Microsoft this week unveiled new details of its Office 2010 productivity tools, which will feature a free online program to counter similar programs already available from Google and other competitors.
The online features of Office Web, as the new service will be called, will allow workers to access an online word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software and a note-taking program, and store their documents on Microsoft’s servers.
Because the documents will be stored online, they will be much easier for people to share and collaborate on, Microsoft said.
Microsoft said the ad-supported Web suite will be available to more than 400 million Windows Live consumers at no cost.
“Office Web Applications, the online companion to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications, allow you to access documents from anywhere. You can even simultaneously share and work on documents with others online,” Microsoft said on its Office 2010 Technical Preview site.
“View documents across PCs, mobile phones and the web without compromising document fidelity. Create new documents and do basic editing using the familiar Office interface.”
Sales of Office software are a mainstay of Microsoft, the world’s largest software company. The Office division has earned profits of over US$9 billion in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2009, on sales of US$14.3 billion.
RSS