Adobe acquires Buzzword word processor

Adobe has acquired Massacusetts software developer, Virtual Ubiquity, the developer of Buzzword, a web-based word processor which allows users to create and share text documents on the Internet.

Microsoft has also recently announced a similar feature for its Office suite - Microsoft Office Live Workspace - which allows user to access documents online, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. It is currently offered as free beta version.

Live Workspace also allows users to post documents directly to an online workspace and invite other people to collaborate on the document.

Buzzword and Live Workspace are part of a trend to offer applications on demand and online. More companies are also providing standard applications free of charge.

Adobe is developing a service for Buzzword that will allow user to work on online data and applications, even when the PC is offline.

It will be similar to Google’s ‘Gears’ software, which stores online data on an individual’s PC, as well as online, then synchronises the data when the user logs back on.

Adobe also plans to integrate a new file-sharing feature called Adobe Share with Buzzword. Adobe Share stores up to 1GB of documents online or embeds them in a web page, from which anyone can download and print a PDF.