Apple productivity suite purchase/transfer

[Ipad24meandu]

Hey All
I am a new iPad owner and I have been searching for some apps that are similar to the MS suite (word, ppt, excel). I would love to go with a free app, however I am inclined to get pages, numbers, keynote. Btw, any suggestions for similar free apps?

Does anyone know if purchasing these apps for iPad is restricted only to the iPad device or can I transfer the software to a mbp( thinking about getting a mbp in the near future). My first thought was it seems silly to purchase the same software twice, however, I really don't know if transferring the programs is even an option.

thanks for your time.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Hey All
I am a new iPad owner and I have been searching for some apps that are similar to the MS suite (word, ppt, excel). I would love to go with a free app, however I am inclined to get pages, numbers, keynote. Btw, any suggestions for similar free apps?

Does anyone know if purchasing these apps for iPad is restricted only to the iPad device or can I transfer the software to a mbp( thinking about getting a mbp in the near future). My first thought was it seems silly to purchase the same software twice, however, I really don't know if transferring the programs is even an option.

thanks for your time.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

The versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote for the iPad are completely different from those used on the MacBook. They are stripped down versions that have limited functionality. They handle basic documents OK, but complex formatting, spreadsheets etc will cause them to struggle. So, definitely, you'll need separate versions for your MacBook - which is Intel processor based - and your iPad - which is ARM based.

Welcome to the Forum

Tim

 

[Ipad24meandu]

The versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote for the iPad are completely different from those used on the MacBook. They are stripped down versions that have limited functionality. They handle basic documents OK, but complex formatting, spreadsheets etc will cause them to struggle. So, definitely, you'll need separate versions for your MacBook - which is Intel processor based - and your iPad - which is ARM based.

Welcome to the Forum

Tim

I see.. That's good to know. Any suggestions for a free or possibly low priced "ms-word"like app? I was emailed some word docs from a friend and as I was going to make corrections on the doc, I realized I have no way of doing so. Any thoughts on a reliable app?

Thanks Tim

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

The versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote for the iPad are completely different from those used on the MacBook. They are stripped down versions that have limited functionality. They handle basic documents OK, but complex formatting, spreadsheets etc will cause them to struggle. So, definitely, you'll need separate versions for your MacBook - which is Intel processor based - and your iPad - which is ARM based.

Welcome to the Forum

Tim

I see.. That's good to know. Any suggestions for a free or possibly low priced "ms-word"like app? I was emailed some word docs from a friend and as I was going to make corrections on the doc, I realized I have no way of doing so. Any thoughts on a reliable app?

Thanks Tim

Sent from my iPad using iPF

One of the problems that you may face is that none of the iPad MS apps handle track changes properly so, if you were planning to use that capability, it's no go. Some apps can display track changes made by previous authors but cannot modify or add to them.

If you're just going to highlight passages in the text that require attention, then you might be in luck!!

Given the limited capabilities of even the paid-for apps, the free ones are definitely not going to be up to the job of any serious work.

Tim

 

[Ipad24meandu]

One of the problems that you may face is that none of the iPad MS apps handle track changes properly so, if you were planning to use that capability, it's no go. Some apps can display track changes made by previous authors but cannot modify or add to them.

If you're just going to highlight passages in the text that require attention, then you might be in luck!!

Given the limited capabilities of even the paid-for apps, the free ones are definitely not going to be up to the job of any serious work.

Tim

Wow.. Hmm.. Seems like finding a suitable productivity app is more difficult than I originally anticipated. I was just glancing over the app store right now and pages seems to be the most popular app. Many user reviews rant about how easy it is to use. What are your thoughts on this app. Any experience with it?

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

One of our members carried out a survey of Office apps for his company - it's in this thread


http://www.ipadforums.net/new-member-introductions-site-assistance/22431-hi-all.html

The Apple apps' Help pages are here


http://help.apple.com/iwork/1.3/mobile/interface/index.html#tan724868a9

I use Pages a lot - there are numerous 'issues' but there are workarounds - I wrote this a while ago...


I have 'Pages' and superscript and subscript are partially supported. An imported document with superscripts and subscripts is displayed correctly but there is no option to insert 'new' superscripts and subscripts. A (very ugly) workaround (sit down before you read this!) is to have a 'reference' document available in your Pages 'My documents' with a single superscript and subscript in it (which you've imported from MS Word). You can then copy and paste this to the document you are working on. The superscript and subscript can be any character (i.e. they don't have to be the one you're actually wanting to use because, bizarrely, once you've inserted it, Pages lets you edit it - i.e. if you backspace through the superscript or subscript and then forward type the character you actually want to use, it is inserted correctly.) Indeed, if you keep on typing, multiple superscript or subscripted characters are inserted indefinitely, so it pays to paste your sub- or superscripted character in the middle of 'regular' text - i.e. with non sub- or superscripted text on either side, or you can't 'get out of' sub- or superscript mode!

Similarly, footnotes are correctly displayed but there is no facility (that I've found) to insert new ones. Maybe there's a similar ugly workaround, but I've been unable to use the 'subscript technique' to do this. Clearly I don't have a devious enough mind.

I've not done a comprehensive analysis of symbol font, but certainly most Greek characters are displayed correctly (pi, alpha, gamma, kappa etc) as well as the 'trademark' and 'registered' character (are they symbol font?) so I'm assuming the copy-and-paste technique would work.

Certainly Pages 'struggles' on very complex formatting and I wouldn't want to try to read a copy of the solution to Fermat's Last Theorem in Pages (let alone try to author it) but for more mundane documents it does a reasonable job.

Tim

 

[Ipad24meandu]

One of our members carried out a survey of Office apps for his company - it's in this thread

http://www.ipadforums.net/new-member-introductions-site-assistance/22431-hi-all.html

The Apple apps' Help pages are here

http://help.apple.com/iwork/1.3/mobile/interface/index.html#tan724868a9

I use Pages a lot - there are numerous 'issues' but there are workarounds - I wrote this a while ago...

I have 'Pages' and superscript and subscript are partially supported. An imported document with superscripts and subscripts is displayed correctly but there is no option to insert 'new' superscripts and subscripts. A (very ugly) workaround (sit down before you read this!) is to have a 'reference' document available in your Pages 'My documents' with a single superscript and subscript in it (which you've imported from MS Word). You can then copy and paste this to the document you are working on. The superscript and subscript can be any character (i.e. they don't have to be the one you're actually wanting to use because, bizarrely, once you've inserted it, Pages lets you edit it - i.e. if you backspace through the superscript or subscript and then forward type the character you actually want to use, it is inserted correctly.) Indeed, if you keep on typing, multiple superscript or subscripted characters are inserted indefinitely, so it pays to paste your sub- or superscripted character in the middle of 'regular' text - i.e. with non sub- or superscripted text on either side, or you can't 'get out of' sub- or superscript mode!

Similarly, footnotes are correctly displayed but there is no facility (that I've found) to insert new ones. Maybe there's a similar ugly workaround, but I've been unable to use the 'subscript technique' to do this. Clearly I don't have a devious enough mind.

I've not done a comprehensive analysis of symbol font, but certainly most Greek characters are displayed correctly (pi, alpha, gamma, kappa etc) as well as the 'trademark' and 'registered' character (are they symbol font?) so I'm assuming the copy-and-paste technique would work.

Certainly Pages 'struggles' on very complex formatting and I wouldn't want to try to read a copy of the solution to Fermat's Last Theorem in Pages (let alone try to author it) but for more mundane documents it does a reasonable job.

Tim

Hey Tim
Your review and user richsadams review are amazing, informative, and most importantly detailed. I appreciate your attention to detail and richsadams thoroughness. The thread you gave me and your write up are very helpful and they are both helping me make final decision on the appropriate app suitable for my needs. I appreciate your time in the matter.

Thanks

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[lecycliste]

Similar workarounds for missing features work in QuickOffice too. Open a document that includes auto-numbered bullet points, and you can add more of them in QuickOffice just by hitting <CR> at the end of another numbered bullet.

You can also cut and paste auto-numbered bullets into a new document to get the feature there, as Tim Spracklen describes above for superscripts and subscripts.

QuickOffice has the advantage of giving you files natively compatible with Microsoft's desktop Office suite. You don't need any file conversions. That makes your workflow a little faster.