Microsoft unveils customer preview of new Office suite

The full-fledged suite is expected to be available only next year

PTI | July 18, 2012



Software giant Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled the customer preview of its new Office suite of solutions, tailored for tablets and other touchscreen devices.

Unveiled at San Francisco by company CEO Steve Ballmer, the new release features the classic Word, PowerPoint and Excel, but has been rehauled to adapt to devices with touch, stylus and mouse interfaces.

"We are taking bold steps at Microsoft. The new, modern Office will deliver unparalleled productivity and flexibility for both consumers and business customers. It is a cloud service and will fully light-up when paired with Windows 8," Ballmer said in a statement.

The full-fledged suite is expected to be available only next year.

Smartphones and tablet PCs usage at workplaces is on the rise globally and employees are being offered the choice by companies to use applications and data in the cloud.

Cloud computing allows storage of data and access to software on a pay-per-use model, helping companies to cut costs as they do not have to invest in infrastructure.

The new suite makes use of cloud computing and also incorporates Skype, the video-calling service acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for USD 8.5 billion.

The launch comes at an important time as competitors like Google are making strong inroads into enterprises with productivity solutions, which has been a strong driver for Microsoft.

While the full lineup of offerings and pricing plans will be announced in the fall, Ballmer said three new Office 365 services -- Home Premium, Small Business Premium and ProPlus -- will be available on subscription basis.

In addition, subscribers will receive future rights to version upgrades as well as per-use rights across up to five PCs or Macs and mobile devices, but no timelines were given.

The customer preview is available at office.com/preview.

Comments

 

Other News

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".

A new retelling of the Mahabharata delves into key moments

In a time when every decision carries consequences and questions of ambition, power, loyalty, identity and moral choice continue to shape our lives, Dr. Arun Krishnan’s new book, ‘Mahakshana’ (Penguin India) offers a strikingly relevant retelling of the Mahabharata.  

Cabinet approves viability gap funding to develop grid-scale energy storage systems

The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Development of Grid-Scale Energy Storage Systems, with a total financial support of Rs.14,500 crore for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The scheme aims to support the development o

Cabinet creates a pathway to absorb Agniveers in Defence Forces

An objective assessment in terms of organisational requirements and operational efficiency has brought out the outstanding performance of Agniveers in terms of skills, motivation levels, physical fitness and technological prowess. As envisaged earlier, based on merit, 25% of Agniveers will be offered reg

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter