Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Zoho rebrands as FakeOffice (not really, but it's catchy, no?)]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/zoho-rebrands-as-fakeoffice-not-really-but-its-catchy-no/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/zoho-rebrands-as-fakeoffice-not-really-but-its-catchy-no/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/zoho-rebrands-as-fakeoffice-not-really-but-its-catchy-no/#commentsFiled under: , ,

FakeOffice
Over the past few years, Microsoft has had to contend with increasing competition from free, web-based office suites such as Google Docs and Zoho Office. And when I say contend, I mean, maybe start taking notice of. There's no doubt that MS Office is still the 800 pound gorilla in the word processing, spreadsheet, and database field. But free competitors including those online applications and desktop solutions including IBM's Lotus Symphony and and the open source OpenOffice.org can't make the folks in Redmond very happy.

So it probably shouldn't be that surprising that Microsoft Online VP Ron Markezich referred to Zoho, Google Docs, and Zimbra as services that offer "fake Office capabilities."

What was a bit surprising is how well the Zoho team took that idea and ran with it. Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu wrote a blog post about the topic yesterday. And today the company launched FakeOffice.org, a site that compares Zoho's application suite with Microsoft's.

Not surprisingly, Zoho points out a number of features that it's products offer that Microsoft's doesn't. Clearly, MS Office has a few features up its sleeve that you won't find in Zoho Office, including 100% compatibility with all those Office documents your friends and colleagues keep sending you. But it's worth checking out the site for the Fake Office "work online" music video, and the little comments such as the Twitter gadget, which is powered by "Fake MS Access."

Zoho has actually been an innovator in the online office space for a while, and most of the company's web apps offer far more features than competing Google Docs. But it's tough for a company with an unusual name like Zoho to take on the big guys like Microsoft and Google. Maybe Vembu should think about permanently changing Zoho's name to FakeOffice? It does have a nice ring to it.

Unfortunately FakeOffice.com has already been registered, which is why Zoho had to grab a .org address for their site.

[via Instant Fundas]

Zoho rebrands as FakeOffice (not really, but it's catchy, no?) originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fakeofficemicrosoft officeMicrosoftOfficeofficezohoThu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AbiWord 2.8 word processor adds collaborative features, web sharing]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/abiword-2-8-word-processor-adds-collaborative-features-web-shar/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/abiword-2-8-word-processor-adds-collaborative-features-web-shar/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/abiword-2-8-word-processor-adds-collaborative-features-web-shar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

AbiWord 2.8
AbiWord is a light weight, open source word processor for Windows and Linux that can create and edit documents in a variety of formats including DOC, RTF, TXT, HTML, and ABW. The word processor is often overlooked in favor of the fuller featured OpenOffice.org.

But if you don't need a full office suite that takes up hundreds of megaybtes, AbiWord is worth checking out -- and the latest version released today includes a handful of interesting new features including integration with the new AbiCollab web-based service for sharing documents with friends, colleagues, or the general public (you can set your account to be publicly visible or private).

AbiWord 2.8 includes a number of new collaborative features including the ability to highlight text from different authors in different colors. You can also upload documents to AbiCollab.net, where you can store files, share them with contacts, and convert from one file format to another. You can't actually edit documents on AbiCollab.net, so it's not exactly a Google Docs killer. But you can create a document which users can then download and edit with AbiWord before saving and/or uploading their changes. And when you open a file from AbiCollab, it will automatically open in AbiWord on your desktop. When you hit save, it will be saved to the web.

The latest version of AbiWord also supports multi-page views, annotations, or comments in documents and scalable vector graphics. There's also improved support for ODT and DOCX documents.

AbiWord 2.8 word processor adds collaborative features, web sharing originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abicollababicollab.netabiwordcollaborationofficeword-processorWed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Set your Google Docs free with the new Convert, Zip and Download feature]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/set-your-google-docs-free-with-the-new-convert-zip-and-download/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/set-your-google-docs-free-with-the-new-convert-zip-and-download/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/set-your-google-docs-free-with-the-new-convert-zip-and-download/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One of the first moves from Google's Data Liberation Front is the option to take your documents out of Google Docs with a new Convert, Zip and Download feature. You'll find the new feature under "export" in the More Actions menu. You can download multiple docs at once - wouldn't be music of a data liberation feature otherwise, right? - and that includes text documents, presentations and spreadsheets in the same batch. Downloads are limited to 500MB at a time, which shouldn't be a problem for the typical Docs user.

The Data Liberation Front is an engineering group within Google, pushing to make it easier for users to get their data out of any Google service quickly and for free. Google Docs exporting is just the first: in fact, they've got a whole list of Google services and the best ways to move your data into and out of them. Currently, about 2/3 of Google services meet the Front's standards for data exporting, so they still have plenty more work to do.

Set your Google Docs free with the new Convert, Zip and Download feature originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>convertdata liberationDataLiberationexportgooglegoogle docsGoogleDocsWed, 28 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Open Office 4 Kids is good for adults, too]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/open-office-4-kids-is-good-for-adults-too/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/open-office-4-kids-is-good-for-adults-too/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/open-office-4-kids-is-good-for-adults-too/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The open source movement isn't just for grown-ups: Open Office 4 Kids is a slimmed-down version of the open source Microsoft Office alternative OpenOffice.org.

The target age group for Open Office 4 Kids is 7-12, but after trying it out, I think there are a lot of adults who would prefer it over MS Office or the full version of OpenOffice. It's available on whichever OS you've set your kid up with: Mac, Windows and (of course) Linux.

Less UI clutter helps make OO4K super-fast. Load times for the app and for creating a new document blew away Office 2008 on my Mac, and I didn't experience any of the annoying lag in loading font menus that I sometimes get in Office.

OO4Kids also has large, very obvious buttons for all of the most common functions of each Office app. The "4Kids" branding is almost a shame, because this could also be Open Office 4 Your Mom Who Always Asks You How To Do Stuff in Office.

On the other hand, I'm glad that any 7-to-12-year-olds who use this app will grow up understanding that Microsoft Word isn't the only way to write a paper.

[via Ghacks]

Open Office 4 Kids is good for adults, too originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kidsOOoopen officeopen office 4 kidsOpenOfficeOpenOffice4KidsThu, 22 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Goodbye MS Works, hello ad-supported Office 2010 Starter!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/09/goodbye-ms-works-hello-ad-supported-office-2010-starter/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/09/goodbye-ms-works-hello-ad-supported-office-2010-starter/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/09/goodbye-ms-works-hello-ad-supported-office-2010-starter/#commentsFiled under: ,

While I haven't had any customers ask to purchase Microsoft Works in years, it still appears on the odd retail boxed laptop. With the coming release of Office 2010, Microsoft has decided it's high time to tag and bag Works and replace it.

Stepping in to fill the void will be Office 2010 Starter, which will be targeted at the average consumer's needs. Starter will package only Word and Excel with basic creation and editing abilities, and will be ad-supported.

Over on the Office Engineering Blog, VP Takeshi Numoto posted "Office Starter 2010 will provide new PC owners with immediate exposure to the Office 2010 experience on new PCs right out of the box." You know, kind of like how just about every boxed PC does that now with the 60-day Office 2007 trial. Except instead of a time-limited but full-featured Office experience, you'll get a stripped-down feature set at no cost. Ever.

Microsoft dangled another Office lock-in carrot recently with the introduction of Office Web Apps. Whatever the motivation - competition with Google Docs and OpenOffice.Org, for example - I'm sure most Windows users will welcome the opportunity to get any legal MS Office apps for free.

Hmm...Office Starter, huh? There's not going to be some asinine 7 document limit in this thing, right?

[via CNet]

Goodbye MS Works, hello ad-supported Office 2010 Starter! originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ad-supportedmicrosoft-worksoffice-2010office-starterFri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Docs API now provides OCR service]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/google-docs-api-now-provides-ocr-service/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/google-docs-api-now-provides-ocr-service/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/google-docs-api-now-provides-ocr-service/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Google API OCR DemoIf you're not a developer, you're probably not aware that Google Docs has an API available for various document-related services. Recently Google added a new feature that allows developers to create applications that will pass an image-based (.png, .jpg, or .gif) document to the API, and using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, generate and pass back an editable text-based document. Currently the service can handle documents up to 10 MB in size.

For non-developers, this is certainly interesting, but not terribly useful. Well, a live demo is available that will allow you to test the service yourself. At the time of this writing I was successfully able to convert a single page document, though there are reports that the service has become overloaded and is slow or sometimes fails to respond. Given that this is a demo, that's probably not terribly surprising.

If Google is exposing this functionality to developers, it seems at least possible that it could become a built-in feature of Google Docs for regular users at some point in the near future. With Google's recent acquisition of reCaptcha, it seems likely that Google's document-scanning capabilities will soon be better than anyone else's. That would make for an incredibly powerful feature for Google to offer its users.

[via Google Operating System]

Google Docs API now provides OCR service originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitiondemogoogleoptical character recognitionoptical-character-recognitionOpticalCharacterRecognitionrecaptchaWed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Week in Review: 19th September 2009]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/week-in-review-19th-september-2009/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/week-in-review-19th-september-2009/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/week-in-review-19th-september-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Shiver me timbers! It's been a swash-buckling week here aboard HMS Download Squad, but if you've been off plunderin' other shores and missed the maelstrom of news here's a fair summary of what's been happening..
It's International Speak like a Pirate Day so forgive the introduction. We're back to regular programming after the jump!

Continue reading Week in Review: 19th September 2009

Week in Review: 19th September 2009 originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MailRaider - open Outlook .msg files on your Mac]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/17/mailraider-open-outlook-msg-files-on-your-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/17/mailraider-open-outlook-msg-files-on-your-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/17/mailraider-open-outlook-msg-files-on-your-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

MailRaiderOne of the more frustrating things I found when moving from Windows to a Mac in a business environment was receiving email messages that contained other messages as attachments. This is a fairly common thing for Outlook users to do, and it doesn't usually cause problems because Outlook can happily open those messages. It's not very good email etiquette and you should avoided doing it if possible (forwarding the message makes it possible for the receiver's email program to index and search the contents), but there are times when it makes sense -- such as when forwarding a batch of messages at once.

The problem is that the Mail app that comes with all Macs unfortunately isn't capable of opening Outlook's .msg files. If you use a Mac and regularly receive messages from Outlook users, it's likely you've run into this problem at some point.

45RPM Software created MailRaider to solve just this problem. It's a free app that does one thing, and one thing well: makes .msg files created with Microsoft Outlook viewable on a Mac, including any included attachments. Formatting may be lost, but typically that's not a huge issue.

One interesting aspect of MailRaider is that the developer has pulled out the code that he uses to read the mail messages, and has turned it into a framework he calls MOLE. MOLE is a free framework for developers to use that need to read Microsoft OLE documents on a Mac.

There are other ways to read Outlook messages on a Mac, but MailRaider's price (free) and simplicity are definitely compelling.

[via Lifehacker]

MailRaider - open Outlook .msg files on your Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attachmentsbusiness environmentbusiness-environmentBusinessEnvironmentdevelopersmacmail messagesmail-messagesMailMessagesmessagemicrosoft outlookmicrosoft-outlookMicrosoftOutlookmoleoutlookoutlook messagesoutlook-messagesOutlookMessagesThu, 17 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM gives workers ten days to switch from Microsoft Office to Lotus Symphony - OR ELSE!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/16/ibm-gives-workers-ten-days-to-switch-from-microsoft-office-to-sy/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/16/ibm-gives-workers-ten-days-to-switch-from-microsoft-office-to-sy/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/16/ibm-gives-workers-ten-days-to-switch-from-microsoft-office-to-sy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's word today today that IBM has finally ordered its staff to abandon Microsoft Office immediately and switch to their own Lotus Symphony suite.

Symphony has been around since 2008, and apparently IBM is now confident enough in its office work kung fu that it's going to take over full time duties.

The move makes perfect sense. It's hard to imagine any company using someone else's software to do the chores that their own app is designed to tackle. Why ask your customers do something you can't even ask your own staff to do?

Symphony, of course, is based on OpenOffice.org and recently gained support for Office 2007. The announcement means 360,000 IBM employees now have 10 days to bid MSO a fond farewell before kissing it goodbye forever.

Sure, it's kind of a big hit for Microsft -- but how long did people really expect IBM not to use their own product?

We speculate that users who refuse to switch will have this image blown up and plastered all over their cubicle, where it will remain until they submit.

[via Linux Magazine]

IBM gives workers ten days to switch from Microsoft Office to Lotus Symphony - OR ELSE! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free esyPlanner is a powerful, attractive calendar and scheduling app]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/10/free-esyplanner-is-a-powerful-attractive-calendar-and-schedulin/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/10/free-esyplanner-is-a-powerful-attractive-calendar-and-schedulin/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/10/free-esyplanner-is-a-powerful-attractive-calendar-and-schedulin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Like many of you, I use a web-based app for my calendaring needs. My customers, however, aren't necessarily keen to make the switch from desktop applications just yet - and I have a number who need a good way to manage appointments and schedules from their PCs.

esyPlanner is a nice option. It sports a nice looking interface and provides both a full-featured calendar and Post-It style notes. Create and color code your categories, and set up multiple calendars to keep things like customer appointments separate from staff meetings.

Support for recurring events is excellent. Apart from daily/weekly/monthly events, you can set up "every X number" -- like every 3 days, 2 weeks, etc. It makes marking things like due dates and routine maintenance easy.

The learning curve with this app is kept to a minimum, so it's perfect for shop owners who aren't so computer-savvy. Tooltip balloons let you know which button does what, and they're small enough that they don't get in the way.

Free esyPlanner is a powerful, attractive calendar and scheduling app originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calendardayminderplannerplanningscheduleschedulingThu, 10 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Office 2010 beta download leaked on torrent trackers]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/08/office-2010-beta-download-leaked-on-torrent-trackers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/08/office-2010-beta-download-leaked-on-torrent-trackers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/08/office-2010-beta-download-leaked-on-torrent-trackers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Work on Microsoft Office 2010, the next major release of Office is coming together quite nicely. A few screenshots and more information about the suite of productivity apps has started to leak out into the wild.

This release, (build 14.0.4417.1000) is the "Mondo edition" which has stood for an "Ultimate" version in the past. Strangely enough, ArsTechnica points out that all references and SKUs to Ultimate have been removed. This is also the first build that references the applications as "Beta" signifying that Microsoft may be much farther along than originally expected.

According to a Microsoft Office employee, the "Mondo" name is used for testing purposes only and is never planned to have an associated SKU.

Office 2010 will be available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions and will be released on one DVD. Office includes: Office 2010 includes Access 2010, Excel 2010, InfoPath Designer 2010, InfoPath Filler 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Project 2010, Publisher 2010, SharePoint Designer 2010, SharePoint Workspace 2010, Visio 2010, and Word 2010.

A public preview of Office 2010 is expected to be released later this year and you can sign up to receive an early copy through legitimate channels.

Office 2010 beta download leaked on torrent trackers originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010BetaMicrosoftOfficetechnical previewTechnicalPreviewTue, 08 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft gets to keep selling Word... for now]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/03/microsoft-gets-to-keep-selling-word-for-now/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/03/microsoft-gets-to-keep-selling-word-for-now/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/03/microsoft-gets-to-keep-selling-word-for-now/#commentsFiled under: ,

Microsoft Word 1.0
After receiving a court order to stop selling Microsoft Word due to patent-infringing technology, Microsoft warned that the consequences could be dire if the injunction wasn't stayed. And by dire, I mean, Microsoft might have had to pull Word for a few months while writing new code to get around the problem.

Fortunately (for Microsoft at least, and anyone looking to pick up a copy of Office or Word in the next few months), it won't come to that. Today an appeals court stayed the injunction issued by a federal judge in Texas last month.

That doesn't mean that Microsoft is in the clear. It just means that the company can continue selling its software while the appeals process continues. If Microsoft ultimately loses the case, it's possible the company could still have to pull Word from the market indefinitely. But I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft has a team of monkeys banging away at typewriters to come up with a less patent-infringing version of Word as we speak. That's how software is made, right?

Microsoft gets to keep selling Word... for now originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>injunctioniwilawsuitmicrosoft-officemicrosoft-wordpatentxmlThu, 03 Sep 2009 21:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Docs now supports translation into 42 languages]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/27/google-docs-now-supports-translation-into-42-languages/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/27/google-docs-now-supports-translation-into-42-languages/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/27/google-docs-now-supports-translation-into-42-languages/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Google Docs translate
Google has added a "translate document" option to the tools area of Google Docs. This lets you translate the text of any document to 42 languages. You can either replace the original file with the translation or copy the translation to a new document which you can share with collaborators or export as a DOC, HTML, PDF, RTF, TXT, or OpenOffice.org file.

You could also use the tool to import documents written in another language and translate them to one that you speak. Of course, the machine translations won't be any better than what we've come to expect from the Google Translate web service. But garbled machine translation is better than no translation... usually.

Translation is available for documents, but not for spreadsheets or presentations.

Google Docs now supports translation into 42 languages originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google-docsgoogle-translateThu, 27 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[OfficeTab adds tabs to Word, Excel and Powerpoint]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/24/officetab-adds-tabs-to-word-excel-and-powerpoint/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/24/officetab-adds-tabs-to-word-excel-and-powerpoint/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/24/officetab-adds-tabs-to-word-excel-and-powerpoint/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Tabbed browsing might be the greatest thing since sliced bread. In fact, after having tabs for so long, it's frustrating to try using an older browser that doesn't support them. We still deal with it in our office applications, though. Granted, it's rare to have as many Word documents open as we do webpages, but even 4 or 5 can turn into a mess. OfficeTab helps out by adding tabs to Word, Excel and PowerPoint, so you can save screen real estate and switch between docs more easily.

You can choose to add tabs to some or all of the apps OfficeTab supports, in case you want them in Word, but not in PowerPoint, for example. OfficeTab doesn't take up much space, it just keeps your tabs in a standard-sized toolbar. You can even view your documents side-by-side in the same window, which is handy for comparing drafts. OfficeTab works in Office 2003 and 2007 on Windows XP, Vista or 7. It's made by a Chinese developer, so both Chinese and English versions are available.

[via Slashnow. Thanks, Ben!]

OfficeTab adds tabs to Word, Excel and Powerpoint originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>excelofficeofficetabpowerpointtabswordMon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft warns court of Word-related armageddon]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/19/microsoft-warns-court-of-word-related-armageddon/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/19/microsoft-warns-court-of-word-related-armageddon/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/19/microsoft-warns-court-of-word-related-armageddon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nevermind 2012, according to Micorosoft there's a good chance that a Texas district court judge's recent decision could very well cause civilization as we know it to crumble in a few short weeks.

It all starts with Microsoft's need to redesign Word to remove the code which violates i4i's XML patent. "The money! The beautiful, beautiful money!" an entirely fictitious spokesperson stated. "There's no way we could ever recoup it. It's not like we're a massively profitable company with overwhelming shares of operating system of office software markets or something."

But there's something much more horrifying to consider here than Microsoft losing a few million dollars. It's just the first domino to fall in the series.

Next comes the cataclysmic damage to vendors like Dell, HP, and Best Buy - all of whom would have to immediately re-tool as a result. That means hours and hours of meetings - which also means lost productivity and increased stress levels.

The associated disruption of sales in an uncertain economy? It's not hard to see where this could end up. Increased joblessness. The new unemployed would no doubt turn on the justice system, and lead to waves of rioting, looting, and lawlessness.

Before you know it, the United States is a desert wasteland and we're all driving around in school buses fighting off zombie attacks. After the US, the world quickly becomes a dull, withered husk.

So please - for the sake of humanity - grant the stay.

[via The Register]

Microsoft warns court of Word-related armageddon originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courti4ilawsuitmicrosoft-wordpatentxmlWed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Goodbye Entourage, Hello Outlook for Mac]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/13/goodbye-entourage-hello-outlook-for-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/13/goodbye-entourage-hello-outlook-for-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/13/goodbye-entourage-hello-outlook-for-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, it was bound to happen! During a press call today, the Microsoft Business Unit announced that they are working on a version of Microsoft Outlook for Mac OS X. The news comes in tandem with Microsoft providing further details about the next major release of Office for Mac.

Microsoft's Business Unit says the new application, which will replace Entourage when it is released in 2010, will contain a number of great features that will allow "increased productivity across platforms." Some of the highlights include:
  • Built on Cocoa. The application is being constructed from the ground up on Cocoa to make integrating with Mac OS a lot easier.
  • 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.
Outlook for Mac is being built on top of the features released today in the Entourage Web Services Edition including faster syncing and more support for Exchange servers. (If you're a current Entourage user, you can download the Web Services Edition here.)

With the release of OS X 10.6 right around the corner and promising native support for Exchange servers, it's funny to see Microsoft finally waking up and realizing they have got to do something to stay competitive.

Goodbye Entourage, Hello Outlook for Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cocoaentouragemicrosoftoutlookThu, 13 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft, Nokia announce Office Mobile coming to Nokia phones]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/12/microsoft-nokia-announce-office-mobile-coming-to-nokia-phones/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/12/microsoft-nokia-announce-office-mobile-coming-to-nokia-phones/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/12/microsoft-nokia-announce-office-mobile-coming-to-nokia-phones/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Microsoft has been making a mobile version of Office for years. But it's only been available on devices running mobile versions of Windows (what we now call Windows Mobile or Windows Phone, and what was once called PocketPC). Today, Microsoft and Nokia announced a deal that will bring Office Mobile to Nokia smartphones.

This is the first time Office Mobile will be available on handsets that don't run Windows Mobile. The two companies have announced plans to work together on a range of mobile solutions. One of the key points is that is that Nokia's Symbian powered smartphones will be able to run mobile versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote. Users will be able to "view, edit, create, and share" Office documents from their mobile phones.

Nokia is also working on improved Exchange ActiveSync support, and expects to roll out support for other features including mobile access to intranet portals build on Microsoft SharePoint Server.

Microsoft, Nokia announce Office Mobile coming to Nokia phones originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmicrosoft-officenokiaoffice-mobileWed, 12 Aug 2009 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft gets a taste Texas justice: judge slams Word with banhammer]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/12/microsoft-gets-a-taste-texas-justice-judge-slams-word-with-banh/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/12/microsoft-gets-a-taste-texas-justice-judge-slams-word-with-banh/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/12/microsoft-gets-a-taste-texas-justice-judge-slams-word-with-banh/#commentsFiled under: , ,

At high noon, Microsoft and US District Court Judge Leonard Davis met on a dusty stretch of Texas road. The wind whistled past, carrying the occasional tumbleweed. A Walmart bag danced in the updraft. As the clock struck high noon, not a sound could be heard except for the jangling of spurs as each combatant shot a steely glance at the other.

Right arm at the ready, fingers flexing. Suddenly, Microsoft reached for its holster, grabbing at the Word 2010 Technical Preview. They didn't count on the lightning-fast reflexes of Judge Davis. With his first gavel he knocked the software back ten paces. Microsoft reeled, and turned to retrieve the case. A second gavel to the knee left Microsoft quivering in the dirt.

"Now listen hear, you slippery rattlesnake," he said, "XML patents is sacred 'round these parts, and we don't take kindly to people violatin' 'em." He tipped up the brim of his hat to reveal his stern brow and continued "I'm givin' you sixty days to come up with $290 million in gold bullion. And I don't want you bringin' that trash around here until you can abide by the laws of the great US of A."

Microsoft looked up with chagrin. "We are disappointed by the court's ruling," they said, breaking character rather suddenly. "We believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid. We will appeal the verdict." Well, of course there will be appeals - which means Microsoft will likely never have to stop selling or testing Word in the United States.

Who will win in the end? Unfortunately, that will be decided by lawyers in fancy suits, not gunslingers.

[via Seattle PI]

Microsoft gets a taste Texas justice: judge slams Word with banhammer originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>court-rulingscowboysgunfightlouis-lamourmicrosoft-officetexas-justicewordWed, 12 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Office web apps won't officially support Chrome, Opera browsers]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/11/microsoft-office-web-apps-wont-officially-support-chrome-opera/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/11/microsoft-office-web-apps-wont-officially-support-chrome-opera/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/11/microsoft-office-web-apps-wont-officially-support-chrome-opera/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Microsoft Office Web apps
Microsoft plans to launch stripped down, web-based versions of its Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint soon. When the company first unveiled the upcoming web apps, Microsoft announced that they would work with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. Now, in an official blog posting, Microsoft has stated that those three browsers will be the only ones officially supported by the Office Web Apps.

In other words, if you use Google Chrome, Opera, or another web browser, you may be out of luck. It's worth pointing out that Microsoft hasn't said that other browsers won't work. It's just that the company isn't going to take the time to support additional browsers.

According to the blog post, the Office Web apps will be designed to work without any plugins installed, but Microsoft recommends installing Silverlight, which will help the web apps load faster and perform better. The text will also be easier to read, and PowerPoint animations will be smoother with Silverlight installed.

[via InfoWorld]

Microsoft Office web apps won't officially support Chrome, Opera browsers originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google-chromemicrosoft-officeofficeoffice-web-appsoperaTue, 11 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Real-time collaboration is simple with Team Apart]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/10/real-time-collaboration-is-simple-with-team-apart/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/10/real-time-collaboration-is-simple-with-team-apart/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/10/real-time-collaboration-is-simple-with-team-apart/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sometimes, the best people for a job can't all assemble in the same physical location. That's not a problem when everyone's working independently, but even the best remote coworkers sometimes need to have a meeting. Team Apart makes that possible, with really simple real-time collaboration features including audio/video chat and whiteboarding.

It's easy to invite people to your Team Apart workspace. In fact, you just have to send them the URL. Once everybody's in the room, you can chat via webcam and take notes on a shared real-time notepad. You can also share photos and documents, and Team Apart will store them in your virtual workspace. Team Apart is still in beta, with limited invitations available, but it looks like a simple and effective solution to some of the problems of remote collaboration.

Real-time collaboration is simple with Team Apart originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocollaborationreal-timeteam-apartvideowhiteboardMon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST