Office for iPad

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JimmyC

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#142904 28-Mar-2014 08:47

It'll be available to download some time today free of charge. But to actually create and edit documents you need an Office 365 sub which will run you circa $165\yr in NZ. The viable alternative I've been using for the last 2 years is Documents to Go Premium and Dropbox. Total investment was circa $29 with no ongoing fees.

I would have paid for Office for iPad, but a) not $165 every year ongoing, and b) with the cloud provider of my choice. Huge opportunity missed imo.

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#1014346 28-Mar-2014 08:49

I can see a lot of people using this with their work Office 365 account....which is becoming more and more commonplace.

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Buzz Bumble

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#1014356 28-Mar-2014 09:25

If you don't need to be easily compatible with Microsoft's desktop applications, then there's also Apple's iWork apps for iOS as an alternative (the MacOS version for computers is also free when you buy a new Mac or upgrade to Mavericks).

JimmyC

726 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1014383 28-Mar-2014 09:41

Buzz Bumble: If you don't need to be easily compatible with Microsoft's desktop applications, then there's also Apple's iWork apps for iOS as an alternative (the MacOS version for computers is also free when you buy a new Mac or upgrade to Mavericks).

Yup. Keynote, Pages and Numbers are also free on new iOS devices. Those apps sync with iCloud and are fully compatible with the cloud versions of the same apps which you can use from any web browser on Mac or PC.

gehenna

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#1014393 28-Mar-2014 09:53

Bear in mind that Office for iPad is free for viewing documents and presenting. Editing requires an O365 account.

myopinion

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#1014399 28-Mar-2014 09:57

We will be using this at work with an O365 account. One thing I've already noticed or can't figure out is....how to print a Word Document. Cant find that anywhere.

myopinion

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Ultimate Geek

#1014403 28-Mar-2014 10:00

Jusyt found this from a review mentioning and even defending not having a print option!!! http://mashable.com/2014/03/27/office-for-the-ipad-review/

"....especially if you go looking for the Save button (sorry, there’s no concept of “saving” a file in the iPad) or, more importantly, if you’re seeking a way to print your Office for iPad documents.

That last omission is a startling one. People still create documents for which the final destination is a physical manifestation. Microsoft, oddly, defends the decision. Julia White, General Manager, Office Marketing insisted printing is “an inferior mode of communication” and noted that today’s content is constantly changing and highly collaborative.

True, but Microsoft Office’s core user base will still rightly demand the option to print. Since Microsoft will likely update these apps frequently, I expect they’ll add this option soon after launch and, obviously, you can still access the documents from other platforms that do include a print option.

Printing, or the lack thereof, is one of the very few significant missteps in this otherwise polished set of apps. I found a good deal to like in all of them. "

gehenna

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#1014413 28-Mar-2014 10:05

That's an interesting omission for sure. Perhaps they don't agree with the proprietary nature of Apple's AirPrint?

JimmyC

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#1014435 28-Mar-2014 10:48

Microsoft is selling O365 subs from within the Office apps which means Apple gets its 30% of all such subs :-)

gehenna

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#1014444 28-Mar-2014 10:52

JimmyC: Microsoft is selling O365 subs from within the Office apps which means Apple gets its 30% of all such subs :-)

Is that true though? Because a year or more ago when iPad Office was rumoured the big problem for MS was the Apple cut, and they were trying to negotiate for that not to happen. Either they got their way, or they decided to wear the cost.

MikeB4

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#1014452 28-Mar-2014 10:59

It will be interesting to see what the touch screen experience will be like with this, I have a Surface and MS Office is not that easy to use with touch as the menus are small, I use a mouse if using it on the Surface

PJ48

290 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1014464 28-Mar-2014 11:03

Does anybody know if it will be possible to link the Office for iPad apps with Dropbox. I use Dropbox to keep a single set of files between my work PC, home Mac and iPad. I am not sure if One Drive would give me the same functionality as Dropbox?

gehenna

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#1014467 28-Mar-2014 11:08

No it's OneDrive integrated only. However you could probably open any Dropbox stored documents in the Office apps, you just wouldn't be able to save back to Dropbox - you'd need to save either locally or to OneDrive and then move the file back to Dropbox.

As far as I know OneDrive is very similar to Dropbox - though Dropbox is integrated in a number of applications that OneDrive may not be.

gehenna

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#1014469 28-Mar-2014 11:08

KiwiNZ: It will be interesting to see what the touch screen experience will be like with this, I have a Surface and MS Office is not that easy to use with touch as the menus are small, I use a mouse if using it on the Surface

It has been designed for touch from the ground up. Isn't MS Office on Surface just the same as MS Office on desktop? i.e. not designed for touch?

MikeB4

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#1014470 28-Mar-2014 11:18

gehenna:
KiwiNZ: It will be interesting to see what the touch screen experience will be like with this, I have a Surface and MS Office is not that easy to use with touch as the menus are small, I use a mouse if using it on the Surface

It has been designed for touch from the ground up. Isn't MS Office on Surface just the same as MS Office on desktop? i.e. not designed for touch?

Office on Surface definitely not designed for touch. Maybe they should port this new edition for RT

JimmyC

726 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1014476 28-Mar-2014 11:27

gehenna:
JimmyC: Microsoft is selling O365 subs from within the Office apps which means Apple gets its 30% of all such subs :-)

Is that true though? Because a year or more ago when iPad Office was rumoured the big problem for MS was the Apple cut, and they were trying to negotiate for that not to happen. Either they got their way, or they decided to wear the cost.

Apple confirms, Microsoft "declined to comment"

http://recode.net/2014/03/27/microsoft-is-selling-office-365-within-ipad-apps-and-apple-is-getting-its-30-percent-cut/

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