Task panes are dynamic windows that pop up in response to specific actions you're performing within a document, such as paragraph formatting or using mail merge options. Similarly, smart tags are icons that appear when you perform a particular task--simply hover your mouse over them and a drop-down menu of options will appear.

Smart tags really come into play in Word 2002, greatly expanding your options. For example, you can now place your mouse over a contact name in a letter and the menu allows you to send that person an e-mail, open their entry in your contact book in Outlook, refer to outstanding schedule commitments, and so on.

Other exciting innovations include the ability to select multiple, unconnected chunks of text (so you can cut and paste two unconnected paragraphs in one go), and the Reveal Formatting task pane, which lets you see all the formats and styles on a given selection. Use the Drawing Canvas to position pictures within a document, check out the Diagram Gallery to add business diagrams, or insert professional clip art from the Clip Organizer.

While there is only so much you would want to change in a word processing package, which is designed for simply and quickly writing documents, Microsoft has managed to improve upon an already well-executed application. --John Rennie

AutoCorrect Options smart tags provide an easy mechanism for users to control and modify automatic behavior that takes place within Word. Undo an automatic correction, choose to not have that correction take place in the future, or access the AutoCorrect Options dialog box. With Name, Address, and Date smart tags, Word 2002 recognizes names, addresses, and dates. When an item is recognized, the user is provided with a smart tag that allows them to obtain additional information from the Web or from other Office applications. Additional smart tags will be available on the Office Update Web site and can be extended by organizations and third parties to offer unique document solutions. Word 2002 now gives users the ability to translate words in their document (available languages are determined by language dictionaries that are installed) or to access a translation service on the Web. This service provides entire document translation as well as additional languages. Word 2002 now increases user productivity by supplementing traditional mouse and keyboard execution with voice commands. Users can dictate text, make direct formatting changes, and navigate menus using speech and voice commands. (Note: Speech is currently available for U.S. English, simplified Chinese, and Japanese.) The Word Count toolbar allows users to easily update the word count in a document without having to go to the Word Count dialog box. Additional improvements in Word Count allow users more flexibility in whether headers and footers are counted in their document.

Word 2002 makes it easier for users to discover and use existing functionality, and provides intelligent new ways for users to work with their documents. Word now also makes it easier for users to share and review documents with others without changing the way they currently work. This goal is achieved through new tools such as Task Panes and Smart Tags that are shared throughout the Microsoft Office suite, as well as through improved technology for working with formatting, styles, bullets, tables of contents, and more.