Microsoft said on Wednesday that it will be offering a complimentary copy of Microsoft Office Professional 2010 to technical beta testers.
In an email from the Office 2010 Technical Beta program team, Microsoft officials thanked participants for their involvement in the technical beta program. "As a small token of appreciation, we"d like to give you a complimentary copy of Microsoft Office Professional 2010" the email read. The copy is a downloadable ISO and Microsoft has provided testers with a product key, no physical media is provided.
Microsoft Office 2010 hit RTM (release to manufacturing) on April 16, 2010. Microsoft is currently running an Office 2010 Technology Guarantee. Customers who purchase Office 2007, or a new PC with Office 2007, and activate it before September 30, 2010 will be offered a free upgrade to Office 2010. Copies will be available online, via download, at no additional cost.
The highly anticipated release of Office 2010 has been through months of beta testing since November of last year. Copies of Office 2010 went on sale earlier this week. In January Microsoft announced Office 2010 pricing. The professional edition retails for $499 boxed. Office 2010 is available in at least five different flavours, including a free version that includes Microsoft Word and Excel, but comes with limited functionality and includes advertisements. Office 2010 is also available as Starter, Home and Student, Home and Business, Professional and Professional Academic.