MICRO-LAUNCH: Today, Microsoft unveiled that Office is now available for the Apple iPad. As of 11 am PST, users can download Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps in the iOS App Store. The applications support cloud storage through OneDrive and allow for real-time collaboration among multiple users. (TechCrunch reports that Microsoft may have cited up to five users of any product at a time, though the specific limit in Word is unknown). Check out more in Microsoft's video overview of features.
Users can download/view any Office Suite files for free with these apps, but must sign up for an Office365 subscription in order to edit. Personal plan Office365 subscriptions start at $6.99/month and $9.99 for the Home Premium version (users can install Office on up to five PCs or Macs).
Whether Bill Gates is cashing in on the favors he's owed from the 1990s or not, this marks a unique turn in Microsoft's platform strategy--and a positive outcome for educators in 1:1 iPad environments.
