LiveSide is proud to announce the details of the new Microsoft Office Live beta. As we have already explained, Office Live will have three different packages [make sure to watch the demos by clicking on the product title]:
Office Live Basics: Create your own professional Web site in minutes! Microsoft Office Live Basics is the perfect way to get started on the Web. It features all the basics you need to create your first Web site, including free hosting, Web site statistics, personalized domain name, and e-mail addresses.
Office Live Collaboration: Microsoft Office Live Collaboration lets you store, share, and manage your everyday business information in one central online location.
Office Live Essentials: Get the essentials for establishing and managing your business online. Create your own Web site, access e-mail, share documents, and track projects – in or out of the office from almost any Internet-connected computer.
All products will be free during the beta as testers will be supplied with products keys they enter online. After the beta period, Basics will remain free and packages for Collaboration and Essentials start at $29.95 USD per month. For more information comparing the products, see the comparison table.
A press announcement is expected Wednesday morning pacific time [but we couldn't wait!]. Hopefully that means the beta will be starting soon.
Regardless Microsoft is showing it's commitment to small businesses with new initiatives like Office Live and other products which will be highlighted at the Small Business Summit, March 14-17. Microsoft is planning on helping small businesses "celebrate their potential" in this event which will be both be in Bellevue, WA and broadcast on a live webcast.
@Matthew PS – – Read more for even more details on each SKU.
Overview of all three products:
Office Live Basics:
Easy-to-use Web site design tool
Get started fast with our easy-to-use Site Designer tool. Don't worry — it was designed with the small-business owner in mind, so you can quickly create your own Web site.
Free domain name and hosting
Select your own domain name (for example, www.northwindtraders.com) and let Microsoft keep your Web site up and running.
5 personalized e-mail accounts
Access your company e-mail using your personalized domain name (for example, [email protected]).
Storage and data transfer
More than enough space to promote every aspect of your business and plenty of bandwidth to allow lots of customers to visit your site.
Web site traffic analysis and reporting tools
View the success of your Web site with reporting that lets you see how often people visit your site, what pages they visit the most, and their system and browser information.
Support
Our online support pages are here to answer questions and help you get started by providing quick responses to your most frequent questions. One-on-one e-mail support is also available to address other questions.
Office Live Collaboration:
Shared Sites
Subscribers to Microsoft Office Live Collaboration can create any number of password-protected Web sites, called Shared Sites, for collaborating among internal employees and external customers, suppliers, and vendors. Work more effectively by consolidating and sharing your business information with others, inside or outside of the company.
Online business applications
Take advantage of a rich and versatile set of business applications for managing your customers, opportunities, projects, employees, and general company information. The entire solution is hosted and supported by Microsoft, which saves you the cost of IT infrastructure and maintenance.
Company information at work, at home, or on the go
Because Office Live Collaboration is hosted by Microsoft, you can access your data from almost any Internet-connected computer (running Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher). Whether youre at work, at a job site, or on the road, you can access critical business information when you need it, regardless of location or time zone.
Storage (disk) space
With Office Live Collaboration, you get enough storage to promote every aspect of your business with more than 50 MB of disk space for your online business application data or Shared Site content. Plus, you can always purchase additional disk space should your business needs change.
Enhanced data prote
ction
Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of its customers business information. All your data is backed up daily for an added level of security and peace of mind. This means that any inadvertently corrupted or deleted files in your Web site or Shared Site can be recovered by simply clicking a button. There is also built-in password protection for the business applications and Shared Sites.
Customer support
Microsoft Office Live Collaboration customers receive free 24-hour phone, e-mail, and billing support. We're here to make getting started easy and to help your business grow and thrive.
Office Live Essentials:
Easy-to-use Web site design tool
Get started in no time with our easy-to-use Site Designer tool. Don't worry — it was designed with the small-business owner in mind, so you can quickly create your own professional Web site.
Free domain name and hosting
Secure your own domain name and keep your Web site up and running 24 hours a day.
50 personalized e-mail accounts
Access your company e-mail while you're away from the office from almost any Internet-connected computer* and send e-mails using your personalized e-mail name.
Storage and data transfer
More than enough space to promote every aspect of your business and plenty of bandwidth to allow lots of customers to visit your site.
Web site traffic analysis and reporting tools
View the success of your Web site with reporting that lets you see how often people visit your site and where they are coming from.
One location for information sharing
Store and share information in a central, easy-to-use location that can be accessed whether you're in the office or on the go from almost any Internet-connected computer.*
Manage your business online
Microsoft Office Live Essentials offers an array of online business applications to help you manage your business, including your customers, projects, sales, employees, and vendors.
* Certain features require Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, Microsoft Office 2000 or later, and Windows XP.
