ScanSoft Updated

August 22nd, 2006:ScanSoft PDF Converter Professional 4 support for PDF/A, Microsoft Vista and Apple iPod

PDF Converter Professional 4 delivers the features that matter most to office professionals:

The new release embraces a range of open and industry standards, significantly improving its interoperability with other applications and expanding the usefulness of the product to more users and organisations. For example, the product now supports ISO 19005-1 PDF/A, the first formal public specification of PDF, expanding on the PDF specifications issued by Adobe. PDF Converter Professional 4 also creates XML Tagged PDF, needed for proper read-order with screen readers, supports reading PDF documents in real-time using RealSpeak, and is U.S. Section 508 compliant, a government requirement for enabling accessibility of applications to disabled users.

As well connectors to Microsoft Office and Corel WordPerfect there is direct open/save connectivity to Hummingbird and Interwoven content management systems, print-with-comments features, PDF annotations and the ability to attach various other formats to PDF, and you have a solution that significantly improves the way people create and share business documents.

The product supports creating PDF 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, and now PDF/A and Tagged PDF files. Named PDF Profiles are also supported, allowing users to use specific PDF settings - such as PDF/A, font embedding and security - with a simple pull-down selection.

ScanSoft PDF Converter Professional 4 is AU$195.00 (inc. GST) and is available from mid September through Nuance and its global network of reseller partners. Volume discounts and maintenance and support options are available for all products through the ScanSoft Open Licence Program. The product supports Microsoft Office 2003, XP, 2000 and 97, on Microsoft Windows XP, 2000 and 98. Support for Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Windows Vista will be available when they are released in early 2007. Nuance also offers the ScanSoft PDF Create! 4 (AU$99 inc. GST) and PDF Converter 4 (AU$105 inc. GST) desktop utilities.