Adobe Systems continues to adapt its Portable Document File (PDF) format for e-book readers. At Seybold Publishing 2000 in Boston last month, Adobe demonstrated CoolType, technology that improves on-screen text resolution by as much as 300%, and reflowable text in PDF, which allows users to manipulate text for easier reading.
CoolType sharpens the image of text on-screen by removing some of the color signal that makes up the letterforms. By removing the "excess" signal, CoolType enables the pixels to reproduce thinner lines. Because the technology works by removing color signal, however, it currently only works on LCD screens for black text on a white background. (Ideal for e-books on small computers). According to Adobe spokesperson Chuck Myers, other colors of text and background and screen formats are in development, and CoolType should be included in Adobe products by summer.
Reflowable text makes reading e-books easier by allowing readers to reshape pages for more convenient scrolling. "On a two-column encyclopedia page, for instance," Myers explained, "normally you would have to scroll to the bottom of the first column, then back up and across to the second column. The 'Structured' PDF in Acrobat 4 keeps track of which type comes from where, so readers can attach the second column to the bottom of the first and continue scrolling down the page." One of the benefits of reflowing text is that it allows readers to change the size of type in PDF files for better readability on the small screens of handheld devices.
Handheld devices will definitely be a part of Adobe's future, according to an announcement the company made at Seybold. Palm Computing Inc. jointly announced with Adobe the intention to integrate PDF into Palm software "to bring a new level of convenience and portability to Adobe's customers. And to deliver to Palm users a wealthy of new content, from e-books to business workflow documents." Handspring and Qualcomm handheld devices also use Palm software.
