Adobe to Acquire Virtual Ubiquity
Adobe Systems Incorporated announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Virtual Ubiquity and its ground-breaking online word processor, Buzzword. The acquisition furthers Adobe’s commitment to foster a vibrant ecosystem for rich Internet application (RIA) development that delivers breakthrough experiences built on Adobe AIR. Separately, Adobe added a new file sharing service to its current online document services. Codenamed "Share," the beta service will make it easier than ever for people to share, publish and organize documents online.
"For over a decade, Adobe® Acrobat® software and PDF have been the standard way people share and collaborate on high value documents across platforms, with perfect fidelity. Buzzword will build on that leadership and enable fundamental improvements in how people collaborate on documents," said David Mendels, senior vice president, Business Productivity Business Unit at Adobe. "At the same time, it is an exciting showcase of the power of Adobe’s RIA technology that raises the bar for the quality of experience people should expect in their applications."
Buzzword, an elegant online word processor, enables individuals to work together to create high quality, page perfect documents. Because it was built with Adobe Flex™ software and runs in the Adobe Flash™ Player, Buzzword enables greater document quality, outstanding typography, page layout controls, and robust support for integrated graphics, regardless of the browser or device. The application also will run on Adobe® AIR™, offering users a hybrid online/offline experience and the ability to work with both hosted and local documents. The powerful collaboration capabilities in Buzzword enable multiple authors to edit and comment on documents from anywhere, at anytime, while document creators can set permissions that virtually eliminate version control chaos. For more information on the acquisition and access to Buzzword beta software, please visit http://www.adobe.com/go/buzzwordfaq.
The founders of Virtual Ubiquity will be joining Adobe, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and experience in online document collaboration. With extensive background in the development of Lotus Notes and eRoom, the Virtual Ubiquity team developed a rich, collaborative authoring environment for the next generation of work. "We were inspired by the way today’s youth spend their lives working and playing together online, and how this is influencing the way we all think about collaboration," said Rick Treitman, CEO of Virtual Ubiquity. "This inspiration resulted in an online word processor for the ‘Facebook generation’ that focuses on working together online, without sacrificing quality."
Increasingly, the Web is becoming the platform for the "future of work," where people come together to share each other’s work anytime, anywhere. As a leader in RIA development, Adobe is revolutionizing the way people come together to engage with ideas, information and each other. This announcement marks a milestone for Adobe as it expands its leadership in the emerging domain of online document collaboration.
Adobe also made available today a free online document sharing service, codenamed "Share." Users simply select the documents they want to share, send a message to recipients, and set whether the files will be publicly accessible or restricted. Built with Adobe Flex technology, the rich interface provides a smooth experience, integrating simple workflows to upload and share documents with high quality online previews to speed up finding the right document. Additionally, the beta will include a set of REST APIs to let developers create mash-ups with their applications, including storing and accessing files, as well as creating thumbnails and Flash-based previews of documents. People can learn more about the service and sign-up for access at http://www.adobe.com/go/labs_share.
Virtual Ubiquity is based in Waltham, Massachusetts. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of November 2007. The addition of Virtual Ubiquity is not expected to have a material impact to Adobe revenue and earnings in fiscal year 2007. Terms were not disclosed.
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.
