Microsoft Office 2013 is now on sale

The long-awaited arrival of Microsoft Office 2013 is finally here, and it is available for Windows RT –  the Windows 8 version for tablets – which fully integrates with SkyDrive, in addition to offering cloud storage capabilities. However, what has come as the biggest surprise is the ability to pay for a monthly subscription.  You can rent a fully-functional Office 2013 Home Premium for less than $10 per month.

The appearance of this version of Office has been completely re-done and adapted to that of Windows 8, which means it is more simple and great for touch screens. The fact that it offers cloud storage and a subscription service could attract more buyers, considering it is one of the most pirated programs in the world.

Here is a list with all the different versions and their prices:

• Home Premium: 5 licences, 20GB of cloud storage on SkyDrive, and 60 minutes of international calling on Skype for $99 per year, or $10 per month.
• Office Home and Student: 1 license for $140, and you get Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
• Office Home and Business: 1 license for $220, and you get Excel, Outlook, Word PowerPoint, and OneNote.
• Office Professional: 1 license for $400, and you get the entire Office Suite.

Obviously, Microsoft is hoping that the majority of users purchase the Home Premium version – it is the biggest bang for the buck, and the best way for the company to control illegal use of the product. In addition, the online storage is a pretty attractive offer, and is a push towards its cloud service, SkyDrive. In the words of the company itself, all this “changes the dynamics of Office,” because now it’s part of “the entire family, regardless of the device.”

Just as a side note, it’s interesting that Microsoft is pushing Internet sales more than it is in-store and retail. You can download your free 30-day trial here, but once the trial limit is up, you’ll have to change the settings to not pay per month, or else it will begin charging you automatically.

Microsoft’s next step for strengthening the brand is to release Office 2013 in March for smartphones, both on iOS and Android.

Download Office 2013 Beta on Uptodown
http://microsoft-office-2013.en.uptodown.com/