[sosumi11]

I have always said that if RIM wants to retain their hold on the enterprise, they need a killer software package (Office or Office-like). Well, it seems that Microsoft is releasing Office for iPad soon and no Android version is planned.

Sorry, but Documents To Go is not a final solution.

Microsoft Office for iPad expected in coming weeks

BY MATT HICKEY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012
Back in November, The Daily initially uncovered the existence of an iPad version of the Microsoft Office Suite. Sources now say that the app will soon be submitted to Apple for approval.

A brief hands-on with a working prototype of the software revealed a number of new things. The app’s user interface is similar to the current OneNote app, but it has hints of Metro, the new design language that can be seen in Windows Phone and in the as-yet-released Windows 8 desktop operating system.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be created and edited locally and online. But it’s unclear if Microsoft will support other Office apps at launch or at all.

Sources close to the matter also commented that an Android version of Office is not in the works, and that an updated OneNote iOS app will also be released to reflect the Metro design language.

An exact launch date is unknown, but the design team has since wrapped up the project, meaning it could be released in the coming weeks.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I imagine that Office for iOS was not too hard to recode from the Apple OS version, and with the Marketshare and Apple making pretty good inroads into the Corporate workspace... it was a good investment.

Of course you could buy Office 365 for $6 per MONTH and use it on your BB. (Makes Doc to Go look good doesn't it).

[LoganSix]

Yeah, Office is dead. Office 365 is what being pushed. Why limit yourself to just Office, when you can have Google Docs, Docs to Go and Office 365?

[Rello]

I personally I hoping Office would come along with OS2 myself. I was gonna read peoples thought on it and decide if I wanted to purchase it or not. It is a tiny bit disappointing only because RIM has apparently been thinking of bring office to the Playbook for awhile. There were rumors of it back in October last year. Its cool though. Long as I have Docs 2 Go I'll be good. Couple that with the remote feature and its pretty much like have Office any way.

[Dekerta]

What's wrong with Docs To Go? It works fine with MS Office files. Sure, it doesn't have every single feature that a desktop version of Office would have, but the iPad version likely won't either.

I'm pretty sure the majority of people don't actually use mobile versions of office suites to CREATE large complicated documents. They're mostly used for viewing, and maybe making small changes right before your presentation.

[sosumi11]

Sure, it doesn't have every single feature that a desktop version of Office would have, but the iPad version likely won't either.

It seems that Microsoft is denying it.

Microsoft Denies Rumor of Office Software for iPad

By BRIAN X. CHEN | February 21, 2012, 2:30 PM

2:45 p.m. | Updated Correcting reference to the article in The Daily, which said the app would be submitted to Apple soon, not that it had already been submitted.

2:47 p.m. | Updated Adding background.

3:29 p.m. | Updated Adding a statement from Microsoft about The Daily�s photograph.

A rumor that Microsoft is releasing an iPad version of its Office software was all over the Web on Tuesday. But Microsoft says it�s just not true.

The buzz was kicked off by an article in The Daily, an iPad-based news publication. It said that a Microsoft Office app for the iPad would soon be submitted to Apple for approval and could be released in �the coming weeks.�

A Microsoft spokeswoman issued this statement: �The Daily story is based on inaccurate rumors and speculation. We have no further comment.� She added that an image with The Daily�s article depicting an Office product for iPad was not from Microsoft. �The screenshot is not Microsoft�s software,� she said.

Microsoft Office, which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint, has been around for years but remains one of the company�s top drivers of revenue and growth. It would not appear to be beneficial for Microsoft to release an Office app for iPads prior to releasing Windows 8, its operating system for tablets that is arriving this year. Windows 8 is crucial to Microsoft�s efforts to challenge Apple in the fast-growing market for tablets.

[menaknow]

I HIGHLY doubt Microsoft Office will be launched to the iPad/iOS.

Microsoft Office is Microsoft's top revenue generating product. And with Windows 8 coming out with tablet support to compete with other tablets, why would Microsoft shoot themselves in the foot.

Microsoft wants to get users using Windows 8 tablets, that way they can sell you other applications though there zune application store (or whatever you call it).

I can see Office 365 (Online solution) being offered for iOS...

However, if your hoping for Microsoft Office for the Playbook or iPad, i think your SOL...

[M.Rizk]

I don't care about which one comes first, Google Docs, Offine 360 or even MicroStupid what I care about is at least a Word with the function to insert pictures in!! Even iPad has this in pages.

[iN8ter]

Yeah, Office is dead. Office 365 is what being pushed. Why limit yourself to just Office, when you can have Google Docs, Docs to Go and Office 365?

Lol... I'm stunned.

Office365 is not Office.

It's Office WebApps + Exchange + Optional SharePoint and Lync

Just... Wow...

And Office WebApps isn't necessarily great in WebKit browsers from past experience...

[iN8ter]

What's wrong with Docs To Go? It works fine with MS Office files. Sure, it doesn't have every single feature that a desktop version of Office would have, but the iPad version likely won't either.

I'm pretty sure the majority of people don't actually use mobile versions of office suites to CREATE large complicated documents. They're mostly used for viewing, and maybe making small changes right before your presentation.

But Windows 8 (on ARM Tablets) will come with a full Word/PowerPoint/OneNote/Excel so that could start to change some things. Once people feel what it's like to use the same apps on desktop + Mobile with the same exact capabilities in rendering and editing documents the cripped mobile office suites may not look so great...

[BitPusher2600]

Man, I guess it shows I'm not a professional of any sort because I thought Docs To Go was awesome. I only use it for personal stuff obviously, but oh well

[DenverRalphy]

While I recognize that I had to intentionally push myself to get away from Microsoft Office (and fully broke away a few years ago), and realize that many people still do use Microsoft's products...

Is MS Office still that important? Last I recall (and I could be wrong so... :shrug: who knows), the MS Office suite itself is not "all that" anymore. There are many better-than-competent alternatives to choose from today, both mobile and desktop.

[LoganSix]

Lol... I'm stunned.

Office365 is not Office.

It's Office WebApps + Exchange + Optional SharePoint and Lync

Just... Wow...

And Office WebApps isn't necessarily great in WebKit browsers from past experience...

From past experience car phones where very large and required to always be connect to the cigarette lighter.

Office desktop is just tool for creating the documents. The documents are stored on-line (cloud if you want the latest buzz) and edited/created by the tool regardless of where it is. So, if the tool doesn't matter, because you have to create the document to lowest common denominator, then Office is dead. Microsoft isn't giving away their cloud for free, they are trying to figure out how to keep the money stream when people realize that their tablet does everything that the PC used to do.

[sosumi11]

Microsoft isn't giving away their cloud for free, they are trying to figure out how to keep the money stream when people realize that their tablet does everything that the PC used to do.

Microsoft always supports the platform where the biggest support is. Before they had nothing to worry about because the platform was always theirs (MS-DOS and Windows). Now the next generation is not and Microsoft must support it whether they want to or not. Gates expected Apple to license Macintosh OS, and when they didn't, his eyes lit up. Put a shell on top of DOS and no one has to buy new hardware. Just a $100 box with the phrase "Windows 3.1" on it.

The fact that tablets are the next generation of laptops is important for Microsoft to get their software out in order to keep their stranglehold on word processors, spreadsheets and presentation software. If they wait too long the other web-based solutions will be "good enough".

Ironic because Microsoft's products were always labeled as "good enough."

[anthogag]

I don't care about which one comes first, Google Docs, Offine 360 or even MicroStupid what I care about is at least a Word with the function to insert pictures in!! Even iPad has this in pages.

That's one complaint I have with DocsToGo...why can't we insert pictures

[CrackedBarry]

Wouldn't pay much attention to Microsofts denial about Office for ipad, since the article about it featured lots of pictures of what is clearly Office on an ipad.

So there's no doubt it exists, the only question is when it'll be released. I don't see why Windows 8 would prevent Microsoft from releasing Office for Ipad. Office is as big a moneymaker for MS as windows is, we're talking about two separate division within the company, so it wouldn't make much sense for MS to keep Office off iOS.

Remember: Windows 8 is going to sell like hotcakes for desktops regardless of how it'll do on tablets.

As for productivity, considering that ipads are increasingly being adopted as a business device, the days when tablets were just for viewing and light editing are over. There are plenty of business people that use them for more than just that, they're fully capable of it, so why not? A good Office suite is increasingly something that a tablet HAS to have.

[tchocky77]

I'm also pretty sure that Office for iPad IS coming, despite the denials. And what would this mean for RIM? Nothing good would be my guess.

[rennigeb]

I have a question.. is open office open source and java base? Could it (or part of it) be ported to PB?

[saalnaz]

im thinking of a new tablet. i like what the ipad has to offer although i really dislike the restrictions you have on apple products.

i would like to see if ipad has solid plans for an 8 inch tablet (carrying a 10 inch while travelling or around is a bit too much i guess).
then there is nokia partnership with MS and that could provide some great solution in terms of hardware and software although i really dislike the WP tiles design.

i would like to have a tablet which is no bigger than 8 inch with app store like Apples and swipe gestures like Nokia meego N9 (it is so much better IMO than playbook swipe gesture) with some bells and whistles from nokia labs like their GPS capabilities 2d/3d.

i will wait to see if apple will announce its 8 inch tab and if nokia will announce their windows 8 tablet and the size of it.

Android for me is just too much...i just dont think its quality.

[CrackedBarry]

As the owner of a 7 inch Android tab and an iPad2, I have some advice you might find useful...

Firstly: It's not so much the size of the screen, as it is the overall weight of the tablet and orientation that influences portability. My 7 inch tablet weighs about the same as the iPad, so for all practical purposes they're both equally portable. (you can comfortably use both with one hand, and hey... If you can fit a 7 inch tab in a small bag of sorts, the iPad fits too)

The orientation thing wasn't something I noticed until I had the iPad for a couple of days, but the portrait orientation is much better for pretty much everything else than watching movies. For movies, a widescreen tablet might have a small advantage (personally I don't really care), but for everything else, I found portrait to be much better. The iPad also seems quite a bit smaller than other 10 inch tabs because of the portrait format.

Secondly, I believe a jailbroken iPad will deliver the openness you want, and also deliver on swiping gestures. The ipad also comes with a number of gestures built in that work like swiping. (4 finger swipe to bring up multitasking bar or home button, for example. You can also swipe between apps with a four finger swipe)

Try borrowing somebody's iPad for a couple of days, and see how you like it...

[pauldriver]

Currently, Android is the Java platform for playbook.

[murnende]

Is MS Office still that important? Last I recall (and I could be wrong so... :shrug: who knows), the MS Office suite itself is not "all that" anymore. There are many better-than-competent alternatives to choose from today, both mobile and desktop.

Word provides, for me, a way to manage my sources, and automatically insert properly formatted citations and bibliographies. I spent some time with Open Office, but until I find an alternative that provides similar functionality, Word is still king.

[boldkeyboardholic]

Yeah, Office is dead. Office 365 is what being pushed. Why limit yourself to just Office, when you can have Google Docs, Docs to Go and Office 365?

Let me guess you are not a real heavy user of one of the MS office products, are you?

I am with Excel and macros are a big problem with 365 as well as anything not standard. VBA... Without it a lot can not be solved.

At least it was like that when I checked it a while ago.


Googles alternative is a lot less powerfully with function etc. (but only tried the free version )

Even openoffice/libre office is by far not there.

Oh and I have to mentioned it

I dispice ribons, if you really use a lot specialized stuff your "cursor way" is so much longer to do your work. Had to further improve my usage of shortcuts

[boldkeyboardholic]

While I recognize that I had to intentionally push myself to get away from Microsoft Office (and fully broke away a few years ago), and realize that many people still do use Microsoft's products...

Is MS Office still that important? Last I recall (and I could be wrong so... :shrug: who knows), the MS Office suite itself is not "all that" anymore. There are many better-than-competent alternatives to choose from today, both mobile and desktop.

Do you mean stuff like tex/ latex etc ? Give me names

As for ms excel I couldn't find a better/more powerful piece of software.

Openoffice is still far behind even lost more in the last years, I used On a lot but the last two years less. And less. And I even not like the ribbons but still office 2010 is the best (when I mean it office I mean mainly excel)

[boldkeyboardholic]

Word provides, for me, a way to manage my sources, and automatically insert properly formatted citations and bibliographies. I spent some time with Open Office, but until I find an alternative that provides similar functionality, Word is still king.

Fordegree dissertation caliber I suggesting often tex or latex. It is very powerful but more like a programming language like html but index etc is super easy with it. (and adjustments to it)