As we move through October and toward the end of the year we hear more and more about Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Microsoft has recently made a bunch of announcements surrounding the Surface tablet, so here I am... jumping on the bandwagon.We learned that the Surface will have an RT version that will compete with the iPad and Android tablets and that there will be a Pro version that will provide the full Windows experience and more of the business features.
There will be 32 and 64 GB versions and you can get the devices with and without those cool keyboards. We've also been told more recently that the full version of Microsoft Office 2013 that is included on the RT Surface is not licensed for use by businesses.
This means that if you want to use your Surface RT at work you'll need an Office 2013 Pro license at work. You shouldn't need to reinstall software (don't quote me on that), but to be compliant you'll need to be covered with an Office 2013 business license. If you're in the Microsoft Volume license program and have a work computer with Office 2013 you may have a multiple device license already... in which case you should be covered. Talk to your Microsoft reseller or Partner for more about that.
Another tidbit... Microsoft is opening a number of new temporary stores for the holidays this year... which should make it even easier to get your new copy of Windows 8 or to score a Surface tablet! Check out the Microsoft Store locations, including the holiday stores here.Here's where Office 365 comes in... if you have one of the new Office 365 subscriptions being released early next year you'll also be covered for Office 2013... since it is included with your subscription.
So, there's yet another good reason to look at Office 365. And, I just learned today that if your company has an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft for licensing and you add Office 365 to your EA that you may be able to get a MAJOR discount on the per-seat cost of migrating to Office 365. Talk to your Microsoft Partner for more information about the various incentives that are available to you.
