he sounds sarcastic but I have to agree with the sentiment... I don't want a bunch of clutter in Outlook. 99% of the time in outlook I don't need much more than an inbox and a calendar. Most of the other shit is just a waste of space and gets in the way of my nice big inbox and nice big email display. This new version looks good, although I'm pretty happy with my 2013 version after hiding a bunch of stuff and making the menu at the top only show when I click the button to make it drop down.
For my tastes, the 2013 version still used up more space to show the same amount of information, or rather shows less information at a time (even when it's just the inboxes, messages, and calenders.
2013 was a needed cleanup, but they went too far with the damn white space and made everything a bit too big.
Keep in mind these universal apps are meant for more simplified usage (which matches the functionality of the current Mail app on Windows 8), which will only have as much feature as the phone ones, where the ones with advanced features remains on the desktop only app.
Can we pleeeeease change outlook back to yellow? Having Word, Outlook, Visio and Lync all blue is REALLY hard to differentiate on the task bar. I never realize how much you rely on colour (and shape) to quickly navigate until my work PC was upgraded to Office 2013. I actually ended up getting most the suite downgraded back to 2007
I know what you mean, I often mistake a W for an O because they are the same color. That's why I painted them different colors on my keyboard. Definitely worth downgrading to an inferior version to get a different color icon.
I guess you guys have never used small taskbar icons with "never combine" buttons where it actually does get hard to differentiate between three blue icons with a tiny white letter at quick glance.
yeah...so they chose blue...one of the colors more difficult for the human eye to sharp. Notice all the blue signs everywhere and how easily distinguishable they are...esp. when compared to other colors. Ha, the choose blue to help those with sight issues...
Hurray for the removal of the damn caps (yes, most of them can be removed, but that shouldn't have been necessary in the first place). Entirely perfunctory, but I don't want to lose the window border themes. I quite like the 'lunchbox' one.
3 Wishes: 1. Visio and Project to no longer be 'previous generation' and are fully integrated/integratable. 2. If they can do windows/phone/tablet, hope they do Mac as well, so that you can transition from a mac to a surface/windows phone, etc. and facilitate using a mac at the office and windows at home. 3. That productivity isn't made a second class citizen to cross device compatiblity (i.e. the Windows 8 compromise).
If they want to give something away out of guilt, they need to be giving away refunds. I spent so much money until I found http://www.detoxyourpc.com and finally fixed all the problems my computer was having. I can't believe how slow it got! I never had this problem with Windows XP so if they are trying to win me over with a free upgrade, it won't work.
Will these Office universal applications struggle on ARM based Windows mobile devices? Especially editing in highly complex document with lots of layouts and graphics. Even low end PCs can struggle (slow down) a bit.
I'm confused...are there separate "Metro/Universal" and normal desktop programs/versions? Because these look dumbed down from real Office.
I'm not even sure what they're for. If you've got a Windows tablet, the desktop version of Office already works great-better than this would. If you've got a phone, this is still too "big" to fit on a tiny screen. So what is the point of this?
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27 Comments
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ayejay_nz - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
I hope that Outlook screenshot is of a 'simple' view and that an 'advanced' view can be switched to :oZak - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
Why would you want to clutter all that gorgeous white and blue space with useless buttons and menus?Makaveli - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
lol zak not sure if serious!djscrew - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
he sounds sarcastic but I have to agree with the sentiment... I don't want a bunch of clutter in Outlook. 99% of the time in outlook I don't need much more than an inbox and a calendar. Most of the other shit is just a waste of space and gets in the way of my nice big inbox and nice big email display. This new version looks good, although I'm pretty happy with my 2013 version after hiding a bunch of stuff and making the menu at the top only show when I click the button to make it drop down.Tams80 - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
For my tastes, the 2013 version still used up more space to show the same amount of information, or rather shows less information at a time (even when it's just the inboxes, messages, and calenders.2013 was a needed cleanup, but they went too far with the damn white space and made everything a bit too big.
bountygiver - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Keep in mind these universal apps are meant for more simplified usage (which matches the functionality of the current Mail app on Windows 8), which will only have as much feature as the phone ones, where the ones with advanced features remains on the desktop only app.Disorganise - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
Can we pleeeeease change outlook back to yellow? Having Word, Outlook, Visio and Lync all blue is REALLY hard to differentiate on the task bar. I never realize how much you rely on colour (and shape) to quickly navigate until my work PC was upgraded to Office 2013. I actually ended up getting most the suite downgraded back to 2007Alexvrb - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
I know what you mean, I often mistake a W for an O because they are the same color. That's why I painted them different colors on my keyboard. Definitely worth downgrading to an inferior version to get a different color icon.inighthawki - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
Can't tell if you are being extremely rude and sarcastic, or for some strange reason actually painting your keyboard...krutou - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Obviously sarcasm, he pointed out all of the fallacies in Disorganise's comment.inighthawki - Monday, January 26, 2015 - link
I guess you guys have never used small taskbar icons with "never combine" buttons where it actually does get hard to differentiate between three blue icons with a tiny white letter at quick glance.MrSpadge - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Haha!CaedenV - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
if it bothers you that much a simple modification or two can link the icon from old Outlook to the new one... not that hard.djscrew - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
I have to agree, 5 blue applications seems a little stupid. They could make it orange at least...TormDK - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
The colours chosen is due to people with sight issues, so in case you are wondering - thats why.AnnihilatorX - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
That explains BSOD!mrd0 - Friday, January 30, 2015 - link
yeah...so they chose blue...one of the colors more difficult for the human eye to sharp. Notice all the blue signs everywhere and how easily distinguishable they are...esp. when compared to other colors. Ha, the choose blue to help those with sight issues...krutou - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Don't forget, OneDrive is blue too.mebby - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
My dog is blue too.kf27fix - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
I miss the old menu bar system... All functions with long descriptive names, not taking unnecessary screen real estate.Tams80 - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Hurray for the removal of the damn caps (yes, most of them can be removed, but that shouldn't have been necessary in the first place). Entirely perfunctory, but I don't want to lose the window border themes. I quite like the 'lunchbox' one.gseguin - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
3 Wishes:1. Visio and Project to no longer be 'previous generation' and are fully integrated/integratable.
2. If they can do windows/phone/tablet, hope they do Mac as well, so that you can transition from a mac to a surface/windows phone, etc. and facilitate using a mac at the office and windows at home.
3. That productivity isn't made a second class citizen to cross device compatiblity (i.e. the Windows 8 compromise).
britneybates2 - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
If they want to give something away out of guilt, they need to be giving away refunds. I spent so much money until I found http://www.detoxyourpc.com and finally fixed all the problems my computer was having. I can't believe how slow it got! I never had this problem with Windows XP so if they are trying to win me over with a free upgrade, it won't work.bigboxes - Saturday, January 24, 2015 - link
Get bent spammer.BlueBlazer - Sunday, January 25, 2015 - link
Will these Office universal applications struggle on ARM based Windows mobile devices? Especially editing in highly complex document with lots of layouts and graphics. Even low end PCs can struggle (slow down) a bit.Wolfpup - Monday, January 26, 2015 - link
I'm confused...are there separate "Metro/Universal" and normal desktop programs/versions? Because these look dumbed down from real Office.I'm not even sure what they're for. If you've got a Windows tablet, the desktop version of Office already works great-better than this would. If you've got a phone, this is still too "big" to fit on a tiny screen. So what is the point of this?
Amazing2u - Monday, January 26, 2015 - link
From Office 2013's "touch optimized" interface and now back to post 2010 icons. Tic-Toc-Tic...