Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 Betas Available for Download on TechNet

Today is a very important day for the Information Worker business! The Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 betas are being released today for Technet subscribers.

Microsoft® Office 2010 gives you rich and powerful new ways to deliver your best work - whether you’re at work, home, or school - on a computer, Web browser, or Smartphone. Grab your audience’s attention and inspire them with your ideas using enhanced tools, customizable templates, and photo editing capabilities. Work with multiple people from different locations at the exact same time using new co-authoring capabilities. By offering more ways to access your files from virtually anywhere, Office 2010 puts you in control.

I have been using Office 2010 for some time now, as many of you have seen as a result of my PowerPoint presentations running on it.  My favourite new features are spread across the office suite. Email is the main application most of us use on a day to day basis so Outlook is the application I turn to for most of my day. Outlook 2010 brings some great new features

Top 10 new ways Outlook 2010 takes your e-mail experience to the next level

You can easily manage e-mail messages from multiple mailboxes. Synchronize multiple types of e-mail accounts from services such as Hotmail, Gmail or just about any other provider to Outlook 2010. Improved connectivity with Microsoft Exchange Server supports the use and management of multiple Exchange Server e-mail accounts in one location. The Conversation View in Outlook 2010 improves the tracking and managing of e-mail conversations while saving valuable inbox space. Compress your long e-mail threads into a few conversations that can be categorized, filed, ignored or cleaned up with a few clicks.

With Quick Steps in Outlook 2010, you can save time by creating and defining multistep tasks that you can execute with a single click, including reply with a meeting request, move to a specific folder, create a new e-mail to assigned groups and more.   Conveniently and efficiently schedule appointments, share your calendar availability and manage your work schedule. With the e-mail calendar feature, you can send your schedule to others so they can quickly find time for your next appointment. If you’re using Outlook 2010 on Exchange Server, you can use the new Group Scheduling View to see multiple calendars side by side or save frequently used groups of calendars together from one place.

With Outlook 2010, you can easily sort through high volumes of data. The enhanced search tool lets you quickly find and manage large quantities of e-mail, calendar items and contact files. Dynamic graphics and picture editing tools are not just for Microsoft Office Word and Microsoft Office PowerPoint anymore. With Outlook 2010, you can grab your readers’ attention by using compelling visuals such as pre-built SmartArt Graphics, Themes and Styles. You also can more easily bring your ideas across to your readers by inserting and formatting screenshots in Outlook.   Now you can stay connected to your work and personal connections by taking the new Outlook experience with you. Enjoy the new features and benefits from Outlook 2010 on your Windows Mobile-based Smartphone or the Web by using Outlook Web Access.1

For business users, sending unnecessary e-mail messages to out-of-office contacts, accidentally replying to a large distribution list and distributing confidential information outside the company are frequent concerns. With the new MailTips feature, you’re alerted when you are about to send e-mail to a large distribution list, to someone who is out of the office or to individuals outside the organization.2 With Outlook 2010 and new technology in Exchange Server 2010 you can have voice mail and faxes sent directly to your inbox, making them capable of being accessed from almost anywhere using your computer, Outlook Mobile or Outlook Web Access.1 Keep in touch with your contacts. By using Office Communicator with Outlook 2010, you can see your Communicator buddy list. Hover over a name, see their availability and then easily initiate a conversation directly through instant messaging, voice call or video.3

see for yourself by downloading and trying the whole Office 2010 Suite and find more information at https://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/

cheers

Wilbour