On April 15th, Microsoft announced the official RTM of Microsoft Office 2010.

More details are here:

http://blogs.technet.com/office2010/archive/2010/04/15/office-2010-reaches-rtm.aspx

In the official announcement, Microsoft also clarified when to expect the real bits delivered directly through Microsoft servers.

Our Volume License customers with active Software Assurance (SA) on these products will be one of the first to receive the 2010 set of products. They will be able to download the products in English via the Volume Licensing Service Center starting April 27. Customers without SA will be able to purchase the new products through Volume Licensing from Microsoft partners starting May 1.

So as early as in ten days, we’ll get the new shiny Office 2010.

Office 2010 will reach business starting from May 12nd, and retail customers will get them beginning June.

No clear indication for the exact date on availability of Office 2010 on MSDN/TechNet.

While as a VLSC user, I’ve already got the license keys rolled out by Microsoft days ago.

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Beginning Office 2010, all major Microsoft software titles that aim at large base of uses, will incorporate the latest VA 2.0 activation mechanism, which will essentially reduce the amount of pirated editions spread around.

With Visual Studio launched earlier this week, and SQL 2010 is slated for June release, the entire Microsoft platform will get a overall refresh within the first half of this year. It’s really exciting!

Now we’re here again, once in three years, on the verge of embracing brand new technologies from Microsoft. Just great!