Microsoft confirms plan for low-cost suite with Office, other apps

Shaon published 18 Apr 2008, 22:45 in main - 223 views

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Microsoft Corp. today confirmed that it plans to release a subscription-based set of low-end desktop applications, code-named Albany, and that it has sent an early version of the software to thousands of beta participants for a round of private testing.

Sources said last month that Microsoft was developing the suite as a means of competing with Google Apps and other free or low-cost online applications. According to the sources, Microsoft in late March sent invitations to test Albany to a select group of users, asking them to sign nondisclosure agreements just to take part in the testing process.

Bryson Gordon, a product manager at Microsoft, claimed Friday that Albany — which the company internally describes as a software "value box" — isn't simply an offering of personal productivity tools.

"The free applications online address one portion of this," Gordon said. But he added that Albany will also provide home users with what people have told Microsoft are the "essential" products they use on a computer. That includes security capabilities as well as tools for "helping people connect and share with others," he said.

News source: Computerworld

Tags: Microsoft, Office, App

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