Believing on those handful of people who have been lucky enough to get their hands on the preview version of Office 15, the key takeaway is that Microsoft hasn’t yet decided the final product branding for Office 15. There are genuine reasons for it as well.

First, Microsoft is not yet confirmed about the exact time-frame when Office version will launch to the market. It could be anywhere between October 2012 to April 2013. As Office versions have always been named in congruence of the year of launch, Microsoft is still facing dilemma over what should be the ideal product name.

Also, even if next Office version hits the markets in 2012, the product name will have to live most of its product lifespan with an outdated name. From that perspective, Office 2013 would be more appropriate name.

But ahead of all these things, lies a superstitious belief behind the number ’13′. Microsoft may not want to take a risk by naming their ace product, in a way that could cause superstitious believers, pass on to the next Office version. And we all know how badly we try to avoid number ’13′ in our daily lives and Microsoft is well aware of it.

All these reasons haven’t yet cleared the air over what the next version of Office is going to be called. Few observers also suggested the possibility of Microsoft naming Office 15 as something different than just the ‘year of launch’, something similar to what Microsoft did with Windows Vista.

But that seems highly unlikely as Microsoft has hardly experimented with naming policy of its Office versions in the past and may not wish to interrupt that sequence. A sequential naming helps connecting the dots between the previous versions and the upcoming ones and people easily related to getting upgraded in this sort of naming policy.

Any final comments on this would be too early but still, we would like to bet on Office 2012 as the official name for Office 15, as that will validate the launch year, which will most probably be this year(2012) and this will also help Microsoft keep Office 15 from being associated with the number ’13′ by any chance.

Office productivity suite is the second biggest cash-cow for Microsoft and we can only see Microsoft playing a safe game with the product branding.

Now Microsoft is expected to launch ‘Office 15′ during the latter half of the year and that also means that it will probably be the first time in the long history of Microsoft that both of its main cash cows, Windows OS and Office application suite, will be released during the same time frame.

Generally, Microsoft chooses to keep a sizable gap in between releases of Windows and Office versions for thoughtful reasons. At one side, it wants to keep the revenues flowing so when a new version of Windows or Office suite releases in the market in any particular year, Microsoft gets to focus all its emphasis(marketing push etc) on just one product launch and this keeps the revenues at peak levels, year after year.

Microsoft also knows that its enterprise customers as well as personal userbase may not commit to buying both the latest versions of Windows as well as Office suite, simply because of limited budget. Hence, Microsoft has so far chosen to not put customers into a position where they end up choosing between ‘A’ and ‘B’, instead of buying both.

But this time, Microsoft is looking to drift  away from its strategy from releasing its core products in different years as both  Windows 8 and Office 2012 are going to be launching during fall this year. And rightly so. Microsoft has some solid reasons to defend its strategy of releasing both its ‘key’ products at the same time.

1. Windows 8 is a touch-optimized OS and has been developed from the ground up. That means, no power-hogging native applications would run on WOA(Windows 8 on ARM) devices such as tablets. And therefore, running older Office 2010 on Windows 8 (on ARM as well as x86) may not get down too well with the consumers. And Microsoft loyalists will surely desire a compatible and smoothly running Office application suite for Windows 8 and this will ask for a newer, re-worked Office version.

2. Windows 8 is a completely re-worked OS, embracing the new Tile-based design theme that Microsoft developed for Windows Phone OS earlier. Slowly and gradually, Microsoft has transformed all its product designs and its web properties into tile-based design and therefore, it wouldn’t be a great idea to not have a re-designed and touch-optimized Office app for future Windows 8 buyers.

3. Microsoft has been trying to position its next generation Windows OS as the meeting point of couch computing(via tablets) and Productivity computing (desk based PCs and notebooks). Windows 8 will be much more attractive to the end buyer compared to any other Android tablet or even the current tablet market leader iPad,  if Microsoft is able to convince the buyers that the touch-optimized Windows 8 is the best productivity for touch based devices. And that’s nearly impossible without the unparalleled backing of the next generation, touch optimized Microsoft Office for Windows.

We strongly believe that Microsoft’s “risky” decision of bringing both next generation Windows and Office together, will prove to be a stunner for the Redmond company.

The Daily posted a snap of the Office app running on an iPad. The reporter also wrote that they were given a brief demo by a Microsoftie and the overall look and feel of the app, as per the observations of the reporter, was quite reminiscent with the Metro design language, which can be observed in Windows Phone OS or yet-to-launch Windows 8.

Although Microsoft has blatantly denied the reporting done by The Daily, rumor has it that official Office version for iPad was certainly in the works for quite sometime and now, it’s only a matter of official clearances and launch of the app.

As Microsoft Business division earns more money for Microsoft than Windows division, Office team does not want to loose out of any opportunity to sell more Office apps to millions of users.

As Windows 8 tablets are still far too distant, Office for iPad could bring a fresh breeze of revenues for Microsoft and that’s been one of the key reasons why ‘Office for iPad’, despite some internal turbulance from Windows division, is being pushed to hit the iOS App store soon.

Along with this, we’re also hearing news about an updated OneNote app for iPad. Quite recently, Microsoft released official OneNote app for Android but OneNote app for iOS has been in existence for quite sometime now. Speculations are strong enough that along with Office for iPad, there will be an update to OneNote app for iOS as well, making it more Metro-ish than what it is right now..

Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010, which is a discounted version of Office Professional 2010 and specifically meant for academic students has just been transformed into a new version.

And not only the new name, the identity verification process involved has also been reworked.

The new version, rebranded as Office University 2010, is packaged with the same contents as follows:

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• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• OneNote
• Outlook
• Publisher
• Access

Even the cost is the same, which is $99. The only difference, which also reflects with a new name is the narrower eligibility criteria. Office University 2010, as the name suggests, is exclusively available for University students and faculty. K12 students are not eligible for Office University 2010.

With narrower eligibility, Microsoft is aiming to curb another critical thing: Misuse. Office Academic 2010 is equivalent to a full version Office Professional 2010 and therefore, any interested person in full Office version would love to buy Office Academic 2010, as it comes way too cheaper.

The only requirement for buying a hugely discounted Office Academic 2010 was owning a .edu email address. Now, even if you’re not a student, it isn’t a big deal for temporarily managing an .edu account for buying an online product.

That “misuse” of the affordable accessibility of high-end office suite was pissing off Microsoft for a long time and as a result, the product has been rebranded as ‘Office University 2010′, restricted to only Higher education students and faculty members and on top of it all, the identity verification process has been beefed up for lesser chances of any further abuse of the offer.

With new verification rules in place, the Office University 2010 will not be sold with a product key but only a PIN. That PIN will then be used along with couple of other things for Identity verification such as School email ID or International School Identity card.

You can claim your activation key for genuinely bought copy of Office University 2010 through this link.

As you can yourself notice in the screenshots for the next genenation Office UI, Office 15 (or Office 2012) is going to be much flatter, simpler and without much lines or shortcuts at the front end. The UI is obviously inspired from the Windows 8 UI.

The most surprising change in Office 15′s UI is the absence of Ribbon interface, something that was introduced with Office 2007 and spread further in other applications with the release of Office 2010. Looks like Microsoft wants to hide everything under the shelves, in pursuit of keeping the UI free from distractions.

Microsoft Office 2012 screenshots are also indicating that users will experience uniform design code while using Windows 8 along with Office 15 (or Microsoft Office 2012).

The upcoming office UI looks more polished and appropriate for the touch interface, which is quite thoughtful as next Office version is going to debut in an era which will coincide with the launch of much awaited and touch-optimized Windows 8.

It makes a lot of sense for Microsoft to create an Office version that works equally well in touch based devices(such as tablets) as it works in non-touch devices(such as PC, notebooks) and this vindicates the decision of Office team to go with flatter, clutter-free design theme for Office 15.

Here’s a video from The Verge that takes you through a preview version of ‘Office 15′, running on Windows 8 on an ARM device. Take a look!

Mobile version of Microsoft OneNote, also known as OneNote Mobile was earlier exclusive to iOS then later on, a version of OneNote also released for Windows Phone OS.

But Android, which is the biggest smartphone OS by marketshare was not provided with a native mobile version of OneNote till date. But from now on, OneNote Mobile for Android is available for download for free.

With OneNote android app, you will be able to create, edit and sync your notes and all your notes will be stored and synced in the cloud through your Skydrive account so you can access those notes anytime, anywhere.

App’s price is ‘free’ for initial usage. But it asks you to upgrade the app for unlimited use, if and when you cross 500 notes. You will be required to pay $4.99 to upgrade the app for unlimited use.

OneNote app for Android has been released internationally in all major countries.

Catch up with the launch video!

In fact, EU data protection authorities have asked Google to ‘pause’ implementation of changes to its privacy policies(Update: which Google has declined. see more details below), until the implications of the changes become clear. And the concerns raised by various authorities aren’t baseless.

Google has in fact been in the possession of exorbitant amount of user data at this point. Even a gmail conversation, which is totally a personal and confidential data for any gmail user, is used by Google to serve targeted ads to that user.

For the same reason, Microsoft is leaving no stone unturned in reporting to the end users about how much of their data is exposed to Google via various free services that Google provides.

They plastered tons of ads on major newspapers in United States this past week, alerting the users about the intrusion in user privacy, countesy Google services.

They also posted the video of Gmail Man, a portrayal of how your data is used to target ads according to you and make Google more money.

It is yet to be seen how end users may react to the whole ‘user privacy’ controversy as going by the early experiences, users are way too inclined to set of services offered by Google that they may not really care about privacy invasion that much.

UPDATE: As per latest update, Google has declined to honor EU Data protection authority’s request to delay implementation of changes to its privacy policies. Here’s Google’s reply in its entirety.

While the statement of next Office version being “most ambitious ever” seems more like a marketing jargon, there are good chances that the next Office version may bring some drastic changes into the Office UI, specially at the time when Microsoft is  aggressively embracing Metro UI for all its applications and software programs.

PJ Hough, corporate vice president for Office program development recently wrote an official post announcing the beginning of limited Technical Preview for Office 15(or Microsoft Office 2012).

Under Technical Preview, the software program will be given out to limited set of people who will get their hands on the yet-to-release Office 15 and will offer their feedback to Office team throughout their use. This previewing process will not be shared in the public domain as users will have to abide by NDA(Non-disclosure agreement) that Microsoft applies to all its users of technical preview.

Hough said the updates to Office 15 will bring revisions to Office-related cloud based services, mobile & PC clients along with server clients as well. Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, Project, and Visio will likely be updated and may get integrated altogether.

Limited Technical Preview will soon be followed up with Beta release of ‘Office 15′ when everyone will get to use next Office version in beta mode. Office 15 Beta could arrive by as early as summer of 2012.

Taking a cue from the product release schedules of Office 2010 and earlier Office versions, we can take a safe assumption that the next version of Office may come out for public release by the end of 2012, probably coinciding with the public launch of much awaited ‘Windows 8′.

For more details, see detailed coverage of Office 15 aka Office 2012

Starting Jan 10 next month,  CES 2012 will see Microsoft making their last keynote on the stage.

So, come 2013 and beyond and Microsoft’s popular keynotes, product announcements and dedicated booth will become a part of the history.

The reason behind Microsoft, drifting away from making future product announcements at CES is the misalignment of product development schedules of Microsoft with the January schedule of CES.

The reason is sensible enough and there’s no reason for a tech giant as large as Microsoft, to rely on CES, in order to attract media eyeballs and consumer attention.

Microsoft is big enough to hold its own product announcements and host them for their own line of products, more like Apple does.

And therefore, this is actually a nice move by Microsoft to not focus on trying to align itself with CES or show early-stage products(mostly with bugs), just to manage to show something to millions of eyeballs gazing at them.

We will surely miss Microsoft’s impact-making presence at future editions of CES but we will have at least one additional, massive tech event in a year that will make tech media salivate for sure!

This year, Microsoft has its agenda crystal clear. Windows 8 it is.

Xbox Live has been a valuable subscription service for Xbox users as more than 35 million users are currently subscribed to it and the future growth is set to accelerate even further in the time to come.

With Xbox, Microsoft has always envisioned a long term strategy of dominating the living room by positioning Xbox hardware as the core platform for all entertainment needs.

Be it games, movies, music or TV shows, Microsoft has made way for all types of entertainment content through Xbox Live and with most recent announcement, Xbox Live will be even bigger entertainment hub for its users.

With a software update coming to Xbox Live users across the globe on December 6, Microsoft is all set to add more than 40+ Entertainment services to the already-rich Xbox Live platform.

Xbox Live users will have even more choices at their disposal, to get what movies they want, what game they want to play, what TV show they want to catch up with.

And not only that, Voice navigation through Kinect is also getting a big boost as the voice controls are going to be far better than what they have been this far.

Microsoft has partnered with tens of content providers within the U.S. and across the globe. With content providers such as NetFlix, Epix, Hulu Plus, Last.fm among others, having tied themselves up with Xbox Live, users are going to be spending much more time using Xbox 360 in future.

All these partnerships along with tons of big gaming titles making their way during this holiday season should ensure that Xbox 360 sales doesn’t lack its lustre and keeps making money for Microsoft.