Microsoft Office free in a cloud
Microsoft will launch a stripped-down version of its Office software as a free online cloud application later this year. From July, anyone with an internet-connected computer can use Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint and Excel.
While the software will be free to use, it will require a Windows Live registration and the recommended use of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.
The free software will not boast all of the features available on the boxed, CD-based software discs, which will cost u p to €400 to buy.
‘‘We see this as a companion to Office rather than a full competitor in the office software market,” said a Microsoft spokesman. ‘‘It will be completely free to use for anyone with an internet-connected device.
It’s best if you use Internet Explorer to access the software, although it should work with Firefox, too.”
One of the features being pushed by Microsoft as a key Office 2010 attraction is the ability to share and stream pictures and videos with others in real time.
The US pricing for the full versions of Office 2010 was released at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month. The software can be bought either as a boxed product or as an ‘activation’ on new PCs. To activate the software, which will come pre-loaded on most new PCs, a code is required. This code will be available on special key cards that Microsoft intends to sell in computer and electronics retailers. However, the key cards will cost up to a third more than the boxed editions of the software.
As with previous versions of the software, the cheapest version of Office 2010 will be Office Home and Student, which will cost $150 (€104) as a boxed product or $200 (€138) when activated by the key card.
Office Home and Business will retail for $280 as a boxed product, or $200 with a product key card. Office Professional will retail for $500 as a boxed product, and $350 with a product key card.
