Top 10: Personal Office software

2019. Google Docs now lets natively edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint



Until now to edit Microsoft Office files in Google Docs you had to convert them to Google’s format. That’s about to change: Google just announced that it’s adding native support for Microsoft’s Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats — like .docx, .xls, and .ppt — which will let you do real-time collaboration in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. The feature is already available in the commercial versions of those apps and is coming to regular users too, as soon as this month.


2018. Microsoft removes device limits for consumer Office 365 subscribers



Microsoft will soon drop the device limit on its consumer-grade Office 365 subscriptions and increase the number of users allowed under a single Office 365 Home plan, the company announced today. Starting October 2, subscribers can install Office on an unlimited number of devices. Under current rules, Office 365 Home, which costs $100 per year, allows for installation of the suite's applications — Word, Outlook, Excel and the rest — on only 10 devices, or an allowance of two devices for each of the five users who can shelter under the umbrella of a single subscription. Meanwhile, Office 365 Personal — a $70 annual plan with rights for just one individual — capped the device count at two total.

2016. Zoho takes on Microsoft Office again


Zoho launched all-new re-imagined word processing app Zoho Writer that brings the idea of creating tools that flow with your style of work, instead of forcing their style on you. The new UI follows the life cycle of a document with the help of modes. Compose mode gives  you the most space to jot down your thoughts. Create and edit your documents with contextually placed tools that cut through the clutter. Review mode lets you work with others through real-time collaboration and editing tools. Distribute mode offers the tools needed to finalize and circulate your document. Other new features include Access Receipts, WordPress integration, e-Signature Support, Lock Selected Content.


2013. Teamlab launches free alternative to Google Docs and MS Office



Online service Teamlab is know not only for its collaboration and business management features, but also for cool online document editors that can be well compared to Google Docs, MS Office Web Apps or Zoho Docs. But until now these editors where available only for Teamlab paid users. Today TeamLab is launching a free productivity tool Teamlab Personal - an alternative to Google Drive, Skydrive and Zoho Docs. It's a cloud file storage with office editors. Teamlab says that it combines reach formatting features from MS Office with collaboration tools from Google Docs. The service allows to upload and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint from your computer and even pull docs from other online services: Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Box (note that the last three services have their own document editors). You can share files with colleagues, co-edit and comment them in real time and embed documents to your web page.


2013. Box takes on Microsoft Office and OneNote with own online document editor



From the beginning of its history the online collaboration service Box tried to hit Microsoft. More specifically, Microsoft SharePoint. These days it looked like a funny PR pitch, but look: now Box is big and growing while Sharepoint is disappearing in Office 365. And now Box is launching its own online document editor Box Notes, and Microsoft should start to worry. For building this tool Box hired Steven Sinofsky (who ran Microsoft Office and Windows) and Sam Schillace, a key force behind Google Docs. Of course, MS office - is the standard for exchanging documents between organizations. When you send a document to your client or partner, you want to be sure that the document will open and look the same as you format it. That is why all organizations use MS Office, and it will be very difficult to push Microsoft from this position. ***