Office Web Apps updated with new features and speed improvements

By Tom Warren, on 29th Sep 11 5:56 pm with 20 Comments

Microsoft announced a range of new features for its Office Web Apps products on Thursday.

OneNote Web App Ink display

Microsoft has updated its OneNote web app to display ink throughout documents. OneNote users who take advantage of pen-input devices on Tablet PCs will now be able to view and share their ink documents with other Office Web Apps users.

Office Web Apps - OneNote Ink support

Excel Web App improvements

Microsoft has enhanced its Excel web app. Excel web app now supports the ability to merge cells, automatically fit cell sizes based on content (AutoFit) and overall improved cell formatting. Excel Web App users can also now print directly from Excel spreadsheets. “We think this enhancement will be a great time-saver when you need to print a spreadsheet by accessing your Excel documents stored on SkyDrive when you’re away from your main PC,” explained Microsoft’s Office Web Apps product manager Jenni French, in a blog post on Thursday. Microsoft has also added right-click menus in its Excel Web App. The right click features allow Excel Web App users to Cut, Copy, Paste, and work with HyperLinks.

Office Web Apps - Excel improvements

Microsoft’s other improvements include performance enhancements and stability improvements. “One of the most important things you’ve requested from us is to make the Web Apps faster and more reliable,” said French. “Today’s update includes a lot of behind-the-scenes improvements that do just that.”

Microsoft plans to share further details on Office Web Apps feedback in the coming weeks and how the company plans to improve its products.

Image Credits: Microsoft Corporation

  • Anonymous

    Good improvements but one thing MS should do something about their entire live services .. Skydive, Hotmail etc feels a clunky and a bit disjointed.. interface needs serious improvements and reworking

    • Anonymous

      i think that is actually work in progress and everything will be more consistent when windows 8 will be out

      http://bit.ly/qKnhpt

    • Anonymous

      fucking spammer !!

    • Penta2100

      Didn’t you hear about the makeover of hotmail on October 3rd? It has been remade from the bottom up. Hopefully the UI too.

    • http://www.gamerelatedblog.com/ StriderNo9

      I heard conflicting reports, its not a revamp, its a reassuring that hotmail is still a thing.

  • Guest

    Can anyone confirm that Office 2012 is not using Metro?

    • http://www.gamerelatedblog.com/ StriderNo9

      I believe it is.

    • Anonymous

      What I’ve heard is that it will be Metro only when in tablet mode. I do not think they are planning on revamping the entire platform (at least not yet). From what I’ve heard/seen, they will most go the way of Internet Explorer: having two versions of the UI depending on how you launch it. With the metro version focusing on a touch interface.

  • JohnCz

    Display inking is huge for us…awesome.  I’m glad to see they are making continual improvements like this.

  • Emi Cyberschreiber

    amazing! sometimes i use it since i installed win dev preview i feel lazy about installing office. so sometimes i feel like these web apps are enough.

  • Anonymous

    Now if only I could print from Onenote…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WUROVVOH7EIMFFFVSM5FJX4SOA Benjamin

    Nice! Actually feels much snappier ;) I have been using OneNote since the start of the year and always have been feeling that the web based is rather slow.. But now it’s just got much better. :)

  • Penta2100

    Now, if the SOFTWARE giant will make SOFTWARE instead of update the crappy movie maker and photo viewer

    • Anonymous

      the movie maker and photo viewer is software too.

    • raikkonen

      Movie maker from Windows Live Essentials 2011 is a great app.

  • Alombelino

    What’s better?
    Onenote or Evernote?

    • http://www.dogmanners.com Bill S

      Tough call. I personally like Evernote the best – seems “smoother.”

    • http://www.gamerelatedblog.com/ StriderNo9

      I would love to use one note if it was a bit better on the web, as it stands now evernote.

  • http://www.facebook.com/chsoriano Christopher Soriano

    Nice! I’ve been waiting for ink support in the OneNote web app for a while now… all I need now is ink support in OneNote for Windows Phone and I’m set.

  • Guest

    I think Excel Web App now has all the functionality that most of the people need in their daily life. I mean there is no need for home use to have Microsoft Office. I would really like if Windows Phone 7.5 would have some of this functionality.