Adobe Systems today announced that it plans to acquire Macromedia in a stock-based deal valued at approximately US$3.4 billion. “The combination of Adobe and Macromedia strengthens our mission of helping people and organizations communicate better,” the companies said in a statement. “Through the combination of our powerful development, authoring and collaboration tools –- and the complementary functionality of PDF and Flash -– we have the opportunity to drive an industry-defining technology platform that delivers compelling, rich content and applications across a wide range of devices and operating systems. By combining the passion and creativity of two leading-edge companies, we will continue driving innovations that are changing the ways people everywhere are experiencing and interacting with information.”