The iPad is “ magic ” and all that , but it is not without its flaws and weaknesses — many of which I require Apple will address with the next incarnation of the tablet machine . However , for those looking to use the current generation iPad as a mobile business tool , Microsoft may be the hero with Docs.com .
I have been using theiPad as my primary Mobile River calculation platformfor over a calendar month now . I purchased the various iWork for iPad apps — the harbingers of productivity when first annunciate by Apple . After putting them to the trial run in the real Earth , though , I find them miss and severely handicap compared to “ existent ” role productivity computer software like the Microsoft Office 2010 I use every day on my Windows 7 notebook computer .
The Microsoft and PC purists will , of grade , oppugn why I even have an iPad then . Why not simply use the more robust , more functional , more capable Windows 7 notebook computer , and pose with Office 2010 ? bonnie question , so here is the answer . The iPad weighs about a third of what my notebook computer weighs , is only about a quarter of the heaviness , has four to five multiplication the battery life story , yet is still capable of fulfil 90 percent of my fluid computer science needs .
But , there is still that nagging 10 percentage . Since the Apple appsintended to cater spot productivityon the go have limited functionality and “ file direction ” that is plausibly the least nonrational affair ever to be devised by Apple , I decided to look elsewhere .
I admit that I have not fully embraced the cloud . I have used swarm - based inspection and repair , and I have swarm - based data point storage account , but I use them on an as needed - basis , not as my primary means of productivity . But , with the iPad it occurred to me that a machine ramp up for mobility should be an ideal political program for working with the cloud .
Or not . I launched my trustworthy Google app and tap Docs , but it detects that I am using the iPhone o and mechanically redirect me to the mobile adaptation of the Google Docs site . What that means is that I can view all of the files available to me in Google Docs , but I ca n’t edit them , or create new docs . really , there is one caveat to that — the spreadsheet programme does allow you to tote up or modify cells , but in a special way .
allot to theOfficial Google Mobile Blog , Gmail has been pull off to take advantage of the iPad , but the other Google offerings not so much . I asked Google if there are any program to update Google Docs to work with the iPad , and a Google spokesperson responded to say “ We ’re continually working on better style to expose our Web apps on the iPad and other devices . Many the great unwashed such as yourself have notice that we display the mobile version ofGoogle Docs on the iPad . We made item-by-item decision for each of Google ’s entanglement software program using the iPad Simulator , and served the version we think works effective in each guinea pig . We chose mobile for Docs , because Safari on the iPad does n’t corroborate the same things as Safari on the desktop . ”
Granted , Google did not say they are not working on resolving any issues and supply Google Docs on the iPad , but the reply was a second elusive , and also does not say Google will update Google Docs to cultivate with the iPad . The significance seems to be that its Apple ’s fault for using a limited version of the Safari WWW web browser app on the iPad .
C’est la vie . Next , I moved on to testing out Microsoft Office 2010 Web apps . No fate there either . But , then I remembered that Microsoft just recently introduced a differentWeb - based version of Microsoft Office—Docs.com .
It turns out thatDocs.comis also flaky on the iPad . The link is there to “ Add a Doc ” , but when I examine to add a Word doc it freezes the Safari web browser app up for a minute or two . When it is “ working ” , I can click around in the menu Browning automatic rifle , but tapping on the blank pageboy does not set up the practical keyboard , so there is no way to actually typecast text .
My experience with PowerPoint in Docs.com was standardized to my experience with Word . I can add together slides , change the format of the slides , lend Smart Art , and change the coloring material scheme of the Smart Art — but unfortunately tap on school text areas does not launch the practical keyboard , so I could n’t actually enter textbook .
Ironically , like with the Google Docs spreadsheet , the one app that seems to work is Excel . tap on a cell does set in motion the virtual keyboard and it seems that the menu and formatting options are all operative .
So , as of today , there is no peachy result . The iWork for iPad appslack the feature film and functionsthat mobile patronage professionals need , and both Google Docs and Microsoft ’s Docs.com do n’t seem to play decent with the iPad — unless you only need to lick with spreadsheets .
Here is the glimmer of hope , though . When I postulate Microsoft if there are any design to fix Docs.com so that it will wreak with the iPad I got the stick to response from Pat Kinsel , programme manager at Microsoft FUSE Labs : “ It is our goal for Docs to mix seamlessly with the iPad . However , gift that the iPad launched late during our growing cycle , we are just now able to focus our attention to a few outstanding issues . At nowadays , the iPad work well for viewing text file . We are working on the ability to typecast / append text edition which we go for will be resolved shortly . ”
As far as I am concerned , this will be the idealistic root . If Docs.com works on the iPad , I can create , perspective , and edit text file using the iPad on native Microsoft Word , Microsoft Excel , and Microsoft PowerPoint apps that mirror the standards and convention I am used to . Then , when I deliver to my desk I can just select “ Open in Word ” or “ spread in Excel ” and plunge the data file in the full Microsoft Office 2010 app if I come about to require any features or functions neglect in Docs.com .
Microsoft did not allow for any other estimation or timeline apart from “ shortly ” . My version of shortly is next poop . Hopefully Microsoft ’s rendering of shortly does n’t translate to FY2012 or something crazy .
Microsoft , I ’ll be waiting .
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