Microsoft enlists Dell to push Office 365 on new PCs

Some major computer makers are pushing Office 365 with their new PCs, but others have stuck with a more traditional bundling tactic of including a factory-installed, single-license trial. "[Microsoft is] very clearly heading towards driving every consumer towards the Office 365 option that they can, in the hopes of a subscription," said Wes Miller, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, in an interview Wednesday. Of the top three computer vendors -- OEMs, for original equipment manufacturers -- only Dell offers Office 365 Home Premium, the consumer-grade subscription plan, with new machines. When a customer orders a customized PC, Dell offers a 30-day free trial to Office 365 Home Premium by default. Microsoft offers the same 30-day trial on its website. The trial requires the customer to provide a credit card, which is charged if the plan isn't canceled within the trial period. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here