MS Answers GoogZilla With Online Services
For months, the blogosphere was abuzz about potential "Microsoft killers," mainly because of the advent of open source, customizable, server-based applications put forth by whippersnapper companies like Google and Mozilla. Worldwide governments, too, forced the Redmond, Washington-based software giant to open up its code to competition. How would Microsoft deal with it? Gates and company answered today during a preview of two Web-based software services-Windows Live™ and Microsoft® Office Live.
Completely customizable for users and unprecedented for developers, both Windows Live and Office Live will be open for tweaking through publicly available application programming interfaces (API's).
"Our dream is to deliver a seamless experience where all the technology in your life and business comes together in a way that ‘just works' for you," said Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's chief technical officer during a briefing for the press and analysts.
Windows Live, the features of which are available for beta test or beta waiting list at the website, is a set of personal Internet services and software designed to integrate e-mail, instant messenger, security software, and web browser. The service also offers users the ability to access their Internet Explorer and MSN Explorer Favorites list from remotely from any online PC.
"Users also want more flexibility in creating a personalized experience with access to customized content and communications," said David Cole, senior vice president of MSN.
Most Windows Live features will available to the public free of charge and supported by advertising, though some services will be subscription and "transaction" based.
The same demo, which also included a preview of Xbox Live, debuted Microsoft Office Live, also a set of Web-based services, intended for use by small businesses. Designed to help companies establish an online presence, automate key internal and external business tasks, and collaborate with employees, partners and customers, the first roll-out of Office Live (available in the US by invitation-only beta in early 2006) is targeted at the approximately 28 million small businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
"A key objective of Office Live is to provide small businesses with the power to easily and inexpensively manage their business in a way that large enterprises already enjoy today," said Rajesh Jha, general manager of Information Worker Services at Microsoft.
"With Office Live services, we make complex technology affordable and easy to use for small businesses, empowering them to reach their business goals."
With an Office Live set-up comes a domain name, a Website with 30 MB of storage and five Web e-mail accounts at no charge through the ad-supported model. Subscription-based services for small businesses include applications to aid with business tasks like project management, sales and collateral management, customer management, expense reports, time and billing management, and secure internal and external collaboration.
"We are embarking on the richest series of product releases in our company's 30-year history," Bill Gates said. "Beyond the opportunities this presents for our customers and partners, these new live offerings represent an incredibly powerful way of enabling customers to more quickly access and benefit from the innovations being developed by our product teams."
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Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.
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