With the launch of Microsoft Office 2010 for business customers, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is looking to compete head on with one of its largest online rivals, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).

One of the highlights of Office 2010 is the move towards cloud computing, with OneNote, Power Point And Word now available through a standard web browser. In addition to this, Microsoft claims that the new version of Office offers better usability through portable handheld devices such as smartphones.

Although Google doesn’t generate significant revenue from its Enterprise services, the Google suite of apps has always been a viable alternative to Microsoft Office and one that the search engine giant has tried to use to erode Microsoft’s customer base and profit margins.

In a rather poignant blog post, Matthew Glotzbach, the Management Director for Google Enterprise Product writes:

If you’re considering upgrading Office with Office, we’d encourage you to consider an alternative: upgrading Office with Google Docs. If you choose this path, upgrade means what it’s supposed to mean: effortless, affordable, and delivering a remarkable increase in employee productivity. This is a refreshing alternative to the expensive and laborious upgrades to which IT professionals have become accustomed.

For enterprises looking to upgrade, Google does make a strong case for the Google suite of office products and has confirmed that further enhancements are coming later this year.

Via: BI, IT Pro Portal