Microsoft recently released a technical preview of its upcoming Office 15 suite, which is expected to launch later this year. The preview is available to a select group of testers, who can test the new features and provide feedback to the developers.

One of the most notable changes in Office 15 is the integration of the Metro design language, which is also used in Windows 8 and Windows Phone. Metro is a minimalist, modern style that emphasizes typography, colors and tiles. It also supports touch interactions, such as swiping, tapping and pinching.

In Office 15, the Metro style is applied to the ribbon interface, which has been simplified and flattened. Icons are larger and more colorful, and tabs are more prominent. The ribbon can also be minimized or expanded with a touch gesture, giving more space to the content area.

Metro style also affects the way documents are displayed and edited. For example, in Word 15, the page layout mode has been replaced by a full-screen reading mode, which displays the document as it would appear on paper or on a tablet. The reading mode also offers a distraction-free environment, with no visible toolbars or menus. To access the editing tools, the user can touch the screen or swipe from the top or bottom edge.

Another example is Excel 15, which has a new touch mode that makes it easier to enter and manipulate data on a touch screen. The touch mode expands the cells and buttons and adds a radial menu that provides quick access to common commands such as formatting, sorting and filtering.

La vista previa técnica también revela algunas características nuevas que no están relacionadas con el estilo Metro, pero que apuntan a mejorar la funcionalidad y usabilidad de Office 15. Por ejemplo, Outlook 15 tiene una nueva barra de clima que muestra el clima actual y pronosticado para la ubicación seleccionada. . También tiene una nueva función de respuesta en línea que permite al usuario redactar y enviar un correo electrónico sin abrir una nueva ventana.

Another new feature is the integration of Skype, which is now part of Office 15. Skype allows users to make voice and video calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Skype can also be used to call landlines and mobiles at reduced rates. Skype is integrated with Outlook 15, so users can view the online status of their contacts and initiate calls or chats from within the e-mail client.

Office 15 is still under development and some features may change or be added before the final release. However, based on the technical preview, it appears that Microsoft is trying to make Office 15 more compatible with touch devices, such as tablets and smartphones. It is also trying to make Office 15 easier to use by simplifying the interface and adding new features that improve productivity and communication.

How does Metro impact the desktop version of Microsoft Office 15? That’s the question Paul Thurrott attempts to answer in his detailed review of the Microsoft Office 15 Technical Preview. The preview is not publicly available and its testers are under a confidentiality agreement, but Thurrott got his hands on the software and shared many screenshots.

In his review, Thurrott explains how Microsoft Office 15 adopts some of the design principles of Metro, such as minimalism, typography and touch-friendliness, while retaining its desktop functions and features. He also shows how the new Office integrates with cloud services, such as SkyDrive and Office 365, and how it supports different devices, such as tablets and smartphones.

Office 15, the next version of Microsoft’s productivity suite, is getting a revamp that reflects the design principles of Windows 8. Thurrott, a technology blogger, had the opportunity to test an early version of the software and shared his impressions on his website.

One of the most notable changes is that Office 15 adopts a Metro-inspired look and feel, with flat colors, clean lines and a minimalist interface. The ribbon, which was introduced in Office 2007 as a way to organize commands and functions, is still present in Office 15, but is hidden by default and can be revealed with a click. This gives the user more screen space and reduces clutter.

Another change is that Office 15 integrates more tightly with web services, such as Microsoft’s SkyDrive and Yahoo’s Flickr. Users can easily access their online files and photos from within Office 15, without having to switch to a browser or a separate application. This makes it easier to work with documents and presentations stored or shared online.

Office 15 is still a desktop application, not a Metro application. It runs in a window on the desktop and has its own icons on the Metro start screen. However, it’s clear that Microsoft is trying to make Office 15 more consistent with the look and feel of Windows 8, as well as more cloud-compatible and more connected to the web.