FoxIt Reader 5.1 goes social -- Facebook and Twitter

Foxit Software has updated its free PDF tool, Foxit Reader to version 5.1. This new release adds tools for sharing content from PDF files with Facebook and Twitter, and adds a Read Out Loud feature that uses speech synthesis to read any text embedded into the current PDF file.

Version 5.1 also introduces a new Reading Mode that helps to maximize the reading area via options that help to provide a full-screen view of the current document. The program can be updated through its own updater or downloaded separately and installed over the top of the existing verson.

Foxit Reader 5.1’s new social networking integration feature is accessed via the Facebook icon on the toolbar or by clicking the Share button on the Basic tab when using the program’s tabbed ribbon interface. This opens a panel on the right-hand side of the screen inviting the user to link the program to their Twitter and Facebook accounts. Once done, the user can share files, images or text via their social network of choice.

Files and images can be selected from the computer’s hard drive, or the user can opt to share the currently selected PDF by right-clicking it and choosing Share Current Document. The user can also use Foxit’s screen grabbing tool to select a portion of the document and share that as an attached image -- this time, select the portion of the screen to share before right-clicking it to select Share the selected image.

Version 5.1 also implements a new tool that can read out the embedded text in a PDF file via the View menu via a female, computerized voice. Playback can be paused from the same menu, and the user can opt to read out the current page or the entire document.

Foxit Reader 5.1’s new Reading Mode, which can be enabled by default for PDF files opened directly in the browser, features a number of options for removing parts of the program interface, specifically toolbars and ribbon elements, to maximize the screen space for the current PDF file. This is provided via a Read Mode button in the top right-hand corner of the window, which hides all toolbars plus collapses the ribbon-like interface so only the tabbed headings are visible.

Readability is also improved through enhanced text rendering, which Foxit promises makes text clearer and more sharply defined. Other changes include improved startup and PDF opening and closing times, plus Foxit Reader now automatically chooses paper size when printing, based on the PDF’s own page size.

Foxit Reader 5.1 is a freeware download for PCs running Windows 2000 or later.