14 DAY TRIAL // When the Cloud flavor of Office 2010 was introduced, Microsoft stressed that Office Web Apps were designed only as companions to the desktop productivity suite, and not as a replacement. However, it seems that customers want more than Cloud variants of Office 2010 components. Microsoft acted on user feedback in order to introduce a service update to Office Web Apps set up to deliver functionality similar to what customers have at their disposal in the desktop version of Office.
This week’s Office Web Apps service update kicks both the Excel Web App and the PowerPoint Web App up a notch.
Andrew Howard, from the Office Communications Team enumerated the changes that Office Web Apps users can now take advantage of:
“More power in the Excel Web App - Excel gurus rejoice—you can now insert, delete or rename sheets in a workbook within the Excel Web Apps, and use familiar tools like AutoSum and formula assistance to crunch data more efficiently. Formula assistance in particular is a great addition to the Excel Web App since it gives you online access to frequently-used Excel formulas.
“More options in the PowerPoint Web App - You can now change the design theme of your PowerPoint presentation within the PowerPoint Web App. Just click the Change Theme button at any time to choose from over 45 professionally designed themes (with new ones added regularly) to apply to your presentation.”
Users in no less than 190 countries around the world can turn to Office Web Apps in order to enrich their Office 2010 experience considerably, and to benefit from features such as seamless sharing, Cloud storage, anywhere access to documents and collaboration.
Office Web Apps are of course offered free of charge via both Windows Live SkyDrive and Windows Live Hotmail, to all customers with a valid Windows Live ID.