Office Newswire: Will the new Office developer model be successful?
I’ve been thinking about The Tablet Wars and how the market is changing.
Yes, there have been lots of changes already.
But these changes are overwhelming due to a single product… the iPad.
Apple has enjoyed a big lead because they took the risk to create a tablet device based on the iPhone.
The press made fun of it; saying the name was unfortunate.
The press doubted the iPad was needed.
What would people do on it that they couldn’t do with iPhone?
I doubt Apple knew the answer to that last question. What they did know was they had something good with the iPhone.
Maybe they could have something even better if they turned the iPhone into a tablet?
As it turned out, yes… yes they could… and did.
Last week Amazon announced their update to the Kindle Fire. It’s impressive. I like it.
Today, Apple will probably announce the iPhone 5 and an iPad Mini. I’m sure I’ll be impressed. I’m sure I’ll like them.
Microsoft Surface is set to release October 26th. It too is impressive. I want one!
I’m sure the Nexus and Galaxy are set for new releases too (but I don’t pay much attention to them).
Apple is in the lead, but everyone else is catching up. I think Microsoft Surface + Windows 8 surpasses the iPad.
Surface is a table, but it also lets me go to the desktop and use Office to write… with a keyboard!
Ultimately, I will go with what helps me be productive. I’d like it to be a single device. That means either Surface or my existing setup.
I don’t have compelling reason to change or upgrade… except for the fact that I like the shiny new stuff.
Speaking of shiny new stuff, today’s Newswire leads with a great piece covering the app store model for developers.
Office news & editorials!
- The Office 2013 developers’ model: fourth yime’s the charm? :: This one is a must read. Did Office get it right with Apps for Office and its adoption of web technologies for building Office extensions? I won’t spoil this opinion. But whether you agree or not, I don’t think MSFT had a choice.
- What business model is right for your app? :: From the Apps for Office blog, a discussion the supported app business models. Here you will find details regarding trial versions, app pricing, updates, and more.
- Windows Store now open to all developers in 120 markets :: Here is another sign that Windows 8 will be here soon. The Windows App Store has opened its doors to a slew of developers who were previously excluded.
Office user tips & tricks & tools
- SharePoint 2013 – The new business intelligence center :: BI is big focus of all major software manufacturers. Microsoft’s BI platform is tightly integrated with SharePoint, Office, & SQL Server. There is a lot of new MSFT BI features to excite your senses. This article is filled with pictures and just enough words to explain them.
- LinkedIn and Facebook join forces with Microsoft Office 2013 :: This news should not be surprising. I’m waiting to hear how Twitter will be incorporated. Together, they will form a "distraction trifecta". I will be unable to do any work but at least I’ll know whose cat is looking for a job.
- VSDX: the new Visio file format :: Visio’s file format is now XML-based. It’s about time. This file format makes many features possible, like co-authoring. Does anyone really use co-authoring? I suppose it’s great when faced with a massive deadline. You can divide the document into sections, assign them to people, and everyone can crank-it-out together. That could be useful.
- Get Started with Project Web App :: I am not a fan of Microsoft Project and Project Server. But, I’m intrigued by the new Project Web App. I’ll give it a shot. Maybe this time, Microsoft "got it right" (for my purposes).
- Windows 8 desktop comes back with RetroUI from Thinix :: Windows 8 does not include a Start button for the desktop. This is not an acceptable situation to many people with grey hair. If you find this situation unacceptable, this tool will help. I installed it and found it to reduce my change-induced anxiety. I sleep better knowing the Start menu is where it should be.
Office developer items of note
- Using the JavaScript object model (JSOM) in apps for SharePoint :: The Apps for SharePoint model requires you to develop with JavaScript. Naturally, you need to be proficient with the JSOM.
- What Visual Studio 2012 and .NET 4.5 offer developers :: There’s more to VS 2012 than its IDE. Here is an objective, tech-journalist, review.
- Microsoft delivers its free WebMatrix 2 Web development tool bundle :: This is probably important.
- SharePoint 2010 Ribbon CSS classes explained :: This is definitely important.