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Microsoft, Nokia Team To Add Mobile Office Apps To Phones

Posted by timothy on from the just-where-you-want-them dept.

CWmike writes "On the same day a court banned sales of Microsoft Office for PCs, Microsoft and Nokia said they are working together to put Microsoft Office on Nokia handsets. It's a move that should give Microsoft leverage against Google and others that are attacking its Office business with free or low-priced Web apps. The aim of the deal is to bring an application called Microsoft Office Mobile to Nokia's Symbian devices, they said. They will also do the same for other Microsoft communications, collaboration and device-management software. The applications will be available first on Nokia's E-series phones, but eventually will extend to other Nokia handsets. The Microsoft-Nokia deal brings two competitors together, but could spell the end of Windows Mobile. Gartner analyst Nick Jones said he is becoming 'more concerned' about the future for Windows Mobile and added in a blog today that Windows Mobile 7 could be Microsoft's last update of the product."

9 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. usability by blackraven14250 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Can anyone even imagine creating a serious document on any cellphone? That would be hellish.

    1. Re:usability by speedtux · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The primary use of this is for reading and annotating.

      However, many cell phones now have screens like 800x350 or 800x480 and allow full (folding) Bluetooth keyboards to be used with the phone; that kind of setup isn't all that different from a netbook.

    2. Re:usability by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If voice recognition worked...

      Or handwriting recognition.

      By my calculations, we'll get handwriting recognition just about at the point computer keyboards will have killed everybody's ability at handwriting.

    3. Re:usability by morghanphoenix · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I've lost track of how many times I've been on one of those automated call systems that used voice recognition only to have my daughter cry in the background and select the wrong option for me.

  2. user interface ? by Tom · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Uh? Who in their right mind would even want to use office on a mobile phone? The UI is bad as it is on a full-size PC.

    Seriously, a lot of these "tools" are just crap for middle management that for some reason feels empowered when they can do the secretaries job, just worse.

    --
    Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    1. Re:user interface ? by tholomyes · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Here is your travel itinerary in Microsoft Word format."

      Can you just give it to me as plaintext instead?

      --
      When did the future switch from being a promise to a threat? -C. Palahniuk
  3. Seriously?... by rAiNsT0rm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you want/need to type a Word doc or Excel spreadsheet on your damn phone then put down the phone, quit the ridiculous job that is consuming your life, and go enjoy life. A tiny screen and keyboard is no way to go through life, son.

    I guess I am throwing in the towel on my geek cred here, but seriously as many IT jobs as I've had and this has never been a need (or want).

    --
    http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
    1. Re:Seriously?... by PaddyM · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I guess you've never seen the tv out feature that normally comes with nokia phones.

  4. Don't forget keyboard by Ilgaz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Well, you forgot to tell that any bluetooth keyboard (Apple preferred for fun) can be "plugged" to Nokia smart phones to use as input, adding more to shock.

    Oh (for iPhone users), no hack needed. Nokia advertises the driver/app themselves and gives free.