The beta launch of microsoft office 365 will take place among a few thousand takers in thirteen countries, it will go on general release early next year. Although Microsoft built its business on desktop applications, as previously discussed, they have recently declared that they are “all in” when it comes to The Cloud. It should go without saying that business is their main focus.
Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), bundled SharePoint, Exchange, Office Communications and Live Meeting, all online. BPOS is to be rebranded Office 365 and given added capabilities that should remove all doubt about Microsoft’s intentions as a cloud-applications host. “Office 365 is the best of everything we know about productivity, all in a single cloud service,” Kurt DelBene, president of Microsoft’s Office Division, was qouted in their press release. “With Office 365, your local bakery can get enterprise-calibre software and services for the first time, while a multinational pharmaceutical company can reduce costs and more easily stay current with the latest innovations.”
For those smaller businesses with fewer than 25 employees, Microsoft is to offer the Office 365 suite with Office Web Apps, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and Lync Online for $6 per month - appologies, only US price indications at the moment but this represents a discount on the current BPOS price to be unveiled in the near future.

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