Windows Phone Thoughts: Microsoft Office 2007 Changes: No Outlook 2007 in Some Versions

If you're reading this site, odds are good that you also use some version of Outlook. It's bad enough that Pocket PC and Smartphone users are given the 5+ year old Outlook 2002 when they buy their expensive Windows Mobile device, but now Microsoft is removing Outlook from lower end Office bundles. It used to be that Outlook would come bundled with even the affordably-priced Student and Teacher Edition, which was great because many families I knew purchased that version. Three licenses, under $200, great deal. Things have unfortunately changed with the Office 2007.

According to this product chart, Outlook 2007 will not be included in Office 2007 Home and Student. What's curious is that it will be included in a new bundle called Office Basic 2007, which has Word, Excel, and Outlook - but no PowerPoint. If the Basic edition is priced even more affordably than the Home & Student edition, then perhaps this is a tempest in teapot. And I suppose the good news is that when Office 2007 comes out, presumably all Windows Mobile bundles will then include Outlook 2003.

One interesting solution to this problem is that Microsoft gives out Outlook client licenses to hosted Exchange providers such as 4smartphone [affiliate], which means you can get a free copy of Outlook 2007 (when it's available) and hosted Exchange all at the same time.