The News Review:
- Microsoft sets pricing on ffice 2008 for Mac
- pen source vendor takes on Microsoft Project
- n the road to the virtual desktop
- Make your point
- Handheld Learning Conference Question Two
Microsoft sets pricing on ffice 2008 for Mac
ZDNet – Sep 24, 2007
The product will come in three flavors. The standard version known simply as ffice 2008 for Mac includes PowerPoint Word Excel and Entourage and will sell for $399. A $499 Special Media Edition also includes Expression Media a digital media cataloguing program that Microsoft acquired from its 2006 purchase of iView Multimedia. Both the Special Media Edition and the standard ffice for Mac also include the ability to connect to an Exchange Server as well as some actions for Automator Mac S X’s built-in scripting tool. The Home and Student version includes the four main programs but not the ability to connect to Exchange or the Automator actions. The home version which is designed for non-business use can be installed on up to three Macs and sells for $149… The Home and Student version includes the four main programs but not the ability to connect to Exchange or the Automator actions. The home version which is designed for non-business use can be installed on up to three Macs and sells for $149. Microsoft said last month that it was delaying the launch of ffice 2008 to January. Microsoft marketing manager Amanda Lefebvre said that the company remains on track with its revised schedule with plans to wrap up the code in December and make the final product generally available to consumers and businesses in the U. ther language versions will be released over the course of the first quarter she said adding that with the new release Microsoft is adding a Nordic language pack which includes Danish Finnish and Norwegian.
pen source vendor takes on Microsoft Project
NetworkWorld.com – Sep 24, 2007
org backed by Sun and IBM and various hosted software vendors. “All of them are going after the Microsoft ffice suite but they’ve all got Word Excel and PowerPoint replacements. Project is part of the ffice family but none of these suites has an alternative to Project” ’Brien says. Related Content ’Brien says Projity can open Microsoft Project files and goes “mano a mano” with Microsoft in features even for “obscure things like earned value costing scheduling constraints resource escalation rates. ”While Projity will eventually develop a paid support model at least for now support is free in online forums where customers can ask the vendor questions. While ’Brien claims to see a market devoid of Microsoft Project competitors enterprise software analyst Dennis Callaghan of the 451 Group says other.
n the road to the virtual desktop
infoworld.com – Sep 24, 2007
Kennedy September 24 2007 MSI compatibility is only the first step. Microsoft will likely do an even more thorough strip job as time goes on dumping much of the existing management UI which is awkward at best in favor of an even more seamless integration with MSCCM (Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager). The company doesn?t think much of SoftGrid as a separate product as evidenced by its decision to release what was essentially the entire Softricity product catalog as a set of free tools (the Microsoft Desktop ptimization Pack for Software Assurance) for customers in the Microsoft Software Assurance program. Clearly this is a product acquisition in which the sum of the parts is considered greater than the whole. I tested SoftGrid 4. 2 running under Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 (SP1)… The SoftGrid installer does a good job of flagging any missing pieces but does not offer to install them from within the setup wizard — an un-Microsoft behavior that will likely be fixed when the company further integrates SoftGrid with MSCCM. During benchmark testing SoftGrid streamed a virtualized ffice 2003 package to the desktop with initial startup times of 13 10 9 and 12 seconds for Word Excel PowerPoint and Access respectively all while consuming from 92Mbps to 110Mbps of network bandwidth. Subsequent streaming operations to support accessing additional functionality outside of the initial startup blocks triggered another 50Mbps to 80Mbps of network traffic. Caching the entire ffice suite for offline use took just under two minutes while pushing peak bandwidth utilization to 124Mbps. verall SoftGrid remains a solution with tremendous potential but is marred by unresolved usability and compatibility issues. No doubt the compatibility issues will become moot as Microsoft narrows the product?s focus to its own delivery needs while the usability problems will be addressed when SoftGrid is eventually vivisected on the System Center chopping block.
Make your point
ITP.net – Sep 24, 2007
Featuring a new interface new themes formatting and charting options the application makes putting together a polished and professional presentation a walk in the park. Don’t have the version 2007 on your PC? Then head over to… Featuring a new interface new themes formatting and charting options the application makes putting together a polished and professional presentation a walk in the park. Don’t have the version 2007 on your PC? Then head over to. com and take a online test drive.
Handheld Learning Conference Question Two
eGov monitor – Sep 24, 2007
Valerie Thompson Chief Executive e-Learning FoundationWhat are basic ICT skills? Mobile phones users can now construct and send text or multimedia messages download ringtones and other media take and edit photographs shoot and edit video and upload all of this material to the Internet for social networking systems such as YouTube and Facebook. Users of gaming devices and consoles whose main age range is between 18-34 are engaging in software that demands rapid abstract problem solving continuous assessment and ever changing user interfaces. Using Microsoft Word or Powerpoint is somewhat primitive when considered in these terms. Graham Brown-Martin Founder Handheld LearningBy its very nature mobile technology gives people additional flexibility to use technology ?on the move?. Technology is becoming increasingly intuitive and by simplifying the user interface and applications people are able to gain basic ICT skills in a relatively short period of time. Mobile technology means that people can take equipment home with them and should help them get up to speed in a relatively short period of time. As technology becomes more and more commonplace in both primary and secondary schools ICT skills will be second nature to tomorrow?s adult population as its use becomes an integral part of their everyday coursework.