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OneNote update for Windows 8 and RT relives our childhood with finger drawing
Although Microsoft's OneNote is virtually tailor-made for pen input, we doubt most Windows fans would splurge on the likes of a Surface Pro just for the sake of a quick doodle or two. With the latest update to OneNote for Windows 8 and RT, they won't have to. The app refresh lets touchscreen PC users draw with their fingers using the same color and thickness options as their stylus-toting counterparts. The new input method won't be as precise as a pen, but it should do the job for simple diagrams or dusting off those kindergarten-era fingerpainting skills. Whether or not you're on a nostalgia kick, you can swing by the Windows Store today for the upgrade.
Microsoft roadmap leak shows Office for iOS and Android to be released in fall of 2014
Despite a recent preoccupation with the web-based Office 365 service, the folks in Redmond haven't stopped working to bring regular MS Office to mobile users. ZDNet reports that a leaked Microsoft Office roadmap shows that the ubiquitous productivity suite is due to land on Android and iOS in October of 2014. This seems to confirm earlier rumors of an iPad-friendly version of Office, but at a much later date than previously expected. Android and iOS users aren't the only Office aficionados receiving good news, as the leak also indicates that touch-friendly Blue updates for Word, Excel PowerPoint and OneNote are due to appear for Windows 8 by October of this year. Furthermore, April of 2014 is set to deliver a new version of Office for Mac and Windows phone, and it looks like Microsoft Outlook will finally land on Windows RT by the fall of 2014, too. Naturally, we don't know what features these updates will bring, but it's nice to know they're coming, right?
OneNote update improves custom pens, syncs Office 365 notebooks
If you picked up a Surface Pro or another pen-friendly Windows 8 tablet, you're likely eager to wring every ounce of productivity out of that stylus. Microsoft hears your call. It just updated the OneNote app for Windows 8 to give pen customization a shot in the arm: a new radial menu makes it easier to choose a pen's color and weight while saving favorite pens to quick-access slots. Whether or not drawing's your thing, Microsoft has also simplified syncing with support for pulling in Office 365 notebooks, not just those stored on SkyDrive. Avid note-takers only need to grab the upgrade from the source link.
Microsoft launches four-year, $80 Office 365 University subscription for students
Microsoft's given Xbox love to PC-buying students recently, and it's just announced that it'll carry on that tradition with Office 365 University, by offering a special four-year, $80 subscription to higher-education students. For that sum, you'll get four years of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access if you're seeking a sheepskin scroll, which Redmond says works out to $1.67 per month. Also included are 60 Skype world minutes per month and 27GB of Premium SkyDrive storage, along with free upgrades and the ability to install on two separate computers, to boot. That should take some of the sting out of those scholarly expenses if you need a copy, so check the source to see how to grab it.
Microsoft Office 2013 releases to manufacturing, reaches most of us early next year
Break out the party streamers and balloons -- if only in an orderly fashion, because this is the day Office 2013 has been released to manufacturing. The completion swings Microsoft's attention towards a rollout staggered over the next few months. Wider availability will have to wait until the first quarter of 2013 -- such synchronicity with your branding, Microsoft -- but companies who've sprung for volume licensing will get access as early as mid-November to December 1st, depending on whether or not they're embracing a Software Assurance plan. In the meantime, Microsoft is offering an easy path for anxious workers by promising a free copy of Office 2013 to everyone who buys Office 2010 from October 19th onwards. The upgraded software might not be cheap for those who aren't already buying a Windows RT tablet, but it's likely to be an important piece of the puzzle for anyone hunting down a touchscreen Windows 8 PC.
Microsoft announces Office 2013 and 365 pricing, nudges users towards annual subscriptions
While we still don't know exactly when Microsoft will unleash Office 2013 and Office 365 upon the world, we do know how much they'll cost. While standalone versions, licensed for use on a single computer, will still be available, the new strategy makes it more affordable for many homes and business to opt for a subscription package instead. Office Home and Student 2013 (with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote) will cost $139, while Home and Business adds Outlook for $219, and the top of the line Professional package includes all of those along with Access and Publisher for $399. Compare those to the two Office 365 packages, which promise customizations that follow their users around, expanded cloud storage, access to all of the apps and automatically receive any future updates that come out for them. Office 365 Home Premium will cost $99 per year, with 20GB of SkyDrive storage and 60 minutes of Skype calling per month and access on five computers, along with the ability to change out the devices at any time, and use "full featured apps" temporarily on any PC. It's a single subscription for up to 5 users, and will have a 30 day free trial available. Alternatively, small businesses with 1-10 employees could opt for Office 365 Small Business Premium that also comes with all the apps, but lets each user install it on up to 5 different PCs or Macs, along with 25GB Outlook storage, an organization-wide 10GB cloud drive plus 500MB for each user, online meetings and even website hosting. That also has a free trial, but costs $149 per user, per year. If you can't wait, buying Office 2010 or Office 2011 for Mac as of October 19th entitles users to a free upgrade to Office 2013 or one year of Office 365 free. Clearly, Microsoft would prefer it if users took advantage of the new pay-per-year offerings, but what do you think? Check out all the details from Microsoft's blog and check list linked below (or our preview) as well as a few of their examples after the break, and let us know if you'll be upgrading or switching over to an alternative like Open Office.
Office Web Apps integrate touch support on iPad and Windows 8, brace us for an Office 2013 world
Touch-friendliness is a centerpiece for the upcoming Office 2013, but don't fret if you prefer to live in the world of Office Web Apps ahead of time. As of new preview versions of both OWA and Office 365, those using at least an iPad or Windows 8 will see larger, more finger-ready controls by default. The switch also tweaks the text selection, contextual menus and numerous other elements to work properly with the fleshier input, even going so far as to support multi-touch gestures like pinching to zoom. Windows users get a Touch Mode toggle if they'd rather flip back to traditional control methods. While the web support is still experimental and doesn't have a completion date on the horizon, those willing to live ever so slightly on the edge can stay hooked on Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Word without having to use anything so archaic as a mouse and keyboard. [Thanks, Suraj]
OneNote MX Metro-styled app for Windows 8 now available for download
Yesterday saw Microsoft publicly unpack Office 15. Part of the deal was the forthcoming dedicated OneNote MX Metro-styled app. While we knew it was coming, it was one of the few things we didn't manage to get much time with. It looks like we might not have to wait that long though, as it's the first of new gang to be up for grabs. It's available to download now, from the Windows Store in Windows 8 Release Preview, just set a final reminder in your current note taking app to go get it.
Microsoft wants Mac SkyDrive users
The competition between Microsoft and Apple is moving gradually from the desktop to the cloud. As noted by The Next Web, a recent marketing push by Microsoft tries to woo Mac users away from iCloud and into Microsoft's cloud-based SkyDrive service. The webpage and video highlights the advantages of SkyDrive by pointing out that Microsoft's service gives you access to every file, everywhere, even across platforms and, unlike iCloud, it integrates well with Microsoft Office. These features of SkyDrive may not entice Mac users to abandon iCloud, but it could get those Office users to consider using the service along with iCloud. You potentially could use iCloud for your music and photos and push your productivity stuff into Office and SkyDrive. I personally wouldn't do it because iCloud and DropBox works just fine for my needs, but heavy Office users might want to take a closer look at Microsoft's service. SkyDrive includes 7 GB of free storage and has an app for the iPhone and iPad. [Via The Next Web]
Nokia Belle earns corporate street-cred with Microsoft Office apps
Looks like the corporate bromance between Microsoft and Nokia is stronger than ever. The Finnish handset maker has announced a suite of MS applications that is making its way to select Symbian handsets right this very moment. Users rocking a Belle device are being given access to a handful of apps from Redmond, which will include: OneNote, Document Connection, Lync and PowerPoint Broadcast. A second wave of Office-centric wares, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel, will be made available at an undisclosed date in the not-to-distant future. Nokia E7, C7, C6-01, X7, Oro, 700, 701 and 603 owners should see the goodies appear in Symbian's software update application; the phone maker has promised to add support for the N8, E6 and 500 "soon." For more information on the Microsoft software infiltration, check the press release after the break.
Microsoft's OneNote Mobile takes up roost in the Android Market
Hot on the heels of its OneNote app for the iPhone, Microsoft has gone ahead and given the Android Market a similar nod of acceptance with the release of OneNote Mobile. Like the iOS version, the app is free to try -- which allows tire kickers to create up to 500 memos -- but after the limit is reached, you'll need to plunk down $4.99 or be forever stuck in read-only mode. In addition to syncing all notes with SkyDrive, the app allows users to open notebooks from OneNote 2010. Android 2.3 is necessary admission for this one, and naturally, all users must have a Windows Live ID. So, Google, are you going to just stand there and let Evernote and Microsoft have all the fun?
Daily iPad app: OneNote for the iPad
After years of developing mobile tools for its own platform, Microsoft has finally released a series of apps for the iPad including Lync, OneNote and Kinectimals. Hands down, the most anticipated of the bunch is OneNote, Microsoft's popular desktop app for taking and organizing notes. It's the premier solution for the desktop, but, unfortunately, it falls short on the Apple tablet. The app pulls OneNote documents down from SkyDrive and lets you both view and edit the documents on your iPad. Unfortunately, most of the document formatting is not available on the iPad. I had some beautiful OneNote documents with colorful text, tags, tables and different-sized fonts. You can see an example document below and compare it to the iPad version above. When I viewed the documents on the iPad, tags were missing, and all the text appeared in a small, bland, black font. Even worse, tables were formatted as images and not editable. Creating new OneNote documents is also very limited on the iPad. You can't create new notebooks or pages; you're only allowed to add new notes. Notebook security is also an issue as you can't view notes or add notes to a notebook that has a password. Overall, OneNote for the iPad is disappointing. I was hoping for additional editing options and better support for some of the basic attributes of a document. It's not like these features can't be edited on a mobile device. Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system supports OneNote document editing and it gives you excellent access to most of the document properties. If you only need an app to view plain OneNote documents, you may want to download and try OneNote for the iPad. It's free and it does let you view simple documents. Syncing on the iPad also works well, and changes were uploaded almost immediately. Reliable syncing, though, doesn't make up for an app that's only half as capable as it should be. If you want to try OneNote for the iPad, you can grab it for free from the iOS App Store.
Microsoft optimizes OneNote for the iPad, thinks would make a swell Christmas gift
Microsoft is giving the gift of a OneNote to iPad users "just in time for the holidays." The 1.3 update for the note taking software includes a version optimized for Apple's tablet. Also new in the upgrade is a tabbed user interface, table rendering, updates to syncing and a handful of other features. The initial download is free for up to 500 notes -- the unlimited version runs $4.99 for the iPhone and $14.99 for the iPad.
Microsoft releases OneNote app for iPhone, free for a 'limited time'
Well, here's something of a surprise -- Microsoft has just brought its OneNote app to the iPhone, and it's made it available as a free download "for a limited time" to boot. As with the Windows Phone 7 app (previously the only mobile version), the iPhone app will let you manage notes and shopping lists (and even add pictures taken with the iPhone's camera), and then sync those with Windows Live SkyDrive so you can access them in either the Windows desktop application or its web-based counterpart. As ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley notes, however, perhaps just as interesting as the app itself is the question of what else might follow -- a native OneNote app for iPad, perhaps, or even iOS versions of other Office applications? Microsoft unsurprisingly isn't commenting on those possibilities, but it did note that the OneNote app is the culmination of some 18 to 24 months of development from a team of Microsoft Mac Office and OneNote engineers, which is either a sign of some serious slacking or a fairly significant commitment on Microsoft's part. No word on when the "limited" free period will run out (so you'll probably want to grab it while you can), nor is there any world on a worldwide release -- it's currently only available to US users, unfortunately. [Thanks, Pradeep]
Microsoft releases OneNote app for iOS
Microsoft has released a OneNote app for iOS, designed to sync with the company's OneNote software, which is a part of Microsoft Office for Windows and has a web version that Mac users can take advantage of. The OneNote app allows you to create notes and sync them with the Windows Live SkyDrive cloud storage. The app will allow use of the iPhone's camera to add pictures to your notes, but it doesn't have all the features of its web-based sibling or the Windows desktop version. As Macworld points out, some of those advanced features will not sync to the iPhone app. The app is free for a limited time. Microsoft has not indicated what the app will eventually cost, so it's worth grabbing now if you utilize OneNote. Thanks to all those who submitted the tip!
Updated Windows Phone 7 videos show Office doing awesome things
As much as Microsoft has revealed about Windows Phone 7 thus far in the past two months, one critical, differentiating element that it's going to be able to lord over its competitors -- true Office support -- has been a bit of a black box. We're starting to see a little bit more about the Office team's next-gen mobile product now, though, thanks to a pair of new videos that have been published this week. The first focuses on the email and calendar experience, but we do see one pretty awesome trick when the demo opens a PowerPoint file inline from the email client, edits it, and sends it back to the original sender. The second video dives deeper on the actual Office hub, where we get a quick look at the Word editor -- and as you might expect, it's squeaky-clean and nearly UI-free, just like pretty much everything else in the platform. Peep the videos after the break. [Thanks, skipper]
Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. Last week, the New York Times ran an op-ed piece by former Microsoft executive Dick Brass, in which he took the company to task on many issues. Brass was a VP at Microsoft who left in 2004, and prior to his departure he worked on various projects from e-books and ClearType to the Tablet PC. I've met Dick through the years and he's a super smart guy, but I'm not sure I agree with everything he wrote in his op-ed. Dick argues that internal politics and unwillingness to do "risky" hardware have led Microsoft away from innovation. Clearly, Dick has a much better view regarding Microsoft's internal politics than I do, but some of the examples that he uses to bolster his argument are a little off base, at least in my opinion. Dick cites Clear Type, Tablet and Mobile as examples of innovative products that Microsoft managed to somehow bungle due to internal politics, and says that Xbox is at "at best an equal contender in the game console business." Let's examine those claims.
