Redmond, we have a problem
by Volker Weber
Microsoft says Office iPad apps hit 12 million downloads a week after release. However, there is a huge problem. You can only use it with an Office 365 subscription. That's what the downloader quickly finds out and then he's gone. Bad first experience, one star evaluation.
Microsoft cannot even start the conversation about the benefits of having that 100€ a year subscription. Like 5 people getting to use the software, plus 20 GB each on Skydrive, plus installation of the full Office Suite on up to 5 PCs or Macs. How does that work? You activate your Office account with one Microsoft account. Then you add up to four other Microsoft accounts. They can just hit the Activate button on their iPads, and boom, full functionality enabled.
Comments
I don't need to edit Office docs on my iPad. But being able to read them with decent rendering is very helpful. And that's free with the new apps.
I dont care and I dont needucați to edit on my Ipad.
Seeing beautiful documents în their own format is more than enough.
I dont see where the big problem is.
So ganz glücklich bin ich auch noch nicht. MS Office Home and Student 2013 hatte ich bereits für ca. 100 EUR erworben - davon ausgehend, eine iPad-Version würde so bald nicht erscheinen. Nun erschienen, kann ich das iPad-Office zum Überarbeiten wirklich gut gebrauchen, auch wenn ich eine automatische Silbentrennung (abweichende Darstellung), eine schnellere Navigation für große Dokumente (> 30 Seiten) & anderes noch vermisse. Zurzeit nutze ich den Testmonat, danach hilft wohl nur ein Blick auf die aktuellen Preise des bekannten Internet-Versandhändlers bei der Entscheidungsfindung.
Why should I pay 100€ for an office suite for home usage when I can get similar (not identical) features in another product for free ... okay, not on an iPad so far but is it worth 100€ only to be used on an iPad?
btw: Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet gave me the following answer a few days ago on the same question on twitter:
@maryjofoley: @trickert Those who do need Office w. all bells/whistles. Those who don't can also use free Office Online apps instead.
I get your point but Microsoft mainly sees iPads as so called companion devices. Which means: most people have a laptop (with Office) and also want to use it on the iPad. Thus, a O365 subscription makes perfect sense. Especially for enterprises.
I might be wrong but I don't think Microsoft targets the iPad to be a door opener for O365 subscriptions.
So the theory is that every customer has (to have) an Office 365 subscription. Here is my problem: almost everybody I deal with, who has licensed Office, does not have that.
Für Firmen ist Office 365 momentan die billigste Variante um an eine Office 2013 pro. Lizenz mit Software Assurance zu kommen. Selbst dann, wenn man hosted Exchange, Sharepoint online und Skydrive pro nicht nutzt. Erst nach 3,3 Jahren ist der Kauf billiger als die Miete. Und nur dann, wenn man in der Zeit kein Update kauft bzw. braucht. Von dem Steuervorteil Betriebsausgabe vs. Abschreibung mal ganz zu schweigen. Erzählt nur kaum ein Händler seinen Kunden.
I used it and I will keep using it. Great product. I dont care, on which palttform it runs. I just happen to have an ipad.
The (new) Microsoft strategy is "Devices and Services". Office 365 is the way where Office fits in best.
Nearly bought the subscription for O365, then my company started offering licenses through the Microsoft Home Usage Program.
There Office for Mac 2011 costs nearly nothing and even if I buy the new one in the second half of the year, it'll be cheaper than the subscription.
The online sync features are nice to have. Especially as I'm not allowed to use them for work files.
