create their own profiles.

The Adobe Camera Raw 4.5 plug-in and DNG Converter 4.5 are also now available on Adobe.com and support over 190 camera models including the Olympus E 420 and E 520 models.

“One of the big reasons why Lightroom has become such a phenomenon among serious photographers is that Adobe built it with the input of a very vocal user community,” said Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). “Adobe really listens to the issues and challenges today’s photographers face and they’ve built a complete solution that not only meets the needs of photographers; it really feels like it was made just for us. The enhancements to Lightroom 2, combined with the power of Photoshop, give photographers the ultimate freedom to produce professional images quickly.”

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is available now through the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store in English, French and German with the Japanese language version planned to be released at a future date. The estimated street price is USD$299 for new users with an upgrade price of USD$99 for registered users of qualifying Lightroom customers. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel® based processor, or Microsoft Windows® XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4® processor, 1 GB RAM and a 1024×768 resolution screen. Additional information on product features, upgrade policies, pricing, and language versions is available on www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information –anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

© 2008 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Mac, Mac OS and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United Sates and/or other countries. Pentium is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation, or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Press Release–DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–www.splashmedia.com, an innovator in digital video publishing and Internet television captured the prestigious Lone Star Emmy for Excellence in Informational and Instructional Programming for its production of Dr. Brown’s Photoshop Laboratory at the recent Advanced Media Awards.

Steven T. Miller and Brian Shelton collaborated to direct the award winning show, starring Adobe’s senior creative director Russell Brown. Brown, a Photoshop Hall of Fame winner, brings his wacky persona of a zany, mad scientist to life as he delivers on-target Adobe ®Photoshop® instruction. In addition to Dr. Brown’s Photoshop Laboratory, Splash Media has partnered with Adobe to produce 5 original series which are featured exclusively on Adobe TV.

“For 20 years, Adobe Photoshop has allowed its users to push the boundaries of visual experience and has had a profound impact on the way everyone views images,” said Bob Donlon, executive producer for Adobe TV. “Adobe is thrilled that this innovative new online TV program featuring Photoshop and Russell Brown, Adobe’s first art director and a pioneering evangelist for our technologies, has garnered a sought-after Lone Star Emmy.”Miller is an award-winning director, writer, and editor with over 20 years of experience in a wide variety of film productions. Prior to joining Splash, Miller quickly developed a niche in the music video world, producing, directing, and editing over 100 music videos from every major record label. Miller served as a governor on The Texas Board of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Shelton has over 15 years of experience in television production spanning all areas of live and pre-recorded television programming. His experience includes live sports, news, corporate training, business television, infomercials, and cable television programs.

The Lone Star Emmy Chapter is a subsidiary of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Entries for the AMAs include vodcasts, podcasts, webcasts, video blogs, web-site programs, mobisodes, video-on-demand content and any other forms of material delivered over an IP network or platform such as wireless, broadband or VOD.

“I’m extremely proud of Steve and Brian and the rest of the team at Splash for their dedication to creating work worthy of being recognized by our peers,” said Chris Kraft, president and founder of Splash Media. “One of our goals is to create the best instructional content in the industry and it is an honor to have an Emmy Award to represent that hard work and dedication.”Splash Media has developed a wide variety of programming content and tools to support the development and creation of niche online television networks for the corporate marketplace. Utilizing its $5.5-million, state-of-the-art studio and its award-winning team of producers and directors, Splash Media is the market leader in creating content for internet television initiatives across a wide variety of industries.

About Splash Media

For more information, please visit www.splashmedia.com.

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

New Support for Adobe Flash Technology, Rich PDF Portfolios and Real-time Capabilities Redefine PDF Communications

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. — June 2 , 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced Adobe® Acrobat® 9 software, a significant upgrade that will transform the process of creating and sharing electronic documents. Acrobat 9 delivers native support for Adobe Flash® technology, the ability to unify a wide range of content in rich PDF Portfolios, and access to real-time capabilities for co-navigating a PDF document with colleagues.

“The expectations organizations and individuals have for communicating and collaborating in the workplace continues to grow significantly,” said Rob Tarkoff, senior vice president, Business Productivity Business Unit. “The ability to break through and communicate a message in a compelling way has never been at a greater premium. Acrobat 9 is a response to this environment and is poised to fundamentally change how professionals communicate and collaborate using electronic documents.”

For the first time, Acrobat 9 provides deep support for Adobe Flash technology, enabling users to include Adobe Flash Player compatible video and application files in PDF documents. Recipients simply need free Adobe Reader® 9 software to consume the content. Now, static documents can come to life as dynamic communications.

Acrobat 9 also includes the ability to unify a wide range of content into a single document with the new concept of PDF Portfolios. PDF Portfolios enable business professionals to assemble multiple media types, such as documents, video, audio, and even 3D objects, into one, compressed PDF file. Users can then choose among several professional layouts—or create their own—to quickly integrate content, define navigation, and add polish and branding. As a result, communications such as sales proposals, legal documents, and product collateral can become far more customized and compelling.

In addition, Acrobat 9 provides access to capabilities for collaborating live within a PDF document—enabled by working with Acrobat.com, a new suite of hosted services Adobe introduced as public beta today. For example, a salesperson could use Acrobat 9 to send a lengthy contract to clients. The sales professional, or any of the recipients using Adobe Reader1, can then drive the group’s navigation through the PDF document in real-time working with Acrobat.com. This helps ensure everyone is literally, and figuratively, on the same page.

Additionally, Acrobat 9 users can access Acrobat.com for storing and sharing files, use it as a central location for collecting data as part of a forms process, and to gather comments in a shared document review. Acrobat.com includes other services, such as Adobe ConnectNow, personal Web conferencing that provides desktop sharing, video and voice conferencing, and integrated chat; and Adobe Buzzword®, an elegant, Web-based word processor that can be used to easily co-author and share documents for comment and review, creating high-quality print results.

The Acrobat 9 family consists of Acrobat 9 Standard, Acrobat 9 Pro, and the new Acrobat 9 Pro Extended software. The most comprehensive member of the family, Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, includes Adobe Presenter software for easily turning Microsoft® PowerPoint presentations into multimedia experiences that can be published as PDF files.

Pricing and Availability

Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, Acrobat 9 Pro and Acrobat 9 Standard for Microsoft Windows®, and Acrobat 9 Pro for Mac OS X, are expected to be available by July 2008 in English, French, German, and Japanese language versions. Acrobat 9 Pro Extended is expected to be available for US$699, and registered users of qualifying earlier versions of Acrobat2 can upgrade to Acrobat 9 Pro Extended for US$229. Acrobat 9 Pro is expected to be available for US$449, and registered users of qualifying earlier versions of Acrobat3 can upgrade to Acrobat 9 Pro for US$159. Acrobat 9 Standard is expected to be available for US$299, and registered users of qualifying earlier versions of Acrobat4 can upgrade to Acrobat 9 Standard for US$99.

More information on the Acrobat 9 family is available online at www.adobe.com/acrobat . Customers in North America can also call 1-800-833-6687.

The beta Acrobat.com hosted services are available immediately in English for free signup at www.acrobat.com .

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

New, Open Format Intended to Bring Predictability and Consistency to Digital Cinema Workflows

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. and LAS VEGAS NV — April 14 , 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced that it plans to lead an initiative to define an industry-wide open file format for digital cinema files to streamline workflows and help ensure easy archiving and exchange. Adobe intends to leverage its successful Digital Negative Specification (DNG) file format as a foundation, and Adobe plans to work with a broad coalition of leading camera manufacturers, including Panavision, Silicon Imaging, Dalsa, Weisscam, and ARRI—along with software vendors, including Iridas and The Foundry, and codec provider CineForm—to define the requirements for an open, publicly documented file format that it plans to call CinemaDNG.

Adobe is currently working to develop the requirements of the CinemaDNG workflow and intends to subsequently publish a specification for the file format based on collaboration with companies throughout the industry.

“With the CinemaDNG initiative, Adobe is extending its leadership in developing open, interchangeable formats for digital still cameras into the realm of digital cinematography,” said Jim Guerard, vice president of Dynamic Media at Adobe. “By taking a proactive role and working collaboratively with leading digital cinema manufacturers, Adobe is helping to define an industry-standard approach that benefits the entire filmmaking ecosystem. Filmmakers will be able to adopt digital cinema cameras with confidence, and camera manufacturers will be able to provide specialized functionality while ensuring instant file format compatibility with existing workflows.”

Many filmmakers are foregoing film in favor of digital cinema cameras and workflows that offer improved creative flexibility, lower costs, and significantly faster turnaround times. However, those new workflows involve complex hardware and software, with projects passing through multiple vendors along the production pipeline. The proliferation of disparate, vendor-specific raw file formats has the potential to erode some of the advantages of digital cinema. By proactively leading the development of an open, public, and enduring standard that can be adopted throughout the production pipeline, Adobe and other companies through the CinemaDNG initiative are helping to solve an important, emerging workflow issue.

Advantages for Filmmakers
As a publicly documented and open file format, CinemaDNG would offer several advantages for filmmakers. They could avoid roadblocks caused by incompatibilities in workflows that involve multiple devices, vendors, and file formats. They could adopt digital cinema cameras while minimizing the risk that proprietary or camera-specific file formats would be unsupported in the future, because CinemaDNG would provide an open, durable, standard format that would be available for many years to come. Filmmakers could also rest assured that they have access to a robust archival standard for the new generation of raw-capable digital cinema cameras. CinemaDNG would also provide the foundation for an editing workflow that would allow filmmakers to use the highest quality source material.

Advantages for Manufacturers
For camera manufacturers and software developers, CinemaDNG is intended to help remove a key obstacle to the adoption of new products by providing reliable, instant compatibility with existing workflows. Manufacturers may be able to reduce development costs by eliminating the necessity to develop proprietary formats and conversion utilities. CinemaDNG is also planning to deliver support for proprietary metadata, helping manufacturers to differentiate their product offerings from competitors’.

“Experiencing a smoother, more streamlined workflow is, without exception, a good thing and open standards are a great way of accomplishing it,” said Bruno Nicoletti, chief technology officer at The Foundry, a leading visual effects software developer in London. “The Foundry supports Adobe’s plan for CinemaDNG, which will make the adoption of raw digital camera data much easier for everyone in our industry.”

“We are working hard on establishing a realistic and workable method of getting raw data from the camera to post,” said Marc Shipman-Mueller, product manager for Cameras & Lenses at ARRI, a top digital cinema camera manufacturer in Munich. “An industry wide standard for raw data can only help in this future oriented process that will provide multiple benefits for the users of raw data.”

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Promotion Marks Increasing Significance of Rich Internet Applications Across Adobe’s Business

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: ADBE - News) today announced the promotion of Kevin Lynch to chief technology officer (CTO). In this new position, Lynch will oversee Adobe’s experience design and core technology across business units. As part of this role Lynch will continue to drive Adobe’s technology platform for designers and developers, which includes Adobe® Flash® Player, Adobe Flex®, and Adobe AIR™, the new cross-operating system application runtime that bridges the computing power and data capabilities of the desktop with the real-time dynamic capabilities of the Web.

“Kevin has made a tremendous impact expanding our technology vision during his time at Adobe,” said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe president and CEO. “Adobe has transformed itself through several technology waves, from desktop publishing, to multimedia and to the Web. Kevin’s insights and passion for rich Internet applications, and what they signify for the future of software across operating systems and devices, will help enable the next generation of innovation for our customers.”

Lynch joined Adobe as part of the company’s 2005 acquisition of Macromedia. As Adobe’s senior vice president and chief software architect, he has led the Platform Business Unit, which is focused on advancing the company’s software platform for the creation and delivery of engaging applications and content to any desktop or device. Lynch has also overseen Adobe’s developer relations, including the integration of customers and partners in the development process through Adobe Labs and customer advisory councils.

While at Macromedia, Lynch served in a variety of roles including chief software architect and president of products. Lynch led the initial development of Macromedia® Dreamweaver®, a leading Web development product, and led the transformation of Flash Player from primarily animations to a rich Internet application and dynamic media runtime, which now reaches over 98 percent of computers worldwide across the Web. Prior to Macromedia, Lynch worked at three startups including General Magic and Frame Technology.

Lynch holds three patents with others currently pending, and he is involved in Adobe’s international standards efforts with organizations such as the W3C, ECMA and ISO. Lynch studied interactive computer graphics at the University of Illinois, working with artists and engineers in the Electronic Visualization Laboratory.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

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Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Adobe Ranked No. 40

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jan. 22, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today was ranked No. 40 on FORTUNE magazine’s eleventh annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Adobe was among the top companies included from the high-tech sector. In FORTUNE’s subcategory of medium companies (those with 2,500 to 10,000 U.S. employees), Adobe ranked No. 12. This marks the ninth time Adobe has been included on list. The full list and related stories are currently available at www.fortune.com and will be featured in FORTUNE’s Feb. 4, 2008, print issue, available on newsstands Jan. 28, 2008.

“Adobe is proud to be ranked on this distinguished list once again,” said Donna Morris, senior vice president, Human Resources at Adobe. “Our employees are the best in the business - passionate, innovative, collaborative and driven by a set of core values that makes Adobe a place where people want to build their careers.”

Adobe has approximately 6,900 employees in locations worldwide, including North America, Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific. More than half of Adobe’s employees are located in the United States. Adobe is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with U.S. research and development sites in Sacramento, Calif., San Diego, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., Santa Rosa, Calif., San Luis Obispo, Calif., Seattle, Wash., Boston, Mass., and Arden Hills, Minn., in addition to a nationwide network of sales offices.

446 U.S. companies vied for a place on the “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Using a 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm with offices in 29 countries, FORTUNE polled a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees at each company. The survey evaluated factors including employees’ attitudes about management’s credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. Employees’ responses counted as two-thirds of each company’s score. This was coupled with the companies’ responses to the Institute’s Culture Audit, which included questions about pay and benefit programs, hiring practices, methods of internal communications, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Strong Adoption of Creative Suite, Acrobat and Enterprise Solutions Drives 23 Percent Annual Revenue Growth

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dec. 17, 2007 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2007.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, Adobe achieved record revenue of $911.2 million, compared to $682.2 million reported for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 and $851.7 million reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2007. This represents 34 percent year-over-year revenue growth. Adobe’s fourth quarter revenue target range was $860 to $890 million.

“Driving our Q4 results were continued adoption of our Creative Suite 3 family of products, record revenue for Acrobat and strong momentum in our enterprise business,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer of Adobe. “As we enter fiscal 2008, we are performing exceptionally well and the Company is positioned to achieve a sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth.”

Adobe Reports Record Annual Revenue in Fiscal Year 2007
In fiscal year 2007, Adobe achieved record revenue of $3.158 billion, compared to $2.575 billion in fiscal 2006. On a year-over-year basis, annual revenue grew 23 percent.

Adobe’s annual GAAP net income was $723.8 million in fiscal 2007, compared to $505.8 million in fiscal 2006. Adobe’s annual non-GAAP net income was $965.8 million in fiscal 2007, compared to $757.3 million in fiscal 2006.

GAAP diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2007 were $1.21, compared to $0.83 in fiscal 2006. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2007 were $1.61, compared to $1.24 in fiscal 2006.

Fourth Quarter GAAP Results
Adobe’s GAAP diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 were $0.38, based on 587.9 million weighted average shares. This compares with GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.30 reported in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 based on 602.2 million weighted average shares, and GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.34 reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 based on 597.3 million weighted average shares. Adobe’s fourth quarter GAAP earnings per share target range was $0.35 to $0.37.

GAAP operating income was $275.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, compared to $163.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 and $255.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007. As a percent of revenue, GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 was 30.3 percent, compared to 23.9 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 and 29.9 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.

GAAP net income was $222.2 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, compared to $183.2 million reported in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, and $205.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.

Fourth Quarter Non-GAAP Results
Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 were $0.49. This compares with non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.33 reported in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.45 reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2007. Adobe’s fourth quarter non-GAAP earnings per share target range was $0.46 to $0.48.

Adobe’s non-GAAP operating income was $362.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, compared to $256.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 and $340.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007. As a percent of revenue, non-GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 was 39.7 percent, compared to 37.6 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 and 40.0 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.

Non-GAAP net income was $289.6 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, compared to $198.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, and $269.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.

A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP results is provided at the end of this press release.

Adobe Provides First Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Financial Targets
For the first quarter of fiscal 2008, Adobe announced it is targeting revenue of $855 million to $885 million. The Company is targeting a GAAP operating margin of 30 to 31 percent in the first quarter. On a non-GAAP basis, the Company is targeting a first quarter operating margin of approximately 40 percent.

In addition, Adobe is targeting its share count to be between 586 million and 588 million shares in the first quarter of fiscal 2008. The Company also is targeting other income in its first quarter to be $15 million to $17 million, with a GAAP and non-GAAP tax rate of approximately 27 percent.

These targets lead to a first quarter GAAP earnings per share target range of $0.34 to $0.36. On a non-GAAP basis, the Company is targeting earnings per share of $0.44 to $0.46.

For fiscal year 2008, Adobe reaffirmed it is targeting annual revenue growth of approximately 13 percent. The Company is targeting a GAAP operating margin of approximately 30 percent, and a non-GAAP operating margin of approximately 39 percent.

A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP financial targets is provided at the end of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those related to revenue, operating margin, other income, tax rate, share count, earnings per share, and anticipated business momentum which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: delays in development or shipment of Adobe’s new products or major new versions of existing products, introduction of new products by existing and new competitors, failure to successfully manage transitions to new business models and markets, adverse changes in general economic or political conditions in any of the major countries in which Adobe does business, difficulty in predicting revenue from new businesses, failure to anticipate and develop new products and services in response to changes in demand for application software and software delivery, computers, printers, or other non PC-devices, costs related to intellectual property acquisitions, disputes and litigation, inability to protect Adobe’s intellectual property from unauthorized copying, use, disclosure or malicious attack, failure to realize the anticipated benefits of past or future acquisitions and difficulty in integrating such acquisitions, changes to Adobe’s distribution channel, disruption of Adobe’s business due to catastrophic events, risks associated with international operations, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in, or interpretations of, accounting principles, impairment of Adobe’s goodwill or intangible assets, unanticipated changes in, or interpretations of, Adobe’s effective tax rates, Adobe’s inability to attract and retain key personnel, market risks associated with Adobe’s equity investments, and interruptions or terminations in Adobe’s relationships with turnkey assemblers. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, individuals should refer to Adobe’s SEC filings.

The financial information set forth in this press release reflects estimates based on information available at this time. These amounts could differ from actual reported amounts stated in Adobe’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2007, which the Company expects to file in January 2008. Adobe does not undertake an obligation to update forward-looking statements.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff