This is the make or break season for Microsoft. It is going all in with Windows 8 and a number of other products including Office. Yesterday it gave a Metro
influenced update to Skype and today it has updated Office Web apps that are currently live on SkyDrive. These of course include web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.
With the new Word web app, Microsoft is focusing on making the UI more touch-centric which seems to be the general theme across all Microsoft products. Additionally, it has added support for a number of new graphics; images, layouts, a viewing mode and users can also add comments. Layout and Picture tools have also been added so that it gains some more capabilities of the native app.
It looks like Excel has received the biggest upgrade. A number of essential spreadsheet features have been added like merge cells, context menus, auto-fit, columns, formula assistance, fill handle and AutoSum. Users can now visualize data using high fidelity charts, including 3D charts and printing capabilities have been added to the browser.
The new PowerPoint app looks and behaves very much like the desktop app. Users can see more view and see high-resolution slides. Audio and video capabilities have also been added and these even work directly from Tablets and smartphones. Also, users can insert image, apply transitions and also add animations to their slides. Microsoft has also added a gamut of pre-designed themes, in addition to a number of co-authoring features.
The OneNote app is also getting updated along the big three apps. Features like search on a page and search within a section have been added. There is also support for ink viewing that makes information more accessible on the web. Now notes can also be shared as a URL, or can be viewed on a phone, PC or tablet through the browser.
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