Microsoft will release its first browser-based version of Office for public testing within a week, the company says.
The test product will include ‘web apps’ including versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint, but OneNote is not included and the Word app can only be used to view documents. Microsoft says this is because the technology is “still being worked on”.
“It’s still going to be rough around the edges,” senior product manager Ural Cebeci says.
Early reviews have been mixed, with Forrester analyst Sheri McLeish telling ZDnet the system appears more complicated than rivals Google Docs and Zoho Office.
The final version of the web-based Office apps is set to launch next to Microsoft Office 2010 next year as a free, ad-supported part of Windows Live. Businesses will be able to offer the system to workers via their SharePoint servers or thorough Microsoft Online subscription.
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