If your computer doesn't have Adobe's free Reader software, it soon will -- you'll need it once you run into a user manual, a government form or some other file distributed as a PDF (Portable Document Format) file to preserve its formatting and graphics.
For that reason alone, the new Adobe Reader 7.0 should draw plenty of downloads. But it also offers notable improvements over its predecessor -- most important, greatly improved performance. Reader 7.0 loads PDFs faster, whether opened in the program itself or within a Web browser (it automatically installs a browser plug-in), and scrolls through them quicker. A few new search options make it easier to find a phrase in a single PDF, or in every one on your hard drive. You no longer have to choose between tools to copy text or pictures in a PDF.
| | | | ___Personal Tech E-letter___ Washington Post personal technology columnist Rob Pegoraro answers reader e-mail and expands on themes he touches on in his weekly newspaper column. The e-mail version of this weekly feature includes links to the latest gadget and software reviews.
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This update also allows for more interactivity with PDFs. You can fill out and submit forms from within PDF files, which might save a few steps the next time you apply for a rebate. You can also review, mark up and approve PDFs, although this feature seems unlikely to be used much outside of businesses. Reader 7's support for e-books (now called "Digital Editions") seems equally irrelevant to most users, judging from the scant supply of such publications.
A download of Adobe Reader 7 normally includes a copy of Adobe's Photoshop Album Starter Edition and a Yahoo browser toolbar, although you can opt out of both. The Yahoo marketing persists in Reader's own interface, which will sport a superfluous Yahoo icon even if you decline the toolbar. -- Michael Tedeschi
Win 2000 or newer, Mac OS X 10.2.8 or newer, free at www.adobe.com/reader/
BATTLESHIP CHESS, ApeZone
The name says it all -- this turn-based strategy title plays like a mix of the two classic games, and with much of their relaxed pace. You can play a single battle (against another person, or three levels of computer opponents) in 10 minutes over your lunch break, or you can string several clashes into an hours-long campaign.
Your fleet in each battle consists of about six ships, with their types depending on the era of the battle. Battleship Chess begins in the pre-dreadnaught era of the late 19th century and stops around World War II, allowing you to play as America, England, Germany or Japan.
The game offers a top-down view of the open ocean, with random islands mixed in; you can see your ships in 3-D, but the enemy lurks unseen somewhere out there. Cards dealt to you before combat give a choice of possible upgrades to parcel out across your squadron -- you can spread out the weapons improvements across every ship or create one or two Bismarck-class battleships.
Movement is much like that in a chess game: You can only take action with one ship per turn, although any friendly ships in adjacent squares can lend supporting fire after one of your vessels fires.
This simple concept allows plenty of variations in practice. Do you run your fast-but-fragile destroyers forward to try and uncover the enemy for your battle wagons to pummel? How about rushing your subs into hiding spots between islands, where they can try to get a lucky shot? Or do you keep your fleet together as a mutually supporting battle group, even though this will slow your advance considerably?
The developers provide a free trial version of the game (just a 4 MB download, unlike almost every other free trial), so you can hold off on a purchase until you've gotten your sea legs. -- John Breeden II
Win 95 or newer, $25 at www.apezone.com
