Microsoft Unveils New Office, World Tries to Stay Awake

Microsoft MSFT has announced the newest version of its hugely popular Office program, promising a groundbreaking cloud service that is always up to date. "We are taking bold steps at Microsoft," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said at a press conference in San Francisco. "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." Office is an excellent program that contains the world's most intuitive and popular business programs, so it would be hard for anyone to dismiss Ballmer's claims. But if investors, business professionals, members of the media, or anyone else fell asleep during today's live demonstration, Microsoft would be wise to forgive them. The new, unnamed Office could be amazing. But it does not make for compelling television. For those who missed (or fell asleep) during the unveiling, here are the highlights from Microsoft.

• "Touch everywhere. Office responds to touch as naturally as it does to keyboard and mouse. Swipe your finger across the screen or pinch and zoom to read your documents and presentations. Author new content and access features with the touch of a finger."
• "Inking. Use a stylus to create content, take notes and access features."
• "OneNote and Lync represent the first new Windows 8 style applications for Office. These applications are designed to deliver touch-first experiences on a tablet."
• "SkyDrive. Office saves documents to SkyDrive by default, so your content is always available across your tablet, PC and phone. Your documents are also available offline and sync when you reconnect."
• "Roaming. Once signed in to Office, your personalized settings, including your most recently used files, templates and even your custom dictionary, roam with you across virtually all of your devices. Office even remembers where you last left off and brings you right back to that spot in a single click."
• "Office on Demand. With a subscription, you can access Office even when you are away from your PC by streaming full-featured applications to an Internet-connected Windows-based PC."
• "The new Office is available as a cloud-based subscription service. As subscribers, consumers automatically get future upgrades in addition to exciting cloud services including Skype world minutes and extra SkyDrive storage."
• "Yammer delivers a secure, private social network for businesses. You can sign up for free and begin using social networking instantly."
• "Skype. The new Office comes with Skype. When you subscribe, you get 60 minutes of Skype world minutes every month. Integrate Skype contacts into Lync and call or instant message anyone on Skype."
• "Keep your notes handy in the cloud and across multiple devices with OneNote. Use what feels most natural to you -- take notes with touch, pen or keyboard, or use them together and switch easily back and forth."
• "Eighty-two-inch touch-enabled displays. Conduct more engaging meetings, presentations and lessons, whether in person or virtually, with these multitouch and stylus-enabled displays from Perceptive Pixel."

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