Office for Mac 2011 Revealed

Office for Mac 2011 will approach parity with Office 2010 for Windows, including support for multiuser authoring of Word and PowerPoint files, a Mac-tailored version of the Ribbon user interface, and a Mac version of the Outlook e-mail client, which will replace Entourage. The changes continue Microsoft’s longstanding focus on giving Mac users a similar experience to PC users with Office, while supporting unique Mac features, such as Time Machine backup and restore. However, the suite’s complete features, pricing, and availability date have not yet been announced.

Catching Office 2010

Microsoft announced Office for Mac 2011 at IDG’s Macworld Expo in Feb. 2010. The conference, which showcases software and peripherals for Apple’s Mac computers and other Apple products, was unusual because Apple did not participate. Apple has usually been a major presence, and its CEO Steve Jobs delivered a keynote address every year between 1997 and 2008. Nonetheless, Microsoft decided to participate in order to reiterate its commitment to developing and updating Office for Mac.