Microsoft is preparing to release tablet versions of its Office suite for both Apple's iOS and Google's Android platforms, a source familiar with the software has told BGR. The company had been previously rumored to be bringing its Office suite to the iPad, and the new details, if true, will see the productivity suite arriving on tablets in November.
Microsoft has starting pushing security updates for the 2008 and 2011 versions of Microsoft Office for Mac, including an "important" security fix for six vulnerabilities that could allow remote code execution, even on affected Macs. On the Windows side, the problems stretch back all the way to Microsoft Excel 2003, but for Macs only the two most recent versions of Office are affected. The fix is available through the Microsoft Updater.
Microsoft has posted a new version of Office for Mac 2011 Service Pack 2, listed as v14.2.1. The update can be installed by all Office for Mac users, but is mainly designed to replace a problematic earlier version of the Service Pack, which caused Outlook database corruption problems. Microsoft was forced to pull the patch from AutoUpdate.
After first advising users on how to work around the flaw, Microsoft today pulled the Service Pack 2 update for its Office 2011 Mac software in order to find the cause of an issue that was corrupting identity databases in its Outlook e-mail client. Though the SP2 update is still available for manual download, the company has stopped pushing SP2 out using AutoUpdate until it resolves the problem, according to a post on its Office for Mac blog.
Microsoft has updated Office for Mac 2011 to version 14.2.0 (SP2), a significant update with a number of changes and improvements, among them support for Lion's full-screen mode in PowerPoint, and the addition of a drag-and-drop feature in Document Connection for Lion. The update fixes numerous small issues, introduces a new sync model for Exchange e-mail, and improves the robustness and rebuild utility of the e-mail database.
Microsoft has begun sending out a roadmap that shows some details about its future software products such as Office 15, Internet Explorer 10, and Windows Phone to some of its partners. One of them, CEO of Meetroo Maarten Visser, shared part of it over Twitter, revealing said details. Dated December 22, 2011, the images weren't password-protected. Considering the date, the Windows roadmap doesn't mention anything past the Developer Preview and certainly not the Consumer Preview that launched on February 29.
CloudOn, a free iPad productivity tool that offers a cloud-hosted version of Microsoft Office has updated to version 2.0.3, adding support for cloud storage service Box as well as Dropbox. The company has also expanded the number of supported file types by integrating a PDF reader and file viewer that opens almost any file type, and have also built in e-mailing files to colleagues. The program relies on services like Dropbox and Box to handle file management.
Nokia users with Symbian handsets can today download the Microsoft Office Mobile apps to their handsets. Previously, only Windows Phone users had access, but the range of handsets that can now use the software suite has now been expanded to a further eight phones. Initially, the Nokia 603, 700, 701, C6-01, C7, E7, X7 and Oro have access.
The Office 15 program suite coming alongside Windows 8 will support web extensions dubbed Agaves from third-party developers, The Verge found. Developers will have the ability to make a section in an Office app to let websites interact with documents in order to bring extra features. Users will get the Agaves from Microsoft's Office Marketplace as well as the developer sites themselves.
Microsoft has warned its partners and outsourcers that certain forms of Windows 7 in cloud services might be out of bounds. In most cases, the partner's customers themselves must hold valid Microsoft license agreements. The advisory has come in the wake of allegations that software-as-a-service provider OnLive may be using Windows and Office illegally in the way it streams from servers to users.
Microsoft's upcoming Office 15 release has been exposed in yet another leak, shedding light on several of the new features. Sources with access to the company's technical preview have reported to The Verge details surrounding new touch-based interface navigation methods, a reading mode in Word, new chart analysis methods in Excel, and weather notifications in Outlook, among other features.
Users of Android tablets can now install the OnLive Desktop app (free, Android Market) to access Windows apps. The new version mirrors the iPad edition with cloud access to a virtual machine with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe Reader for non-web PDFs. There is also 2GB of cloud storage included to save the resulting work.
Nokia and Microsoft this week released the first batch of productivity apps for the former's handsets running on Nokia Belle phones. Called Microsoft Apps, the free productivity suite includes four programs usually only found on Microsoft's own platforms. A common thread with multiple smartphone OS bases is OneNote, which lets users create documents containing text and images.
OnLive on Wednesday boosted its Desktop for iPad with a new subscription tier. Desktop Plus gives access to a version of Internet Explorer with both Flash and PDF support. To help justify the software additions, OnLive gives high-priority access to its streaming virtualization service.
After rejecting details in a recent leak surrounding Office for iPad, Microsoft suggests that the issue will be clarified soon. In a Twitter post from the official Microsoft News account, the company reiterates its stance that someone gave The Daily "bad info," but hints that evidence supporting its accusation will become "clear in the coming weeks."
(Updated with rebuttal from The Daily) Microsoft is downplaying a supposed leak of Office for iPad, according to reports. The New York Times quotes a spokeswoman as saying that the The Daily's information is "based on inaccurate rumors and speculation." A spokesperson reached by ZDNet insists that a screenshot accompanying the The Daily article isn't authentic, but is refusing to say whether or not an iPad version of Office is in development.
Microsoft's long-rumored Office for iPad got a much more tangible piece of evidence after a leak Tuesday purported to show the suite itself. As shown by The Daily, Office would be an all-encompassing single app with Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. The interface would recall OneNote but bring in more of the Metro interface language from Windows Phone and Windows 8.
The same Microsoft preview that discussed Windows 8 on ARM in detail also gave the first official appearance of Office 15. True to some earlier rumors, the interface will be much sparser than Office 2010 and, at least in the touch implementation, lets users hide the ribbon. Both the menus and the main document view have ample amounts of white space to improve their usefulness for touch.
Apple on Wednesday afternoon posted Mac OS X 10.7.3 (release notes). The Lion upgrade adds several languages, including Catalan for Spaniards as well as Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian. RAW photo compatibility has expanded to several new cameras, including the Nikon J1 and V1, Olympus' current PEN cameras, and current Sony Alpha and NEX cameras, such as the NEX-5N.
New leaks have hinted that Windows 8 could make important gestures to catch certain users. Although it's still thought by The Verge that the regular Windows 8 desktop won't be on ARM, it will purportedly kick in for Internet Explorer and Office 15. The restriction would in part be to keep traditional Windows apps from draining the battery, since they can't suspend themselves like Windows 8's new Metro apps.
Microsoft may be sticking to traditional Windows programming for the upcoming Office edition, which is currently referenced by the monicker Office 15. The overhaul is said to include a revamped interface with a radial menu system designed for touch input, however unnamed sources have told The Verge the utilities will not be true Metro-style apps.
Microsoft corporate VP PJ Hough confirmed that the temporarily-named Office 15 had just entered the Technical Preview phase in what could create concerns for Windows 8 tablets. The stage sees a small group of customers get early access in secret to offer feedback as Microsoft moves towards a beta and an eventual release. Hough couldn't address rumors and leaks, but he did promise that it would be the first time Microsoft would simultaneously update Office's web, cloud, and server apps on both desktop and mobile.
(Update on PC decline reasons) Microsoft on Thursday revealed record results that masked underlying problems with its core Windows business. It generated $20.5 billion in revenue in the fall, a five percent increase from the same season a year earlier. Most of the increases came from its server business and the Xbox-related Entertainment & Devices group, each of which grew their own revenue by 11 percent and 15 percent.
Nearly every business pro with an iPad is using it primarily to get work done, IDG determined in a study on Monday. About 91 percent worldwide who have iPads use it for work first, leaving just the small remainder to personal-first use. About a quarter of those tablets had been supplied by work, showing that companies were increasingly handing out Apple's tablet as a corporate tool.
OnLive's iPad app that allows users to access, run and work with the Windows version of Microsoft Office using touch controls via the cloud has gone live on the App Store. The free app promises an "instant response, no-compromise" touchscreen experience using a cloud-optimized version of Microsoft Office, but limits the connection to just the three main Office applications -- Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The company says even video and animations will play smoothly and lag-free.
A new app, CloudOn, is offering use of Microsoft Office on the iPad without having to connect to a remote desktop PC. This includes access to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint via a Windows-style interface, and support for many major tasks and features. Among these are things like commenting, spellchecking, and running PowerPoint presentations.
The University of California in Berkeley has posted a full breakdown of a recent decision to pick Google's Gmail and Google Apps over Microsoft's Office 365 in what represented a changing of the guard. Although not an unambiguous win, Google pulled ahead by being free, taking a fast six to ten weeks to implement, and popular. Using its system would require much less of an overhaul than Microsoft's, Berkeley said, and majority of the students and staff alike already knew the apps.
Microsoft has released two new Office for Mac updates. The first, Office for Mac 2011 14.1.4, deals with security vulnerabilities, as well as as some "extremely important" stability and reliability issues. It should in fact allow some copies of Office to finally update properly, since earlier patches would potentially fail if they were installed simultaneously, through SSH, or to a system where the home directory contains a space.
Microsoft started the week by posting its first-ever productivity app for a non-Windows tablet OneNote for iPad (free, App Store) brings the features of the mixed-format organizer to the larger screen. The app relies on a two-pane approach that providers a larger, dedicated area for the content of the notes themselves while letting users navigate independently.
Microsoft took a low key approach Wednesday to trying to counter Apple's Genius Bar service. AnswerDesk.com takes much of the company's Answer Desk service from its retail shops to free, live chats on the web. Along with diagnosing technical problems with Microsoft software, they also provide the same non-emergency help, such as training users on Office and Windows.
Despite denials to the contrary, Microsoft is planning on a version of the Office suite for the iPad, a rumor maintained Tuesday. While details were short, it was presumed by The Daily in getting the information that the apps would have basic sync with Office 365 and Windows Phone. To stay competitive with the $10 per app iWork for iPad suite, Microsoft was likely to avoid its traditionally high pricing for Mac and Windows versions.
A day ahead of Black Friday, Microsoft has posted a teaser page for its own online store's discounts. The company plans to give away free Windows Phones to anyone who signs up for a two-year contract, undercutting even a one-cent Amazon deal. It's not known if this includes a modern phone like the Focus S or is limited to older hardware.
Microsoft is reportedly preparing to begin beta testing the next major revision to its Office productivity software. The release, which is referred to by the name Office 15, is said to be redesigned with a focus on touch- or pen-based input. As confirmed earlier in the year, the suite also features the company's Metro interface design to mesh with Windows 8.
Microsoft has confirmed a vulnerability in the Windows kernel that was being used in the Duqu exploit. If used, an attacker could install apps, change data, or create new accounts with full user rights. Microsoft is working on a full fix, and in the meantime, is offering a workaround for download (free, Fix it tool).
Microsoft on Tuesday confirmed that a Windows kernel vulnerability does indeed exist in Duqu malware and is working to patch it. The zero-day kernel exploit could allow hackers to remotely execute code in an infected system, CrySys and Symantec found. Duqu can be installed by modified Word documents and can potentially slip by.
Google chairman Eric Schmidt in his Senate testimony over possible antitrust abuses denied that Android was anti-competitive. When asked if Android could be modified to artificially hinder third-party apps, he contended that Android's purportedly open nature wouldn't allow it. Taking a dig at Microsoft, he noted that strictly closed-source code was where antitrust issues could happen, since it was only there that a firm could hide unfair limitations.
Microsoft has released new updates for the 2011 and 2008 editions of Office for Mac. The 2011 update, v14.1.3, solves a bevy of problems, including documents not opening in some browsers. The bulk of fixes appear to be directed at Outlook, targeting issues such as contact images not displaying in the Contacts Search box. The email client has had import from Mail disabled under Lion, however, since the option "does not work as expected" under Apple's new OS, according to Microsoft.
HP has announced that it has finally brought document editing to the TouchPad via a software update for Quickoffice. The latest version now enables users to create and edit Word and Excel documents, while also bringing performance and multitasking improvements. New capabilities include formatting options for font type, color, size, underlining and italics in Word, along with formatting cells and using functions in Excel.
Microsoft on Monday took the time to detail Windows 8's file explorer on its Developer Network blog. It's being described as the first substantial change to the most widely used desktop tool in a long time. The improvements are meant to eliminate the need for replacement add-ons to be used by power users when managing files on their computers.
A San Diego federal court found on Friday that Microsoft had to pay Alcatel-Lucent $70 million for allegedly violating a long fought-over patent. Jurors decided that Outlook copied a patent for a touchscreen form. Microsoft had been hoping to keep the damage down to $5 million if it lost, arguing that the patent covered a minor element of picking a date, but the court took Alcatel's view that the feature played a "central role."
Office for Mac 2011 users will be gaining access to some of the enhancements of OS X Lion, says Microsoft's Pat Fox. Specifically the work suite will be getting support for Auto Save, Versions and fullscreen mode. Fox has few other details to offer; regarding the timing of an update, the Office team member explains that the wait will likely be "measured in months not days."
Recosoft is adding PDF2Office 5.1 and PDF2Office SE for iWork 1.0 to the Mac App Store today. The two apps focus on generating working files from PDFs. PDF2Office 5.1 converts PDFs to Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents with support for 2011 Office version formats. The app also supports Pages, Keynote and TextEdit.
Microsoft is looking to shake up its marketing strategy with the launch of Windows 8, a new hire's position has uncovered. It has just recently hired Disney's former brand strategy director Jay Victor to serve in the same role at its project. While he hasn't outlined his plans, Victor's job listing has him developing the marketing and positioning for all the major brands, including Windows, Bing, Office, and the Xbox.
Microsoft on Tuesday announced the launch of its cloud-based Office 365. Available in 40 markets, it includes Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync Online. All apps are always up to date and accessing them costs $6 per month, though service plans range from $2 to $27 per user per month. This full-blown launch follows a beta release launched last fall.
Apple and Microsoft today issued updates for two long-standing products; in the case of Apple, it has updated Airport Utility for Mac and Windows to version 5.5.3 to fix a crashing issue. Microsoft has updated Office for Mac 2004, 2008 and 2011 to address security vulnerabilities as well as bug fixes and enhancements to the suites.
Microsoft on Thursday lost its final appeal in i4i's patent lawsuit against it over patents. The US Supreme Court upheld the verdict that Microsoft had copied i4i technology for XML code in Office and owed about $290 million. Microsoft said the ruling was "not what we had hoped for" but instead reinterpreted the loss as a proof of its call for patent defense improvement.
(Update: corrected to fall) Microsoft ahead of its live event on Tuesday gave word of the launch of its planned Mango update for Windows Phone 7. The update is still penned in to the fall. The upgrade will also come with some partners completely new to WP7, such as Acer, Fujitsu, and ZTE, as well as new models from existing phone makers.
A new application in the forthcoming Microsoft Office 15 suite codenamed “Moorea” has been leaked. While the purpose of the new app has not been made clear in the video (below), it shows a tile-based user interface that is likely optimized for use on tablets. The app is described as having “everything you need in one place” and is expected to work similarly to OneNote. It allows users to add documents, pictures and text into the app through its tile interface.
Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer in the media conference following the buyout of Skype repeatedly stressed that the VoIP app would still get support beyond Windows. Having mentioned support in the initial news, he added that it was "fundamental to the proposition of communications" that other platforms like Linux, the Mac, and non-Windows Phone mobile hardware got support. He pointed to the company's "track record" of Office for Mac as well as mobile apps for Android and iOS as examples.
Microsoft has released a new version of Office 2008 for Mac, 12.2.9. The patch is mostly a maintenance update, fixing security vulnerabilities in Excel, PowerPoint and the suite as whole. It likewise copes with issues that can potentially trigger program crashes.
