Office meets Mac OS X. (new products).

Microsoft, www.microsoft.com, Software, $499 (standard version) or $299 (upgrade)

Microsoft Office v. X for Mac now runs on Apple Computer's new operating system, Mac OS X version 10.1. Fully compatible with Office for Mac and Office for Windows, it combines the power of Office applications with the stability of Mac OS X. Users can now seamlessly exchange documents with users running Office on Windows.

Sheets have replaced some dialog boxes and alerts in the new version, enabling users to multitask within or between applications. When a user clicks on a Word document, for example, a Sheet appears in place of a dialog box. The user can open a different Word document or continue working in another application, without having to complete the save first.

Quark graphics technology in Office v. X allows users to add anti-aliased lines and shapes to give documents a finished appearance, as well as enables true transparency so shapes, objects and pictures can be layered to reveal items behind them.

Through connections to Microsoft Exchange servers, Hotmail and Mac.com, users can also manage e-mail more efficiently. The Office Notifications feature allows users to see alerts from MSN Messenger 2.1 for Mac at the top of any open programs--helping to ensure that important meetings and tasks aren't missed.

CIRCLE #527 FOR INFORMATION