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And that prompts another question? How's that done? Outlook 2011 has no sync capabilities and when I installed that preview version of the new Office that Outlook didn't have it either.

Office 365 also provides access to a hosted-in-the-cloud exchange server, that is what the client software talks to for exchange email and exchange calendar. Multiple Office for Mac and Outlook for Mac clients can access that exchange email and calendar. IOS calendar and mail can access the exchange calendar and mail services. Sync of exchange mail and calendar between devices happens via the hosted exchange service.

Outlook can also access IMAP accounts (where "sync" happens via each client accessing the IMAP server).

If you have standalone Office for Mac 2011 (say bought previously), you need access to an exchange environment for exchange email and calendar, otherwise its an expensive IMAP mail client. Office 365 provides both the exchange server and client software.

Hope that helps.
 
Do you know if Office 2016 will be free once the full version is out for those that had the preview ?

My assumption is no, it won't. But you can download it now and see if it works for you, and then decide if you want to spend the money when they announce the price.

I'm guessing there will be the 365 subscription and an option to buy a boxed version that is a one-time fee, but I don't think MS has announced either way.
 
Office 365 provides both the exchange server and client software.
Sometimes, just for clarification purposes...

I have two Office 365 plans, one for my small business - with Hosted Exchange, and one for my own personal use - without Hosted Exchange. My personal plan is the Home version (with 5 installs) - The Home, Personal, and Educational versions do not include Hosted Exchange, but the Home and Personal versions do include Outlook.

And, the Business Essentials and Business Premium versions of Office 365 include Hosted Exchange, but the Business and Business ProPlus versions do not.

Clear as mud, right? :p

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Do you know if Office 2016 will be free once the full version is out for those that had the preview ?
Good one!

The US-based plan subscription pricing is at the Office 365 portal:
https://products.office.com/en-us/compare-microsoft-office-products

The perpetual pricing will likely be in line with what MS is charging for Office 2011 and 2013. I paid $220 for the 2-license Office 2011 Professional version which isn't offered by MS any longer but can be found on Amazon and eBay, which includes Outlook 2011 - and the licenses are eligible for upgrade pricing when the updated version of the Office suite comes out. I bring up that last point as you may find a cheap license of Office 2011 then get the upgrade price when it comes out...
 
Office 365 provides both the exchange server and client software.

Hope that helps.

Thanks.

Please bear with me, as I'm not all that familiar with the technology. But are you saying that if I get Office 365 (in whatever flavor that's available for the Mac platform) that if I sign up with say, Outlook.com, then I can share and synchronise calendars, contacts and tasks across my Mac Mini and Macbook Air, and use EAS for an account in the iPhone's calendar and email apps?
 
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