Microsoft will offer a preview version of Word X for Mac, from its Office v. X for Mac suite. The Word X Test Drive, expected as a download from its Mactopia Website, will offer a subset of the features planned for the full release in November: "Being that the Test Drive is beta code, there are some features that are not supported or have been removed to reduce file download size." The Word X Test Drive is designed to run exclusively on OS X 10.1 and features technologies such as Sheets, the Quartz 2-D Drawing Layer, and Aqua interface as well as new features such as Multi-selection and Clear Formatting. Update: Microsoft says the download will be available on Saturday, September 29 and not today, as previously announced. Update 8 pm ET: Microsoft has informed us that it has already posted the download, despite the its message earlier saying it would not do so until Saturday.

by MacNN Staff