I don't completely disagree with you, but Google has some serious issues of their own. Fact is, they depend on revenue from ads, and that revenue is showing signs of finally decreasing. Android, etc. are all very well and good and may work to keep that revenue from further plummeting but fact is they have their own issues.
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Microsoft Brings 'Office Mobile for Office 365 Subscribers' to iPhone
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I don't completely disagree with you, but Google has some serious issues of their own. Fact is, they depend on revenue from ads, and that revenue is showing signs of finally decreasing. Android, etc. are all very well and good and may work to keep that revenue from further plummeting but fact is they have their own issues.
Of course they were inspired by many different things, but I think it's very hard to say they didnt get at least some design cues from Metro.
Discrimination? not Globalisation?
iPhone..... Check
iPad....... Check
MacBook...... Check
Office 365......check
App in AU App Store...... No.
What reason can they have for not having this available worldwide. I am already paying for 365, but I mustn't be as important to them as I am not American.
iPhone..... Check
iPad....... Check
MacBook...... Check
Office 365......check
App in AU App Store...... No.
What reason can they have for not having this available worldwide. I am already paying for 365, but I mustn't be as important to them as I am not American.
I don't think Microsoft gets enough credits for Metro. It was the flag bearer for the design trend and it took everything to extreme which required a lot of courage on forward thinking on their part.
And this is why MS is probably going to go out of business. They could've released a version of Office for iPhone and/or iPad, and made a ton of money doing so. However, they mistakenly believed that people would buy the Surface tablet because it's the only way to use MS Office on a tablet.
Apple was smart enough to offer iTunes for Windows. MS is way too late to the game to make money on Office for iOS. And even now, they only allow you to use it if you're a subscriber to their 365 product. They're missing out on a ton of app store revenue, and have been missing out for years. They are leaving probably a billion or more dollars on the table by not letting iPad users buy MS Office.
Some people are really getting in a tizz here.
Some facts/comparisons/issues...
Office 365 gives you:
1) Online: ALL the Office apps (at least 7 of them now) usage.
2) Offline: up to 5 downloadable offline FULL versions of the main apps, to use locally on your machines (Mac AND Win – mix of 5 machines) — INCLUDED in the price of 365! (no separate offline version needs purchasing).
3) Docs are synced between the two offline and online, if wanted, using Skydrive (iCloud/Dropbox perhaps?).
4) New software updates are FREE, for both the offline AND online versions.
5) Mobile apps: for Win & iOS (no doubt iPad version will soon come – as users are paying for ACCESS to the 365 service).
6) Annual cost: $99/£85 (really not that bad a deal, for always newest and most up to date sw versions).
iWork gives you:
1) Online: free for anyone with an Apple ID.
2) Offline: paid-for apps, 3xiOS apps ($30/£18) + 3xOS X apps ($60/£42) = $90/£60 total.
3) Docs are synced between the two offline and online.
4) New FULL offline versions currently have to be paid for (I'd suggest this may change with the next version though?).
When editing MS doc formats, in my experience only MS Office really works for decent and full compatibility. I tried using iWork heavily testing it, and in most cases it caused me so many headaches with MS formatted docs, it was simply not worth the bother wasting hours of time.
This proves VERY important for inter-office compatibility. Yes you can sometimes save into PDF the finished file, but often the doc has to be passed onto another company or to a friend who has to edit it, so having it completely screwed-up by the iWork editing that may have previously been done, is simply not an option if you want to be professional and not waste other people's time, or your own. Been there done that.
It's the same for iWork created docs too: they don't play very well saved as MS format, and then opened by MS Office. And for G-Docs too, they suck in both Office and iWork when taken offline!
So really it's a three-way street, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just ignore all the marketing hype 'great compatibility', and use what you need – and if you're in mixed environs, then that may mean your better-off having ALL available to you.
Trust me, in my heavy user experience, it's really not worth the bother trying to use one format in another brand of productivity suite. You'll only end-up pissing yourself off, or pissing off someone else you try to pass the doc onto. Life's too short scrimping on such trivialities.
___________
Finally, I have two Q's, if anyone knows or has a point of view on:
A) Can you use the online version of Office 365 with iCloud &/or Dropbox to store and access those Office-formatted docs (or is strictly only Skydrive – which would suck HARD, as using loads of separate cloud storage places I find highly irritating!)?
B) Do you think Apple will give the iWork apps away for free, and also join the subscription game instead (probably not any offline MS app versions though, of course!)?
...still no UK access yet to the iOS app — HURRY-UP MS &/or APPLESTORE !!
Some facts/comparisons/issues...
Office 365 gives you:
1) Online: ALL the Office apps (at least 7 of them now) usage.
2) Offline: up to 5 downloadable offline FULL versions of the main apps, to use locally on your machines (Mac AND Win – mix of 5 machines) — INCLUDED in the price of 365! (no separate offline version needs purchasing).
3) Docs are synced between the two offline and online, if wanted, using Skydrive (iCloud/Dropbox perhaps?).
4) New software updates are FREE, for both the offline AND online versions.
5) Mobile apps: for Win & iOS (no doubt iPad version will soon come – as users are paying for ACCESS to the 365 service).
6) Annual cost: $99/£85 (really not that bad a deal, for always newest and most up to date sw versions).
iWork gives you:
1) Online: free for anyone with an Apple ID.
2) Offline: paid-for apps, 3xiOS apps ($30/£18) + 3xOS X apps ($60/£42) = $90/£60 total.
3) Docs are synced between the two offline and online.
4) New FULL offline versions currently have to be paid for (I'd suggest this may change with the next version though?).
When editing MS doc formats, in my experience only MS Office really works for decent and full compatibility. I tried using iWork heavily testing it, and in most cases it caused me so many headaches with MS formatted docs, it was simply not worth the bother wasting hours of time.
This proves VERY important for inter-office compatibility. Yes you can sometimes save into PDF the finished file, but often the doc has to be passed onto another company or to a friend who has to edit it, so having it completely screwed-up by the iWork editing that may have previously been done, is simply not an option if you want to be professional and not waste other people's time, or your own. Been there done that.
It's the same for iWork created docs too: they don't play very well saved as MS format, and then opened by MS Office. And for G-Docs too, they suck in both Office and iWork when taken offline!
So really it's a three-way street, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just ignore all the marketing hype 'great compatibility', and use what you need – and if you're in mixed environs, then that may mean your better-off having ALL available to you.
Trust me, in my heavy user experience, it's really not worth the bother trying to use one format in another brand of productivity suite. You'll only end-up pissing yourself off, or pissing off someone else you try to pass the doc onto. Life's too short scrimping on such trivialities.
___________
Finally, I have two Q's, if anyone knows or has a point of view on:
A) Can you use the online version of Office 365 with iCloud &/or Dropbox to store and access those Office-formatted docs (or is strictly only Skydrive – which would suck HARD, as using loads of separate cloud storage places I find highly irritating!)?
B) Do you think Apple will give the iWork apps away for free, and also join the subscription game instead (probably not any offline MS app versions though, of course!)?
...still no UK access yet to the iOS app — HURRY-UP MS &/or APPLESTORE !!
Soon, iLife mobile will be free to virtually anyone, which is way better that google docs the could, office 365 mobile, open office, and other office 2003 clones.
Answer: when Microsoft finally realizes that bringing Office to the iPad could have earned them more profits than the measly pitiful (struggling) sales of their own Windows tablets. That's when.
It could take time, since Ballmer is an ostrich.
I don't think I am cool, I know am cool.
The epic fail is absolutely justified. I don't know which planet you have been living on for the past 10 years or so, but M$oft has been blundering it's way forward like a drunken fool on the consumer front with products such as Win8, Win Phone, Xbox 1.
Its hardly the tour d'force it once was and seems to come up with half baked solutions, of which this is just one. I have purchased Office 11 for Mac, Office 2013 for PC, why am then forced to purchase a $99 yearly subscription just to view (and you can't really edit properly on the small screen) office docs.
You may well be over the moon by paying $99 a year now, but wait a year or two and you will be paying the same as boxed office, M$oft will be hemorrhaging revenue and you will be the the ideal target for extra revenue, mark my words!
It's not for me
I've been using MS Office on the Mac since 1986. I've been quite willing to upgrade over countless new versions since then - even when at times, it didn't seem great value for money. And like many others, have been hoping to one day be released from the limitations 3rd party apps have when working with Office documents on mobile devices.
But renting access to cloud based software is not a step I'm prepared to take - whether the developer be Adobe, Microsoft, Apple or whoever. So it seems that for me at least, a native version of MS Office is now not finally coming to my mobile devices. I guess I better start taking the Apple Suite more seriously.
Thanks for the memories.
I've been using MS Office on the Mac since 1986. I've been quite willing to upgrade over countless new versions since then - even when at times, it didn't seem great value for money. And like many others, have been hoping to one day be released from the limitations 3rd party apps have when working with Office documents on mobile devices.
But renting access to cloud based software is not a step I'm prepared to take - whether the developer be Adobe, Microsoft, Apple or whoever. So it seems that for me at least, a native version of MS Office is now not finally coming to my mobile devices. I guess I better start taking the Apple Suite more seriously.
Thanks for the memories.
It's the same here in Australia. Apple, Microsoft, Google are all guilty of this. It's almost like these public companies don't want money from the 95.5% of the world's population who don't live in the US.
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Oh, yeah, I know exactly what you are talking about. However, Office is the one area where they haven't screwed up, with the exception of not having Office on the iPad from day one. (I really don't care about viewing/editing full sized documents on a phone/PDA sized device.) it sucks that you bought both Office for PC and Mac, but was Office 365 available or in beta when you bought it ? I am not trying to place blame, I think they should give you an incentive to cross over. What the subscription does is gets everyone using the same version and ends fragmentation.
It's not cloud based software you're renting. You're downloading it on up to five machines. Cloud based software part is when you're using a machine without office installed. So basically you can edit a document on any computer. It's a bonus. (If you're actually into that kind of thing.)
at least for now there won't be because microsoft explained that the web app is usable on safari in ipad
Or you could get the iWork package instead.
One time Office was Microsofts saving grace, now it's stuck in the late 90's early 00's and Apple's iWork package is very good alternative.
One time Office was Microsofts saving grace, now it's stuck in the late 90's early 00's and Apple's iWork package is very good alternative.
According to Microsoft's Office 365 blog - http://blogs.office.com/b/office365tech/archive/2013/06/14/office-mobile-for-iphone.aspx - it will be available soon.
Q: In what languages or countries will you offer Office Mobile for iPhone?
A: Office Mobile for iPhone will be available in 29 languages covering 135 markets. The international rollout will occur over approximately 4-5 days.
I presume that means 4-5 days after the US release, not over a 4-5 day period at some undefined future point.
MS Office for iPhone
Some may think this is a great idea. However, just like in todays article about Steve Jobs not thinking the iPhone would make a good eBook Reader, I think he would believe the same about MS Office. The screen is too small to make a good user experience. I don't understand why Apple doesn't see this.
Some may think this is a great idea. However, just like in todays article about Steve Jobs not thinking the iPhone would make a good eBook Reader, I think he would believe the same about MS Office. The screen is too small to make a good user experience. I don't understand why Apple doesn't see this.
Some may think this is a great idea. However, just like in todays article about Steve Jobs not thinking the iPhone would make a good eBook Reader, I think he would believe the same about MS Office. The screen is too small to make a good user experience. I don't understand why Apple doesn't see this.
What does it have to do with Apple?
If the app doesn't violate the App Store Review Guideline why do they want to reject it? "iPhone has Microsoft Office" is anything but bad for Apple.
Indeed, you probably don't use Office 2008 that much. There is no such version of Office ...
Indeed, you probably don't use Office 2008 that much. There is no such version of Office ...
There was an Office 2008, it was only on the Mac. mac versions usually run a year after their PC counterparts.
Office 2007 (Windows) Office 2008 (Mac)
Office 2010 (Windows) Office 2011 (Mac)
Office 2013 (Windows) Office 2014 (Mac)-not yet released.
It's really not that bad of a deal
I don't understand what everyone is so upset about. Office 365's subscription model is, in my opinion a better deal in the long run. You pay roughly $100 a year and you can install it it on up to 5 computers (mac or pc). You always have the latest version, you have access to the Web Apps or it can install a temporary version on any computer you are working on. They have the Mobile app for Windows and iOS phones and you get 20GB more space on the SkyDrive over the 7 Fee GB which comes to a total of 27GB.
The old way had you paying at least $300 for the upgrade version of Office - even more if you bought the full version. That was only for one computer license. If you also had a Mac, tack on another $200 or so. That's at least $500 for a version of Office on one PC and one Mac. Since Office updates on roughly 3 year periods that would cost you about $167 a year if you upgrade to the latest versions when they come out. (To be fair I used the pricing for the Office Professional version over the Home Student version since Office 365 includes the Professional version)
Now I pay $99.99 a year, I can install the Windows version on my Windows computer, the Mac version on my my MacBook Pro. If I need to access a file at work I can open it on my work desktop through SkyDrive and if I come across a computer without Office installed there is the Virtual Office I can download and use on that computer or I can access the web apps. And I now have the comfort of knowing that I will always have the latest version of the software.
That's not to say I will not be interested in the new versions of iWork when they come out, or iWork in the Cloud when it is released. For my personal stuff I actually prefer the ease of use of Pages and Numbers and I actually prefer the iOS experience of those apps, but at the same time I need to have full compatibility with Office and the BEST way to do that is with MS Office. I work for a very large multi-national company and our standard is MS Office, regardless of whether it's a Mac or Windows PC. So for me, Office 365 is working quite well at the moment.
So for about $100 a year I have peace of mind knowing that I have:
A. Full compatibility with documents needed for work or home.
B. The latest version of both the Mac and Windows versions
C. Access to my files via SkyDrive wherever I am.
D. Ability to use those files on ANY computer whether Office is installed or not.
E. The ability to access my files on my iPhone or even iPad.
Seriously, I don't think that's a high price to pay.
I don't understand what everyone is so upset about. Office 365's subscription model is, in my opinion a better deal in the long run. You pay roughly $100 a year and you can install it it on up to 5 computers (mac or pc). You always have the latest version, you have access to the Web Apps or it can install a temporary version on any computer you are working on. They have the Mobile app for Windows and iOS phones and you get 20GB more space on the SkyDrive over the 7 Fee GB which comes to a total of 27GB.
The old way had you paying at least $300 for the upgrade version of Office - even more if you bought the full version. That was only for one computer license. If you also had a Mac, tack on another $200 or so. That's at least $500 for a version of Office on one PC and one Mac. Since Office updates on roughly 3 year periods that would cost you about $167 a year if you upgrade to the latest versions when they come out. (To be fair I used the pricing for the Office Professional version over the Home Student version since Office 365 includes the Professional version)
Now I pay $99.99 a year, I can install the Windows version on my Windows computer, the Mac version on my my MacBook Pro. If I need to access a file at work I can open it on my work desktop through SkyDrive and if I come across a computer without Office installed there is the Virtual Office I can download and use on that computer or I can access the web apps. And I now have the comfort of knowing that I will always have the latest version of the software.
That's not to say I will not be interested in the new versions of iWork when they come out, or iWork in the Cloud when it is released. For my personal stuff I actually prefer the ease of use of Pages and Numbers and I actually prefer the iOS experience of those apps, but at the same time I need to have full compatibility with Office and the BEST way to do that is with MS Office. I work for a very large multi-national company and our standard is MS Office, regardless of whether it's a Mac or Windows PC. So for me, Office 365 is working quite well at the moment.
So for about $100 a year I have peace of mind knowing that I have:
A. Full compatibility with documents needed for work or home.
B. The latest version of both the Mac and Windows versions
C. Access to my files via SkyDrive wherever I am.
D. Ability to use those files on ANY computer whether Office is installed or not.
E. The ability to access my files on my iPhone or even iPad.
Seriously, I don't think that's a high price to pay.
Agreed. It is a pretty fair deal. It is the best model for MS moving forward, and consumers have perks as well.