10 | MANE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | DECEMBER 2017
Microsoft plans to roll out the successor to Office 2016 sometime in 2018
In September, Microsoft announced Office 2019 - the next perpetual update for Office. The update is expected to be released sometime in the second half of 2018. This will include new versions of the Office apps (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) with previews of the new software shipping mid-2018.
According to Microsoft, Office 2019 will add new user and IT capabilities for customers who aren’t yet ready for the cloud. For example, new and improved inking features—like pressure sensitivity, tilt effects, and ink replay—will allow you to work more naturally. New formulas and charts will make data analysis for Excel more powerful. Visual animation features—like Morph and Zoom—will add polish to PowerPoint presentations. Server enhancements will include updates to IT manageability, usability, voice, and security. ■
Worldwide sales of connected cars are projected increase substantially
According to Garner Inc., there will be a quarter billion connected vehicles on the road by 2020. Connected vehicles enable new in-vehicle services and automated driving capabilities. During the next five years, the proportion of new vehicles equipped with this capability will increase substantially, making connected cars a major element of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Gartner forecasts that about one in five vehicles on the road worldwide will have some form of wireless network connection by 2020. Vehicle connectivity will have implications across the major functional areas of automated driving, entertainment and mobility services and may drive the need and development of the 5G network that will enable truly connected cars and driverless vehicles. ■
TECH QUICKIE