Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac

I've been teaching 4 many years & have depended on Office 04 2 make the best of my presentations & of student projects 4 evaluations & 4 parents during conference & have been pleased. But I must admit that Office 08 was a must needed improvement.

The main goal of Office 08 has 2 give your presentations a lot more pop & 2 make it easier 2 do so. The templates are better in Office but overall Word isn't drastically different. I didn't have any hiccups trying 2 kick off 04 4 the newer version. It all went smoothly.

I don't have any issues with Office 08, in fact, I like it better than 04 just 4 its drop down menu alone. As I stated earlier, it's not a HUGE difference from 04 & 4 those who don't rely 2 much or need 2 upgrade will be fine with 04. But 4 those who found some nagging instances in 04 might want 2 upgrade. The price is worth it 4 more intuitive software, I don't have a problem paying 4 something that saves me time, 08 is definitely worth the price.

I have been using MS Office 2004 4 several years. "Upgraded" 2 2008 the other day... I guess I'm just not a power user because I had no installation problems & Word, Excel, & PowerPoint all work speedily enough 4 me. I am very comfortable using Word, Excel & PowerPoint & agree with the previous reviewer that if it's what you use (and have like me, always used since the first Word 4 Mac was released back in the Dark Ages), the transition is simple, quick, & effective. I was comfortable with Office 98, 01, 04, & am perfectly comfortable using 2008. I experienced no formatting issues (yet: very sorry 2 read the SA reviewer's trials with her book), either. I stopped using Entourage back when I upgraded 2 Intel machines, so I can't comment upon that.

People complaining about the price should be realistic... if it's necessary 4 your work, spend the money, get started learning the ins&outs, & move on.

BTW: icons 4 the various programs on the Dock don't bother me, saved me the time of putting them there myself. I was a bit surprised 2 see that smaller icons over folders (e.g., Documents folder) changed 2 MS icons, but I really don't care about that...

Bottom Line: it's a set of useful computer programs that installed easily on a device 2 make tasks easier, & it works. Whether it's a value-added upgrade is up 2 the individual, but if you're just starting with Office, go 4 this one.

I have two Macs, one big one, one laptop. I've been using Microsoft Office 2004 4 Mac 4 several years. Anything I had an inkling 2 do or create in the Office suite, I could pretty much do.

I'm not someone who uses all the features of every application. I do the basic stuff, sometimes throwing in a little extra something when using Powerpoint, but that's about it. I use Word 2 create text docs, Excel 4 financial worksheets & charts 4 presentations, Powerpoint 4 presentations, & Entourage 4 email & small project management.

I've never been a fan of the interface Microsoft uses 4 their Office apps. Maybe they're 2 "Windows-ish" 4 me but they never seemed up-to-date enough.

Good news: the interface has been gussied up in Microsoft Office 2008 4 Mac.

Bad news: that's about all that's been improved - at least from what I've been able 2 tell so far

I also had some trouble installing on both computers & like another reviewer was annoyed that it automatically added icons 2 my desktop. It took two tries 2 get the apps fully installed but they launched fine after that.

My favorite changes are that you can send documents within a word doc, & the updates 2 Messenger I can see being useful but I haven't really used it yet.

I'll update more as I use all the apps more heavily. But 4 now, if you're using Office 2004 4 Mac, it's not worth changing 2 2008 at this point.

Pros
1) ummm.......Looks nice

Cons : Pretty much what has been said before
1) NO ENDNOTE SUPPORT (and in the absence of VBA, likely never 2 get endnote support in the near future)
2) Very slow in start-up!
3) Pricey, very pricey 4 what you get

The only solution 4 academic users I suggest is 2 install & use "Bookends" by Sonny software, which they have had 2 use a scripts workaround 2 work with office 2008, but AT LEAST IT WORKS! (I've found bookends 2 be superior 2 endnote anyways)

In summary, $400US 4 a facelift is a bit pricey...
I think it is time 4 both Apple & Microsoft 2 get back 2 basics & address flaws in their software: pre-Intel the situation was far superior.

Well, it's not without its issues, but 4 me this upgrade hasn't been as horrific as others state. I didn't install Entourage as I have always disliked it, but as 4 the rest, the menus all definitely look nicer & glossier, closer 2 the "Aero" look of Vista & I would even say, similar 2 iWork's Pages, a big compliment. Some good things: PowerPoint's layout now seems 2 include a Slides pane, which I never saw in Office 2004; in 04' I also couldn't drag up & down fast in Excel without the dragging continuing even after I let go of the mouse, a huge bug now finally fixed. Word looks & feels great, just like before. All programs now seem 2 have a pull down sub-Menu with things like SmartGraphics, WordArt, Charts & Templates, which is a nice addition.

As 4 the pretty bad: so slooow! On my MacBook Pro it can take up 2 30 seconds 4 Word 2 even open after double-clicking (the others maybe 15-20 seconds). Mac programs 4 me have always been slower 2 open than their Windows counterparts, but this is a bit much. Also, every once in a while, typing kind of drags behind & has 2 "catch up" with the word. Very annoying.

Overall though, a number of nice layout, features & aesthetic improvements makes this upgrade worthwhile.

A streamlined user interface, hundreds of new themes & templates, & better compatibility with your Windows-based colleagues--with Microsoft Office 2008 4 Mac, you'll simplify your work & achieve more with less effort.

Five Great Reasons 2 Upgrade 2 Office 2008 4 Mac: Universal applications: Office 2008 runs natively on both Intel- & PowerPC-based Macs. Easier interface: You'll quickly build professional, compatible & complex documents using the simplified user interface & new tools like Document Elements. With a visual gallery 4 selecting elements like cover pages, bibliographies, & citations, you're one-click from finished. Your Mac, more compatible: Office 2008 4 Mac & the Windows-based 2007 Office System share the Open XML file formats, the Office Art graphics engine, & many other features that result in compatibility & file fidelity. You'll be confident when sharing ideas & documents with colleagues regardless of which platform they're on. Great documents: Professional design is within your power with hundreds of new customizable templates & suite-wide themes, SmartArt graphics, & the new Publishing Layout View in Word 2008. Your day, well managed: My Day keeps you connected 2 all of the day's action. Command your calendar, tackle your tasks, & simplify your day with this easy 2 use but powerful little tool. Which Version of Office 2008 is right 4 you? View this comparison chart.

Simplify Your Work
Your presentation will make an impact. Your documents will be professional. Your analysis will be insightful. And Office 2008 will be there.
The latest version of the industry standard 4 productivity software on the Macintosh platform, Microsoft Office 2008 4 Mac is more powerful & easier 2 use. Office 2008 combines Microsoft Word 4 Mac, Microsoft PowerPoint 4 Mac, Microsoft Excel 4 Mac, Microsoft Entourage 4 Mac, & Microsoft Messenger 4 Mac & lets you easily create high-impact documents & seamlessly share your ideas with others, whether they are on the Mac or Windows platform.

What's New in Office 4 Mac?

• Universal versions of the most popular productivity applications on the Macintosh platform (Universal applications run natively on Intel- & PowerPC-based Macs.)
• Microsoft Office 4 Mac natively supports the Open XML file formats 4 compatibility with Windows-based 2007 Microsoft Office products.
• A redesigned user interface & powerful new tools 4 simplifying work, creating great looking documents, & exchanging ideas & information with others.

Highlights of Office 2008 4 Mac

• Office 2008 is a Universal Binary, was built by Mac users 4 Mac users, & includes many features which take advantage of underlying technologies of the Macintosh platform.
• Office 2008 uses Open XML file formats 4 compatibility with Windows-based 2007 Microsoft Office products. XML file formats help reduce the risk of lost information due 2 damaged or corrupted files & also result in smaller file sizes--up 2 75 percent smaller than comparable binary documents. Office 2008 4 Mac is backward-compatible with earlier file formats & users can continue 2 use the older .doc, .xls, & .ppt binary formats.
• Elements Gallery is the foundation of the new user interface, & gives easy access 2 the most commonly used tools & templates. With the new UI, you'll harness the capabilities of Office 4 Mac more easily than ever before.
• Office 2008 includes OfficeArt, the powerful graphics engine also used in the Windows-based Office 2007 products. You get great cross-platform file fidelity & easy access 2 stunning visual & graphic effects.
• Your words will make an impact with the modern styling of SmartArt graphics, which makes transforming text & bulleted lists into professional diagrams & graphics one-click easy.
• A new Themes capability simplifies the process of applying a consistent look & feel across documents. Easily apply a complete set of colors, fonts, & effects 2 your Office 2008 documents, & change them as easily as changing your mind.
• Automator Actions 4 Workflows in Microsoft Office enables you 2 automate Office 2008 with more than 70 pre-defined actions built 2 simplify your work & extend your productivity. (Available in Office 2008 4 Mac & Office 2008 4 Mac Special Media Edition.)

Entourage 2008, the hub of Office 2008, helps it 2 happen, one task at a time.

Enjoy powerful new tools, over 100 designer templates, rich themes, & an intuitive user interface in Word 2008.

Entourage 2008
Your e-mails will spark ideas, you'll schedule meetings where creativity abounds. Entourage 2008, the hub of Office 2008, helps it 2 happen, one task at a time.

• My Day keeps you connected 2 the action. Schedules, tasks, & priorities in one easy, standalone interface. Time will have no choice but 2 be well-managed.
• Use color-coded categories, status indicators, & flexible To-Do list management humble even the most hectic schedules.
• Office 2008 4 Mac & Office 2008 Special Media Edition enable users 2 access their Microsoft Exchange server accounts with Entourage.
• Improved Junk E-Mail filtering capabilities & phishing protection tools help shield your inbox from the scourge of junk. Your inbox will breathe a sigh of relief.
• Projects submit 2 your superior management skills when you unleash the power of Project Center, With project details like e-mail messages, documents, schedules, & contacts in one convenient place, Project Center helps keep your information--and your stress--under control.

Word 2008
Powerful new tools, over 100 designer templates, rich themes, & an intuitive user interface in Word 2008 will help you 2 make your ideas look as good as they are.

• When you turn blah into brilliant, Publishing Layout View will elevate the way you think about Word 2008. This new specialized & customizable workspace lets users create incredibly rich documents such as newletters, flyers & brochures without a degree in design.
• Great looking document construction won't require a hard hat. New Templates, Themes, & Document Elements like cover pages & bibliographies make creating professional-looking output a snap.
• Your words will make an impact with the modern styling of SmartArt, which makes transforming text into high-quality graphics & diagrams as easy as one click.
• Dynamic Guides will help you keep all of your words & graphics in line & on point.
• Mass mailings will have a personal touch & Word 2008 Mail Merge Manager will guide you step by easy step.

Inspire your audience's imagination with compelling visuals & engaging layout in PowerPoint 2008.

Analyze, share, & manage your data, & easily create persuasive charts & thought-provoking graphs 4 powerful results with Excel 2008.

PowerPoint 2008
Your presentation is a story. PowerPoint 2008 will illustrate it. Inspire your audience's imagination with compelling visuals & engaging layout.

• Great ideas will get their graphic due with SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint 2008. Start with a blank slide or a bulleted list, and, with a click of a button, you'll have a stunning chart, table, map, or diagram.
• Designer Themes help you give your presentation a creative look, simply & quickly.
• The new Object Palette allows quick access 2 all your shapes, art, symbols, & pictures--including iPhoto files--in one easy-to-access space.
• Dynamic Guides will help you place & resize your graphic element 2 create professional-looking presentations in a snap.
• You'll lay out custom designs 2 showcase your unique content with custom layout capabilities in PowerPoint 2008.
• PowerPoint 2008 integration with Apple Remote Control lets you concentrate on your words, not your keyboard. Now control your presentation & engage your audience unleashed from the podium.

  Excel 2008
  It's a numbers game. With Excel 2008, analyze, share, & manage your data, & easily create persuasive charts & thought-provoking graphs 4 powerful results.

  • Ledger Sheets in Excel 2008 make tracking finances, inventories, even invoices & portfolios easy with preformulated spreadsheets & automatic calculations.
  • Charting improvements artfully convey the message your data is telling. You'll see your numbers in a whole new way.
  • The new prebuilt functions tackle the most common tasks & make creating error-free complex conditional formulas easier.
  • Quick access 2 formulas makes functions more functional with Formula Builder in Excel 2008.
  • Your data will know virtually no limits. Excel 2008 now supports over 16,000 columns & over 1 million rows.
  • Whether you're an Excel expert or a complete novice, Excel 2008 Formula AutoComplete simplifies your calculations by providing a dynamic pop-up menu so you can select & complete your formula.

  Messenger 4 Mac
  Convenience is the name of the game 4 Mac users who want 2 communicate instantly with family, friends & colleagues from one convenient place. Messenger 4 Mac is now a Universal application, & gives you more ways 2 share what's on your mind or on your plate.

  Use Messenger 4 Mac 2 instantly check the status of project team members, streamline workflow by sending documents directly from Word, or offer questions or comments on document changes instantly.

  • Yahoo! Interoperability will allow personal users 2 connect & message with Yahoo! Messenger 4 Mac users.
  • Your intentions will never again be in doubt when you create your own custom emoticons in Messenger 4 Mac.
  • Spelling Checker is now included in Messenger 4 Mac.
  • Let the world know your tastes when you display your iTunes selection with the new "What I'm listening 2 now" feature.