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Microsoft confirms Office 2013 licenses can't be transferred to other computers
It's no secret that copies of Office 2013 bind themselves to a single computer, but Microsoft has now confirmed to Computerworld that the software's license can't be reassigned to another PC, as is possible with Office 2010. When asked whether a license could be transferred to another machine if the original rig was destroyed, lost or stolen, Microsoft replied with a frosty, "No comment." However, Redmond did mention that the productivity suite could be reinstalled on the same PC after a crash. Just how Ballmer and Co. will enforce the policy remains a bit murky, but it's pretty clear they hope folks who have a penchant for switching up computing environments will be enticed by an Office 365 subscription.
The Weekly Roundup for 01.28.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft Office 2013, Office 365 Home Premium available now; 365 for business coming later (updated)
Until now, we've known almost all there is to know about Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 365: we got hands-on with the new features last summer, and the company has even confirmed pricing. The only thing we weren't sure of was the exact on-sale date, but even that got leaked when a Canadian retailer put up a pre-order page indicating the two products would ship January 29th. Well, what do you know? Today is January 29th and sure enough, Office 2013 is on sale, along with the subscription service Office 365. To be clear, while every version of the boxed software is now out, 365 is only being offered to consumers; the business version will arrive later, on February 27th. For now, Office 365 Home Premium is priced at $99.99 for an annual subscription, with permission to install the suite on up to five PCs and Macs. There's also a "University" version for college students and faculty, which costs $79.99 for a four-year plan. Either way, the sub includes 20GB of SkyDrive storage on top of whatever plan you already have which is to say if you previously only had 7GB of space, your limit will now get bumped to 20 gigs. (In other words, people grandfathered into 25GB don't get an additional 20 gigabytes.). Of course, you can always deactivate a particular machine through Office.com if you need to free up a license. Naturally, too, as a part of the subscription you'll always have the most recent version. That means Office 2013 for Windows users; Office for Mac 2011 if you're on OS X. That last piece is a bit of a bummer, for sure, but for what it's worth Microsoft has said a new Mac product is in the works, and that subscribers will get it as part of a future software update. If you'd rather buy the software outright, you can do that today too. At the low end, there's Office 2013 Home and Student 2013 ($139), which comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. Home and Business adds Outlook for $219, while the top-of-the-line Professional package includes all of the above along with Access and Publisher for $399. Remember, though: these come with only one user license, and you don't get any complimentary cloud storage or upgrades to future versions. It's your money, obviously, but it seems clear to us that Microsoft has gone out of its way to make its Office 365 service the more attractive option. So, you might want to think long and hard about how much owning your software really means to you before going the old-fashioned route. Update: An Office 365 subscription includes 20GB of SkyDrive storage in addition to whatever plan you already have. So, if you were grandfathered into 25 gigs of storage, you'll end up with 45GB in total.
Microsoft Office 2013 now available to businesses, wide release still set for Q1 2013
Right on time, businesses with the inside track to Microsoft's account team and partner program can now snag the latest version of Redmond's content production software suite, Office 2013. What's that? You've got the hook up, but you were also hoping for Exchange Server 2013, Lync Server 2013, SharePoint Server 2013, Project 2013, and Visio 2013? You'll be happy to hear that those are also available today -- the already announced "first quarter 2013" release window for Office 2013 stands, when it'll become widely available both digitally and at direct retailers. The big update to Office this time around comes in the form of Windows 8-style visuals and cloud-based saves using Microsoft's SkyDrive service. We've got a full hands-on right here if you'd like to learn more ahead of next year's big launch.
Czech Microsoft manager claims Office 2013 will reach Android and iOS, rest of company is less certain (update: more direct denial)
The story of Office for the iPad has been something of a rollercoaster. Depending on who you've talked to this year, the mobile app has been on, then off, then on again... if it was ever real to start with. Imagine our surprise, then, when IHNED says Microsoft Czech Republic product manager Petr Bobek "confirmed" native Android and iOS ports of Office 2013 during a press conference. The Office division higher-up reportedly outlined a strategy where the productivity suite would reach Windows for large businesses and individuals in December and February respectively, but would reach "other platforms" later on through more than just mobile-optimized web versions. It sounds promising, but we have reason for skepticism -- assuming the testimony is accurate, there's still a history of employees at Microsoft and other companies overstepping their boundaries without direct guidance from the corporate mothership. We reached out to Microsoft ourselves, and a spokesperson gave us a relatively conservative answer. While the company reiterated statements that "Office Mobile will work across Windows Phones, Android phones and iOS," it added that there was "nothing additional to announce" regarding Office's retail availability. As much of a glimmer of hope that might represent for some Android and iOS fans, it doesn't equate to a direct Office 2013 port with a release schedule. [Image credit: The Daily] Update: To underscore its point, Microsoft has issued a further statement that casts doubt on the very remarks in question. "The information shared by our Czech Republic subsidiary is not accurate," a spokesperson told us. "We have nothing further to share."
Microsoft reportedly starting Office 2013 upgrade program mid-October
As Microsoft ramps up for its next big Office release, the company is apparently getting ready to offer up a program to help cushion the blow for those who pick up the current version of the suite. ZDNET is reporting that Redmond will begin its Office 2013 upgrade program on October 19th, keeping with its policy for past Office and Windows releases, ensuring that those who pick up the software between that date and the end of April get the upgrade. The word comes from some anonymous sources, so there's no guarantee here -- there's also no info on whether the upgrade will be fully free or will have a small fee attached. We're still not quite sure when Office will officially be hitting the market, but the site's sources put it at around February.
Microsoft Office RT may lack macros, add-ins, other features
Well, the good news, as you already know, is that Office RT will be preloaded on all Windows 8 RT tablets -- at least in preview form. The bad news, even if you spring for the full version, you may be dealing with a limited product. Word on the street is, that in order optimize performance and battery life, Microsoft pulled a number of features from the ARM-friendly version of its productivity suite. Among the missing features is support for macros, third-party add-ins and VBA scripts. A small number of other features are also reportedly on the chopping block, but without a final product to put our fingers on, it's not clear which ones are getting axed.
Switched On: An Office outside the Metro
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. The two worlds of Windows 8 -- one: a traditional desktop UI and the other: the touch-optimized Metro UI -- can, at first, seem so different that they contrast like the multiple personalities of Batman's enemy Two-Face. Yet, despite the different appearances, the forthcoming version of Microsoft's venerable operating system is not about absolutes, but optimizations.
Microsoft responds to critics, defends touch UI in Office 2013
If you read our preview of Office 2013, you know we liked it. A lot. But if we had one reservation it's that Office still isn't that finger-friendly, even with the addition of a touch mode that widens the spacing between onscreen objects and flattens the menus so that you don't have to tap quite as much. As if in response to critics like us (and readers too!) Microsoft has published a lengthy blog post detailing the thinking that went into the design of Office's new touch-enabled features. Which is to say, it's a more detailed recap of how the company's engineers tweaked the desktop interface for touch, and designed some standalone apps that better match the Metro experience of Windows 8. At the very least, it's a handy primer for folks who missed Steve Ballmer's keynote and haven't yet read up on radial menus or the Metro-styled OneNote MX app. Even if you have, though, it's worth a read: Microsoft offers some interesting insight into the various scenarios where it imagined each touch-enabled app being used, and what kind of posture the user is likely to have, even. Whether that's enough to prompt a change of heart is up to you, but it's interesting nonetheless to get a little more color on how it all came together.
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 to be bundled on all Windows RT tablets
The playing field in the world of Windows tablets became a bit more level today, as Microsoft has announced that Office Home and Student 2013 will be bundled for free with all Windows RT computers. Perhaps the move shouldn't come as a complete surprise, as the company had previously revealed the inclusion of Office on its own ARM-based Surface tablet. For those who'd feared that Microsoft wouldn't play fairly with its hardware partners, however, it seems that at least some of those concerns can be put aside. Naturally, everything you've come to expect in the Home and Student edition will be there, which includes Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. If you're unsure of what to expect, be sure to check out our recent preview of the productivity suite.
Office Next blog is here to answer all your burning questions about the future of spreadsheets
Microsoft has this really great habit of publicly tracking the development of all its products. Windows 8 has been thoroughly documented over at the Building Windows 8 blog, and now Office will have its time to shine over at Office Next. The site will give the engineers and developers toiling away in Redmond an outlet to provide updates, discuss design decisions and offer peeks at the new features being baked in. It won't be just a place full of bullet lists either, PJ Hough, the VP of program management for the Office Division, promised in his inaugural post that the data and feedback that informs their choices will also be shared -- telling you not just what, but why. Is there anything new to share right now? Sadly no, but it probably won't be long before the pages of Engadget are filled with the minutia of Office 15's development.
Microsoft Office 15 leaks suggest Office 2013 name, show off Metro logo and Web Apps UI
Didn't make it into Microsoft's Office 15 Technical Preview? Neither did we, however that has not stopped details about the next iteration of the office software suite from leaking out. CNbeta.com is flashing shots of a new red Metroized logo (no surprise) that's similar to Windows 8's err... window and showing off the name "Office 2013 Preview", while LiveSide.net has a comparison shot of the Web Apps Preview, seen above featuring a flattened look and spaced out buttons similar to screenshots seen earlier. We're still expecting a public beta of Office 15 / 2013 later this summer so it shouldn't be too long before we're all sharing the excitement of filling up cells and parsing data as though it was for the first time. Update: Added clarification that the shot above is from the Office Web Apps preview.
