Office 2010 Beta Features & Changes

I previously did an article on the new features in Office 2010 (technical preview); a couple of days back, the Beta version of Office 2010 was leaked and once again, I have a list of some changes over Office 2007 & Office 2010 Technical Preview. Once you’ve gone through the previous article, here’s what’s new in the Office 2010 beta version that is doing rounds on the Internet. The Office 2010 Beta offers some finer refinements over Office 2010 Technical Preview and a couple of them, I don’t like. The last article I left off at the new icons in Office 2010, these are part of the Beta.

To begin with:

Article has two main parts, one where I talk about what’s changed over Office 2010 Technical Preview & in the second I talk about what’s new since Office 2007 & Office 2010 Technical Preview.
You’ll need to uninstall the Technical Preview.
You’ll need to use a serial key to install, it’s a mandatory first step as noted on iThinkDiff.

Now with that aside, about the programs:

New Features & Changes over Office 2010 Technical Preview:

1. Splash screen:

There is a new splash screen with a single color opposed to the two-color splash screen in the Office 2010 Technical Preview. Screenshot:

Office 2010 Beta Word Splash Start Screen

Looks cool. +1

2. Backstage looks changed:

Backstage IMO is an amazing part of Office 2010 and I loved its program specific color gradient look. It’s gone. Replaced with a really sad full white background and program specific color swish at the lower right corner. I really liked the way Backstage looked in Office 2010 Technical Preview. Screenshot:

Not so cool. -1

Besides the look, the options have been juggled a bit as well. In Office 2010 Technical Preview, the Save, Save as options were under the Info tab. In Office 2010 Beta, the Info tab has been separated. Screenshot of the Technical Preview & Beta side-by-side:

3. Office Logo/ORB Replaced with ‘File’:

The Office ORB in Office 2007 which was replaced by a rectangular Office logo in the Technical preview has now been done away with and in place is the good old option – File. Screenshot of the Office 2007 (left), Technical Preview (center) & Office 2010 Beta (right):

I loved the tech preview one. -1

4. Themes are back:

Introduced in Office 2007, a mute option in the Technical Preview, the 3 – Silver, Blue & Black themes are back in Office 2010 Beta. I loved the black color scheme in Office 2007 but didn’t appreciate that it was broken so to say. In Office 2010 Beta, the black color scheme blends perfectly well with Aero. Screenshot, comparing the black color scheme in Office 2007 (left) & Office 2010 (right):

Black looks slick. +1

5. Pixelated icons fixed:

Some of the new features that we saw in Office 2010 Technical Preview had pixelated icons, the icons have been fixed and the features have been refined.

Instance #1

One of my favorite Word 2010 feature is the Background Removal Tool, the icons have been changed and the “Close Background Removal” option has been replaced with “Keep Changes” & “Discard All Changes”. Screenshot:

Office 2010 Word 2010 Background Removal Tool Undo

Instance #2

The pixelated icon for Record Slideshow in Powerpoint 2010 Technical Preview has also been fixed.

Instance #3

The new Smart Art sections I pointed out in the previous article had the same icon for Picture & Pyramid. It has been fixed in Powerpoint 2010 Beta.

6. New Slide Transitions in Powerpoint 2010 Beta:

Powerpoint 2010 Technical Preview added some new transition effects but the icons had a ‘?’. In Powerpoint 2010 Beta, more slide transitions have been added and the icons have been fixed. Screenshot:

NOTE: Maybe it’s just me but I feel that the ‘flip’ effect was smoother in the Technical Preview.

New Features & Changes over Office 2007 & Office 2010 Technical Preview

1. Language Review:

In Word 2010 Beta, the Editing Language option as seen in Word 2010 Technical Preview has been replaced with just Language (the new icon is beautiful). The option allows you to change the proofing language & also manage the Language Settings in Word 2010’s options. Screenshot:

Office 2010 Word 2010 Language proofing control option

2. Linked Notes:

This little feature looks quite promising since One Note will be able to sync with its web version & mobile version. Word now has the added option of linking your documents with One Note. Screenshot:

Office 2010 Word 2010 OneNote Word Integration

3. New Powerpoint Presentation Design Templates:

I was wondering where were they and in Powerpoint 2010 beta, the Office team has added some new design templates and the nice part is, I quite like them. Screenshots:

Some of the new templates are:

Apothecary:

Austin:

Thatched:

Black Tie:

UPDATE:

4. Save to Skydrive:

Don’t how but I missed a new option under Share in Backstage – Save to Skydrive! This is to help you save your documents and use them with Office Web Apps. Screenshot: