14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is really serious about making Office a real success on iPads, so the company today launched a new contest that calls for buyers of Apple tablets to bring their devices into its own stores.
Redmond yesterday released Office for iPad, a touch-optimized version of the productivity suite that comes to allow Apple customers to view documents on the go. Office for iPad comes with a fermium license, which means that you can use it free of charge to view documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, but you need to purchase a subscription for editing features.
While Office for iPad sure is a great addition to the App Store, users might be a little bit disappointed with the fact that they need to get a license. That’s why Microsoft revealed a brand new contest that could help boost adoption of its new Office productivity suite.
Bring your iPad in a Microsoft Store across the United States and, if you’re lucky enough to be one of the 50 people to do it, you can win an Office 365 subscription for 1 year. The contest kicks off on Friday.
An Office 365 subscription allows you to install the applications not only on your iPad, but also on 5 different devices, be they PCs or Macs.
Microsoft says that all traditional Office elements are on the iPad version as well, with the application redesigned from the ground up in order to work smoothly on Apple’s tablets.
“What makes these apps unique is that they strike just the right balance between being unmistakably Office and being designed for the iPad. If you use Office on a PC or Mac, the iPad apps feel very familiar, so you are comfortable and confident using these apps right away. The Ribbon layout and experience is familiar, with the most common commands under Home, and Chart commands automatically show up when you select a chart,” it says.
Office for iPad requires iOS 7.0 or later and can be used with basically any subscription plan, including Office 365 Home, Office 365 Small Business Premium, Office 365 Midsize Business, Office 365 E3 and E4 (Enterprise and Government), Office 365 Education A3 and A4, Office 365 ProPlus, and Office 365 University. The personal package that will go live later this spring will also be compatible.
A 30-day trial of Office 365 is also available free of charge if you’d like to try out the new Office for iPad with full capabilities without first purchasing a subscription.