Microsoft Gets Religion on the Cloud

Last week, Google (GOOG) issued a direct challenge to Microsoft's (MSFT) core business with the impending release of Chrome OS, an operating system that will focus on cloud computing and compete with Windows. This week, Microsoft delivers its own haymaker with Windows 2010, a cloud-based version of its Windows Office suite of word-processing, spreadsheet, and PowerPoint software. The new line of products won't be immediately available to customers under a beta tag; rather, Microsoft will give developers and tech professionals a sneak peek at the software, giving them a chance to suggest improvements and build buzz.

New York Times reporter Ashlee Vance points out that Microsoft has a built-in advantage when it gets ready to introduce the new cloud-based suite. Access to the software will be immediately available to anyone with a Microsoft Live account such as Hotmail. That means some 400 million people will be able to access the software with a few clicks. On the other hand, Microsoft has been damn slow getting to this point while Google has been offering cloud-based software via its Google Apps products for quite some time.

If you'd like to take a look at Microsoft's belated venture into the cloud, both TechCrunch and PC Magazine have looked over the products and offer thorough reviews. Microsoft has even set up a Web site to offer videos showcasing the new suite. But as the name implies, Microsoft 2010 won't be available for public use for quite some time.