![]() Collaborative document editing, for example, doesn't pop up on screen in real-time as it does with Google Docs changes only reveal themselves when you save or refresh. It's an experience that's mostly seamless - but with room for improvement. If you're working on a spreadsheet with someone else, a little "refresh" graphic pops up over the save icon to let you know that changes have been made. ![]() When you want to save a Word document to the cloud, the menu prompt sits right beside the option to save locally. Related story: Microsoft wants you to pay $100 a year for Office ![]() Its features are integrated straight into the same software that non-365 users have. The beauty of Office 365 is that it isn't a completely separate piece of software. In a nutshell, it turns Office into an Internet-connected app, allowing you save documents in the cloud, collaborate with others, receive regular software updates, and use a remote version of Office from any computer if you're in a pinch. Office anywhere: The main functional improvements in Office 2013 come through Microsoft's new "Office 365" subscription service, which costs $100 per year. The software has a more minimal look, but the lack of strong visual separation between panes and buttons makes everything feel incohesive and jumbled. Microsoft took a stab at a revamp, but the result is just as cluttered and busy as ever. One area where design seems to have gotten away from Microsoft is Outlook. ![]() Office 2013 is still best experienced with a physical keyboard and mouse. That said, this isn't a touchscreen revolution. It works very well in some places, like highlighting cells in Excel or editing PowerPoint slides. Everything is a little more spaced out, which makes it easier to edit with your fingers. Microsoft's attempt to make Office 2013 touch-friendly involved minor tinkering. ![]() That's an exception, though: Most of the changes streamline the Office experience. There are a few places where the new design seems like a hindrance, like the "File" drop-down menu that takes you to a whole new screen. The texture-free graphics and stark contrast between colors makes it easier to navigate through the various interfaces of Office's different apps. ![]()
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