While hardly definitive, reports today that Microsoft Senior Product Manager Mike Tedesco indicated that the MBU at Microsoft is “looking at” developing a version of Office for the iPad can be described as nothing less than great news.

Not so much because Office is the end all and be all (though I suppose it is for some) but because of the signals it sends.  If the most ubiquitous productivity applications are possibly/likely to be developed for the iPad, then:

1) The iPad’s ability to ‘play nice with others’ can only increase.

2) The iPad’s prospects in the enterprise can only increase.

3) There’s reason to believe that in general the iPad’s hardware and software – for those who have seen the SDK – is more capable than not.

Good news folks, good news.

From a ‘specifics’ point of view, it’s impossible to expect anything soon however.  Office – even a ‘basic’ version – for the iPad would likely be a massive undertaking for Microsoft.  They may also want to see iWorks up close before they go too far down any paths.  Still, between the Hulu rumor and this, I like.  (Is there a “Like” widget for wordpress?)