14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has started rolling out a new look for Office Web Apps, in an attempt to improve the usability of its web-based suite and add new features that are already available in the desktop solution.
The new flat look was specifically implemented to make the overall experience simpler, while also improving co-authoring, a feature that has only recently arrived in the Office Web Apps.
“As we enable richer experiences with our Web Apps, we’re constantly thinking of re-inventing ourselves to help users discover and do more easily. With our new look, editing documents, collaborating with your colleagues and sharing your files is a seamless experience. Whether it’s renaming a file or looking up your co-authors, the Web Apps make it simple and easy,” Microsoft explained.
At the same time, Microsoft has also implemented a new header that allows users to switch between your favorite services, including SkyDrive, Excel, PowerPoint, Calendar, PowerPoint, People, and Outlook.
Enhanced rendering support for Shapes, Textboxes, and WordArt is also being offered, and so are footnotes and endnotes that make document editing similar to what users can do using the desktop version of the productivity suite.
“Notes are a great way to provide more information about something without disturbing the flow of your document. Whether it’s serious business like quoting an additional reference or something as silly as a joke in your story, footnotes and endnotes make it really easy to provide the curious reader that extra bit of delightful information,” Microsoft pointed out.
“What’s great is that we’ve reimagined our experience for the browser to help you add, browse and format footnotes and endnotes more intuitively using the new canvas. Creating MLA-style papers just got easier!”
All these improvements are being rolled out right now, so in case you can’t see them at this point, just wait a few more hours and check again later.