Microsoft Goes to the Clouds with New Office Suite

2013-01-31T08:20:00.002-08:00

Recently and for the first time, Microsoft has released a subscription-based Office suite named Office 365. Those who are interested in upgrading their current Office programs can do so for an annual fee of $99.99 to gain access to all of the new Office suite software including Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, Outlook, OneNote and PowerPoint. Microsoft Office 365 includes plenty of updates and upgrades to the programs themselves for those who are interested in the aesthetic look of the suite and an increase in productivity.

However, there are also a few disadvantages to consider before you choose to invest in the subscription yourself.

The Upgrades

Many of the changes implemented into the new Office 365 suite are based around the overall look and appearance of the software while helping to streamline productivity when switching from one program to the next.

It is also possible to use Microsoft Office 365 using a touch-screen monitor or device to access documents while also creating new projects from scratch.

Microsoft is also heavily involved with user feedback in relation to the software's released, and has launched a sub-section from the official website called "Time to 365" for subscribers and lurkers alike to find tips and tricks on how to make the most out of the program.

The Benefits of Subscribing

A major benefit of subscribing is that you will gain full access to the entire suite for a full year with all of the programs that Office 365 has to offer. You can also install the suite to blend well with the aesthetic appearance of Windows 8, seamlessly working great together.

When you become an annual subscriber, you will be given 60 free Skype calling minutes in addition to 20GB of cloud storage using SkyDrive, which can be beneficial for personal and business-related storage needs. The minutes from Skype and the storage space provided from SkyDrive is given on an annual basis as long as you are a continued paid subscriber of Microsoft Office 365 software programs that are currently available..

Another benefit of subscribing to Office 365 is the ability to receive software updates online and more frequently than waiting for an entirely new release of the product itself. The cloud-based service promises more upgrades and consistent tweaks to help with improving the program's overall performance and capabilities for all users who choose to subscribe.

Currently, Microsoft is also offering a free one-month trial to test drive the software on your own computer without any obligation to register an as official subscriber once your time has run out.

The Drawbacks of Office 365

The biggest drawback of investing in the subscription of Office 365 is the requirement to pay for the programs annually as opposed to purchasing past versions of the software just once for unlimited usage. Aside from the upgrades visually and for productivity purposes, there are just not enough new functions and possibilities to invest the $99.99 each year for personal users in many cases.

Overall, Microsoft Office 365 is an ideal investment for those actively seeking a new way of organizing documents and working in the productivity suite that blends well with the newly-released Windows 8. However, some argue that traditional versions of Microsoft Office are just as adequate for performing basic tasks and functions with documents without the subscription cost.

Google's Crowd-Sourced Maps Reveal Hidden North Korea

2013-01-30T13:04:00.001-08:00

Google Map of North Korea before the addition of crowd-sourced data (left) and after.

Due to its strict laws, North Korea has been blocked out on international mapping systems including Google Maps up until recently. Recently, Google Maps has collaborated with citizens and people from North Korea and around the world who consider themselves "cryptographers" to assist with mapping out North Korea in its entirety with the use of crowd-sourced data and information.

How Did Google Map Out North Korea?

Google Maps teamed up with those who are familiar with North Korea and who consider themselves "cryptographers" to create a base map of the country that includes a variety of features and information about North Korea itself. Google officially released their online "Map Maker" tool in 2008, allowing users from around the world to create maps and to add details to various locations around the globe. Other users and self-proclaimed cryptographers are also able to access public maps to make changes, updates and to review maps for consistency and accuracy. Over time, working with the Map Maker tool allowed users to put together a "modern map" of North Korea that would be released to the public regardless of where you are living in the world.

Why is Mapping Out North Korea Important?

Having the freedom to explore and understand our entire world is a goal for Google, enriching others' lives while giving people the opportunity to understand countries, cultures and environments at any time with the use of the internet and mobile devices. Unveiling the crowd-sourced maps of North Korea is another movement from Google that allows free education and information to flow around the world without government restrictions and consequences.

Although one of the major advantages of the maps of Korea includes having the ability to learn more about the country's geography and overall atmosphere, it is also beneficial to those living in South Korea who may be in search of friends and loved ones living in North Korea that they are no longer in contact with themselves.

Without the added details that have been contributed to the virtual maps from Google itself, the overview and look of North Korea is virtual non-existent and incomplete. Knowing more about the geography of the world is not only beneficial education-wise, but it also allows others to understand the culture and current living situations for citizens of North Korea themselves.

What Does the Crowd-Source Data Map Include?

The new crowd-sourced map includes information about monuments and parks in North Korea along with mass transit lines and locations. The map also details North Korea's own gulags and specific geographical locations of them to help with informing citizens and those around the world who wish to know more about the current state of the country.

Disadvantages of the North Korea Map

Although it is a positive development for Google and those living around the world, those living in North Korea are more than likely not capable of gaining access to the maps themselves due to the strict laws and nature of the country.

Overall, the development of crowd-sourced data maps is still improving and will continue to do so as long as there are citizens willing to participate to help with creating the system themselves. Google hopes that the crowd-source mapping continues to grow stronger over the next few years, making our virtual maps as accurate as possible with the help of those living all around the world.

The Triangle Coalition

Microsoft Goes to the Clouds with New Office Suite

Google's Crowd-Sourced Maps Reveal Hidden North Korea