Office App Comparison

[RedCoil]

QuickOffice and Documents To Go recently released updates to their apps. I will update the OP with the new features as soon as I get some free time (heavy course load this semester). Short version: QO added more cloud and social networking connectivity and improved printing. D2G improved the powerpoint app.

 

[newt0nsbump]

For RedCoil:

I have a spreadsheet originally created in Excel and updated variously in Excel (at work) and Open Office/LibreOffice (at home) transported baxk and forth on thumb drive. Now my office has converted to Windows 7 and locked down thumb drives. That's fine; it's their system. So I figure the thing to do is keep my spreadsheet on my iPad 1 (I love my iPad). So what I ultimately need is formulae (for various averages) and color for various ranges of data. I'll also need to print to take the spreadsheet to my doctor. I'm currently running XP Professional on my PC but am saving for and seriously considering a Mac of some flavor for my next PC. So which of all the products mentioned in various posts here will give me what I need on the iPad and for conversion to PC/Mac without loss of data or "special effects"? Thanks! newt0nsbump

 

[richsadams]

For RedCoil:

I have a spreadsheet originally created in Excel and updated variously in Excel (at work) and Open Office/LibreOffice (at home) transported baxk and forth on thumb drive. Now my office has converted to Windows 7 and locked down thumb drives. That's fine; it's their system. So I figure the thing to do is keep my spreadsheet on my iPad 1 (I love my iPad). So what I ultimately need is formulae (for various averages) and color for various ranges of data. I'll also need to print to take the spreadsheet to my doctor. I'm currently running XP Professional on my PC but am saving for and seriously considering a Mac of some flavor for my next PC. So which of all the products mentioned in various posts here will give me what I need on the iPad and for conversion to PC/Mac without loss of data or "special effects"? Thanks! newt0nsbump

The first post on this thread and one other along with member's comments in both threads are probably the most extensive reviews and discussions of office apps here. You'll need to read through them and decide for yourself what may or may not work for you.

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-business-education/22431-hi-all.html#post157114

http://www.ipadforums.net/iwork-forum/36629-office-app-comparison.html#post256794

Keep in mind that most iPad Apps are not as robust as their computer counterparts, so more complicated files may not translate perfectly.

With respect to "conversion" of your files on a computer, if you buy a Mac (highly recommended ) Apple's Numbers Application can generally handle most anything created in Excel and it can save and export files in the Excel format too. Of course you can always by MS Office for Mac as well.

Hope that helps.

 

[njerry]

Can anyone clarify for me...if I get a document via email and open it using my iPad, will Pages allow me to edit it?

Nancy

 

[Gabriel1]

Can anyone clarify for me...if I get a document via email and open it using my iPad, will Pages allow me to edit it?

Nancy

If you are talking about an MS Word document (.doc format), then yes, you can edit it in pages.

The Archangel

 

[njerry]

Yes, Gabriel, I meant from MS Word. I guess my bigger question was opening it from an e-mail on my iPad. I can see a lot of references to how to create a new doc, edit and send a document, but hadn't seen any about opening it straight from an e-mailed message. Before I invest the ten bucks I just wanted to make sure if I'm at a meeting with just me and my iPad and got an e-mail, I'd be ale to open it and edit it with just Pages.

Thanks,
Nancy

 

[njerry]

Yes, Gabriel, I meant from MS Word. I guess my bigger question was opening it from an e-mail on my iPad. I can see a lot of references to how to create a new doc, edit and send a document, but hadn't seen any about opening it straight from an e-mailed message. Before I invest the ten bucks I just wanted to make sure if I'm at a meeting with just me and my iPad and got an e-mail, I'd be ale to open it and edit it with just Pages.

Thanks,
Nancy

Enough questions asked. I got brave and downloaded the Pages app and don't regret it! And "yes" if you open a doc from an email then click on the arrow in the upper right corner, the drop down option asks if you'd like to open it with Pages. Thanks everyone!

 

[jonPad]

I'd like to find a productivity suite that works with full bluetooth keyboard compatibility. All the reviews I've been able to find online seem to either avoid that subject or have conflicting information. Can anyone verify whether any of these apps will work correctly with a bluetooth keyboard? My keyboard works perfectly with Notes, for instance, but the arrow keys fail when using Quickoffice's free trial app. A word processor or a spreadsheet that can't use the keyboard's arrow keys would be a huge disappointment.

 

[bauernfeind]

I'd like to find a productivity suite that works with full bluetooth keyboard compatibility. All the reviews I've been able to find online seem to either avoid that subject or have conflicting information. Can anyone verify whether any of these apps will work correctly with a bluetooth keyboard? My keyboard works perfectly with Notes, for instance, but the arrow keys fail when using Quickoffice's free trial app. A word processor or a spreadsheet that can't use the keyboard's arrow keys would be a huge disappointment.

I've had no problem with my $19 keyboard and using Pages/Dropbox/Goodreader -- I cannot speak for any of the others -- wait I also occasionally use Google Docs, specifically their spreadsheet and have had no problems.

 

[el_del_14]

What happen if you have an Excel file with macros and then is modified in Numbers (IPad).

Will the macros will be lost when I sendt it back to my PC?

 

[Richard Brown]

What happen if you have an Excel file with macros and then is modified in Numbers (IPad).

Will the macros will be lost when I sendt it back to my PC?

I don't know the answer. However I suspect the macros would be lost or modified. Why not try processing a small Excel fie with the critical macros in it.

Sent from my iPad 1 using iPF - Greetings

 

[lkilgore]

Pages will take care of most of your needs. As far as a bluetooth keyboard is concerned, I use Zagg's (also branded as Logitech) keyboard. My iPad fits into it so I can carry it. The keyboard protects the glass screen. It has a nice slot built into to prop up the iPad. I am typing this message using the keyboard. Everywhere I go, people see me using this keyboard and they go nuts over it. I wouldn't consider using anything else.

 

[mhmayad]

Thanks a lot for this very nice helpful presentation.

 

[yusairiamry]

thx for this information...save to read later

 

[Fairwayman]

Pages will take care of most of your needs. As far as a bluetooth keyboard is concerned, I use Zagg's (also branded as Logitech) keyboard. My iPad fits into it so I can carry it. The keyboard protects the glass screen. It has a nice slot built into to prop up the iPad. I am typing this message using the keyboard. Everywhere I go, people see me using this keyboard and they go nuts over it. I wouldn't consider using anything else.

People look at me when I speak into my new iPad, use the dictation all the time.