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Adobe releases Adobe Reader for iOS
iOS owners have another way to view PDFs files on their devices now that Adobe has released its popular Reader app for iOS. Adobe Reader for iOS lets you open a PDF from any app that supports "Open in," including mobile Safari and iOS email. It'll let you open password-protected files and view additonal PDF content like annotations and drawing markups. It also supports bookmarks and thumbnails, both of which can be used for navigation. The app is desinged to be a reader only and has a minimalistic interface. When you are within the program, you can search the document, copy text to the clipboard and print. The Adobe Reader app is available for free from the iOS App Store.
Engadget Distro Issue 7 is ready for download!
Come and get it! The very first, fully fresh issue of Engadget Distro is ready for you to consume, and it's not just for the iPad anymore -- a PDF version is available for download below. So what's on the menu this week? We've got a very thorough review of iOS 5 by Dante Cesa, a look at Nikon's first mirrorless camera by Zach Honig, Brian Heater's thoughts on the fourth generation Kindle, Ben Heck's journey to geekdom, Tim Stevens' take on T-Mo's Galaxy S II, and so much more. So if you haven't had a chance to gobble up absolutely every last word that's crossed your monitor this week, let us do the honors of bringing you the very best of what Engadget had to offer, bundled in a beautiful package and absolutely free of charge. Either hit the appropriate link below or check your app for the download -- we promise it's yummy. After all, we baked it ourselves. Distro Issue 7 PDF Distro on the iTunes App Store Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Apple updates malware definitions to address PDF trojan
According to MacRumors, Apple has updated its malware definitions to address a PDF trojan that gained widespread attention last week. While reports indicated that the trojan's damage was limited to installing a backdoor in users' systems, Apple has moved relatively quickly to address the threat anyway. CNET reports that yet another OS X trojan is making the rounds, however, this time posing as an Adobe Flash installer. Avoiding this bit of malware is simple: if you must install Flash on your system, only download it from a trusted source like Adobe's own site or MacUpdate. A similar bit of malware made the rounds in August, but Apple updated malware definitions to address the threat; it's likely the company will do the same to squash this newest trojan. Your Mac's malware definitions are supposed to auto-update, but if you're not afraid of diving into the command line you can force your Mac to update manually.
F-Secure reports Mac trojan poses as PDF
Security firm F-Secure has unearthed a troubling trojan for Macs that hides itself as a PDF, only waiting until the file is opened up and displaying some Chinese characters before it dives into your Mac's hard drive and sets up a backdoor control. Currently, according to F-Secure, the backdoor doesn't actually do anything harmful, but obviously that could change in the future, either if the original hackers take advantage of the trojan, or if someone else does. F-Secure says that the trojan currently doesn't have an icon associated with it, so in the current spotted form, it should be pretty easy to identify as a virus (especially if it shows up in just a random email). But if the trojan is embedded in a file with an extension and an icon that matches a familiar document type (like a PDF, or any other kind of file you'd open in everyday use), it's possible that the backdoor could get installed. In other words, you've got to do what you should always do on any computer: beware of any file downloaded from an untrusted source on the Internet, or any email attachments coming from a sender you don't know or recognize.
Daily iPad App: PDF Expert
We've covered PDF Expert a bit before, but this week they rolled out a 3.0 update that greatly enhances the functionality in the app. When the iPad debuted, one of the first apps to rocket to the top of the charts was GoodReader, and with good reason: it was a better PDF reader than Apple's built-in iBooks app. GoodReader wasn't perfect, and hasn't evolved that much. I bought GoodReader and used it for a long time until I had a chance to use PDF Expert. Now I'm sold: PDF Expert is likely the ultimate iOS PDF app out there right now. Even if you're just reading PDFs, PDF Expert has an edge. I found it caches large PDF files effectively, so swiping through pages isn't an exercise in futility. The responsiveness of the app has to be experienced, it's just that good. New to 3.0 is a Recents button, so recently-used PDFs appear in a shortened list, handy when you're flipping around in different documents. PDF Expert has had support for some bookmarking in the past, but 3.0 has a full range of tools for highlights and marking within your documents. Plus, if you want to delete all the marks, it's a one-button process. Add to that a full range of document editing tools, allowing you to move pages, insert blanks, copy and paste, rotate and more and you'll see why I don't even think about Adobe Acrobat Pro any more. PDF Expert already supported forms, hyperlinks and added signatures (a really, really awesome feature which allows you to sign with your finger or stylus and save that signature for later use) so the 3.0 additions are like icing on this robust PDF 3-layer cake. If you frequently deal with PDF documents, be they read-only or forms or anything in-between, take a serious look at PDF Expert. There's a Pro version of PDF Expert available for iPad and iPhone, plus a "free" enterprise version designed for use with a backend solution from Readdle. If you're in the market for a full business solution, the Enterprise version offers additional features like group sharing options. %Gallery-132889%
Adobe releases a PDF creator for iOS
Given the history between Adobe and Apple, this might be kind of surprising, but it happened anyway. Adobe has released an app for iPhone and iPad called CreatePDF that allows you to make and edit your own PDF files, right on iOS. The app can be used to open up any number of document formats, and then uses Adobe's own conversion services to assemble them however you want into a full PDF document. The app can open everything from Word documents and Excel spreadsheets to images and OpenOffice documents, and converted PDFs can be sent off as email attachments, or even sent to other apps on the iOS device. The app is available as a $9.99 universal download. It's good to see this kind of thing available -- it just means there's even more functionality for iOS in terms of not just viewing documents, but also building and creating them while mobile.
Video App Demo: PDF Expert
In a world where there are plenty of PDF tools, PDF Expert distinguishes itself with a few key features. I've been a fan of Readdle's past products, and PDF Expert aims to give you a truly universal tool for dealing with PDFs, whether you are a student, educator, lawyer, doctor or anyone dealing with the "paperless office." Dave gave it a look back in March, but some new features have been added. With PDF Expert you're able to sign documents with your finger or stylus, send documents to 9 different services (Readdle has their own) and my favorite: fill out PDF forms. On top of these features you get the usual stable of PDF management tools for sorting and annotating your files. To see a walkthrough of these features, check out the video below. [Video was pointing to the wrong place for a bit there, apologies. -Ed.] if(typeof AOLVP_cfg==='undefined')AOLVP_cfg=[];AOLVP_cfg.push({id:'AOLVP_1042635778001','codever':0.1, 'autoload':false, 'autoplay':false, 'playerid':'61371448001', 'videoid':'1042635778001', 'width':480, 'height':270, 'stillurl':'http://pdl.stream.aol.com/pdlext/aol/brightcove/studionow/p/86678bce70b39/r/44d85555dae5f/al/193862/poster-10.jpg', 'playertype':'inline','videotitle':'TUAW - App Demo - PDF Expert','videolink':'#'});
Wolfram launches open CDF format, adds visual pizzazz to charts and graphs
Amazon's Kindle DX and RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook were supposed to be the business world's answer to an on-the-go office. Turns out, PDFs viewed in e-ink or on a tethered slate don't offer much in the way of interactive app experiences -- they're still just documents, no matter the tablet they're wearing. Well, Wolfram Group's got an open format contender to Adobe's throne and it's hoping you'll adopt it. Introduced today, the Computable Document Format "puts easy-to-author interactivity at its core," breathing animated life into otherwise static infographics. Not a programmer? No need to worry, the company promises the two-way diagrams are "easy enough for teachers, journalists, managers, [and] researchers to... create." We've seen Microsoft's XPS take a similar crack at dethroning the reigning format king, only to find itself in portable document oblivion. We'll just have to wait and see if CDF's a more noble contender. In the meantime, head on over to the source to download the free player and see for yourself the possible future of live textbooks, tables and charts.
TUAW's Daily iPad App: PDF Converter
It's not often that we can make a product announcement and also have it be a Daily App, but that's the case with Readdle's newest iPad app, PDF Converter (US$6.99). PDF Converter adds a tremendous amount of power to your iPad; it makes it possible to save almost any content on your iPad as a PDF file. Whether you have an email attachment, a web page, a document from your iDisk or Dropbox that you want to make into a PDF, PDF Converter does it. A tap on an email attachment brings up the familiar "Open In..." buttons, allowing the document to be opened in PDF Converter. The attachment is automatically converted to PDF format and available for further distribution or storage on the iPad. To convert a Safari web page to a PDF for future reading offline, just add a "pdf" prefix to the URL in the address bar, tap "Go" on the iPad keyboard, and the document is converted and placed in the Documents list in PDF Converter. The app can also take anything from the iPad clipboard, your contacts list, or Photo Library and convert it to a PDF. This is a wonderful app for creating and distributing ad hoc address lists -- by tapping on the names of assorted contacts and tapping the Convert button, PDF Converter instantly creates a formatted PDF with the contact info for all of the people you've chosen. It's also useful for creating ebooks on the fly. I took a Word document from Dropbox holding my 2009 NaNoWriMo novel, converted it to a PDF, and then used PDF Converter to open the novel in iBooks. This was all done without even getting near my Mac. PDF Converter has found a place on my iPad, and I think a lot of iPad users will feel the same way once they install the app.
Apple iOS 4.3.4 software update may fix iPhone hole, block PDF jailbreak
Remember that PDF exploit from last year that JailbreakMe 2.0 was using to unlock your iPhone with just a few taps? Well, Apple patched it. And now it's apparently back. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple acknowledged the exploit, and is working on an update at this very moment. In addition to the JailbreakMe 3.0 hack that came to light last week, the hole can also be used for some not-so-noble efforts, like grabbing your contacts database, accessing saved passwords, or activating your iPad or iPhone's built-in camera. And nobody wants that. For one reason or another, German authorities have taken the lead on encouraging Apple to investigate, and have also warned all users to avoid opening PDF docs from untrusted sources. And we're happy to echo that rather solid advice, given the implications. Ironically, JailbreakMe includes a patch for the very hole that allows it to function in the first place, so if you're terrified that rogue PDFs will take over your devices, that's an option to consider in the meantime.
Apple to patch PDF vulnerability in iOS
Apple said it will issue a patch that will close a PDF hole in iOS. Though this security hole is well known by iOS owners, it made headlines recently when the German government issued a malware warning about this "critical weakness" in Apple's iOS operating system. As it has done in the past with other security issues, Apple will release an update in the coming weeks to close this hole. Those that jailbreak their iOS devices will want to avoid this update. The exploit that Apple will patch is the same one used by Comex in jailbreakme, an online jailbreak tool. Ironically, those that want to close this exploit now can do so using this jailbreak tool. Just jailbreak your iOS device and install a security patch from Cydia.
Paragraft gets iOS Markdown editing right
I just discovered Paragraft, a text editor for iPad and iPhone that boasts some ingenious Markdown features (if I've lost you already, check out the TUAW Markdown Primer for a crash course). The good parts of Paragraft blew me away enough that I'm able to overlook an ugly icon and some bad interface decisions to deliver a fairly glowing endorsement: this is the first app I've found that has really allowed Markdown on iOS to make sense. There's no shortage of Markdown-enabled apps on any Apple platform right now, and I love that. I love Markdown, and while it's far superior to writing HTML or dealing with Rich Text in an iOS environment, I always miss the Markdown speed I can achieve in TextMate and other text editors on the Mac. Nebulous Notes has the flexibility to start getting there, but you have to build all the macros yourself. Other apps handle auto-continuing lists, maybe adding bold and italics, but still leave you digging through multiple levels of iOS keyboards to get to some symbols. TextExpander Touch can help quite a bit, too, but none of these really tap the capabilities of the iPhone and iPad. Paragraft has made me begin to rethink the possibilities.
TUAW's Daily Mac App: PDF Signer
These days almost all forms are distributed online as PDFs. However, when you need to sign one, you normally need to print it and scan it back in for an email, or even worse, use a fax. Luckily, there are apps for that. PDF Signer allows you to fill out and sign PDF forms. You can enter text in any pre-defined text boxes the form might have, but if the form isn't that advanced, you can enter text in text boxes of your own creation anywhere on the PDF using the "Add Text" tool. Once you've filled in all the relevant information, now comes the tricky bit -- getting the form signed. Unfortunately, there is no direct signing support within PDF Signer. Instead you have to overlay an image file of your signature, which you've created elsewhere, on the form. Once you've selected the appropriate image, you can resize it to fit the box and save or print the PDF. If you've got an image file of your signature handy, PDF signer makes short work of signing PDF forms. But given that you can enter text on PDFs using OS X's Preview, I would have liked to see some sort of tablet or trackpad support for creating a signature, not just inserting an image overlay. PDF Signer is available from the Mac App Store for $9.99.
Adobe CreatePDF for Android does exactly what its name implies
Google's mobile OS is growing and maturing into a business-savvy adult before our very eyes. With the release of Adobe's CreatePDF in the Android Market, we're delighted to finally see a PDF-creation app on the mobile front. Not only does it let you build a PDF from the ground up, it can convert most popular filetypes -- Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OpenOffice, Photoshop, RTF, and Illustrator, just to name a few -- into PDF format. You can import any of these kinds of docs from your phone to app via the built-in file manager, or transfer an email attachment to it using Android's share function. Available for a one-time payment of $9.99, CreatePDF won't be for the light-walleted or the casual app enthusiast; don't be put off by the price, though, because the online version charges that much per month to do the exact same tasks on your computer. Anyone rocking Eclair or better can partake of the PDF love, so head to the source link to get straight to installing.
Possible fix for font issues in 10.6.7
Late last month, a troubling font issue came to light after Apple rolled out version 10.6.7 of Mac OS X. The update appeared to cause problems with the printing and PDF handling of OpenType PostScript fonts. Apple has not officially acknowledged the problem, but a growing thread on Apple's discussion boards details the issues Mac users are experiencing. Good news for those affected by this font problem as forum member KJK555 claims to have a fix. KJK555 has released an installation package that replaces the affected 10.6.7 ATS.framework binaries with the previous 10.6.6 versions. The ATS.framework is involved in the font layout and management of Apple Type Services Before you jump for joy, the initial success rate of this fix is mixed. Some folks claim font issues in apps such as LiveType disappear, while others are still reporting problems with Adobe apps like Acrobat distiller. If you are plagued by this problem and don't want to wait for Apple to roll out an official update, this solution may be worth a try. As always, proceed at your own risk, as there is always the chance of a negative outcome when you start mucking around with system components, such as fonts and printing. If you do bravely forge ahead and apply the fix, give us a shout in the comments and let us know how it works for you. Thanks, Laurie!
FileMaker Go for iOS updated with charts, signatures and AirPrint
Just a few weeks after FileMaker released new Starter Solutions for its FileMaker Go app, the mobile app itself has been updated to version 1.2. The update includes the following: Support for FileMaker Charts, including bar, area, line and pie charts Digital signatures on iPhone and iPad AirPrint integration Enhanced PDF creation FileMaker Go for the iPhone is US$19.99, and the iPad version is $39.99 and works with all versions of FileMaker from 7 on. Both versions require iOS 4.2.1 or later. Check out our review of FileMaker Go to get an initial impression of the software.
Ask TUAW Video Edition: PDF and Scripting
Andrew asked us about how to have a folder convert documents to PDF format so that he can sync them to his Dropbox. Today's show goes into how to use Automator and AppleScript to do some scripting, and we're going to demonstrate an iPad app that will convert documents for you on your iPad. Some resources for you: Automator - Mac OS X Automation Automator AppleScript - Mac OS X Automation AppleScript Save2PDF - Main Company Page Any questions, please leave them in the comments or email us! Read on for the video.
10.6.7 update causes OpenType font issues
There's a thread on Apple's Discussions boards suggesting that Mac OS X 10.6.7 introduces issues with OpenType PostScript fonts when it comes to printing and PDF handling. Kurt Lang writes: "As soon as you install 10.6.7, OpenType PostScript fonts are indeed broken... [the issue] is confined to OT PS fonts. All PDF files, including those using OpenType PostScript fonts display correctly in Preview. With the Acrobat Reader, all PDF files display correctly except those using OT PS fonts. So no matter who gets PDF files created under 10.6.7 using OT PS fonts, they will not display correctly on the Mac or in Windows..." Oops. Lang goes on to note that everything was working perfectly under Mac OS X 10.6.6. Also, he has not changed his installations of Adobe Reader or Preview. Only the OS is different. Since everything works fine in Preview and is only troublesome in Reader, you might be inclined to point the finger towards Adobe. However, we agree with Lang that it isn't solely Adobe's responsibility to ensure compatibility with minor OS updates -- if something's changed in the OS's type handling without Apple announcing it, there's not much Adobe could do in advance. Update: Adam Engst at TidBITS dives into the issue and reports that the impacts are wider than we knew. As far as we know, Apple is not yet working on the issue. If you've experienced this trouble, let us know. Hopefully a fix will be issued soon. Thanks, Laurie.
EasySign iPhone app halts the print / sign / email cycle, trees everywhere celebrate
All together now: "flippin' finally!" For anyone in the business world who has been blocked from receiving information due to the inability to locate a printer, ink pen, scanner, publicly available PC, a working printer driver and a fifth of Jack, say hello to your savior. EasySign is a delightfully simple new iOS app (yeah, we're already begging for an Android port) that solves a painful problem, and it should make signing documents on the go a whole heck of a lot easier for those who tote iPhones. The concept is simple: you download the document you're supposed to sign right onto your iPhone, and then you use your finger to enter your John Hancock. It'll stamp whatever date you want onto the form, and with a simple button press, it's converted to a PDF and shot back to the sender. We'd probably recommend using the stock black ink, but it seems that a few color options are available for those who prefer to roll a bit more casually. Head on past the break for a demo, and then hit that iTunes link for a free trial. Once you send three documents, you'll need to pony up $4.99 for another 20 docs (a $9.99 unlimited version is coming soon). But hey, given that petrol looks like a steal compared to your average inkjet cartridge, you'll probably still come out ahead.
Present PDFs with style using PDF to Keynote
So, your boss just dropped a 25-page PDF document into your lap for a presentation he is doing today using Keynote for iPad. In typical fashion, he needed it done yesterday, but is handing it to you now for a presentation he is doing in a little over an hour. He utters the obligatory apology for the delay and re-assures you with his vote of confidence when he says, "I know you will be able to get it done on time." While your blood begins to boil and you break out in cold sweat due to this looming deadline, you may want to take a few deep breaths and point your browser to the computer science department at Harvey Mudd College where you will find a handy tool called PDF to Keynote. PDF to Keynote is a Mac application that takes a PDF document and converts it to Keynote format. Each page in a PDF file gets converted to its own slide within Keynote. Though you cannot change the text or images on each converted slide (they are imported as images), you can add in new slides and overlay content to spruce things up. Once you convert your PDF document to Keynote format and make changes to it with Keynote '09 for the Mac, you can save the document and sync it to your iPad using iTunes. The whole process should take 30 minutes tops, and your boss will be ready for his presentation. Even if you don't find yourself in this aforementioned situation on a semi-regular basis, it is worth keeping PDF to Keynote in your mental file cabinet as you or someone you know may need it for a future presentation.
