Microsoft Reveals Office 2010 Pricing, Preps for CES

Everything is just about set for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's keynote address tomorrow night in front of a giddy Consumer Electronics Show (CES) crowd. Big news on upcoming products is expected -- however, a day before his speech, Microsoft yesterday unveiled pricing for its highly anticipated Office 2010.

Microsoft Office is well known for its impressive suite of tools used by home and business users, including fan-favorite programs Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. The next edition of Office is due this June, but thanks to the recent announcement we now have an idea of how much Office 2010 will cost.

Prices Range from $99 to $499

Starting on the low end is Office Home and Student, which Microsoft says will retail for $149 as a boxed product, but thirty dollars cheaper if purchased with a product key card.

The next step up, Office Home and Business, will sell for $279, or $199 with the product key card. Office Professional will be available for $499 as a boxed product, and $349 with a product key.

Finally, the Office Professional Academic version of Office 2010 will actually be the cheapest option available at $99 as a boxed product, but it appears can't be unlocked on a pre-loaded PC.

Two Million Try Office 2010 Beta in Seven Weeks

It's likely this new pricing scheme will be much-discussed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week -- at least, one would figure so in considering the enormous number of people currently trying out a beta version of Office 2010.

"In just seven weeks, more than two million people around the world have downloaded and are using the Office 2010 beta," said Rachel Bondi, general manager of Microsoft Office. "To get a better appreciation for that number, it's a rate of more than 40,000 downloads per day," Bondi added in her post on the Office 2010 Engineering blog earlier this week. (Source: eweek.com)

Windows 7, MS Natal Hot Topics for CES

The Office 2010 pricing news should give Ballmer more time to talk about other issues in his address. It's expected the CEO will discuss the success of Windows 7, but also the company's upcoming video game system. No, it's not a replacement for the Xbox 360, but instead the system, named Natal, is expected to offer an experience closer to the Nintendo Wii, with motion-sensitive gameplay that challenges the player's whole body, not just his or her fingers. (Source: cnet.com)

Microsoft Natal is expected to hit sometime this year.