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Office 2008 for Mac versions and pricing announced
I'm becoming the Microsoft Office Maven here at TUAW it would seem (which isn't as cool as being TUAW's iPhone hacker, Erica, but I'll take what I can get). The latest news from our friends at Redmond concerns editions and price (Oh! Pricing!). There will be three different flavors of Office 2008 for the Mac, and they are as follows: Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac: This is the core version of the productivity suite which includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Entourage. This version includes some Automator workflows, as well as Exchange support in Entourage (you'll see why I mention this in a moment). You can pick this version up for $399.95 (US) for the full retail version and $239.95 for an upgrade. Microsoft Office for the Mac Home and Student Edition: This is aimed at the segment of the market that needs to edit documents and such, but isn't in an Exchange environment. As such the version of Entourage included in Home and Student Edition does not support Exchange, nor do you get Automator workflows with this edition. This edition only comes in the full retail flavor for $149.95 (which isn't a bad price at all, though this one is a no go for me). Microsoft Office for Mac Special Media Edition: This one is interesting. It includes everything in the core suite (including Exchange support) as well as a full version of Microsoft Expression Media for Mac for $499.95 or $299.95 for the upgrade. It is worth noting, for our international readers, that Office 2008 for Mac will be available in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Swedish, and, new in this version Danish, Finnish and Norwegian.
Microsoft says file converter for Office 2007 in the works
According to a post on Mac Mojo, the Mac BU's blog, Microsoft is committed to getting out a free file format converter so that Mac users can open Office 2007 Open XML formatted files with Office 2004 (Laurie posted about the problem earlier today). This converter is expected to be released late March/early April and will be free.The next version of Office for the Mac will support the Open XML Format as its native format, and that is expected to ship 6 to 8 months from now.Until then you can either use a hack, or ask your Windows using friends to save the documents they want to share with you as the older Word/Excel/PowerPoint 97-2003 Document (.doc, .xls, .ppt).
Office 12 for the Mac not delayed
I'm as anxious about a Universal version of Office as you are (plus, I'm really looking forward to some of the new features in Office 2007 that might make it into the Mac version) but I thought it quite odd when I kept reading, 'OMG!!11!!, Office is totally delayed! Smooth move, Microsoft!' I hadn't heard an official launch date, so how could Office be delayed?Luckily, those kooky folks over at the MacBU (you know, the people that are actually coding Office for the Mac) have a blog. They just posted the news that Office isn't delayed. Hurrah! Though, sadly, there is still no release date. They mention that Office for the Mac ships 6 - 8 months after Office for Windows and they are on track for that goal. Let's all wait until the new Windows version ships to start rumors that Office for the Mac is delayed, or even better, that old chestnut that Office for the Mac will be discontinued.
