We hope you weren't expecting to play Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora before the next movie arrives. Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment have delayed the Avatar game to 2023 or 2024. The developers pinned the setback on "ongoing constraints" affecting game production across the industry. Ubisoft said it was still "committed" to creating a next-gen game and saw James Cameron's franchise as a "multi-year opportunity."
Other projects are facing delays or even cancellations. Axios' Stephen Totilo noted that Ubisoft has cancelled its battle royale brawler Ghost Recon Frontline and Splinter Cell VR. The company also dropped two unannounced games, and has pushed back a lower-profile "premium" game from a 2022-2023 release window to 2023-2024.
The decisions come as Ubisoft tries to turn around its fortunes. While it did see "better than expected" sales from the Assassin's Creed series and Rainbow Six Siege in the first quarter, its net bookings dipped 10 percent compared to a year earlier. Ubisoft's business isn't booming, and the delays for games like Frontiers of Pandora only increase the pressure to cut costs.
Google’s midrange A phones have quickly become some of the most anticipated launches each year. Like its predecessors, the Pixel 6a is a sub-$500 handset that offers excellent cameras, performance and battery life. This year’s model moves the series over to Google’s own Tensor chip, and brings over the two-tone color scheme and camera bar the company debuted on its flagships last year. With so many similarities to its higher-end siblings, the $449 Pixel 6a feels less like the budget option and more like a smaller version of Google’s best phone.
Design
Similar to recent A-series Pixels, the 6a is basically a scaled-back clone of the company’s flagships. This time, though, Google didn’t skimp on the color options for its budget handset. In addition to white and black, the Pixel 6a comes in sage as well. It has a two-tone palette similar to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, with a black horizontal camera bar about an inch from the top. The top strip is a paler pastel green, while the rest of the rear is a darker, more muted shade that’s similar to the Pixel 5.
I prefer the mintier color of the Pixel 6, but the 6a’s version is pretty enough. At least the camera bar protrudes less, and the Pixel 6a doesn’t wobble when placed face up on a surface. It’s also rated IP67 for water and dust protection, though I thankfully have yet to drop my review unit or get it wet. I do wish it had Gorilla Glass Victus protecting its screen like its flagship counterparts, but it at least is covered by Gorilla Glass 3. I also wish this thing had a headphone jack like the Pixel 5a, but unfortunately Google saw fit to remove it this year.
Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Though it’s not much smaller than the Pixel 6, the 6a is noticeably lighter and easier to maneuver with one hand. To be specific, the 6a is about 30 grams (or 1 ounce) lighter, but it also has a smaller 6.1-inch screen. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch display and is a whole 0.05 inches thicker.
In terms of size the Pixel 6a feels like a happy medium, weighing in at 6.3 ounces (178 grams) with a 6.1-inch screen. The latest iPhone SE has a tiny 4.7-inch panel and correspondingly weighs a mere 5.09 ounces (144 grams) while the Samsung Galaxy A53, with its 6.5-inch display, comes in at 6.66 ounces (189 grams).
Display and audio
With a 2,400 x 1,080 resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio, the Pixel 6a’s OLED delivers a higher pixel density than the Pixel 6. But it also refreshes at just 60Hz, while the 6 and 6 Pro go up to 90Hz and 120Hz respectively.
Sam Rutherford / Engadget
So, while photos, wallpapers, icons and text all look as crisp and vivid on the Pixel 6a as on Google’s higher-end phones, when it comes to scrolling and games the 6a can feel sluggish. High refresh rates aren’t unheard of on midrange phones, either. The Galaxy A53, for example, can get up to 120Hz, though to be fair the iPhone SE is also stuck at 60Hz.
I did find it slightly easier to read things on the iPhone SE under sunlight, though the Pixel 6a wasn’t too difficult to see. Indoors, the Pixel 6a was vibrant and sharp, and I enjoyed watching Instagram Stories and ogling gorgeous landscapes on it.
I also didn’t mind playing music on the Pixel 6a. Its stereo speakers did a decent job of delivering clear vocals and instrumentals on songs like Ariana Grande’s No Tears Left To Cry, though like most smartphones it lacks bass. I used the Pixel 6a and iPhone SE to record a rendition of U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, and Google’s handset was better at prioritizing my voice over ambient noise, too.
Cameras
Google has long excelled at photography, and the Pixel 6a is a continuation of that tradition. Its pair of 12-megapixel rear cameras and 8-MP front sensor took bright, colorful pictures that rivaled those from more expensive phones.
Details like window panes and individual blades of grass were crisp, and Google continues to deliver superior images in low light. Frankly, at this price, there is no better camera for nighttime photography. Thanks in large part to Night Sight, the Pixel 6a generally captured brighter images in extremely dim environments, retaining greater detail even in shadows. The stationary bicycles in an exercise room at night were clearer in shots from the Pixel 6a than those from the iPhone SE, and I could even read the words on a sign in Google’s version. Apple’s decision to cut the night mode on its budget phone puts it at a real disadvantage here.
Compared to the iPhone SE, the Pixel 6a’s pictures tended to have lower contrast and less-saturated colors. Apple also produces better dynamic range, and it was hard to pick my favorite images between the two.
Google has the upper hand when it comes to versatility, though. Since it has an additional ultrawide lens (compared to the iPhone’s solo rear camera), the Pixel 6a made it possible to zoom out to grab expansive landscapes. And though it doesn’t have a telephoto lens, Google’s viewfinder interface makes zooming into distant subjects easier. Instead of having to pinch on the iPhone, you can switch between preset distances like 0.6x, 1x and 2x just by tapping the onscreen buttons.
I also preferred Google’s Portrait mode, which let me get closer to subjects and applied a shallower depth of field. Both the iPhone and the Pixel took selfies of similar quality, and the differences between them came down to very slight variations in color temperature. Given Google and Apple use 8-MP and 7MP sensors respectively, the similarity in sharpness isn’t surprising.
Despite having the sharpest cameras, the Galaxy A53 delivered photos that were close in quality to the Pixel 6a and iPhone SE. Its 32-MP front camera and primary 64-MP sensor on the back didn’t result in crisper images. Compared to the Pixel and iPhone, though, the Galaxy A53’s camera was noticeably slower and struggled to capture multiple shots in rapid succession.
Though Google did equip the Pixel 6a with some of the tools found on its flagships, like Magic Eraser to edit away photobombers, for example, features like Action Pan and Long Exposure are absent. That’s fine by me, since Magic Eraser is the most useful of the lot, and works as well on the 6a as on the Pro. You also get the ability to shoot in RAW, which you can’t do on the iPhone SE.
Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Performance, fingerprint sensor and in use
As the first A-series phone using Google’s own Tensor chip, the Pixel 6a’s performance should be pretty similar to its flagship siblings. In general, this was true — the 6a barely stuttered when jumping between games, editing photos, browsing Instagram and shooting videos. Just like my Pixel 6 Pro, though, the 6a tended to run warm when playing casual games such as HK Mahjong or the New York Times Crossword for more than 15 minutes. It never got alarmingly hot, but I did want to put it down after a while.
Occasionally, the Pixel 6a would take a few seconds to display information in an app, but that mostly happened in the first hours after I set up the phone, so I’ll chalk that up to early loading issues. I’m more concerned about the long-term stability of the Pixel 6a’s software, especially given all the problems plaguing the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro since they launched. I haven’t encountered anything major during my testing, but most of the bugs on the other two only started showing up weeks after our review period.
For now, I can only say the software behaves as expected, and that Google supports up to five years of Pixel updates. Switching wallpapers and applying new system-wide color schemes generated by Android happened without significant delay, and everything I enjoy about Pixel UI is here. I love being able to just tell my phone “Stop” to silence it when an alarm is going off. (Though, on my Pixel 6 Pro this usually takes around three increasingly frustrated attempts until I’m screaming at the phone.) I also appreciate Assistant features like Call Screening and Hold For Me, which make the excruciating experience of being on the phone a lot less painful.
Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Maybe I’ve grown used to the Pixel 6 Pro’s sluggish, in-display fingerprint sensor, but the Pixel 6a’s scanner didn’t feel as tricky. It’s still slower than Samsung’s, but it’s serviceable.
Battery life
The A-series has long stood out for excellent battery life, and once again, the 6a is a winner. It clocked a whopping 19 hours and 10 minutes on our video rundown test, which is shorter than the Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Galaxy A53, but still hours longer than the iPhone SE.
While the iPhone SE offers wireless charging, unfortunately the Pixel 6a doesn’t. It also only supports fast charging with wired 18W chargers. The good news is though, the 6a is also compatible with the M3/T4 hearing aid standard, as well as sub-6 and mmWave 5G.
Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Wrap-up
I think it’s time we stopped seeing the Pixel A series as a “budget” line. With its refined design, powerful processor and satisfying cameras, there are more similarities than differences between the 6a and its flagship siblings. It is easily one of the best phones for the money. Yes, it would be nice to get a faster, brighter screen and wireless charging, but those aren’t a given on a midranger. If you can’t live without a higher refresh rate and can spend no more than $500, the Galaxy A53 is an alternative, though be warned that its performance is questionable. In the US, there is no better Android phone under $500 than the Pixel 6a.
Key specs
Spec
Pixel 6a
Display
6.1-inch 2,400 x 1,080 (20:9) OLED, 429ppi, 60Hz
Dimensions
6.0 x 2.8 x 0.35 inches / 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm; 6.3 oz / 178 grams
Processor and Storage
Google Tensor; 6GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB (UFS 3.1) storage
Rear cameras
12.2MP main dual-pixel camera, f/1.7 aperture with 77-degree FOV, 12MP ultrawide camera, f/2.2 aperture with 114-degree FOV.
Front camera
8MP, f/2.0, 84-degree FOV
Battery
4,400mAh battery, 18W wired charging (0.8c)
Sensors and connectivity
Fingerprint Unlock with under-display fingerprint sensor, NFC, WiFi 6 and 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Android audio switching is finally a practical reality — provided you have the right earbuds. Google has started rolling out the automatic toggle to Android devices paired with the Pixel Buds Pro. If your phone or tablet supports Bluetooth multipoint connections, Android will intelligently switch sound from one product to the other using a priority system. You'll switch from your tablet's audio to your phone for an incoming call, for instance, but you won't have to worry about incoming notifications. You can always switch back through a notification if the OS made a mistake.
The feature will expand to JBL and Sony headphones sometime in the "coming weeks," Google said. The functionality will also reach non-Android platforms in the future, although the company didn't provide an exact timeframe. You can enable switching by using Fast Pair to connect your headphones and link them to your Google account.
The concept isn't unique. Apple devices paired with AirPods have offered audio switching since 2020, and Sony has offered a similar approach. It's a welcome addition if you want to use one set of Bluetooth earbuds for all of your Android gear, though, and Google's technology won't restrict you to any one headphone manufacturer.
YouTube says it will remove content that offers instructions on unsafe abortion methods, as well as false claims about abortion safety. Such content violates the platform's medical misinformation policies. YouTube says it will start taking down those videos today and ramp up its efforts in the coming weeks.
Additionally, YouTube is adding an information panel under abortion-related videos and above associated search results. The panel includes context and information from local and global health authorities, the service said.
"Like all of our policies on health/medical topics, we rely on published guidance from health authorities," a tweet from the YouTube Insider Twitter account reads. "We prioritize connecting people to content from authoritative sources on health topics, and we continuously review our policies & products as real world events unfold."
YouTube is taking the step after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling that ensured the right to abortion in the country. Several states immediately moved to ban abortions after the court's decision in late June.
3/ We’re also launching an information panel that provides viewers with context and information from local and global health authorities under abortion-related videos and above relevant search results. pic.twitter.com/dGzEn4bIb8
Twitch is rolling out a new safety option for streamers. They'll be able to share the list of users they have banned with other creators. The tool could help to keep serial harassers at bay, Twitch suggests, particularly those who target creators who are members of marginalized communities. The Shared Ban Info function builds on the Suspicious User Controls system Twitch debuted in December.
To share a list of banned users with another streamer, a creator will need to send them a request from the Shared Ban Info section of the moderation settings. When you request ban information from another streamer and they accept, you'll share the same information from your channel with them. At the outset, creators can have up to 30 of these connections.
You can set a default action for how to treat flagged users that another channel has banned. Those users can be monitored, meaning they can post in your chat but all of their messages will be flagged for you and your moderators to look at. There's an option to restrict flagged users by default — their chat messages will only be visible to a streamer and their mods.
Otherwise, streamers can ban these flagged users or mark them as trusted, so they can post chat messages without any limitations. In any case, the first time a flagged user posts in your chat, their message will have a red border and you can see which channel has banned them.
A Twitch spokesperson said the platform was "excited about this tool as it’s a first step in empowering not just individual streamers to make personalized moderation decisions, but communities as a whole." They added that, "while Shared Ban Info is just the latest customizable tool in the arsenal we offer creators, it adds a new level of scalability by expanding the impact of individuals’ moderation decisions, and ultimately helping community members help each other — something they already do organically in a myriad of ways in Twitch’s uniquely engaged environment, every single day."
Similar efforts to stamp out bad actors have emerged on other platforms. Twitter, for instance, used to allow users to share a list of the accounts they have blocked, but the feature is no longer available. Third-party services that support Twitter block lists are available, however,
Twitch announced the Shared Ban Info feature at TwitchCon Amsterdam this past weekend. The company also said it will grant creators more control over who can raid them. A raid involves a creator automatically sending all of their viewers to another channel when they end their stream. However, the feature has been used to harass marginalized creators.
Don't be surprised if one of Rivian's electric vans delivers your next Amazon order. Amazon has revealed that Rivian's custom-made EVs are now delivering packages across the US. You'll find them in numerous cities that include Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle and St. Louis. The company expects the vans to serve over 100 cities by the end of 2022, and still hopes to field 100,000 vehicles by 2030.
Amazon's rollout hasn't gone as smoothly as originally expected. It first started testing Rivian's van in Los Angeles early last year, and hoped to use them in as many as 16 cities by the end of 2021. The expansion was relatively slow, however, with San Francisco as the most notable addition.
The Rivian cargo carrier is meant to help Amazon reach its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, but it also represents a technological upgrade. The bespoke vans are focused on safety, with greater visibility and a host of driver aids that include automatic emergency braking and highway assistance. They unsurprisingly make use of Alexa to help drivers check the weather and otherwise improve their rides.
The deployment could be important the finances of both companies. Amazon had a 20 percent stake in Rivian as of late 2021 — it stands to benefit when its automotive partner does. It's also no secret that Rivian is cutting costs to pursue sustainable growth. It needs as much business as it can get, and a wider Amazon rollout could help its bottom line.
Some of Skullcandy's earbuds will be able to support two voice assistants at the same time. Last year, the brand debuted its own assistant, Skull-IQ, on Grind Series and Push Active earbuds. Skull-IQ is primarily about controlling audio, including managing your media player, adjusting device settings and answering or dismissing calls. It can launch Spotify via voice command as well. For just about anything else, though, you'll need another assistant. That's where Alexa comes into play.
The dual voice assistant feature was announced during an Alexa developer event. It's not clear when it will be available on Skullcandy's earbuds. Other voice-powered platforms offer multi-assistant experiences with Alexa too, such as Sonos Voice Control and Pioneer's NP1.
Amazon is expanding Alexa in other ways. It just announced developer tools that will enable app and device makers to create Alexa routines and suggest them to users. Amazon sees the move as a step toward realizing its vision of an ambient, more autonomous smart home.
If you want a tablet just for browsing the internet, watching videos and playing games, you won’t need anything fancy. Amazon’s Fire tablets are exactly that. Most of them are under $200, and the Fire 7, which has been updated for 2022, starts at just $60 ($75 if you don’t want ads on the lock screen). It offers upgraded internals, as well as Amazon’s Fire OS 8, which adds minor improvements like a dark mode. Yet, it still suffers from many of the same limitations that plagued older models, like the lack of Google apps.
Updated hardware
The 2022 Fire 7 tablet has 2GB of RAM (double that of previous generation) and is powered by the same quad-core 2.0GHz processor as the Fire HD 8. Amazon also promises longer battery life and, importantly, now uses a USB-C port instead of micro-USB. That alone makes this worth the upgrade, since USB-C is fast becoming the new charging standard.
Aside from that, the overall look and feel of the Fire 7 is unchanged. It’s made out of plastic, with thick bezels surrounding its 7-inch display. Yet, it does feel durable. I also didn’t mind the bezels, as they gave me room to grip the tablet without accidentally launching apps.
The screen is one of the bigger disappointments with the Fire 7, though. Its 1,024 by 600 resolution just looks terribly dull, with fuzzy images and muddy colors. Even for a budget tablet – and granted, there aren’t that many in this price range – a display that’s less than full HD in this day and age seems outdated.
The rest of the Fire 7’s hardware is the same as its predecessor. It has 2-megapixel cameras on the front and rear, 16 or 32GB of built-in storage (expandable up to 1TB with microSD card) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. As expected, the camera quality isn’t impressive, but it’ll work for a quick video chat. Just don’t expect to use it for actual photography, unless you’re really into super grainy, washed out images.
Amazon Fire 7
Engadget
Meh performance, but solid battery life
Though the new Fire 7 has more RAM and a quad-core 2.0GHz processor, don’t expect lightning-fast performance. Navigating the Fire OS interface feels smooth for the most part, but it’s still sluggish at times. I experienced some lag when switching apps and scrolling through Instagram, for example. It can handle basic tasks like checking email, but the Fire 7 won’t be as fast as modern smartphones.
My favorite thing about the new Fire 7 is its long battery life. Amazon says it should last up to 10 hours on a charge, but of course that depends on how you use it. In the usual battery test we run for Android devices (where we play a locally stored video on loop), the Fire 7 lasted for close to 15 hours. I mostly used it to watch Prime videos, read books on the Kindle app, check Instagram and Twitter, and play a few rounds of Candy Crush Saga. After several days of occasional use (an hour or so a day for a week), the Fire 7 still has around 48 percent battery. I should note, however, that the Fire 7 doesn’t offer wireless or fast-charging. It comes with a 5W charger, which took around four hours to top up the battery.
New software, but same ol issues
The Fire 7 comes with Fire OS 8, which adds Android 11 features like a system-wide dark theme. Yet, the interface looks the same. Like all other Fire tablets, it runs Amazon’s proprietary skin that forced me to use Amazon-approved apps rather than ones from the Google Play Store. As someone who relies a lot on Google apps, I was frustrated by this. Instead of the native version of Gmail or YouTube, for example, I had to use inferior third-party apps that just didn’t look or feel as intuitive.
If you’re an Amazon die-hard, however, you’ll benefit from Fire OS. As soon as I logged in, all of my favorite Amazon content showed up on the home screen, like TV shows on Prime Video, personalized recommendations on Kindle Unlimited, suggested Audible books based on my purchases and more.
Of course, the caveat is that you won’t be able to delete Amazon-related apps like Kindle, Goodreads and Prime Video. Plus, you won’t see recommendations for shows and content that’s not on Amazon – no Netflix suggestions, for example. It makes sense that Amazon would push its own services, but it’s still annoying.
Like other Amazon products, the Fire 7 features hands-free Alexa, which makes controlling my smart home devices easier. It’s also helpful for getting the weather forecast, the latest sports scores or answers to random trivia questions.
Amazon Fire 7
Amazon
Wrap-up
The thing you should know about Fire tablets is that they aren’t typical Android devices – you’ll need to sideload the Google Play Store, for example, if you want to use Google apps. Amazon’s proprietary interface prioritizes its own apps like Prime Video and Kindle over others. But if you already heavily rely on Amazon services, I can see how the Fire 7 might be tempting – it delivers an Amazon-curated experience for cheap.
Unfortunately, if you want a tablet in the $60 price range, you don’t have many non-Amazon options. Two of the more affordable non-Amazon tablets at this time appear to be the Lenovo Tab M7 (starting at $96) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (starting at $100). We haven’t reviewed them just yet, but both at least let you use Google apps without resorting to third-party options.
If you’re dead set on a budget Fire tablet, I actually recommend the Fire HD 8 instead. It has a superior HD display, longer battery life and wireless charging. It also supports Show Mode, which basically turns it into a portable Echo Show. At $90 (with ads), it’s $30 more than the Fire 7, but I think it’s well worth the extra cost.
There's increasing pressure on Meta to show more content in chronological order, and the company is responding — if not quite in the way you might have expected. Facebook has launched Home and Feeds tabs that simultaneously offer more control while giving the social network more opportunities to push recommendations. The Feeds tab shows posts from friends, groups and Pages in a linear timeline, but the Home tab uses Facebook's discovery engine to recommend posts, Reels and other content, including from people you don't follow.
The tabs will appear in the shortcut bar of Facebook's Android and iOS apps starting today, and should roll out worldwide this week. The Home tab will open by default, but you can pin the Feeds tab to the shortcut bar to make sure it's always available.
The social media giant has previously made concessions to people who prefer chronological viewing. In March of last year, it gave users quick access to a "Most Recent" setting for the News Feed. As The Vergenoted, though, this appears to be an effort to compete with TikTok's recommendation-driven approach to videos without dropping the usual focus on friends and Pages. Meta lost daily Facebook users for the first time in the third quarter of 2021, and has struggled to return to its previously rapid growth. In theory, this shift toward recommendations will keep users coming back without alienating those who just want to interact with their friends.
PDFs were designed to be a universal file format. If you send someone a PDF, you can be assured that they’re looking at an identical copy of what you sent — regardless of their operating system or what software they have installed. But what if you need to make changes to a portable document? Luckily, Adobe has packed Acrobat with more advanced features over the years, including the ability to add text and images, adjust fonts, add comments, sign forms, add images and more. The latest versions of Acrobat allow you to merge PDFs, delete pages and convert PDFs to practically every file format, and you can do a lot of this for free. Alternatively, a number of third-party PDF editors offer more options for altering documents, and many are free or include a free tier, too.
How to edit a PDF
In order to edit a PDF, you have a choice between using Adobe’s programs (Acrobat Pro or Acrobat Pro DC) or a third-party PDF editor.
It’s important to note that Adobe offers a number of PDF editing tools for free, but limits this perk to two free transactions every 30 days. You’ll only need to sign up for a free account, which allows you to convert PDFs to a number of different file formats as well as merge, split, delete, reorder, extract and insert new PDF pages. You can also sign a PDF, request a signature and password protect your PDF with a free Adobe account. If you only need to highlight text, add comment or text boxes or draw on the PDF document, Adobe allows you to do this for free with its online tool. And if you don’t want to sign up for an Adobe account, the company still lets you perform one task and download the file for free.
But if you need to fix a typo, change the font, add new text or do anything more advanced, you’ll need to pay for an Adobe Acrobat Pro subscription. While there’s no real substitute for Acrobat (given the company is the literal creator of PDFs), some users may balk at the $14.99 per month subscription price for Acrobat Pro DC. If your workplace or school doesn’t allow you to access Acrobat’s premium software for free, you can try a 7-day free trial of Acrobat Pro DC. Just remember to cancel the trial before the trial period is over.
There are also numerous PDF editors that offer editing tools for free like Sejda, PDFescape, SodaPDF, PDF Candy and many others. Keep in mind that free editing programs won’t have as wide of an array of tools as Adobe Acrobat, and many have limits on storage. But if you need to quickly delete a chunk of text or add a few images, a third-party PDF editor is a budget-friendly alternative. Be sure to shop around in order to make sure you find the right program for your project.
How to sign a PDF
chanakon laorob via Getty Images
If you need to sign a lease or a tax form, you’ll have your choice of free form-filling programs. Adobe Acrobat has a free online PDF form filler tool that lets you fill out PDF form fields, add text boxes, checkmarks, circles and other symbols. The program also includes e-signing tools that allow you to add your signature or initials to any form.
If you don’t want to visit a website every time you need to sign a PDF, Windows users can download the free Acrobat Reader application and use the “Fill & Sign” functionality, macOS users can open a PDF in preview, click the Toolbox button and then click Sign. On mobile, Adobe’s Fill & Sign application does exactly what it sounds like and is available for Android and iOS.
Many third-party PDF editors include form-filling and e-signing tools. If you need to quickly sign a document, DocFly lets you directly drop or upload your document and either write out, draw or upload an image of your signature. You can get three free downloads per month, or pay extra for a monthly or annual subscription. Some signing programs with free tiers include DocuSign, HelloSign, PandaDoc and eSign.
How to combine or merge PDF files
Luckily, Adobe allows users to combine or merge PDF documents for free. Simply drag and drop your files, select the ones you’d like to merge and then reorder them if needed. Adobe’s tool lets users create a merged PDF of up to 1,500 pages and combine up to 100 files, with each file limited to 500 pages. You can also delete, move or rotate pages. Adobe’s tool works on any web browser and is compatible with any operating system, including Windows, Mac and Linux.
How to convert a PDF to Microsoft Word or another file format
In a similar fashion, Adobe allows users to convert PDFs to Word documents for free with its online tool. Keep in mind that fonts, images and alignment can go haywire when you switch between file formats (though Adobe does its best), and you may not be able to convert some protected PDFs at all. Just open the browser of your choice, go to Adobe’s site and either drag and drop or upload a PDF. Adobe will then convert it to a fully editable Microsoft Word document. The company’s free tool also allows you to convert PDFs to JPGs, Excel and Powerpoint documents, as well as vice versa.
If you need to convert your PDF to HTML, you’ll need to pay for the premium version. There are also a number of free conversion tools, like CloudConvert.