6. Inline Replies

Following the lead of the Office Web Apps version of Outlook, Outlook 15 will no longer pop open a new window to reply to an email message. Thurrott says, “Now, replies happen inline by default, and in the area normally reserved for the reading pane.”

This is just the tip of the iceberg, really. Microsoft seems to be going to great lengths to make Office 15 perform a delicate balancing act. It appears to be designed with tablets and touchscreen in mind, and take advantage of various elements of Windows 8, but it also contains a variety of updates and improvements that will benefit users on legacy Windows 7 desktops as well.

I’m not entirely confident in the overall success of Windows 8 yet, but it seems to me that Office 15 has a lot of promise.