Office 365 Newswire: Office 365 and Microsoft Surface Tablets – 6.22.2012

I hope you read this week’s Office Newswire. It was a special edition covering the Microsoft Surface Tablet news. I think it was some of my best work. Maybe not in the actual writing but in the culling & filtering of the news. I did some really great reading. I followed it up by some really great deciding (of what to include in the newswire).

I know it is tough to tell. I compare it to a gardener that does a great job weeding and pruning. No one notices the work he/she did. Everyone notices the pretty flowers. I am not the author of the newswires. I am its gardener.

Baseball update: Darn it! We lost… 10-3… but it was much closer than that. Until the last inning the game was 5-3 and my ball players were very close to winning. They played well against a better team and have much to be proud of. We’ll play again in the fall and this time it will be kid pitch. Kid pitch is the first step into big boy baseball.

Office 365 news & editorials!

• Office 365 and Surface Tablets: Microsoft’s Killer Combo? :: Yep, I think so. As I stated on Wednesday…all of a sudden Windows 8 makes sense to me. I think Office 365 will be a big player too. The Surface tablet doesn’t exactly have a large hard drive. The Office web apps are all-of-a-sudden more compelling too.
• Microsoft is the most exciting company in tech, hands down :: Momentum (or MOJO) is a funny thing. The further it goes in one direction, the tougher it is to reverse. Or is it? MSFT announces a (currently) vaporware-only tablet and now they are exciting? The product is months away and who knows if it will live up to its hype. To me, this headline (and there are others) proves that deep down, everyone likes MSFT. All the moaning and groaning the last decade is due to the fact that we expected more. The Surface Tablet meets our expectations, thus, we are excited… which means MSFT is exciting. Just my theory.
• Microsoft vet Tom Rizzo, voice of Office 365, hired by Amazon :: I noticed this on LinkedIn. This move is not receiving a lot of attention but it should. He was involved with some of Microsoft’s best products (SharePoint, SQL Server, back to SharePoint, and then Office 365). He is moving to Amazon’s EC2 product team. Look for big things in the near future from Amazon. BTW – Microsoft loses 10 points on the Office 365 Scoreboard for this (see below). Amazon earns 10 (even though EC2 competes with Azure and VMWare… not Google docs and Office 365).

Office 365 tips & tricks & tools

• Importing webparts to SharePoint Online :: If you know SharePoint 2010 you might think you have this covered. Well… you don’t! SharePoint Online is a different animal (a cat actually) and doesn’t like to be petted the same way as SharePoint 2010. Each cat is different you know.
• Why Metadata rules and folders suck in SharePoint :: Folders are a relic of the desktop. I shouldn’t say relic. I use folders on the desktop and I love them. But the web (and SharePoint along with it) works differently. Sure, SharePoint supports folders, but folders were added for old guys…that like to print their emails…and then read them. Folders are relics. Metadata is the SharePoint shiznit! Become the shiznit at your company by learning about metadata and implementing it.
• Plan and structure your SharePoint Online Team Site :: Like a lot of things in life, if you just sit down and make a plan, it will go much better for you. SharePoint installations all over the world are complaining how they are under-utilized, under-appreciated, and un-loved. I’ve spoken to them and 97.8% of them blame poor planning. The other 2.2% blame Steve Ballmer.
• Office 365 Journaling :: I’m okay admitting I did not know about this feature. Hey… I don’t know everything so stop judging! I bet you didn’t know about it either. In fact I know you didn’t because you are still reading my words and not theirs…
• Office 365 – Send text messages with Office 365 and Outlook Web App [Video] :: Probably useful. Just configure and start texting like a teenager.

Office 365 developer items of note

• Workflows in SharePoint Online :: A nice overview of SharePoint workflows… what they are… the different types, etc. These explanations are the thrux of the article but, there are lots of links to other resources… include how to use SharePoint Designer to build workflows. It ends with a discussion of how the different SharePoint Online plans support workflows.
• CRM 2011 –Authenticating with SharePoint Online 2010 :: As the author states, before you use code to mess with SharePoint Online, you have to authenticate first. This article briefly explains a few authentication options available to you. If you want to know more, the author was kind enough to include links.
• Handpicked Recordings – Office 365 on TechEd 2012 :: If you missed Tech Ed or you were there but missed these Office 365 sessions, you are in luck. You can watch in the comfort of black socks, shorts, and a t-shirt. It’ll be just like attending Tech Ed sans the SWAG (first definition).

Office 365 score keeping

• From professional services to aviation to healthcare: The Office 365 family is growing again :: 4 points for MSFT!
• Google Apps v. Office 365: Content and document management :: it’s a tie because it depends… Google Apps is cheaper and SharePoint Online has more features (for about the same price). I’ll be lame and give each 1/2 point (this article is worth a read too… btw.)
• Always connected, always ready: Welcome to the cloud, Danish Red Cross! :: 1 point for MSFT

Cutting room floor

• Starbucks ambient noise offers good environment for creativity
• Microsoft Office 365 video infographic
• Office 365 in moving pictures :: You know, I’ve produced a few videos. When I see this white board animation effect, I’m always impressed.