Office For Mac 2016: First Look

Microsoft is getting ready to launch another version of its productivity suite for Apple's OS, five years after its release of Office for Mac in 2011. The newest version of Office is now available for preview by Mac users.

This is the latest in a series of efforts by Microsoft to broaden its services among competing platforms. An iPad-compatible version of Office launched in 2014, followed by Office for Android tablets and Outlook for iOS and Androidin early 2015. 

Beyond the updates to iOS and Android, a slew of Office-related news has been coming from Redmond. Microsoft recently gave Windows Insiders the opportunity to test Office for Windows 10, revamped Office Online, and broadened cloud integration for its line of Office apps. It also teased new details on Office for Windows 10 at this week's Mobile World Congress.

As per CEO Satya Nadella's "mobile first, cloud first" strategy, Office 2016 for Mac is driven by the cloud. It's designed so that documents are accessible across OneDrive, OneDrive for Business and SharePoint across personal and work devices by signing into an Office account.

[Find out what's new for Azure. Read 2 Microsoft Azure Services Hit General Release.]

This preview of Office for Mac 2016 includes upgraded versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and OneNote. It's free to test, but when it launches later this year, Office 2016 will require a subscription to Office 365 or purchase of an individual package if users want to do more than read or print Office documents.

Opinions on the 2016 platform note that the current Office for Mac 2011 looks outdated in comparison to a new design that resembles a mix of the older Office and fresh Windows interface. In a blog post on the announcement, Microsoft wrote that the new apps offer full retina display support and thousands of retina-optimized graphics.

The redesigned Ribbon UI now fits with the theme of OS X. It also offers a new task pane interface that organizes features so they can be easily located. The new OS is required for download, which should be welcome news to Apple as it gives users another reason to upgrade to OS X 10.10 Yosemite.

Let's take a closer look at the updated Office for Mac apps and what each has to offer. Check out the features on the following pages, and then tell us what you like most (and last) about Microsoft Office for Mac 2016 in the comments section below.

7 In 10 Businesses Struggle To Sustain PCI Compliance

Maintaining PCI compliance is a bigger challenge that achieving it for many companies, Verizon study finds.

For many companies, maintaining compliance with the requirements of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) appears to be more challenging than actually achieving it.

A new survey by Verizon on the state of PCI compliance among organizations that handle debit and credit card data shows that more companies than ever are achieving some form of compliance with the requirements of the standard.

Verizon reviewed (registration required) quantitative data from PCI assessments that it conducted over the last two years at customer locations and from data breach investigations it conducted for clients over the same period. The data showed that between 2013 and 2014, compliance rates went up substantially for 11- out of 12 major PCI requirements among companies required to meet the standard. The only area where compliance rates fell during the same period pertained to security testing. About 20 percent of the companies reviewed were fully compliant with all PCI requirements at interim assessment, compared to just over 11 percent in 2013 and barely 7.5 percent in 2012.

Despite such progress, 7 out of 10 companies that achieve PCI compliance fail to maintain that status even for a year. Verizon’s research showed that only 28.6 percent of companies managed to remain compliant for the full year between annual assessments.

A lot of that has to do with the continued failure by companies to implement robust measures for managing and maintaining compliance, once they have achieved it, says Andi Baritchi, global managing principal at Verizon and one of the authors of the report.

It’s common for organizations to conflate validation and compliance, Baritchi says. "Compliance means doing all of the things that PCI says you need to do during the year,” he said. “The assessment is merely a snapshot in time. It validates that Company X is compliant,” based on a specific assessment at a specific point in time.

Companies that suffer data breaches are often quick to note that they had been validated for compliance within the past year. But that doesn’t mean that they were in fact compliant at the time of the breach, Baritchi said. In fact, data from the past 10 years shows, that not a single company that suffered a data breach was compliant with PCI requirements at the time of the incident, he said.

“This leads us to the question: has compliance become too complex, preventing organizations from looking at the 'big picture'?” says Dave Oder, CEO of Shift4 Corp. “Organizations that focus on compliance, and jump through all of PCI¹s hoops, may achieve compliance for a moment in time."

But it is only organizations that are looking to be secure at all times that will find compliance easier to achieve and maintain, he says.

The 84-page Verizon report highlights the multiple factors that impact an organization’s ability to maintain compliance on a sustained basis. From a technical standpoint, the complexity of systems in an IT environment, the architectural design, the physical location of systems and the manner in which they are interconnected, can impact the level of investment and effort needed to maintain compliance, the report noted.

Similarly, an organization’s ability to sustain compliance at an operational level depends on factors like the proficiency of its IT organization and the culture of the organization regarding adherence to policies. The degree to which strategic, business, and data protection objectives are aligned can also impact compliance sustainability in a big way, Verizon said in its report.

“It is not uncommon for executives to make strategic business decisions (like changes to sales channels and mergers) without considering the potential impact on information security and compliance, and how that might affect the business case,” the report said.

The PCI Security Standards Council, which administers the standard, has somewhat controversially insisted for some time that organizations who implement and maintain compliance with all of PCIs requirements will not get breached. It has noted, like Verizon does in its report, how every single company that has suffered a payment card data breach was also not PCI-compliant.

In a statement responding to the Verizon report, the PCI Council’s general manager Stephen Orfei reiterated those sentiments. “Often an organization’s approach to PCI security is to focus on passing the annual compliance assessment,” he said. But this only the start, he noted.

“Only a combination of people, process and technology, and a focus on making security a ‘business-as-usual’ practice will help thwart [security threats],” he said.

Jai Vijayan is a seasoned technology reporter with over 20 years of experience in IT trade journalism. He was most recently a Senior Editor at Computerworld, where he covered information security and data privacy issues for the publication. Over the course of his 20-year ...

Apple Watch Meets Salesforce Enterprise Apps

Salesforce is among the first enterprise application vendors to offer Apple Watch apps. Here's how watch apps differ from phone apps.

Apple Watch Event: 10 Things We Learned

(Click image for larger view and slideshow.)

When the Apple Watch debuts next month, among the first enterprise application vendors ready with native apps will be Salesforce, which announced this week it will have a Salesforce Analytics Cloud App and a Salesforce1 mobile app developed specifically for the tiny wrist-based interface.

So what can you do from the Apple Watch that wasn't already supported on the iPhone, which has to be nearby to support the apps and give the wrist-based device connectivity to the Internet? The short answer is nothing, but there are things that you might find easier or more polite to consume information from the watch.

"You're going to be able to get things like immediate notifications on simple yes/no decision," Peter Coffee, Salesforce vice president for Strategic Research, told InformationWeek in a phone interview. "If there's a request to offer a discount to a customer, for example, you're not going to need to pull out your phone and constantly look to see if that request has been approved. The watch will flash that notification, you can glance at it, and just continue the conversation without breaking the flow."

[Want more on this topic? Read Apple Watch Event: 10 Things We Learned.]

Apple is clearly a complementary device to the iPhone, but wrist-based interaction might make more sense when you're on the go or in a conversation or a meeting, so can be more discreet about checking on information. In the case of the Salesforce1 app, a salesperson can see an upcoming appointment on the watch, tap on that link and then drill down on how many open service cases that company has, how many open deals it has right now, and what's the projected value of those deals? In the case of the Analytics Cloud App, users will be able to tap on a bar chart or KPI that they follow and quickly drill down deeper data by customer or territory.

"It may seem unlikely to people who are used to needing a master-of-the-universe three-screen display to get anything done, but if you look at how well Apple has engineered the Taptic engine for the watch, I think they'll be pleasantly surprised how much they get done on the watch before they have to go to a device as large as the phone," said Coffee.

Salesforce Analytics Cloud Apple Watch app users will be able to drill down on favorite charts and KPIs.

Individuals will be able to create customized choices of a few questions they want to see on their Apple Watch, and companies will be able to roll out dashboards to all salespeople, for example, surfacing key customer indicators.

"If you're trying to sell a customer something and they have a really big, red bar on service cases, one tap would let quickly drill in to find out how many have been open for more than 30 days, so you can be informed with current data before you go into that conversation," said Coffee.

Saleforce1 Mobile apps for Apple Watch will let salespeople see and drill down on timely insights for upcoming sales calls.

The Salesforce apps were featured in Monday's presentations by Apple in large part because Salesforce was early to jump on the Apple Watch bandwagon. Last June the company launched its Salesforce Wear development platform for wearables devices starting with Google Glass and the Samsung Gear 2 Smartwatch, and it subsequently added support for the Apple Watch, as well as Epson Moverio augmented-reality smart glasses, the Jawbone UP activity-tracking wristband, Meta Glasses augmented-reality 3D smart glasses, the Oculus Rift virtual reality 3D headset, and Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses.

The Salesforce Wear Developer Pack is already available for developing custom native Apple Watch applications. "It's not just being able to build apps quickly for particular devices," said Coffee of the development platform. "We're providing reference applications for all these devices, but if you build them in this environment, you're data is curated in an environment that's proven to be have high-availability, high-scalability, and a high degree of trust and on data-privileges, management, and protection."

The Salesforce Analytics Cloud App for Apple Watch will be available April 24, when the watch is set for release, to those who have licensed the Analytics Cloud. The same free availability and release data applies to those who have licensed the Saleforce1 Mobile app. The Salesforce Wear Developer Pack for Apple Watch is available immediately at no charge to those who have licensed the Salesforce Wear development platform.

Attend Interop Las Vegas, the leading independent technology conference and expo series designed to inspire, inform, and connect the world's IT community. In 2015, look for all new programs, networking opportunities, and classes that will help you set your organization’s IT action plan. It happens April 27 to May 1. Register with Discount Code MPOIWK for $200 off Total Access & Conference Passes.

Apple Watch Alternatives: 10 Gadgets The Company Should Have Made

Yay, the Apple watch is here. Now we can tell what time it is without looking at the phone, which is typically in our hands, six inches from our Apple Watch. If you want to be excited, go for it. Never let it be said that IT Life would tell you how to think (well, we might, but we don't expect you to listen). But for me, the Apple Watch is, at best, a really expensive fitness band and, at worst, a really ugly and expensive watch you have to replace every two years to keep getting the benefit out of it.

If you need to pay hundreds of dollars for a fitness band that also tells you that you've got a text, go for it. But honestly, isn't Apple better than this?

Apple basically made the personal computer. They remade the way we listen to music. They remade the way we access the world through a handheld computer. And now, the best they can do is charge us an arm and a leg for a watch with a screen too tiny to do anything except use fitness apps and get text alerts. This certainly isn't going to change the way we look at time, or watches, or even smartphones. It is a cute accessory with the price tag of a game-changing lifestyle addition.

Apple is the richest company in the world, turning in the biggest profits we've seen in its history. Apple has more than $155 billion in cash reserves. It could invest its cash in a Christmas Club and pay its employees without ever having to sell a single thing ever again.

With great cash comes great responsibility. Where is the big idea? Where is the game changer? When will they tap into the war chest and come up with something actually worthy of their legacy? We've got 10 ideas for them that might be a little more worthy (or at least more interesting) than the Apple Watch.

4 Data-Driven Predictions For IT Innovation

Data from the 2015 InformationWeek Elite 100 companies shows how these digital innovators are using analytics and cloud, and where they could miss the boat.

Each year, InformationWeek releases our list of the Elite 100, a select group of companies that are business-IT innovators. In the process, we survey these top-of-the-class companies on how they address important IT issues such as tech spending, organizational priorities, and strategy.

Our 2015 Elite 100 list of business-IT innovators gets its big reveal at this year's InformationWeek Conference, April 27 - 28, in Las Vegas. But we can disclose now some of the data we've collected from these 100 business-IT leaders about the ways they're approaching hot tech topics such as data analytics, cloud, IT budgets, and digital business.

Here, we share four predictions about IT strategy drawn from the Elite 100. You'll also find information on some of the top-notch speakers who will address these topics at the InformationWeek Conference.

IT will get out of the way of data analytics

Almost half (49%) of these 100 tech leaders let end-users do "what-if" analysis today without IT involvement. Looking ahead, another 39% of companies are piloting or planning to roll out these kind of hands-off analytical tools within a year. That leaves just 12% who don't see this in their future.

That growth for what-if analysis is in contrast to the use of dashboards, which might be leveling off. Usage is high -- half of Elite 100 companies provide dashboards to 50% or more of their employees. But a big minority (29%) have no plans for that widespread level of use inside their company, or consider it not applicable to them.

[ Read about last year's No. 1 InformationWeek Elite 100 company: Pfizer Connects Dots To Deliver Better Treatments. ]

Analytics in general dominates the innovation -- 77% of Elite 100 companies consider using analytics to make better decisions to be among their top three innovation priorities.

At the InformationWeek Conference, ConocoPhillips CIO Mike Pfister and Rich Barclay, Manager of Analytics Innovation, will talk about the company's effort to build a platform for data analytics so that more employees can get involved in analysis. We'll also have data experts from UPS and Kaggle discussing how to get real value out of today's business-world rock star, the data scientist.

Cloud sophistication is rising

"Cloudbursting" is a simple concept that's hard to pull off. The idea is that a company can shift work off its own data centers to a public cloud like Amazon's or Microsoft's if the company gets a spike in computing demand. In the real world, that kind of dynamic shifting has been hard for companies to do.

But we see striking advancement among Elite 100 companies this year. Last year, just 15% of companies could dynamically shift from an in-house data center to public cloud based on demand. This year, 26% said they can do so. Last year, 43% said they had no plans for such dynamic shifting, this year just 31% took it off the table.

(Digging in at the 2014 InformationWeek Conference)

At the InformationWeek Conference, data center executives from Boeing, eBay, and VMware will discuss the future of the data center. Data center performance isn't a behind-the-scenes engine anymore; it determines how quickly companies can launch new products, and their employees can react to changing customer demands.

IT budgets will stay healthy

Two thirds of Elite 100 companies plan to increase IT spending this year, compared with 2014, and 40% expect to increase spending by 5% or more. Only 13% expect to decrease IT spending, and only 5% expect a cut of 5% or more.

One third of companies spend less than 2% of revenue on IT, while 70% spend less than 5%. Eleven percent spend 10% or more.

Some IT organizations will miss the digital wave

The data isn't glaring on this point since, after all, the Elite 100 are companies leading in digital innovation. However, a couple of data points offer a warning sign for IT departments that aren't close enough to their customers and their products.

We asked IT leaders if their groups are integrated or siloed from other business functions, from finance to product development. For every function, the "siloed" answers came in the single digits.

But for sales and product development, slightly more than one fourth checked the "not applicable" box. Granted, a handful of government agencies are on the list, so perhaps they don't see a function as sales. And maybe there are businesses that don't have formal "product development" groups -- perhaps in healthcare? But every IT organization needs to see its job as creating new products, and driving new revenue. Those that stay solely in the IT comfort zone of cutting operating costs and improving processes will become less relevant.

There is promising data on this front, too. Nearly half (46%) of Elite 100 companies say that introducing a new IT-led product or service is among their top three innovation priorities. Engaging customers in new ways gets cited by 43%, while creating a new business model or revenue stream is at 24%. Just 25% says lowering IT or business costs is in their top three priorities.

At the InformationWeek Conference, Walmart CIO Karenann Terrell will discuss how the IT team is undergoing a major modernization and transformation that puts the customer -- the one probably holding a mobile device -- squarely at the center.

One last data point: 52% of companies say their CIO has official responsibility in the area of innovation. If IT-powered innovation is in your job description -- or just on your mind -- we hope you'll join us at the InformationWeek Conference.

Want to discuss technology strategy with your executive peers? Want to explore digital innovation with the CIOs of Walmart, the NBA, Royal Caribbean, Boeing, eBay, and more? Register now for the InformationWeek Conference, April 27 and 29 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.