CES 2008: Microsoft updates Office Live

Microsoft has unveiled a beta version of its online collaboration tool for small business, Office Live Workspace.

The new tool, which is part of the Office Live brand of hosted business applications and services, uses the company's business-grade SharePoint technology, but wraps it in an easy-to-use, web-based interface.

The technology allows self-employed workers and small companies to share documents, manage contacts and create to do lists online, without the need for an in-house server. Users of Microsoft Office 2007 can connect directly to Office Live Workspace from applications such as Word and Excel, and the company is working to add links to the service for Macintosh Office users.

The Office Live Workspace uses either Microsoft Windows Live or Passport accounts for user authentication.

Users can sign on from any computer and the service will automatically synchronise documents, so that everyone sees the latest version. Functions for non-Office users are more limited, although anyone with a suitable web browser can create simple notes online using Office Live Workspace's HTML-based editor. The service is compatible with Internet Explorer, as well as Firefox on Windows and the Mac.

"Office Live Workspace sets out to solve several problems," said Guy Gilbert, senior product manager at Microsoft.

"One is that small businesses are getting more and more mobile, working in different locations. They might start on something in the office, then want to go back to working on it from home later. Right now people are using email or saving files on a USB stick. And email is not the most effective way of working together with groups of people."

Office Live Workspace is currently a free service, although according to Gilbert, Microsoft is looking at ways to find it by placing adverts within the portal. Microsoft started to sign up users to the beta programme last month in the US, but overseas customers, including those in the UK, can also apply for an account.

The company is positioning Workspace alongside its Office Live Small Business web hosting and email service, which provides up to five email addresses, a free domain name and hosting, and web design templates, to SMEs. Microsoft says that interest in that service has been strongest from home-based workers and firms with under 10 employees, especially in professional services and retailing.

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