Microsoft to Introduce Web Versions of Office Apps
The forthcoming version of Windows Office would contain simplified forms of its apps that would be available through Web browsers, announced Microsoft at the Professional Developers Conference on Tuesday.
The software giant said that while it will be putting its Office apps like Word, Power Point and Excel online, it will not completely do away with the traditional versions. Online apps have proved to be very popular with users because of the many advantages they offer – mainly the ease with which documents created in an online app can be opened up for sharing and collaboration. It is this convenience that Google has been leveraging in its Google Docs suit.
Another major advantage of putting up apps online is that the user base grows virally. The user merely has to share a document and the app comes along with it for free. On the other hand, with paid and installed software the user base cannot be expanded so rapidly.
However Microsoft has not had a good track record for developing apps which move seamlessly between online and offline use. For instance its Outlook Web Access is a weaker version of the desktop app and the company has itself claimed that the forthcoming online apps will not come equipped with all the features of the desktop apps.
Microsoft Unveils Windows 7, Looks Beyond Vista Brand
Microsoft launched the latest version of its Windows operating system on Tuesday with claims that it will be a slimmer and more responsive version of its popular operating system.
The new version will be branded as Windows 7 because it is the seventh in the series of operating systems which have been developed by Microsoft for PCs since the 1980s. Microsoft is sure to hope that the familiar brand name will help erase the memory of the disastrous response its Windows Vista got from customers and reviewers. However the company did not specify when Windows 7 will be available for sale to the public.
Microsoft further announced that it would soon bring out a Web-based version of its Office programs. this is most likely intended to take on competitors like Google Docs and Zoho which have introduced spreadsheets, word processors and presentation programs capable of running on a Web browser.
However Microsoft officials acknowledged that the strategy might evoke concern from market analysts on the possibility of the new products eating into the profits of the lucrative Office franchise. Investors are already worried about the Financial results of Microsoft in the most recent quarter which shows that the Windows unit reported a mere rise of 2% in revenues as opposed to as 4% decline in operating income.
Microsoft Overhauls Xbox Live with Socially Interactive Add-ons
With the new version of Xbox Live, Microsoft intends to overhaul its online gaming service and provide a more visual as well as a more socially interactive experience to gamers across the world.
Slated for a November 19 release, the “New Xbox Experience” is being described by Xbox Live General Manager Marc Whitten as a “transformation into a social media portal”. This is because the primary addition to the overhauled service includes a “friends interaction” feature which allows the gamer to connect up with seven others and move unhindered between games, films, chats or any other form of entertainment.
Another popular addition is the “Avatar” feature which will allow the Xbox 360 owners to put their own personal touch by customizing an avatar with its individual facial features and wardrobe.
Among other major changes will be a much simpler and more visual interface. For instance when the 360 owners update their Live interface, it will be transformed from a text-heavy hub to a more visual central location. This will no longer make it necessary to surf Marketplace for downloadable games or Netflix for streaming films and TV show and instead the user will be welcomed by that title’s box art.
The iTunes app store is a new industry
The iTunes app store was one of its kind on the internet when Apple opened it in July. But in the next 6 months the idea is set to be adopted by several companies. Google has announced that it has plans to expand into the market, while T-mobile, Microsoft and Symbian are expected to follow. Developers will be able to sell downloadable applications that will make mobile phones more useful and entertaining.
The appeal of an online app store is evident. 60 million apps have been downloaded from the iTunes app store. The store had an average of $1 million in sales everyday for the first month.
The app store is increasingly worrying for Microsoft in particular since the iPhone buzz is starting to dig into Microsoft market share in the Mobile Phone operating system market. Microsoft is expected to launch the Skymarket where it will sell apps for its operating system, Windows Mobile 7, which is expected to be released in 2009. Google will be doing so a little earlier as their Mobile operating system Andriod is anticipated to arrive later on this year, for which it will open the Android Marketplace. Which I think will be a significant blow to Apple since the andriod will be capable of operating on a range devices and therefore its app store will have a much larger market.
Faizan Zakir Cyberzest.com
Microsoft Kicks off Ad Campaign
Microsoft has started a new major ad blitz to regenerate its Windows brand, which has been overshadowed in the past years due to ads by its long time rival Apple. The campaign will be targeted mainly at the Windows Vista operating system.
The ad features Microsoft Company Chairman Bill Gates and Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, it has been 18 hrs since the ad is being aired on different TV channels and it’s left many viewers scratching their heads. Microsoft’s Brad Brooks is happy about that and he says “It’s got a lot of people talking and that’s exactly what we wanted,” . He claimed the ad was a “teaser” to a much longer campaign. The campaign has an estimated budget of about $300 million.
Brooks went on to say Microsoft wants to “engage customers in a conversation and dialogue in a humorous and intriguing way,”. He recognizes the fact that Microsoft needs more than just ads to restore its brand image. The Company is going to open store-in-store locations in major retailers like best-buy and Circuit City, a method Apple employed at Best-Buy and CompUSA. Microsoft will also be hiring “Windows Gurus” who are the equivalent of Apple’s Geniuses for Microsoft.
The Software Giant is also going to engage in other methods of promoting the Windows brand, which will come forward in the months ahead.
Chrome is not 100% Pure metal
Google’s Chrome has an imploring clean look and renders websites faster than any other browser. Google is giving all this to users free of charge, but there are strings attached. The browser will give Google access to valuable user data.
The Chrome comes with (so-called) Omnibox pre-installed, where a user types in a search query or a website URL. As long as Google is your default search engine and the suggest feature is left on, Google will capture 2% of the data entered into the Omnibox and keep it for its own records. If Google’s Chrome attains its much anticipated success, the internet giant will have an exceedingly valuable stream of new user data, not bounded to what users search but what websites they visit outside of the Google’s web space.
Google has made it clear that such “tracking Capabilities” can be switched off by the user. If the user switches on the “Incognito” privacy function, then Google will have no trace.
Forrester Research analyst Sheri McLeish believes that it would be “counter-intuitive for Google not to use Chrome to gain more user data”. She went on to discredit the privacy function “it doesn’t mean they don’t collect that information, or won’t.”.
The potential of tapping user data for targeted advertising is huge.
We all know that Google’s Chrome is not created solely as new stream of user data, Sheri agrees too. Google has Vowed to establish Chrome as the “central access point” of all of its internet services.
Chrome Google gets metal.
Tech fans have flocked to Google Chrome (including me), Individuals and small businesses are playing along.
The real Question is will enterprises fancy Google’s chrome after being pig-headedly loyal to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, in spite of Mozilla’s Firefox record breaking success. Chrome’s clean look and fast rending capabilities will appeal to developers, but will they put in the time and investment to rewrite their programs and test their compatibility with Chrome.
Greg Raiz, who is a developer and owns Raizlabs, a Mass. custom software maker, says “The only thing that would make me want to test on Chrome is if the client wants it or if Chrome gets significant market share, Honestly, it’s a business thing.” IT managers and CIO’s reckon browser performance as only one among many factors to take into consideration before initiating a new venture.
Virgin Entertainment Group Inc. CIO, Robert Fork said “I’d have to make sure Chrome worked well with all of our other apps. What is the business value in that?” “I give Google all the credit in the world for innovative solutions … but to Microsoft’s credit, they’ve got a lot more of an enterprise attitude,”. Robert’s attitude is just what Microsoft wants, he went on to say “Google Chrome is definitely faster than IE 8 Beta 2. But there’d have to be astronomical performance improvements in Chrome for us to switch,”.
Personally I prefer Google’s Chrome over Internet Explorer, with Google’s innovation, a powerful search engine, tools like Youtube and Google Earth, and last and but most Google’s big wallet i can say with confidence that the Chrome will be something to take seriously.
Faizan Zakir, Cyberzest.com
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