Microsoft's Free Online Office Web Apps Arrive

Six months after the official launch of Office Web Apps, Microsoft has finally brought it to India. This was part of the phased roll out by Microsoft Inc and was simultaneously launched in Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, and Thailand.

Office Web Apps are Microsoft's answer to Google Docs - cloud-based versions of office software Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote and have already garnered 30 million users globally, the company claims.

"Office Web Apps are a key piece of Microsoft's overall cloud strategy and are designed to empower people to take their familiar productivity experience on the web," said Sanjay Manchanda, Director, Microsoft Business Division. "Features like ease of sharing and high document fidelity make them a powerful enabler of productivity in the cloud for modern information workers and consumers alike. Moreover, this is a great tool for students to collaborate on their school and college projects in a seamless way," he added.

Browsers IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari are supported. There is a catch - you require a Hotmail or Windows Live ID to access it.