Microsoft has slashed the price of its Office Home and Student 2007 edition starting with the Black Friday weekend. Following Thanksgiving, and to mark the official debut of the 2008 holiday season, the Redmond company is offering Office Home and Student 2007 at over 50% less than its normal price. In this regard, a full license of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 - English costs just $69.99, down from $149.95. Customers have until the start of the coming month to take advantage of the special offer.

“We're offering an incredible Black Friday Deal now through December 1. All you need to save over 50% is proceed to the checkout and download the version today. Between November 28 and December 1, 2008 ONLY, you can buy and download Office Home and Student 2007 for just $69.99 (regularly $149.95). Take advantage of this great offer. Offer valid from midnight EST 11/28 until 11:59 am EST 12/1,” reads a message from the Office Online Team.

Of course there is a catch. The offer is valid only for the U.S. This means that customers worldwide will not be able to take advantage of the discount price. Still, for the U.S., there are three purchase options. The Optional: License Lock Box: Digital back-up service and license key adds another %6.99 to the discounted $69.99 price. The Optional: License Lock Box - with License Key and Backup CD will charge another $16.99, while the Optional: License Lock Box - Backup CD without License Key will cost $12.99.

Microsoft is already hard at work on the successor of the Office 2007 System under the codename Office 14. Just as is the case with the Windows 7 client, the Redmond company has failed to deliver the official deadline for the availability of Office 14, but similarly to the operating system, the next iteration of Office will stretch into the Cloud.