Microsoft Makes Office 2013 Available to MSDN and TechNet

Subscribers to MSDN and TechNet are now able to access the release to manufacturing build (RTM) of Microsoft’s new 2013 Office client, as of October 24, 2012. The suite also includes Office servers Lync Server 2013, Exchange Server 2013, and SharePoint Server 2013.

Originally Microsoft released to manufacturing the final version of Office 2013 server, client and services on October 11, 2012. At this point, Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Office Division, announced that the volume licensees should not expect the release until mid-November. It now seems that the timing prediction was a little over-cautious and that the complete Office 2013 development and release is ahead of its predicted schedule.      

The release includes the final version of Microsoft Office 2013, which is estimated to be generally available in the first quarter of 2013. The pricing information should be available by the beginning of December 2012.

The object of offering the RTM version ahead of schedule to volume licensees means they have plenty of time to analyze and evaluate the product before it makes general release.

For customers who are eager to buy Office before the new version is released, Microsoft is giving Office 2010 purchasers a free copy of Office 2013 as soon as it debuts.

Microsoft also recently announced that Office Home & Student 2013 RT, Surface RT and a number of other Windows 8 RT devices are also ready ahead of schedule. Customers have the option of manually downloading the end release using Windows update or wait for it to be downloaded automatically and installed shortly after their new device has been used, providing they have a Wi-Fi connection.

“This is one of the first opportunities to get the most vibrant, exciting release of Office ever. Office Home & Student 2013 RT provides a complete Office experience and includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. It is optimized for touch, long battery life and the tablet form factor. The new Office and Windows RT devices seamlessly blend form and function, portability and productivity, and play and work in a single device,” said Microsoft's Oliver Roll.

Office 2013 is set to make a difference for IT professionals with a number of new features including:

• Active Directory-Based activation
  
  
• Office Telemetry Dashboard and Office Telemetry Log
  
  
• Click-to-Run customization
  
  
• Office Telemetry Dashboard and Office Telemetry Log
  
  
• New Group Policy and OCT settings
  
  
• Downloadable proofing tool packages

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