Microsoft this week took the strange step of slamming its own software, portraying Office 2019 as second-class when pitted against Office 365.What Microsoft neglected to say was that Office 2019's inferiority stems from decisions the company itself has made about how the suite's applications are created and serviced.In a public relations pitch dubbed "The Twins Challenge," Microsoft set three pairs of Millennial-aged identical twins against each other. One twin ran an Office 2019 application, the other ran the same-named desktop app from within an Office 365 subscription. Each was asked to complete the same task, with the first finisher given the win.Not surprisingly, the twin running the Office 365 version of Excel, PowerPoint or Word easily won the contest, wrapping up so quickly that his or her doppelgänger spat lines like, "No way" or "You're already done?"Microsoft didn't pretend it was a fair fight."While they have similar names, there's a world of difference between … [Read more...] about Microsoft lampoons Office 2019 in PR pitch for Office 365
When was microsoft office 365 release
Microsoft Office has changed, how you use it should too
The other day I came across an author on Twitter looking for a software package that had the writing and editing features of Microsoft Word with the collaborative editing of Google Docs so they could work on chapters of a book with their colleagues without emailing a Word document around and repeatedly merging changes. With the ghostly sobbing of every Office product and marketing person for the last five years ringing in my ears, I suggested that what they were actually looking for was Microsoft Word, with the document saved into OneDrive.Then there was the announcement about the latest frontline worker features in Teams; when it arrived, I spent a moment wondering if I should make a new section in OneNote for Teams information or if I should keep putting it into my Office section. As usual, I clipped it into the Office section, because new apps like Teams are what make Office what it is now: an evolving mix of applications that are continually adding new features and the cloud … [Read more...] about Microsoft Office has changed, how you use it should too
Microsoft Office 365 for business: Everything you need to know
What is Office 365?As a product line, Microsoft Office dates back nearly three decades, with early versions essentially combining Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into a discounted bundle. Office 365, which has been available since 2011, differs from that old-fashioned bundle in two respects: First, it's licensed as a monthly or annual subscription rather than as a perpetual license. Second, it combines a suite of online services, including business-class email and cloud file storage, along with the traditional desktop apps.Because it's a subscription offering, those desktop programs are updated automatically when a new version is available. If your subscription is current, you get the latest versions, which are typically updated every six months, on the same calendar as Windows 10.Office 365 is available in Home and Personal editions that are aimed for use by families, students, and individuals. In this guide, we cover the multitude of Business and Enterprise editions; these editions offer … [Read more...] about Microsoft Office 365 for business: Everything you need to know
New Windows 10 preview makes SIM-toting laptops better, Office 365 easier to use
Microsoft has released another new preview build for Windows 10 working on further refinements for the big update due later this year – Redstone 5 – as opposed to the imminent Spring Creators Update, which there’s still no sign of (more on that later).Build 17643 was pushed out to those in the ‘skip ahead’ ring and contains a nifty improvement for Data Sense, plus more work on Sets.Under Data Usage settings, Microsoft has introduced a new overview of how much data you’ve used while roaming, so those with a notebook that has a SIM and cellular connectivity can better keep tabs on whether they might be in danger of overrunning in terms of data usage.Moving on to Sets, this is Microsoft’s big new idea of introducing web browser-like tabs to the wider Windows 10 interface.The last preview build made it possible to drag tabs around within a window, or to a different window, and in this build, Microsoft has brought sets to Office 365, meaning … [Read more...] about New Windows 10 preview makes SIM-toting laptops better, Office 365 easier to use
When will Microsoft end support for your version of Windows or Office?
Best Windows 10 web browser: The favorites for 2017 [This post has been completely updated and republished several times since its initial publication in 2013. Most recent update: July 26, 2017.] Microsoft has a well-established support lifecycle for its software products. As I've noted before, it's basically an agreement that the company makes with everyone who purchases a license to use its core products, Windows (desktop and server) and Office. That assurance of support is especially important for business customers, who tend to be conservative in their approach to upgrades. Historically, the support lifecycle for each new version of Windows or Office is 10 years, with mainstream support for five years and extended support for another five years. (For details on what each support phase means and how end-of-support dates are calculated, see the end of this post.) The 10-year support lifecycle is in the process of changing, as Microsoft moves to its "Windows as a service" … [Read more...] about When will Microsoft end support for your version of Windows or Office?