IDG News Service - Corel Corp. today released a free public beta of WordPerfect Lightning, a word processor that blends a desktop-based application with online collaboration and storage features.
WordPerfect Lightening has a Notes tool to save text and images from the Internet as well as a Viewer tool that can handle PDF documents, WordPerfect files and Microsoft Word documents. It also has a Navigator tool to organize files.
The desktop application is 20MB and is compatible with Microsoft's new Vista operating system and XP, Corel said.
If users are not at a computer running the WordPerfect Lightning desktop application, they can use Lightning's online site to access files stored by Corel.
Users get 200MB of storage space to back up data such as e-mails, contacts, bookmarks and documents, in addition to a calendar and free e-mail.
WordPerfect Lightning is one of a wave of programs that integrate desktop applications with online features for greater access and easier collaboration. In March 2006, Google Inc. bought Upstartle LLC, a company that created the online word processor Writely.
Free offerings such as Writely and WordPerfect Lightening are seen as a challenge to Microsoft's Office programs, which dominate productivity applications and bring the company much of its revenue.
With WordPerfect Lightening, Corel is offering a free trial version of its WordPerfect Office X3 productivity suite, whose standard edition retails for $269.99.
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