Microsoft has launched a software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering for consumers that ties together the company's Office suite of productivity software and security capabilities.

Codenamed "Albany" while in development, Microsoft Equipt was designed to be an all-in-one subscription service for consumers. Priced at $69.99 (US) for a one-year subscription, Equipt is usable by up to three PCs. According to Microsoft, it's ideal for families or individuals with multiple computers in the home.

"With Microsoft Equipt we're improving our customers' computing experience by giving them essential software in a package that offers an easy install and setup experience, as well as a convenient and affordable way to stay updated with the latest versions of Office and Windows Live OneCare," said Bryson Gordon, group product manager for Microsoft Office, in a statement.

Microsoft Equipt offers customers Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007, which includes the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote; Windows Live OneCare for security and PC management needs; Windows Live tools, including Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Photo Gallery; and Office Live Workspace, a new service from Microsoft that makes it easy to save documents to a dedicated online space and share them.

Additionally, any time a new version of Office or Windows Live OneCare is released Equipt customers would get the upgrades as part of their subscriptions.

According to Warren Shiau, senior associate at The Strategic Counsel, Equipt is competitive from a pricing perspective, but a lot of its success is going to hinge on the security component.

"As a package, Equipt is extremely competitive price-wise," Shiau said. "But if consumers get the perception that they are better off with McAfee, Symantec, etc., then they will have already shelled out their $70 or so and may not spend another $70 on Equipt. So the regular consumer information sources are going to be crucial, i.e. computer mag reviews of OneCare versus its security competition."

Since the pricing for the total Equipt package (security and productivity software) is about on par with security software from the likes of McAfee and Symantec, Shiau said consumers with older computers could choose to switch to Equipt when it comes time to renew their security subscriptions.

"It has the potential to move a lot of people up from old versions of Office, and to create a more predictable revenue stream for Microsoft from the subscriptions," Shiau said.


SOURCE: eChannelLine.com