This includes the famous Microsoft WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT and more! It's the best kept secret on the web. If you have a Hotmail account, but do not use it much, then check your account. Get the password reset if you have to or sign up for a new account. Or what about OUTLOOK? Yes, you can use that too! The ubiquitous email client that millions upon millions use for corporate e-mail is now Hotmail. Which is now Outlook. Really, it's OUTLOOK.COM. Get it? Good. Log in. Then look in the upper left hand corner and click the down pointing arrow. You will see the applications (software). But what about Outlook? Oh yeah, it's there too. Obviously. It's fully integrated!
No matter which application you are working or playing in, you can simply click the arrow button to get to another application. It's always there, so long as you are logged in.
But, but, but what if you want to save a file in the "Cloud"? Yeah, it's there too - it's called OneDrive [formerly SkyDrive]. You just drag and drop files into it. I no longer save files on my Desktop - I just keep them on OneDrive. It's like 5 Gigabytes (7?) of space for free.
How confusing?! Well, I admit to one fact: in my opinion Microsoft has done a TERRIBLE job advertising these kick ass applications widely and easily available on the web. I am in the I.T. field so I happen to take notice of these services, but when I mention to the wife, the in-laws, and some friends, they have no idea what I am talking about. These are semi tech savvy people - like most adults these days. How can Microsoft reach them with the above information? Time will tell, but I recommend some straightforward advertising with images like the one below and frequent mention of he word 'INTEGRATED'! Maybe show real people navigating these apps? I like some of the Surface tablet ads, so maybe they can use those themes. Anyway ...
This is what it looks like, per image below - all you do is sign up for your Hotmail or Outlook.Com email and then just start looking around, maybe create and save a test file.You have nothing to lose. Businesses will incur costs with steep usage, but that is a different story (Bing for Office 365). Oh, and what about Bing? Yeah, Bing is a solid search engine, and it turns out at the top of Bing is a link to Outlook.Com, which is fully integrated with the free software and storage, as seen below, an discussed above! I just have Bing.Com as my default home page. So, this mere 4 letter web site (B-I-N-G) is in fact a secret, super simple door to the world of the below.
Search this Blog or Bing for Windows Phone, which is also fully integrated with these services.
