Useful new features and a total interface overhaul make this the best Office ever.

Microsoft’s radical redesign promises ‘better results, faster’. Be fully prepared for this world-leading productivity software.

Useful new features and a total interface overhaul make this the best Office ever.

It has been over two years since we previewed Office XP, but Microsoft has finally given us a glimpse of Office 2003. The finished version should be on the shelves by the end of July, but will it be worth the upgrade? The answer could be an emphatic 'yes' if you're a Tablet PC user, as Microsoft has just launched OneNote (see page 59), making full use of electronic ink. The company is also introducing InfoPath (see page 59) for designing electronic forms, with the flexibility of XML. The classic apps have also had their seen refurbishment, with Outlook (page 56) getting the most attention, and FrontPage and Publisher (page 58) a bit of a revamp.

Improvements all round keep PowerPoint well ahead of the competition.

This version sees a new maturity, with more server integration and easier-to-use controls online forms.

A worthy update to the most underrated of the Office applications — OneNote is now a must-have.

An effective group-working tool, especially for those with the infrastructure to take full advantage of it.

Now pitched at less experienced database users, this refresh is a mixed blessing.

Useful for the very basics, but it’s early days for Google’s latest venture.