Outlook for Mac to ship with next version

Outlook for Mac to ship with next version

Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition available today will ship with new Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition.

AUCKLAND — August 14, 2009 — Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) today shared details about the next version of Microsoft Office for Mac, announcing that a new application, Outlook for Mac, will replace Entourage for Mac. 

MacBU is providing this early information to meet the planning needs of enterprise customers. For current Entourage users, Microsoft Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition is available today, providing performance and reliability improvements and enabling users to sync Tasks, Notes and Categories. These updates demonstrate the team’s commitment to meet Mac users’ productivity needs and to improve the overall Office experience. MacBU also announced a simplified SKU line-up to help make product selection more intuitive for customers. The new line-up introduces Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition in addition to the current offering of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition.

“It is an exciting time for the MacBU with updates to our current products and the first public announcement about the next version of Office for Mac. For several years we have focused on providing the best Microsoft Exchange client for the Mac, and the Web Services Edition delivers that today for Entourage users,” said Ms Danica Aitken, category marketing manager, MacBU at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand.

A new Outlook for Mac users

The infrastructure changes in Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition, provide more agility in development for the future — marking the first step in delivering Outlook for Mac. Web Services Edition provides faster data synchronisation so current Entourage users on Exchange can experience improved e-mail and calendaring support. The beta was launched earlier this year and has since been used by several large enterprise customers. Entourage 2008, Web Services Edition is available to current Entourage users on Office 2008 for Mac SP2, with all updates applied, on Exchange 2007 SP1 RU4 or later. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/mac/itpros/entourage-ews.mspx

Outlook for Mac releasing in the next version reflects the team’s commitment to further develop the Mac’s leading productivity suite. This new application is designed to deliver significant changes — ultimately allowing for increased productivity across platforms, which continues to be the top request of enterprise customers. The MacBU today shared a few of the features that will be in Outlook for Mac, including these:

·         Cocoa. Built from the ground up using Cocoa providing users with improved integration with the Mac OS

·         New database. A high-speed file-based database with support for backing up files with Time Machine and Spotlight searching

·         Information Rights Management. Helps prevent sensitive information from being distributed to or read by people who do not have permission to access the content

“Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Server has been a cornerstone of communications and collaboration for our enterprise customers,” said Takeshi Numoto, corporate vice president of the Office product management group at Microsoft. “Today’s release of the Web Services Edition strengthens Exchange connectivity for Entourage customers and sets the stage for the move to the new application — Outlook for Mac. These updates continue Microsoft and the MacBU’s tradition of aiming to deliver the most complete solution to help customers manage their time, and better share their information and collaborate with others.”

Introducing Business Edition — choose the right office for you

Based on customer and partner feedback, the MacBU identified the need for a refreshed product line, and the new Office 2008 for Mac line-up ensures that customers can choose the right product to fit their needs at the right price. The line-up now includes two Office 2008 editions: Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition (currently on store shelves), and the new Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition.

The new Office 2008 Business Edition features a powerful suite of tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Entourage, in addition to new features designed to help users manage their business, organise their data and present a professional image. In addition, Exchange Server support and reliable compatibility with Windows-based Office software helps take collaboration and productivity to the next level. New features in Office 2008 Business Edition include these:

·         Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition. Improves performance, brings new features and support for the latest version of Exchange Server

·         Microsoft Document Connection for Mac. Helps improve access and browsing to documents on SharePoint Products and Technologies and Microsoft Office Live Workspace

·         New art. More than 200 business-related templates and professional clip art

·         lynda.com training. Training for beginning to advanced users by lynda.com Inc.

Availability and pricing*

Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition will launch on Sept. 16, 2009, at the launch RRP of NZ$599 for the first three months, before moving to the RRP of NZ$699. Version Upgrade will be available to eligible customers at the RRP NZ$399. Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition is currently available at the RRP of NZ$269 RRP. The free Entourage 2008 for Mac, Web Services Edition, can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com/mac/itpros/entourage-ews.mspx.

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