Lecture Notes: What is Microsoft 365?

Introduction

• Presenter: Kevin
• Topic: Understanding Microsoft 365 and evaluating its benefits
• Purpose: To see if subscribing to Microsoft 365 is worth it over one-time purchase or free alternatives

Background & Evolution

• Traditional Model:
  • Buy Office with a new computer (e.g., Dell, HP)
  • Office cost: $200-$400, one-time purchase
  • Typical PC refresh cycle: 3-4 years
  • Microsoft’s 3-year release cycle: plan, build, test, ship
• Shift to Subscription:
  • Rapid tech evolution demands frequent updates
  • Introduction of Office 365: Subscription model with regular updates
  • Rebranding to Microsoft 365 (April 2020): Reflects broader scope beyond traditional Office apps

What is Microsoft 365?

• Core Apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access
• Cross-platform: Available on PC, tablet, and phone
• Regular Updates: New features and fixes
  • Examples: Dark mode in Word, animated GIFs in PowerPoint, data conversion from PDF to Excel

Value-added Features in Core Apps

• Word: Integrated Editor for writing improvements (similar to Grammarly)
• Excel: Money in Excel for tracking finances
• PowerPoint: Design ideas, extensive font library, and templates
• Shared Across Apps: Access to royalty-free images, icons, cutout people, stickers, stock videos

Additional Benefits

• OneDrive:
  • 1TB cloud storage
  • Syncs files across devices
  • Allows file sharing and collaboration
  • Personal Vault for sensitive information (requires two-factor authentication)
• Outlook: Ad-free email experience
• Skype: 60 minutes of free worldwide calling monthly
• Family Safety: Set screen time and gaming limits for family members
• Partner Deals: Offers like Adobe membership, private lessons, etc.
• Live Tech Support: Access to Microsoft support via chat

Pricing Plans

• Personal Plan: $70 per year (for individuals)
• Family Plan: $100 per year (up to 6 users, effectively $1.40/month/user)
• One-time Purchase Options:
  • Office Home & Business 2019: $250 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Office Home & Student 2019: $150 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Conclusion

• Personal Opinion: The presenter subscribes to Microsoft 365 and finds it valuable
• Call to Audience: Inviting viewers to share their opinions on whether or not Microsoft 365 is worth subscribing to

Engagement

• Feedback Request: Comments on the video’s usefulness, suggestions for future topics
• Subscribe Prompt: Encouraging viewers to subscribe to the channel for more content

End of Lecture