Apago Releases PDF Shrink 4.0 Upgrade
Encryption, JPEG 2000 Support, and New Wizard Make it Even Easier to Optimize PDF files for Web, E-mail, CD, and More
Apago Inc., a software developer for the graphic arts and document management industries, today announces the availability of PDF Shrink 4.0 for Mac OS X. PDF Shrink can reduce most PDF files–including those created by Mac OS X iLife and iWork applications, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Word and PowerPoint–by as much as 90% of their original size.
Now more powerful and easier to use, PDF Shrink is ideal for consumers and small businesses that may not have Adobe Acrobat but need to produce PDFs at a quality and file size appropriate for use on the Web, as email attachments, on CDs, or for on-screen reading. New features in version 4.0 include optional encryption, support for JPEG 2000 image compression, and a “wizard” for novices to easily optimize PDFs for various uses.
“While Mac OS X users can easily create PDF files from most applications, these automatically generated PDFs tend to be large and inefficient. When emailing a 7MB PDF is impractical, PDF Shrink is a quick and easy remedy that works directly from the OS X print center or a desktop droplet,” comments Dwight Kelly, president of Apago. “The upgrade to 4.0 makes the application much easier to use, allowing both the novice and the techie to get the maximum benefit.”
The new, intuitive software wizard is a key feature of the PDF Shrink 4.0 upgrade. Designed to simplify the PDF optimization process, the wizard eliminates the need to understand technical jargon by prompting users with a series of questions and then automatically creating a new setting based on their responses. The wizard queries the user’s objectives (smallest file size, highest image quality, etc), how the PDF will be used (Web, screen, print, etc), PDF viewer (Acrobat, Preview, etc), and whether the user wants the document contents to be protected.
PDF Shrink 4.0 also provides a robust Advanced mode that allows technically sophisticated users to directly specify their settings. Because fonts and images make up a significant part of the size of typical PDF file, PDF Shrink 4.0 now allows users to optionally remove embedded “base 14” fonts and to delete unused elements such as metadata, thumbnails, and duplicated data. Users can also modify the resolution and compression level according to the output requirements. JPEG 2000 image compression offers significantly higher quality than standard JPEG. New encryption features enable users to prevent unauthorized access to files through password protection or to restrict a readers’ ability to make changes to a PDF, to print it, or to extract content from it.
The upgraded software also features a redesigned graphical user interface for improved usability. PDF Shrink 4.0 runs under Mac OS X 10.4 and later and takes full advantage of Mac OS X features, including PDF Services, AppleScript and droplets.
PDF Shrink 4.0 is now shipping and retails for $35. A fully functional, 10-day demo may be downloaded from the Apago Web site at www.apago.com. Current PDF Shrink 3.0 users may upgrade for $14 through www.apago.com/upgrade. All Apago products can be purchased online at www.apagostore.com. For more information, visit the Apago Web site, or call the company at 770-619-1884.
About Apago Inc.
Founded in 1991, Apago Inc. (http://www.apago.com) is a privately held corporation that develops and markets software for the graphic arts and document management industries. The company licenses its technologies to industry leaders, including Agfa, Dupont, Enovation (Fuji), OneVision, Pindar, and Dainippon Screen, and counts Time Inc., Scene7, MOD-PAC Corp., The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, New York Times, and The New Yorker among its retail customers. Apago is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, just north of Atlanta.
