Microsoft Reportedly 'Actively Working' on Office for iPad and Mac App Store

I was supposed to read the logos as, "WHO?" right?

What's the advantage of this over iWork though? I'm asking from an ignorant standpoint. I really don't know.

Why does MS Office necessarily need to have an "advantage?" Isn't more 3rd party support for iPad (and iOS overall) good? I think it is.


Then again, this is a news report on Microsoft on an Apple site... I shouldn't be surprised for the start of negative feedback. :rolleyes:

Aren't you guys tired of this PC vs. Mac stuff? I am. Let's move on.

w00master

I've never really liked Word - but Excel absolutely blows Numbers away. It would be great if Office was 'unbundled' so that each app could be bought cheaper on the App store. An iPad version would be awesome too!

...but Excel absolutely blows Numbers away.

Amen!!

I gave iWork and honest, 3 month, all out usage... I even removed all MS from my MacBook Pro to force myself to learn the Apple system. Keynote rocked (as good as PowerPoint), Pages was usable (almost as good as Word) and Numbers was a complete waste of time.

Even though I am a total Apple fanboy, I have to admit that there is only one intuitive, widely supported, easy to learn spreadsheet. It's name is MS Excel.

If Office comes to the iPad with 70%+ of the desktop versions features, it will sell big.

Awesome! Go Microsoft!

I don't see any advantage. I could see it on a regular computer but not a tablet. There's only so much you can do with a spreadsheet on the iPad.

The big advantage in my mind of Office in general is that it's 100% compatible with Office. If my office used iWork (or LibreOffice), I would be happy never loading Office again, even though I actually really like some of it (Excel especially).

But I do agree -- these apps so far are a bit cumbersome on touch screen. Who knows. Maybe MS will come up with something interesting. Even if they didn't "surpass" the desktop experience but just inched closer to it, it would be a big improvement.

I also agree with the comments above that MS (like any other large software vendor) embracing Apple's app stores is good for consumers.

*cough* even consumers who just bought a certain competing product on Cyber Monday sale *cough*

I don't see any advantage. I could see it on a regular computer but not a tablet. There's only so much you can do with a spreadsheet on the iPad.

So... there shouldn't be more apps then?


Riiiight. That's good for the ecosystem.

w00master

I was supposed to read the logos as, "WHO?" right?

What's the advantage of this over iWork though? I'm asking from an ignorant standpoint. I really don't know.

This would be a good move by Microsoft. Quick Office, Pages, and Documents To Go all lack some features that are in the full Office, and while I don't expect Office for iPad to have everything in the Mac or Windows versions, it could have more than other iPad apps.

Post-PC indeed.

Another reason not to bother with any other tablet. And quite possibly less of a reason to consider Windows tablets.

Seems iPads can perform as "trucks" after all.....

Of course, it's still just a rumour.

Why does MS Office necessarily need to have an "advantage?" Isn't more 3rd party support for iPad (and iOS overall) good? I think it is.


Then again, this is a news report on Microsoft on an Apple site... I shouldn't be surprised for the start of negative feedback. :rolleyes:

Aren't you guys tired of this PC vs. Mac stuff? I am. Let's move on.

w00master

Not sure why you got "idiotranked" down. Good point.