TechDish: Office 2010 has hit the shelves at IDEaS!

Posted on: Fri, 08/13/2010 - 08:24 — us104_techdish

Microsoft's latest Office suite has hit the shelves at IDEaS Computers. Sporting a streamlined look and user interface, more features and capabilities, and MUCH faster performance, this writer can attest that Office 2010 might just be the greatest Office suite yet. In the past, I've hated Microsoft Office and have used OpenOffice and Google Docs, even when the tolerable Office 2007 was released three short years ago. However, Office 2010 has made even me a believer—and yes, a user—of Office 2010.

But my computer has Office 2010 Starter Edition, why should I upgrade?

Because you don't have a full Office product. IDEaS, as well as many big box stores are now selling computers with a blend of Office called "Starter Edition". But do not be fooled, this is not a fully-functional suite! This is an extremely basic bundle that Microsoft has created to give you basic functionality, like being able to open Word/Excel docs your friends send you. You can create files too, but you do not have even close to the full capabilities of features that you would have in a purchased version of office. What's more, the Starter Edition is ad-supported; meaning you will see advertisements from Microsoft and its partners while you use it.

Want a TechDish recommendation? If you don't want to pay for Microsoft Office, try Google Docs or Microsoft Office Web Apps, both of which give you more functionality and features than Starter Edition does. Not to mention the portability features, which were all discussed in our July 30 Episode.

Still not convinced? How about a 60-day trial?

Microsoft is generously offering a fully functional FREE trial of its Office suites. And when I say fully functional, I mean just that. Use it like you bought it, as much or as little as you like; the only limitation is that you're done after 60 days. However, at any time during or after the trial should you want to purchase a full license, all you need to do is type in the registration key and activate the product. There's no need to uninstall and reinstall Office at that point. Slick!

Download Microsoft Office 2010 Trial

Which suite is right for you?

Microsoft Office 2010 has been bundled into varying suites, all geared toward your needs and what type of user you are. Home users, or users that are students will get great value with Office Home and Student—you'll get Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote, and you can install the suite on up to three computers. Small business users might be interested in Office Home and Business, which includes all of what was mentioned, and throws in Outlook, Microsoft's powerhouse email, contact and calendar management suite. It's basically your own personal administrative assistant for those of us who can't actually afford one. Larger businesses might want Office Professional, which also includes Access (Microsoft's basic database platform) and Publisher, a desktop publishing application.