Ribbon Hero Makes it Easier to Learn How to Use Office 2007 and 2010

There is Guitar Hero, there is Band Hero and now there is… Ribbon Hero? Yes you did read that correctly. You can now become your very own Office Hero.

The Ribbon UI debuted in Office 2007 and had mixed reactions. That is understandable considering that people have been using the old menu strip for over 20 years. The ribbon was designed to make it easier to find features throughout Office but the problem was that you had to lean how to use your favorite programs all over again. Because people were having a really hard time learning how the ribbon works Microsoft decided to make learning Office somewhat “fun” by turning learning the it into a game.

The game installs quickly and works very nicely. In Ribbon Hero you can collect points by completing challenges, or just doing everyday tasks. The game also has Facebook integration so you and your friends can get in  some sort of lame battle to see who can use Office better.

If you want to play ribbon hero, you can check it out here.

Technorati Tags: Office 2007,Office 2010,Games,Ribbon Hero

First Photo of Microsoft Store Construction

The first photo of a Microsoft Retail Store under construction basically confirms the the leaked store planes. These photos come to us from Microsoft’s official twitter account. The first stores will open in Arizona and Mission Viejo, California this fall.

Office 2010 Technical Preview Screenshots

Microsoft Office 2010 Build 14.0.4302.1000 has just leaked onto the internet, so it looks like there's more happening today than just build 7600 of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Office 2010 will be available both in 32 Bit and 64 Bit versions.

In January the first screenshots of an alpha build of Office 2010 leaked onto the internet. In May a Technical Preview of Office 2010 in 32-Bit and 64-Bit was leaked.

This build of Office 2010 includes Access 2010, Excel 2010, InfoPath 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Project 2010, Publisher 2010, SharePoint Designer 2010, SharePoint Workspace 2010, Visio 2010, and Word 2010.

Below are the latest screenshots:

New Office 2010 Technical Build Leaked

Microsoft Office 2010 Build 14.0.4302.1000 has just leaked onto the internet, so it looks like there's more happening today than just build 7600 of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Office 2010 will be available both in 32 Bit and 64 Bit versions.

In January the first screenshots of an alpha build of Office 2010 leaked onto the internet. In May a Technical Preview of Office 2010 in 32-Bit and 64-Bit was leaked.

This build of Office 2010 includes Access 2010, Excel 2010, InfoPath 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Project 2010, Publisher 2010, SharePoint Designer 2010, SharePoint Workspace 2010, Visio 2010, and Word 2010.

Below are the latest screenshots:

“Mondo”  is "Microsoft Office Limestone Test Application". Its not a new name for Office 2010.

 

InfoPath Editor 2010 has been renamed to InfoPath Filer 2010. There are also Microsoft Office 2010 Developer Resources (why Visio 2007 and not Visio 2010?), which were not in the previous leaked build.

Above is the previously leaked build and below is the latest. The big difference is that the Office logo has been replaced with File F. The difference in title bar is due to the Operating System.

When actually clicking on the menu, the biggest change is the fact that you have access to all the other tabs, a small but positive improvement. In the New submenu, it's obvious that some icons have been updated (like Blank Document, Recent Templates, and Sample Templates).

I recommend agenst using leaked builds of Office 2010, your better off waiting until the Official Beta comes out next summer.

Office 2010 Movie Trailer is Unbelievably Unrealistic

The Office 2010 Movie Trailer makes the life of a geek seem, filled with action, danger and beautiful women. Reality is a little more boring. Fourteen hour days spent in pyjamas, cereal for breakfast and dinner (we don't get lunch breaks), and families who constantly struggle with the question, "do you even have a job"? But most geeks are still mourning the loss of Clippy.

Microsoft Releases Office 2010 Teaser

Like big shot Hollywood studios Microsoft is trying to generate buzz around its next version of Office by releasing an exciting trailer. 

Microsoft posted a movie trailer that teases Office 2010 and added a “behind the scenes” button that pokes fun at recent leaks of Office 2010.

The "actor" being interviewed on camera likens the leaked preview to him being seen without his make-up and with a virus all over his face.

Microsoft quietly launched the website in April and has got lots of hits. Microsoft is not releasing any numbers. On the site is also a button to sign up for a technical preview of Office, which is slated to begin next month. For those who want an earlier peek, here are some screenshots.

Snow Leopard vs. Windows 7: Round One

Its easier than ever to put Mac OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard head to head because they will be launching within a month of each other. This brings up the question: which is better? Hmm…

Windows 7 uses basically the same foundation as Windows Vista while fixing the insides and making it look better while Snow Leopard focuses more on the core.

Price and Availability

The obvious winner is Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard is shipping in September for an upgrade price of only $29, Windows 7 does not come out until October 22 and there are roomers that it could be more expensive than Vista.

Performance

Windows 7 are designed to chew up less system resources. Apple promises that Snow Leopard will give you back 6 GB of Hard Drive space because Apple got rid of all PowerPC code. Microsoft has not talked about how much less space Windows 7 will take up, but they have came up with innovative ways for drivers to take up less space.

Browser

Internet Explorer 8 is by far the best browser Microsoft has ever made but Safari is much better at handling JavaScript which is important now of days.

Networking

Networking is much easier in Windows 7. You can now create a home network without the need to click buttons a few million times, and the new user interface makes much more sense.

Backup

Time Machine is awesome because it just works. Backups in Windows 7 is much better as well, and its written in PLAIN ENGLISH.

Dock vs. Taskbar

I personally think that the new taskbar is much better. Jump lists help when doing common tasks and Aero Peek is a nice touch. Little changes like Aero Snap, Shake and Peek also helped.

Snow Leopards UI is pretty much the same as Leopard, but it manages to improve in Exposé. You can do much more with the dock now, so you can easily drop files in whatever app window you want to. Exposé, my "I would die without it" feature in Leopard, now arranges windows in a neat grid, rather than scattering them across whatever space is available. Stacks is actually useful now too, since they're scrollable and you can look in folders within stacks in Snow Leopard.

Backgrounds

Windows 7 backgrounds are much better. I'm kind of tired of the OSX space background, its getting old.

Battery Life

Windows 7 supposedly improves notebook battery life by a minimum of 11 percent. On the Snow Leopard front, well, um, all of the new Macs have much bigger batteries? Since Apple didn't drop a slide at WWDC telling the whole world, we can presume there isn't any benefit.

Media

Windows Media Player can handle pretty much any format you throw at it. The UI is a little complex because its trying to do too much. It has some nice tweaks like play to, which will stream media to any compatible devices on your network. Quick Time 10 isthe same except the new logo. Like Windows Media Player, Quick Time can can handle almost all major formats.

Show Classic Menu’s in Office 2007

You have forked over a few hundred dollars to Microsoft. You’ve installed Microsoft Office 2007. Now your felling down because after you decades of using the classical Office interface Microsoft has given you an alien interface. There is no need to worry because there is a way to get it back.

Product: Classic Menu for Office 2007

Classic Menu for Office 2007 Shows Office 2003 menus and toolbars in Microsoft Office 2007 (includes Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook)...it looks just like Office 2003. Just download and install this software, the familiar interface will show all available, and many new features that have been added in the main menu and toolbars.

I have downloaded and used this and I have had a great time with it. It still will provide you with all of the Office 2007 functionality without the ribbon interface. Depending on your budget you might find Classic Menu for Office 2007 a little pricy.

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United States Army Deploying Windows Vista on 400,000 PC’s

The United States Military is currently in the process of upgrading  hundred of thousands of their PC’s to the latest version of Windows, Windows Vista.

About 13% or 440,000 computers are in the process of upgrading to Windows Vista. The switch from Windows XP includes desktop computers on classified and unclassified networks.

The migration to Windows Vista in happening while they are upgrading from Office 20030 to Office 2007. The migration to Office 2007 started before the migration to Windows Vista. Currently half the Army’s PC’s have Office 2007.

The Army has been testing Vista since its release in late 2006 and expects that users comfortable with XP and Office 2003 will need time to adjust to the new "look and feel" of the upgrades.

“During this process, we are offering several in-house training sessions, helpful quick-tip handouts, and free Army online training,"Sharon Reed, chief of IT at the Soldier Support Institute

Vista has not been a huge success for Microsoft like Windows XP was. Reviews found that the Operating System was buggy and that applications and drivers did not work.

Given the Army bureaucracy and testing requirements, it's unlikely it would move to Windows 7 anytime soon, despite it's being rated as a better OS in terms of usability. Nevertheless, in response to the Army migration, Microsoft said in an e-mailed statement Friday that the switch from Vista to Windows 7 would not present the same challenges as moving from XP to Vista.

Office 2010 Footage

One day after Office 2010 was leaked to the Internet the first videos of it are starting to appear. Here is the best video I found:

Office 2010 is currently available on torrent sites but re recommend you don’t download it.

Office 2010 Technical Preview Screenshots Leaked

Recentley we learned that Microsoft would be giving out Office 2010 Technical Preview to a select number of testers. In January the alpha of Office 2010 (aka: Office 14) were leaked a week after select testers got them. This time testers don’t have  a preview but screenshots were leaked anyhow. Office 2010 will be available in 32 bit and 64 bit and both have been leaked to the internet. We recommend that you do not download leaked software

Office 2010 includes Office 2010 includes Access 2010, Excel 2010, InfoPath 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Project 2010, Publisher 2010, SharePoint Designer 2010, SharePoint Workspace 2010, Visio 2010, and Word 2010.

Installation

The Installation is not very different from Office 2010. There are only minor changes.

Thanks to arstechnica for the screenshots.

Access 2010 Technical Preview

Excel 2010 Technical Preview

InfoPath 2010 Technical Preview

 

OneNote 2010 Technical Preview

Outlook 2010 Technical Preview

 

PowerPoint 2010 Technical Preview

Project 2010 Technical Preview

Publisher 2010 Technical Preview

SharePoint Designer 2010 Technical Preview

SharePoint Workspace 2010 Technical Preview

Visio 2010 Technical Preview

Word 2010 Technical Preview

As you can see, some applications have changed a lot more than others. The ribbon seems to be on every application now, which is great for consistency's sake. The splashscreen you see for every application is actually animated.