Microsoft Launches New Outlook for Mac, Next Office for Mac Suite Coming in Second Half of 2015

Microsoft today announced the immediate launch of a new Outlook for Mac for Office 365 users, bringing a new look and a number of improvements as leaked earlier this week.

The new Outlook for Mac includes:



- Better performance and reliability as a result of a new threading model and database improvements.

- A new modern user interface with improved scrolling and agility when switching between Ribbon tabs.

- Online archive support for searching Exchange (online or on-premises) archived mail.

- Master Category List support and enhancements delivering access to category lists (name and color) and sync between Mac, Windows and OWA clients.

- Office 365 push email support for real-time email delivery.

- Faster first-run and email download experience with improved Exchange Web Services syncing.

New Outlook for Mac


Office 365 subscribers can access the new Outlook for Mac through their account pages, while subscribers who already have Outlook for Mac 2011 suite installed on their machines should follow these instructions for moving to the new Outlook for Mac.



Microsoft also provided an update on the next full version of Office for Mac, noting that development on the suite had been pushed back from its usual schedule due to Microsoft's work on prioritizing mobile and cloud development. The latest roadmap for Office for Mac, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote includes a public beta launching in the first half of 2015 and a final release coming in the second half of the year. Both Office 365 and perpetual license versions will launch in the same timeframe. Some details on the next Office for Mac were also leaked earlier this week.

Apple's Jony Ive Talks Apple Watch at SFMOMA Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony

Apple design chief Jony Ive on Thursday was honored by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in an event that celebrated Ive's 2014 Bay Area Treasure Award. The award, bestowed by the Modern Art Council (MAC), recognizes creative individuals who have influenced visual culture.

"Ive is our generation’s most innovative and influential figure in the field of industrial design—no other design mind has done more to transform the way we visualize and share information," said SFMOMA Director Neal Benezra. "SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast to establish a department of architecture and design, and we’re thrilled to celebrate Ive’s revolutionary achievements."

Speaking during the award ceremony, Ive commented on the Apple Watch and the challenge of designing Apple's first smartwatch product in a series of comments reported by The Wall Street Journal .

"Even though Apple Watch does so many things, there are cultural, historical implications and expectations," Ive said. "That’s why it’s been such a difficult and humbling program."

Ive also emphasized the dilemma of developing a product that would mean different things to different people. Adding to the complexity of the design is the device itself, which is used only casually by its owners.

"As soon as something is worn, we have expectations of choice," said Ive. Only "in prison," he joked, do people all wear the same thing."

Ive's strict focus on his design work was also revealed in the interview when he admitted he didn't know the details of Apple's most recent financial results.

“I honestly don’t know the numbers,” said Ive. “But I know they are high.”

The Bay Area Treasure Award is one of several awards given to Ive in recent years. The Apple designer was the recipient of a National Design Award for the iPhone in 2007 and a team-issued 2012 Design and Art Direction award. He also was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in a ceremony held in 2012.

Apple Opening New Retail Store in Lille, France Soon [Mac Blog]

Apple today unveiled its traditional black barriers around its forthcoming store in Lille, France, indicating that is construction is winding down as a grand opening is imminent, reports MacGeneration (Google Translate).





The store will contain two levels and span 1400 square meters (roughly 15000 square feet). MacGeneration notes that the store will likely be opened by the end of November, which would mark Apple's eighteenth store in France following the iconic Apple Store Opéra and other locations in cities like Lyon.



Apple noted in its earnings conference call last week that it expects to open 25 new stores in fiscal 2015 with most of those stores planning to be located outside of the United States. One of those stores is expected be located in the United Arab Emirates, which is rumored to be Apple's biggest retail store to date.

Refurbished 2014 15-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Now Available in Apple's Online Store [Mac Blog]

Apple today added several new models of the current 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro to its online store for refurbished products, marking their first availability at a lower cost since their July 2014 launch date.



There are six different models available, which are currently mistakenly listed under the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro section, an error that should be corrected soon. While one machine displays a shipping estimate of 24 hours, the rest offer shipping estimates of three to five days.





Discounts of more than $400 are available on some models, with prices that are approximately 15 percent off the standard pricing on brand new machines. Available models are as follows:



- 2.2GHz quad-core Intel i7 with 16GB RAM, 256GB flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics: $1,699 ($300 savings)



- 2.2GHz quad-core Intel i7 with 16GB RAM, 512GB flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics: $1,949 ($350 savings)



- 2.5GHz quad-core Intel i7 with 16GB RAM, 512GB flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics/NVIDIA GeFore GT 750M: $2,099 ($400 savings)



- 2.8GHz quad-core Intel i7 with 16GB RAM, 512GB flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics/NVIDIA GeFore GT 750M: $2,289 ($410 savings)



- 2.5GHz quad-core Intel i7 with 16GB RAM, 1TB flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics/NVIDIA GeFore GT 750M: $2,549 ($450 savings)



- 2.8GHz quad-core Intel i7 with 16GB RAM, 1TBGB flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics/NVIDIA GeFore GT 750M: $2,719 ($480 savings)



Models of the latest 2014 13-inch Retina MacBook Pros have not yet shown up in Apple's refurbished store.



(Thanks, Steve!)

Seth Rogen to Star as Steve Wozniak in Sony's Steve Jobs Biopic

Seth Rogen will play Steve Wozniak alongside Christian Bale, who has been cast in the role of Steve Jobs in Sony's upcoming Jobs biopic, reports Variety . Rogen will have the opportunity to get advice directly from Wozniak, who is working as a consultant on the film.



Rogen is a popular actor who has starred in movies like Neighbors, 22 Jump Street, and This Is the End. While Rogen often stars in comedic films, he has demonstrated his ability to do more serious work in movies like Take This Waltz and 50/50.




Image courtesy of Variety


After several months of limbo after writer Aaron Sorkin finished the screenplay, production on Sony's Steve Jobs movie is picking up. Danny Boyle, who directed Slumdog Millionaire has been announced as the director of the film, and just last week, Sony signed on Christian Bale to play Jobs.



While the previous JOBS movie with Ashton Kutcher focused on Jobs' early life, Sony's film will use material from Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography and will focus on three 30-minute scenes showing three of Apple's product launches.