TNI Bureau: Microsoft Corp on Monday unveiled the new version of its Office suite, the next-generation Office software MS Office 2013, that is specially customized for tablets and other touch screen devices. The new software is available online at office.com/preview.
Chief executive of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer pulled back the curtain on the new software at a press event in San Francisco to unveil the cutting-age technology software.
This latest version of MS Office is more tablet-friendly and is optimized for Windows 8. It includes Word for documents, spreadsheets and other functions and adapted for devices with touch, stylus and mouse interfaces and links to the cloud to allow access to documents.
Among the features, Video chat service Skype was included into it to let people launch Internet video calls right away. This will also link to the online version known as Office 365, which is a cloud-only subscription service.
Secondly, the software has assimilation with Yammer, a social network for businesses. MS Office 2013 package is equipped with a Windows ‘metro’ element to it. It is the tile interface used on its touch screen phones and tablets.
Another feature the “reading” mode on Word of the MS 2013 will make it easier to read word-processing documents on a tablet or e-reader. That mode will make the document look more like a book page. Further, one can embed video into Word documents or share a document directly on Facebook.
The map feature is also quiet interesting. Bing Maps is part of the new Outlook email program in the software. That means if there’s an address in an email, just tap on it to get directions.
Another interesting feature of the software is ‘Inkling’, which allows you use a stylus to write on a device’s screen by dint of which, even handwritten notes are converted automatically to text.
Release of the MS Office 2013 can be seen as the company’s largest-ever service of its iconic workplace software.