Weekly #WhyMSFT Round-Up 12/16/2011

Each week, we round up industry news and articles you might have missed. Enjoy this week’s selections.

The 15 Best Products of 2011
Microsoft launched its cloud-based service for Exchange, SharePoint and Lync -- with support for online versions of its Office franchise -- with ultra-competitive pricing starting at $6 per month per user. Enterprises can be up and running with full functionality within minutes, it can be managed in-house or remotely by resellers, and we found it to be uber-flexible and compelling. It’s the real deal, and it blows away Google Apps.

3 Reasons Why Microsoft Office 365 is Better than Google Apps
With Office 365, organizations see all the benefits from a transition to the cloud without all the disruption in productivity for end users. In fact, Office Web Apps, which provides end users with a browser-based document editing application, now incorporates multi-user editing, which was the last stronghold of Google Apps.

Microsoft Boosts Office 365 Regulatory Compliance
We want to make sure that customers using our cloud services can demonstrate that they're complying with their regulation responsibilities, and we also want to make it easier for customers to move to the cloud quickly, McGibbons said.

Microsoft Corporation Touts Office 365 Security
Today, Office 365 can help hospitals, insurers and clinics confidently empower their staff to be efficient and productive virtually anytime and almost anywhere while substantially reducing their IT operating costs.

Microsoft Cloud Meets EU Data Protection Standards
Microsoft has announced that its Office 365 cloud-based service now includes support for the European Commission's "Model Clauses", which safeguard personal data even if it is stored in a data centre located outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

L.A. Won't Put LAPD on Google's Cloud-Based email System
In a setback for Google Inc.'s ambitions to be a major provider of email service to governments, Los Angeles has abandoned plans to move 13,000 law enforcement personnel to the Internet company's cloud-based messaging system. The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to scale back the city's email services contract with Google, agreeing with staff analysis that the company's technology could not meet the security needs of crucial departments including police and the city attorney's office.

Microsoft Climbs into Enterprise Cloud With H-P
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard announced a new initiative to deliver Microsoft’s productivity and collaboration applications like Office 365, Sharepoint, Exchange Server and Lync, via private and public cloud services.

HP-Microsoft Hybrid Cloud Eyes Regulated Enterprises
With this approach, a CIO can feel comfortable that [he or she is] meeting compliance needs and paying for only what's needed for each end user on a monthly basis, said Patricia Wilkey, HP's global director of marketing, workplace services, HP Enterprise Services, in an interview with InformationWeek.

Lync 2010 for Windows Phone Now Available For Download
The beautifully designed application also features a handy schedule-tracking feature. Business colleague’s availability will be updated in real time allowing you to choose when and how to contact them.

Microsoft Expands Presence on iOS and Android with OneNote and Lync Apps
Microsoft is boosting Office's presence on mobile devices with a new OneNote app designed for Apple's iPad and a Lync application for the iPhone, iPad, Android, Symbian, and, of course, Windows Phone.