So, finally, Microsoft is soon to release an online version of its famous MS Office suite. After the success of Zoho and Google docs, Microsoft’s Office was expected to arrive. The service is named Equipt and it offers Microsoft Office + Windows Live OneCare antivirus software. The annual subscription price is $70. And the license is valid for three computers. Now considering that Microsoft Office alone costs $ 120 (Home and Student version), it seems like a good deal. Plus, there is also Windows Live One Care, compounded by the fact that all this is  for three computers, actually. The overall cost of per software, per machine comes way down than the individual cost of the out-of-box software.

Bryson Gordon, group product manager, Microsoft Office, said

“With Microsoft Equipt we’re improving our customers’ computing experience by giving them essential software in a package that offers an easy install and setup experience, as well as a convenient and affordable way to stay updated with the latest versions of Office and Windows Live OneCare,”

The offers will appear in the Circuit City retail outlets across 700 cities in the US since mid-July.

Elliot Becker, vice president, general merchandise manager technology, Circuit City, said on this

“We are very pleased to be the first partner to offer Microsoft Equipt through nearly 700 Circuit City retail outlets throughout the U.S. Microsoft Equipt delivers on an unmet customer need for an easy way to get the essential productivity and security software in an all-in-one package. And with the added benefit of getting the latest software as part of the Microsoft Equipt subscription, we expect this service to be a runaway hit.”

Software as a service still has some bottlenecks though, primarily in the speeds of the Internet. This problem is even more prominent in India, where the Internet speeds are still more lower, and piracy is common. But a low enough price is a definite incentive for the professional users, organizations and educational institutions wanting to use the Office products.

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