Mac Service Pack 2 for Office 2008 released

Mac users receive a welcome update

Microsoft Corp.’s Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) today released Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Service Pack 2 (SP2).

This is a midcycle free update that is designed to improve the Office 2008 experience in terms ofspeed, stability and compatibility. SP2 delivers highly requested features throughout the suite as well as a new tool, Document Connection for Mac, that helps improve access and browsing to documents on SharePoint Products and Technologies and Microsoft Office Live Workspace.

These new improvements and features are part of Microsoft’s long-standing investment in delivering cross-platform collaboration and compatibility for Mac users.

“There’s never been a better time to try Office 2008 for Mac — with SP2 we are not only delivering on top customer requests midcycle, but also taking a first step in bringing Microsoft software plus services to Mac users,” said Mike Tedesco, senior product manager for MacBU at Microsoft. “This connection unlocks the door for Mac users to Microsoft services for easier collaboration and file sharing with colleagues, customers and classmates.”

Highlights of the release include the following:
•    Two new features in Microsoft PowerPoint 2008 for Mac:
•    Custom Path Animation adds the ability to author motion-path animations. Users previously could only play back motion paths.
•    Default Theme lets users define their default theme, including fonts, color scheme and slide layouts.
•    Increased speed in Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac (launch and scroll times) as well as Microsoft Excel 2008 for Mac with features such as calculation performance.