Microsoft unveils Office overhaul with tablet top of mind

Microsoft has taken the wraps off the latest version of
its hugely popular and financially critical Office suite
of products with its sights set squarely on tablet
computers and moving from software to a cloud-based
service.

The biggest changes for computer users of the popular
Word, Excel, Power Point and other products is the
redesign that closely resembles the company’s upcoming
Windows Metro interface, and the focus of Office as a
service first, meaning it’s designed to run easily on
multiple devices connected to the Internet.

The programs can store documents online through
Microsoft’s SkyDrive service and will remember settings,
including where you last left off in a document, as you
move locations. Some industry analysts say a major
emphasis is staving off the threat of Internet-based
business services by companies like Google that have been
nipping at the heels of the Microsoft cash cow.

“This is the most ambitious release of Office that we have
ever done,” CEO Steve Ballmer said at the unveiling in San
Francisco.

In another big change for home users, Microsoft is
allowing individuals the ability to subscribe to Office,
rather than buy the programs, with a new Office 365 Home
Premium subscription. The subscription would allow users
to access Office and all of their personal settings and
documents on up to five computers running Windows 7 or 8
even if they don’t have Office installed on their
computer.

The company won’t say when the new version will go on sale
or how much it will cost. You can test drive a preview
version of the new Office suite available
online at Microsoft’s website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report