Earlier this week, Microsoft announced pricing for it’s upcoming release of Office 2010, the much anticipated update to the company’s flagship Office system.

As many of you know, the company will be releasing the final product sometime in the first quarter of 2010. The Office 2010 beta is generating record interest and use, surpassing the previous Office 2007 beta download rate. In just seven weeks, more than two million people around the world have downloaded and are using the Office 2010 beta. To get a better appreciation for that number, it’s a rate of more than 40,000 downloads per day.

Office 2010 will be offered in four versions, to make it easier to choose a version of Office that’s best for you – Office Home and Business, Office Professional, Office Home and Student, and Office Professional Academic. Here’s a chart that outlines the features and pricing for each version.

In addition, the company will be offering a “Family Pack” for Office Home and Student, this offering will be a limited time offer as was the Family Pack for Windows 7 Home Premium. The Office Home and Student Family Pack will allow users to install the product on up to 3 PCs in the home.

Also, Purchase rights for Office Home and Business, Office Professional, and Office Professional Academic boxed product allow for usage on two of your PCs. Lastly, the Product Key Card is valid for a single installation of the product.