Acer Review, Asus Review – Netbook 10

Microsoft moved quickly to kill the Linux on netbooks threat, and now it’s focusing on figuring out how to monetize via a netbook version of Office 14.

Here are a few snippets that hint at Microsoft’s Office strategy for netbooks -

1. Microsoft went from missing out on the early rise of netbooks and losing share to Linux to recovering and getting to 90% market share. They’ve learnt the lessons and realized the importance of netbooks and also that there’s money in the netbook market.
2. Microsoft is going to have a SKU in Office 14 targeted at Netbooks.
3. They’ve indicated that the netbook version will be priced keeping netbook owners’ price-consciousness in mind.
4. Stephen Elop, president of Microsoft’s business division has said -
   

   I won’t get precise with details, but I think we can do better with netbook attach … There are new ways to package and monetize SKUs that are unique to the netbook market. From the Office perspective if someone is spending just a few hundred dollars on a netbook, how much will they spend on productivity software?

5. Elop also gave the example of Office for students which was priced at $69.
6. There are suggestions that Microsoft use an online version of Office for netbooks. I disagree strongly – Microsoft has gotten Windows 7 to the point that it works great with netbooks, and they’ll do the same with Office 14.
7. Another suggestion is to use a subscription model with a free 6 month trial. This I do think is a good suggestion.
8. Steve Ballmer has said that Office 14 is scheduled for 2010, and we won’t be seeing it in 2009.

It’s worth mentioning that some users already have Office working on their netbooks. Office 14′s netbook version will probably be much more about price and encouraging upgrades to ‘fuller’ versions than any very netbook specific tinkering on Microsoft’s part.

Related posts:

1. Netbook Links + News for early March
2. The Netbook market – Some research
3. Netbooks – the Operating System Wars
4. Apple iBook, iNetbook – Why Apple will definitely release a Netbook in 2009
5. MSI Wind Netbooks – MSI Wind U100, U120 10″ Netbook

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