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Microsoft says 'shwmae' to the Welsh language
If you've ever struggled to understand what Cymru am byth means, you'll have found that few web translators are prepared to help you out. That's changed now, thanks to a deal between Microsoft and the Welsh Assembly, which teamed up to bring the language to Office, Bing and the Windows and Windows Phone translator apps. The country's national body passed a law back in 2012 requiring public bodies to treat both English and Welsh equally, but didn't have the tech necessary to ensure all employees had access to translation gear. Both parties are keen to stress that, despite the official involvement, it's just as (un)reliable as translators for other languages, but hey, at least one or two kids might avoid our childhood fate of having gau'r drws barked us by an annoyed Grandmother and not knowing what the hell it meant.
OneNote updates let you start notebooks on iPhone, print on Mac
After lavishing much of its recent attention on Excel, PowerPoint and Word, Microsoft is ready to show OneNote some more love. The company has unveiled a big redesign of its iPhone app that brings simpler navigation and, at long last, the ability to create new notebooks and sections on OneDrive; you no longer have to start jotting down ideas on another device. Upgrading also brings Office Lens (already on the iPad) for digitizing real-world documents, and it's easier to start a quick note if you're in a hurry.
Office for iPad now lets you print documents
Microsoft vowed that Office for iPad users wouldn't always have to track down a PC just to print their files, and it's making good on that promise with a slew of app updates. The tablet-sized versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word now let you make hard copies of documents so long as you have an AirPrint-friendly printer on hand. The move tackles one of the biggest gripes we had with Office when it launched last month; it's at last possible to skip the computer entirely when producing that class report or family budget.
Office 365 Personal now available for $7 per month
Office 365 Personal, a leaner version of Microsoft's subscription-based productivity suite, is now available for $70 per year or $7 per month. The new package lets you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher and Access on one Mac or Windows computer and one tablet. You also get smartphone access with Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices, online versions of Office, 27GB of online storage and 60 Skype minutes each month. Power users can access Office from up to five computers by opting for Office 365 Home instead, which will run you $100 per year or $10 per month.
Office comes to the Chrome Web Store along with a slew of upgrades
Microsoft isn't done with Office updates just because it released Office for iPad and made Office Mobile completely free -- it has a bunch of improvements in store for Office Online, too. To start with, Office has reached the Chrome Web Store. You can now launch most of the productivity suite's web apps (Excel is due soon) in the Chrome browser or Chrome OS just by clicking a shortcut. Clearly, the crew from Redmond is no longer averse to supporting your Chromebook.
OneNote team goes off-key with Les Mis parody
Sometimes, it's easy to get so excited that you spontaneously burst into song. After all, that's the logic behind most musicals, no? Microsoft's OneNote team took that idea and ran with it, cribbing from Les Miserables in the process. See, after setting its note-taking app free last month, the team had reason to celebrate. Naturally, it picked an upbeat song ("One Day More") from one of the saddest musicals of all time to do so. Video evidence of the team's "Weird Al" skills is after the break, but try not getting the track stuck in your head -- it's for the good of everyone, really.
12 million people are already using Office for iPad
Microsoft's version of Office for iPad has apparently been a rousing success. So much so, that the company's taken to Twitter to boast that the productivity suite has topped 12 million downloads. In a week. As the Seattle Times points out, though, Redmond hasn't said how many Office 365 subscriptions (which are required to create and edit documents) have been sold alongside the free, document-view-only downloads. We reached out to Microsoft for clarification, and, well, weren't given much. A spokesperson told us that the company is extremely pleased with the interest that Office has gotten so far, but that it has no additional details to share. So, there's that.
Here's what a touch-native Office for Windows looks like in action
You didn't think Microsoft was going to launch Office for iPad without a Windows counterpart waiting in the wings, did you? Sure enough, Microsoft has just shown off its long-expected touch-native Office for Windows in beta form. The software shares a few interface elements in common with the iPad release, but not much -- this is clearly built for Windows tablets, with a more traditional layout that expands objects to make them finger-friendly. There will be plenty of gesture support, though. You can circle an item with your finger to highlight it, and you can pinch and swipe to get around much of the productivity suite. Unfortunately, the folks in Redmond aren't saying when this touch-ready Office will ship. The demo is just a preview of what to expect, so it could be a while before you're using the software yourself.
Future Office for iPad update will let you print your documents
Although the Office for iPad suite is relatively full-featured, it won't print hard copies. That's a glaring omission even in this increasingly paperless era, we'd say. Not to worry, though: Microsoft tells PCWorld that printing support is coming as part of future app updates. The company hasn't said just when those upgrades are due, but Office general manager Julia White promises to "iterate very fast" on the fledgling productivity software. In the meantime, don't toss out your conventional PC -- you may need it to print out that next contract or term paper.
Office Mobile goes free for the iPhone, and other news for March 28, 2014
Amid all the hoopla about Microsoft Office finally coming to the iPad (even Tim Cook tweeted about it) was a little bit of information that was missed by many: Microsoft has made its Office Mobile for iPhone suite free, and home users can edit their documents even without an Office365 subscription. (Business users still need the $9.99/month license for Office that covers a combination of Mac, PC or iPad usage for up to five devices -- but if you hurry this morning you might get a free year.) The single app lets you access, view, and edit your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on your iPhone. Previously the app required an active subscription to Office 365 to use. Announcing the news, Microsoft said: Just like Office Mobile for Windows Phone, we are making Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones free for everyone. With Office Mobile, you have the ability to view and edit your Office content on the go. Office Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play. You can read everything about Microsoft's big news of the day, Office for iPad, in our live blog here. In other news: The MLB.com At the Ballpark app has received a major update. Version 3.0 now supports automatic check-in at select ballparks (beginning opening day) using iBeacon technology. Philips is expanding their HUE LED lighting system to include white lights, 3D printed light art pieces, and a wall-mountable control system. Roku's CEO had some harsh words for the Apple TV. At the Code/Media event he said, "Apple TV is essentially an accessory for the iPad. They lose money, which is unusual for Apple. If you're losing money, why would you want to sell more?"
Want a free year of Office 365? Bring your iPad to a Microsoft Store
If you're enamored with Office for iPad but don't want to fork over $70-plus per year for the necessary Office 365 subscription, you'll want to make a beeline to your local Microsoft Store this weekend. Microsoft has launched a promo that will offer a free year of Office 365 to the first 50 people who bring an iPad to a given retail location from March 28th through March 30th. You'll undoubtedly have to hustle if you want to take advantage of the deal, but the trek could be worthwhile if you like the idea of giving Office an extra-long trial run.
Office Mobile is now completely free to use on Android and iPhone
Today's Office news isn't all about the iPad. Microsoft now lets you use Office Mobile completely for free on both Android and the iPhone; if you're a home customer, you can both edit and read documents without paying for an Office 365 subscription. The gratis apps are ultimately meant to encourage use of the desktop and iPad clients, where you do need to pay for full access. Even so, it's hard to object to having another free tool for tweaking company reports while on the move.
Philips' new LED bulbs are powered over Ethernet, provide occupancy and climate info to office managers
Get ready for a whole new generation of connected lightbulbs. Philips latest concept replaces an office's traditional electrical wiring with Ethernet, used to power LED bulbs and pass info to and from each lamp. Each fixture outputs light, but also collects information from a variety of sensors. A motion sensor can track the number of employees in a given area, for example, while a thermometer can report back on the current temperature. Facility managers can track any section of the office in realtime, adjusting lighting and heating from a smartphone app to save on utilities whenever possible. Of course, as you'll need to replace traditional cabling with Ethernet, the installation itself is sure to cost a pretty penny. Philips quotes a 50-percent reduction in installation costs for PoE over traditional wiring with new installations, however, so if you're planning to refurbish an office this is definitely an interesting option to consider.
Microsoft Office for iPad announcement, live from San Francisco
(Thanks for joining us and bearing with our liveblog hiccups! Meanwhile, the rest of our team is over at Moscone Center following along with the Macworld/iWorld keynote session!) (So, Office looks pretty good -- but has the ecosystem moved on past Office for iPad users? We'll see... --MR) (Nadella is wrapping up.) We want our applications to run cross-platform great. We're not holding anything back. What motivates us is the reality of our customers. (not fear/guarding turf, is the implication. --MR) You'll hear more about the innovations/intersection between mobile and cloud. How does Windows integrate here? More soon. Enterprise Mobility Suite manages complexity of a heterogenous environment "Enables IT to be heroes because they enable their users." For Office365, building a great user experience. Rich developer surface area, so they can go after a very wide opportunity. 10:30 Nadella back onstage. "Great focus and great care to make sure Office on every device shines through." 10:28: Moving on to developer audience. Showing DocuSign on iPhone integrated with Azure AD and Office365. 10:24 Now showing the Windows Azure AD application integrations, with SSO and two-factor auth. (You can tell by the volume of typing in the room that this does not have the crowd appeal of the iPad info. --MR) 10:22 Now showing the enterprise management portal for mobile devices. Can manage your connected devices from a browser. (Similar to MDM offerings from JAMF, AirWatch, etc.) FREEMIUM MODEL for read-only access; with Office 365 subscription, you get full edit. (These apps have a menu bar. Really quite intriguing. --MR) PowerPoint: Lots of expectation of people presenting on the iPad -- transitions and effects preserved. Annotations and laser-pointer options too. Unique to Office on the iPad are chart suggestions -- using my data, with a preview of what it's going to look like. "This is not the ported Windows or Mac app, or the iPhone app." 10:18 Excel has a custom numeric keyboard. 10:16 am: Simultaneous multiple users editing a doc in OneDrive. Can also be confident that everything is going to look like we want it, and fidelity across devices. Showing Word working with photos in native iPad mode. 11 am PT today Word, Excel and Powerpoint go live in the App Store for users. 10:12AM Demo time with Julia White. 10:12AM First step in creating a cloud for everyone on every device 10:11AM Sorry for the technical difficulties folks. Now talking about BYOD. 10:10AM Developers also looking for a canvas to innovate, build on the scenarios that Microsoft is working on -- want a big surface area to work upon. 10:09AM Nadella: People have a set of activities that we do. 10:07AM (There are two iOS devices on the table here) 10:07AM Magical coming together of cloud and mobile -- that intersection is what we want to talk about today. 10:06AM Focusing on a mobile first / cloud first world 10:05AM Use all the insight gained by reasoning over this data. 10:05AM Computing will be ubiquitous; interactions will be digitized. 10:04AM Focused on ubiquitous computing and ambient intelligence. 10:04AM Satya Nadella: Our team is really ready for innovation... one aspect of it to talk about today. What can we as a company do to serve our customers better. 10:03AM "Despite having spent 22 years at MS, seeing it anew" 10:02AM "Day 52 for me -- but who's counting" 10:02AM CEO is here 10:02AM 9:59AM Briefing about to kick off... introductions/preamble 9:58AM sorry for the massive image. 9:58AM Themed M&Ms and pillows seem to indicate an Office theme... :) 10:00AM 9:59AM Briefing about to kick off... introductions/preamble 9:58AM Themed M&Ms and pillows seem to indicate an Office theme... :) 9:57AM Good morning/afternoon everyone! Mike Rose here, reporting live from Microsoft's event in San Francisco. We're going to be live at Microsoft's announcement at One Kearny in San Francisco! Join us at 10 am PT/1 pm ET for updates and insights from the event. You can read more about the anticipated topic (Office for iPad!) in our preview post here. Microsoft is also webcasting the session here.
Watch Satya Nadella's first major appearance as Microsoft CEO live
Rumor has it, Microsoft is getting ready to take the wraps off of Office for iPad. Despite that move potentially signaling a shift away from a Windows-first software strategy, the iOS app won't be the only star of the show. It's going to have to share the limelight with yet another, largely untested asset: CEO Satya Nadella. Given his track record at the company and recent statements, we expect to hear plenty about mobile, the cloud and Microsoft as a devices and services company. Chances are, he won't come out sweating and screaming like his predecessor, but if you're curious to see how Nadella stacks up or, you know, have a thing for Redmond's productivity suite, you can watch it all play out here or at the source link below. And get ready for even more of Nadella and the Microsoft crew when they hit the mean streets of San Francisco for the Build developer conference next week. Watch Satya Nadella Live @ 1PM ET
Join us for the Microsoft announcement liveblog, 10am PT/1pm ET Thursday
All the signs are pointing to an Office for iPad announcement coming tomorrow from Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella. While the software giant's product teams were long suspected of having a finished iPad version of the PC and Mac productivity suite ready to ship, the priority for Microsoft was to get a touch-enabled revamp of the PC version (codenamed "Gemini") to market first. That's no longer the plan, according to ZDnet's Microsoft beat lead Mary Jo Foley. Along with many other MS mavens, Foley believes that Office for iPad -- which would presumably be tied to an Office 365 subscription -- will be announced tomorrow, with the Gemini version of touch-Office coming later on. The announcement may also touch on MS's management options for mixed-platform networks, covering a new MEMS product (Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite) that would provide tools for network administrators and IT leads to handle their increasingly diverse, BYOD-enabled environments. If the thought of a Microsoft announcement in San Francisco on the first day of Macworld/iWorld suggests pretty clearly to you that MS wants to get the attention of Apple aficionados, you're not alone. That's why we'll be attending and liveblogging the announcement tomorrow, providing commentary and reactions during the event and afterward. Microsoft will also be webcasting the event. Will March 27, 2014 be the day that future tech pundits point to as the transition from the PC to the post-PC era? Tune in to find out. Yes, the photo is of ancient MS-DOS boxes; as it happens, Microsoft released the source code for early versions of DOS this week.
Microsoft is announcing an 'intersection of cloud and mobile computing' later this month
How does Satya Nadella run a Microsoft press event? We're about to find out: the company's new CEO will is coming to San Francisco later this month to talk about "news focused on the intersection of cloud and mobile computing." The topic certainly plays to his strengths. Before taking the helm as the company's new chief executive, Nadella played a major role in launching Office 365, Microsoft's subscription and cloud-based Office platform. While that application is already accessible from mobile devices, native Android and iOS Office apps have reportedly been on Microsoft's roadmap for some time too, and we wouldn't be surprised if they surfaced at this event. Microsoft won't speak further on the specifics of the event, but we won't have to wait long -- Nadella takes the stage on March 27th.
Move over Chrome, Google Docs has add-ons now too
Power users have been tricking out Google's Chrome browser with extensions for years, and now they can do the same with... Google Docs? Today the search giant launched an add-on store for its word processing and spreadsheet web apps so that productivity buffs can get more work done with less hassle. So far the store comes stocked with about 60 tools, ranging from the seemingly arcane (Supermetrics somehow turns Docs into a web analytics tool) to the incredibly useful (EasyBib takes the sting out of crafting those awful works cited pages). If you're feeling particularly creative, you can start crafting a Google Docs add-on of your own too -- just make sure you've got a nifty use-case in mind or Google will shoot it down. Neat as it is, though, the move is no surprise. Microsoft rejiggered its own web-based Office suite just last month, and courting developers could help the folks in Mountain View keep their edge in a battle that's only going to heat up.
Microsoft's hardware leader steps aside ahead of Stephen Elop's arrival
Microsoft said that Stephen Elop would run its hardware division as soon as it finished acquiring Nokia's device business, and the company has just taken a big step toward making that leadership change a reality. Current Devices & Studios lead Julie Larson-Green has told her staff that she's leaving her position to become the Chief Experience Officer at the Applications and Services group, which oversees Bing, Office and Skype. The move sees her report to Qi Lu, the app section's Executive VP. Larson-Green will manage devices until Elop arrives, but the announcement effectively marks the end to her brief 7-month tenure of the crucial organization. She was certainly busy during that time -- she oversaw the launches of the Xbox One, new Surface tablets and Xbox Music, among other projects. However, we may not know the full extent of her legacy until sometime after she has changed roles.
Microsoft makes it easier to sign your Office 365 documents
It should now be much easier to sign your Office 365 documents without taking them offline or printing them out. Microsoft has reached a deal to offer DocuSign's digital signature apps through both the Office Store and corporate deployments, letting you affix your virtual handwriting while staying in Office 365's cloud. The two companies also promise to team up on future projects. The improved signature support isn't likely to fulfill those dreams of a paperless workplace, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. [Image credit: Sebastien Wiertz, Flickr]
