Office 2008 for Mac to come this year

[Hurmoth]

Putting lingering questions about update timing to rest, Microsoft has announced that the new version of Office for Mac will arrive in the second half of this year.

Office 2008 for Mac, as the product is being dubbed, is a universal binary, the company said Tuesday. That means the software runs both on Macs with Intel chips and on those with PowerPC chips. In addition, it is compatible with the new XML file formats used by Office 2007 for Windows, which hits retail shelves this month.

As with that Windows-geared update, much of the focus on Office 2008 for Mac was on revamping the user interface. The new Mac software, though, will not use Office 2007's "ribbon" user interface, but will instead have its own look, dubbed the "element gallery."

"It's very Mac-like," said Microsoft's Sheridan Jones. "It's not an incredibly abrupt change for our users."

The software has taken somewhat longer to arrive than the 18 months to 24 months that typically elapse between releases. The current version, Office 2004 for Mac, debuted in the spring of 2004.

Microsoft has continued to develop Office for Mac, despite Apple Computer's continued efforts to beef up its iWork suite.

"We think that iWork represents an interesting solution for some customers," Jones said. "We have a different customer set and we have a very robust productivity suite. iWork is interesting for people who don't need as robust a set of capabilities."

Microsoft didn't announce pricing for the suite, but Jones said it will be "roughly similar" to current versions of Office for Mac. The standard version of Office 2004 for Mac sells for $399, though Apple is promoting a $100 rebate on its Web site for those who buy by January 16. The Student and Teacher edition sells for $149, with a $15 rebate currently offered.

Mac-only tools

Although the focus with Office 2008 was more on making features easier to find and use, there are a few Mac-only features in the new software, Jones said.

One is a new program called My Day, which offers users a quick way to view calendar information and unfinished tasks without having to go into Entourage and potentially get distracted by checking e-mail.

"It's always there on your desktop; you can always see it," Jones said. "You don't lose track of yourself."

Another feature unique to Office 2008 for Mac is an improved ability to do page layout work within Microsoft Word. While features such as columns have long been part of both Windows and Mac versions of Word, the new publishing layout view allows users to better visualize what the final project will look like as they edit it. It "really takes the brakes off of Word as a page layout tool," Jones said.

A final feature specific to the Mac version of Office is a new set of templates in Excel, called ledger sheets. The templates allow users to do things like create invoices and balance a checkbook, without having to know how to create the underlying formulas that make the numbers add up.

"It really opens up the power of Excel for everybody else," Jones said.

On the file format front, Microsoft said that this spring it plans to have ready a beta test version of converters, allowing people with the current Office for Mac to read and write documents in the new file formats. Final versions of the converters are due about two months after Office 2008 comes out, Jones said.

News Source: CNET News.com

[sundayx Veteran]

Sounds good, though im not bothered to read the article, its Office 2007 on Mac right? Ribbon interface?

[saxondale.]

All i care about is it being fully universal, its runs horrible on my mac :(

[gnuman]

I highly doubt the ribbon interface would appear on a Mac product it does not make sense and would not be compatible either. Atleast its nice to see that Microsoft is still giving Apple Office products even year dates and Windows ones Odd numbers.

[Hurmoth]

I highly doubt the ribbon interface would appear on a Mac product it does not make sense and would not be compatible either. Atleast its nice to see that Microsoft is still giving Apple Office products even year dates and Windows ones Odd numbers.

Microsoft has already stated that the Mac version will carry the ribbon.

[DrunkenMaster]

Neato. I like the fact they're keeping the same windowing style and GUI.

I think the Ledger sheets, better page layouts (which is my biggest quibble with Word) will be great solutions. I'm looking forward to purchasing my Student edition (I'm graduating in spring 2007, so I'm taking advantage of the reduced rate before my card "expires".).

[osirisX]

Here is what the UI is supposed to look like: http://www.eweek.com/slideshow/0,1206,pg=0...a=198271,00.asp

[lukeangel]

???? Did no one read the actual article? it specifically says this about the interface:

As with that Windows-geared update, much of the focus on Office 2008 for Mac was on revamping the user interface. The new Mac software, though, will not use Office 2007's "ribbon" user interface, but will instead have its own look, dubbed the "element gallery."

So no, it will not have the Ribbon Interface, but its own "Mac Like" interface that is very similar to the current version of Mac Office.

-Luke Angel

[Quillz]

Office for Mac... I wonder if Office will ever be offered for other Unix-like OS, such as Office for Linux.

[bankajac]

It would be nice if we could beta test this like Office 2007. Why is it that the Mac platform does not have many betas?

[Quillz]

It would be nice if we could beta test this like Office 2007. Why is it that the Mac platform does not have many betas?

Probably because of the lower market share.

[soumyasch]

Is the ribbony-thingy collapsible? Its horrendously huge.... but looks damn sweet. Seems like it might make me use Mac OS more. Doesn't that sound ironic?

[Quillz]

Is the ribbony-thingy collapsible? Its horrendously huge.... but looks damn sweet. Seems like it might make me use Mac OS more. Doesn't that sound ironic?

Ironic, how? Are you an anti-Mac person?

[.Neo]

That looks really really nice. Good job Microsoft! (Y)

Microsoft has already stated that the Mac version will carry the ribbon.

The Ribbon from Microsoft Office 2007 is nothing like what they've shown for Microsoft Office 2008, as the entire Menubar has been kept intact (unlike on Windows). From what I've read in the past the Office team was everything but certain the Mac version would also feature the Ribbion. The only thing they knew for sure was that the next version would get an UI overhaul.

Good call to name it "2008", gives us the edge over the Windows users again. :laugh:

[mattrobs]

Here is what the UI is supposed to look like: http://www.eweek.com/slideshow/0,1206,pg=0...a=198271,00.asp

Damn, that looks ... large.

[.Neo]

Damn, that looks ... large.

Get used to it. Most new applications are much larger set-up than their previous versions. Just look at iTunes 7 and Toast 8 Titanium. :/

[soumyasch]

Ironic, how? Are you an anti-Mac person?

Nope, I am not. It just weird thinking MS products swaying users to Mac :p

[Shuu]

so why are they calling it 2008?

[Neil]

so why are they calling it 2008?

They have always done that Office 2007 was meant to be released last year, along with Vista....

I like the UI though because it does look like a Mac application finally and looks like iLife.

[.Neo]

I like the UI though because it does look like a Mac application finally and looks like iLife.

Like iLife?! I'd say it looks a bit like Pages and Keynote, but iLife? :huh: :/

[Neil]

Like iLife?! I'd say it looks a bit like Pages and Keynote, but iLife? :huh: :/

Sorry I meant iWork!

[DrunkenMaster]

I like the look of the new interface and the floating windows. Personally, I like a program to look good and remain functional. It makes me more productive for some reason. I'm a university student doing some heavy research and work a job in research, so yes, I think even for my level of work, its actually the right tool. I think MS is getting the interface right for O 2008 Mac. I usually critique their UI, but at least from the screenshots so far it looks right.

[obsolete_power]

Here is what the UI is supposed to look like: http://www.eweek.com/slideshow/0,1206,pg=0...a=198271,00.asp

That's actually not bad at all!

[SnowRanger13]

Thanks for the news :).

[.Neo]

I usually critique their UI, but at least from the screenshots so far it looks right.

I certainly looks good and hopefully it will work properly too: Without any flashing or weird behaving elements that look like they're about to fall off (MS Messenger 6 has problems like that).

Sorry I meant iWork!

lol ok.