At MacWorld, Microsoft unveiled its Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac software suite. Although the PC version was launched on January 31 2007, Microsoft needed almost a year to complete the Office 2008 for Mac suite (which includes Microsoft Office Word 2008, Microsoft Office Excel 2008, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2008 and Microsoft Office Entourage 2008), mainly because of the changes the Mac platform has undergone in the recent years.

The "usual suspects" blamed for this one year delay include Apple's switch from PowerPC-powered Macs to Intel machines- which disrupted the working process at Microsoft's Mac Business Unit (Mac BU)- and Redmond's obstinacy to have the Open XML file format accepted as an international standard.

"We developed Office 2008 for Mac as a comprehensive productivity suite that also helps people simplify their work," Mac BU head Craig Eisler said at MacWorld. "At the core, we focused on delivering reliable compatibility so that users can confidently share documents across platforms."

There will be three editions of Office 2008 for Mac, with two of them targeting specific users and distinct needs. The first one is Microsoft Office for Mac 2008, which will cost $399.95 in the US when bought for the first time, and $239.95 when users upgrade from a previous edition. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Entourage.

The second one, which is also the cheapest ($149.95 for the retail version), is Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition and it targets users with basic productivity needs. This version includes three user licenses for use by consumers and students but does not include connectivity to Microsoft Exchange Server or support for automated workflows.

Finally, the most expensive version of software will be Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition, which is sold for $499.95 and adds Microsoft Expression Media design software.

If you want to find out more about Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, then you should read the in-depth review posted by InformationWeek.