Microsoft Unveils Office 2008 for Mac

In 19 days, on January 29, 2007, Windows users will be able to get their hands on the 2007 Microsoft Office System, which will be made available for the general public together with Windows Vista. But Mac users have not been left out of the equation, and they too have something to look to. Yesterday, January 9, Microsoft Corp.'s Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU) announced the first Universal version of Office for Mac for PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs - Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac.

With Office 2008 for Mac, Mac BU revealed that it has implemented a development strategy that will result in a smarter and more efficient workflow for Mac users. Although it has failed to present the actual date of the release, Mac BU announced that Office 2008 for Mac will be available in the second half of 2008.

"For more than two decades, Microsoft has been committed to delivering quality and innovation on the Macintosh platform while retaining unparalleled compatibility with PCs", said Roz Ho, general manager of the Mac BU at Microsoft. "Office 2008 is, by far, the most comprehensive, Mac-complementary productivity suite we've developed to date. I've witnessed firsthand the progression of this product, and am excited to think about the possibilities that soon will be available to our customers when Office 2008 launches later this year."

The forthcoming Office 2008 for Mac will share the Office Art 2.0 graphics engine with Office for Windows. Office 2008 for Mac will come with a revamped graphical user interface complete with Elements Gallery, a feature that focuses on tool access and Mac-specific capabilities. The product will support the Office Open XML Format.

"Part of the Elements Gallery is a tool called Document Parts. Documents Parts simplify and automate some of the most common, but often difficult and tedious, document tasks - such as adding a table of contents or headers and footers - so users can produce manuscripts and papers that look professional," revealed Microsoft.

Moreover, Microsoft has introduced a set of features that will be available exclusively to Office 2008 for Mac users.

- Publishing Layout View lets users create incredibly layout-rich documents such as newsletters, fliers and brochures by uncovering desktop publishing layout tools and providing text box entry.

- Ledger Sheets enable anyone to use Excel to handle common financial management tasks. Home and small-business users can balance checkbooks, track accounts or manage investment portfolios more easily than ever.

- My Day allows users to track priorities and stay on top of daily activities no matter what application they're currently working in. My Day is a stand-alone application that doesn't take up much screen space, offers at-a-glance schedule and task viewing without launching Entourage, and lets users color-code everything for visualizing daily priorities.