1. Microsoft Office 2013 Launches Tomorrow: What You Need
to Know – Mashable
Microsoft appears to be on the verge of launching the latest version of Office, according to a
tweet the official Office Twitter account posted over the weekend. The tweet includes a picture
of what Microsoft is setting up in New York City’s Bryant Park for launch day, specifying Jan. 29
as the day of the event.
The new version of Office, Office 2013, represents a rethink of the productivity software.
Microsoft re-designed Office for Windows 8, changing aspects of the design, features and back
end to better suit a world of touchscreens, cloud connectivity and social networks.
Although the new Office is designed for Windows 8 machines, it’s not actually a Windows 8
app. Office still runs in the traditional desktop environment, even on Windows RT devices.
More time to create the things you want. Coming to @bryantparknyc on 1/29#Timeto365
twitter.com/Office/status/…
— Office (@Office) January 26, 2013
Microsoft is also a changing the way it sells Office with the 2013 version. The software is now
available via subscription, as opposed to the “pay once, for one machine” approach of the past.
When a customer buys Office, they will be able to download it and install it on up to five
machines (PCs, Macs or a mix). A subscription entitles multiple users to cloud content (such as
continually updated templates), 20GB of SkyDrive storage, 60 minutes of Skype service and
updates for new versions of the apps.
For businesses, things work a little differently. While a user can still install the software on up to
five devices, the subscription is limited to one user. The business version also has built-in
integration with Microsoft’s SharePoint, Lync and Exchange services (presumably plans for
Yammer are in the works as well).
Pricing for the two versions is as follows: $99.95 a year for consumer, and $149.99 a year for
business. Office will still be available as a one-shot download for those who want it, $219.99 for
the Home and Business edition and $399.99 for the Professional edition.
With Office 2013, Microsoft is revamping third-party add-ons, renaming them apps and creating
an store where developers can share their apps to all Office users. Office apps can even
incorporate real-time data, such as a medal tracker Microsoft created for last year’s Olympic
Games.
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2. We reviewed at the consumer preview of Office 2013 and found it to be a true “21st Century”
upgrade for the software. After working with it for a few days, switching back to old versions of
Office “felt like I had pulled out a PC from a decade ago.”
What about other platforms? While versions of Office for iOS and Android have been rumored
for over a year, there’s no new information on Office spreading beyond PCs and Macs.
Will you be buying the new Office? Let us know why or why not in the comments.
Image courtesy of Microsoft
BONUS: A Tour of the Office 2013 Consumer Preview
1. Metro Look
Office 15 borrows some design elements from Windows 8, giving the suite of programs
a Metro look much like the newest version of Microsoft’s desktop and mobile OS.
2. Word Templates
Templates from Office.com are brought right into Word, along with previews.
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3. 3. 5 Star Rating
Clicking on a template will let you get a closer look at a template and see its star rating
on Office.com
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4. 4. Familiar Interface
In many ways, Office 15 is the same Office you’ve become accustomed to over the
years.
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5. 5. Video Search
In Office 15 you can search for videos via Bing, on YouTube, or insert an embed code
for a video you’ve found online. Videos can be previewed from directly within your
document.
6.
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6. 7. Excel
Pivot tables in Excel are easier to use in Office 15.
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7. 8. PowerPoint
PowerPoint has a new Presenter View that privately shows your current and upcoming
slides, your presentation time, and your speaker notes at a glance. While you’re doing a
presentation, you can zoom, mark up and navigate your slides with touch and stylus.
Source Article from http://mashable.com/2013/01/28/office-2013-launch/
Waddywood.com Microsoft Office 2013 Launches Tomorrow: What You Need to Know –
Mashable
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