Microsoft unveiled a technical preview of Office 2010 at its 2009 Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans on Monday and said it intends to invite tens of thousands of business partners to test the new software in advance of the suite’s commercial release in the first half of next year.
Among other things, Office 2010 includes lightweight Web browser versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote that will allow users to work anywhere while preserving the look and feel of any Office document regardless of the Internet access device used. Microsoft also said it is cutting back the number of Office editions from eight to five and enhancing each edition with additional applications and features.
“From broadcast and video editing in PowerPoint, new data-visualization capabilities in Excel, and coauthoring in Word, we are delivering technology to help people work smarter and faster from virtually any location using any device,” said Chris Capossela, a senior vice president at Microsoft’s Business Division.
Three Ways To Access
Office Web apps — the software giant’s answer to Google Apps — will be made available beginning later this year through Windows Live, where more than 400 million consumers will have access to streamlined versions of Office applications online at no cost, the company said. Moreover, users will be able to store completed documents online using Microsoft’s SkyDrive service.
Microsoft’s 90 million Office volume-licensing customers also will have on-premises access to Office Web Apps via SharePoint Server. Additionally, the new Web-based service will be made available on Microsoft Online Services, where customers will be able to purchase a subscription as part of a hosted offering.
“Most IT departments still favor the idea of the ‘thin client,’ but the cost associated with typical Office deployment, installation and maintenance is very high,” said AMR Research Director Jim Murphy. Though it’s…