Microsoft unveils Office 2013 with Cloud Option

Microsoft has unveiled its latest overhaul of its cash cow product Office, yesterday during a company event. The latest Version of the widely popular Office product line will be called Office 2013 and presents a hybrid solution which can run either locally or over the Net as a cloud-based solution.

Either way, as on-premise or cloud-based solution, the Microsoft Office 2013 product will store documents on the Microsoft SkyDrive Data Center to further blur the lines of data storage. The industry as a whole is moving to make information user-specific rather than device-specific and Microsoft is continuing this theme in the corporate world.

Microsoft stated that the Office overhaul is designed to respond to issues such as the desire for consumers to synchronize and preserve data files as they move among multiple devices. Those users which opt for the subscription service will receive an additional 20 GB of SkyDrive storage in addition to the 7GB of storage given to new customers. For your subscription services you will also have the licensing rights to run the Office 2013 product of up to five devices.

Although Microsoft has not specifically outlined this product feature, it is quite clear that as a Browser-based product, the new Office 2013  will be available on a Apple iPad as well as a Google Android-based tablet. Being that Office is such a cornerstone of the typically office environment, this new Version will help to facilitate the move away from traditional PC’s to more portable devices.

Some important details such as product pricing or exact product availability has not been disclosed by Microsoft as of yet. However, starting Monday July 23rd 2012, you may download a free trial version from the Microsoft website.

WSJ-B4-07272012

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