This limitation comes from Apple iOS, not Microsoft. Office, like the rest of your apps, cannot override the printer driver, which Apple provides and decides the rules for.So i still need to fork out £80 for a new printer... I knew we wasn't going to get all the features as the surface has
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Microsoft's Office for iPad Apps Gain Printing Capabilities
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AirPrint compatible printer! An iPad (IOS) limitation that we have to live with.
Microsoft didn't get the memo that The Walled Garden has many cacti.
The image from Microsoft is a little misleading. Why is there an image of Outlook running on an iPhone? Outlook isn't included in the offerings for iOS.
Pretty sure it can already print.
But on a serious note, weren't there recent rumors about updates they were working on?
You picked bad analogies. With insurance, you pay a certain amount for a specified time of coverage, and if you want to continue that coverage, you pay again for another period. That makes sense because they are covering new happenings in the world--e.g., you are continuing to drive your car, and you want them to cover you if you get in an accident on that date. (I'm not sure what you mean with just plain "car" unless you're talking about financing, which is so incredibly obvious I don't think it merits discussion.)
With software, you usually pay once to obtain a perpetual license for a specific version. This also makes sense, because you continuing to use the version whose license you purchased requires no effort on the part of the provider (except, say, security updates and bug fixes--minor releases--that are generally covered under product lifecycles by any developer who would like you to spend money with them again, and which are usually implied with the original license purchase for a specified time period). If you upgrade your computer and the old version isn't compatible, maybe you'll have to pay again. This also makes sense, because you will be purchasing a new version into which the developer invested work. It does not make sense to "rent" software that you would otherwise have no reason to "upgrade" if you don't want to. With computers remaining usable for longer than before and with many software companies struggling to put features in newer versions that compel people to upgrade, software sales have slowed. Doing away with one-time perpetual licensing is simply companies wanting you to provide them with a steady stream of income despite these facts.
Yes, in some cases it makes sense: if you use a ton of Adobe products and always buy the upgrades, or if you have eleventy billion computers you want to run Office on and the subscription will cost less than enough "regular" licenses. Most of the time, especially for people with only one computer, it doesn't--especially if you wouldn't always buy the latest version anyway just because it came out.
I'm staying away from subscription licensing as long as I can.
The image from Microsoft is a little misleading. Why is there an image of Outlook running on an iPhone? Outlook isn't included in the offerings for iOS.
I came here to post the exact same thing. Glad I'm not alone!
I'd also like to comment about how Outlook is almost the same blue as Word, when for years it has been yellow, but that's another story.
That's really a poor comparison. There were plenty of easily available alternatives to MobileMe for free.
Where do you draw the line? Shouldn't you rent that coffee maker on your counter, that floor lamp, that couch you sit on each day too then?
I absolutely will not pay to rent software that would only get used once in a while, and for which the basic functionality (e.g. not the periodic updates) will suit my needs just fine. I'd happily give MS $XX for Word/Excel for iPad in the off chance I might use them once in a while, but no way in hell would I pay a subscription for something I'd seldom use.
There are enough monthly/yearly bills as it is in this generation for all the added tech crap we've grown up with compared to generations past, there's a point where one must draw the line. Having a subscription also means yet another account of some sort to sign up for, and yet surely another source of junk email to be received from.
No I will not ever rent software. Lost sale for the manufacturer due to a greedy business model if they don't at least offer an outright purchase.
I also don't subscribe to MobileMe, DropBox, or any of that other subscription-based stuff.
So i still need to fork out £80 for a new printer... I knew we wasn't going to get all the features as the surface has
FWIW, there’s a couple of software options for OSX and Winders© (AirPrint Activator/Netputing) that run an AirPrint service on a PC and let you share any connected printer (including networked) to an iOS device.
Works really well, it’s free, of course, a computer is involved so that has to be present and on
Side note: Apple should definitely implement AirPrint services in their routers, so any attached printer would broadcast to iOS.
FWIW, there’s a couple of software options for OSX and Winders© (AirPrint Activator/Netputing) that run an AirPrint service on a PC and let you share any connected printer (including networked) to an iOS device.
Works really well, it’s free, of course, a computer is involved so that has to be present and on
Side note: Apple should definitely implement AirPrint services in their routers, so any attached printer would broadcast to iOS.
True, and that's exactly how I solved my problem at home. Outside of home is another story however, like emailing a document to a nearby computer to print it.
I wholehaertedly agree that Apple should at least implement AirPrint services in their routers and while they are at it, they may as well incorporate to OS X.
They originally planned to do that, then quietly dropped the feature (but not the code) is OSX. That's how airprint activator works. It's just a toggle for a user hidden setting.
No-one knows why Apple pivoted, but for a while only HP were able to sell AirPrint compatible gear, so the likely scenario was HP refused to license patents for a few years. HP are clearly now licensing the tech, since its getting to be hard to find printers that aren't airplay aware, but Apple probably feel its not worth paying the license for that same reason.
I'm guessing they rushed the product out the door to meet demands by the marketing group. Or maybe Ballmer had said, "The LAST thing I'll do is offer Office on Apple hardware!"
Perry
I am not promoting this payment scheme, just really pointing out the truth.
Which really is just that it's not the way we are used to paying for software.
We probably lose a ton of money on our computers, phones, cars, games, other media we buy.
We spend lots of money on entertainment, going out.
Perhaps we buy food at work from a sandwich bar as we are too lazy to make out own, even though we'd save $20 or more a week if we did spend 30mins making out lunch.
And yet, a one off, some may argue major piece of software that can be / is used in business, we go crazy about paying, what is in reality a tiny amount for, as some have said, the price of one coffee for a weeks use of the software.
Some could argue, hey I'd rather pay a little at a time than a BIG price in one go. No one it stopping you stopping paying and swapping to another package, it's all free choice.
You could also argue, and quite rightly so............. If a company has tens of thousands of people around the globe paying them a small amount each month for continued use of their product. Well, then perhaps they are MUCH more lightly to continually improve it, as if they slip these people will choose something else.
That COULD be a very compelling argument.
If you sell a customer something for $100, you have their money, they take the product away, it's done deal.
If you give the customer it for $5 a month. From day one they have a GREAT deal. You need, as a company to keep making the product appealing to them, continue to work on it, improve it all the time to keep those $5 rolling in. the last thing you want is to get a few $5 payments then they stop.
Again, I'm not advocating this in general, simply that, we are not used to it, and one could argue also it forces products to be always made better.
Which really is just that it's not the way we are used to paying for software.
We probably lose a ton of money on our computers, phones, cars, games, other media we buy.
We spend lots of money on entertainment, going out.
Perhaps we buy food at work from a sandwich bar as we are too lazy to make out own, even though we'd save $20 or more a week if we did spend 30mins making out lunch.
And yet, a one off, some may argue major piece of software that can be / is used in business, we go crazy about paying, what is in reality a tiny amount for, as some have said, the price of one coffee for a weeks use of the software.
Some could argue, hey I'd rather pay a little at a time than a BIG price in one go. No one it stopping you stopping paying and swapping to another package, it's all free choice.
You could also argue, and quite rightly so............. If a company has tens of thousands of people around the globe paying them a small amount each month for continued use of their product. Well, then perhaps they are MUCH more lightly to continually improve it, as if they slip these people will choose something else.
That COULD be a very compelling argument.
If you sell a customer something for $100, you have their money, they take the product away, it's done deal.
If you give the customer it for $5 a month. From day one they have a GREAT deal. You need, as a company to keep making the product appealing to them, continue to work on it, improve it all the time to keep those $5 rolling in. the last thing you want is to get a few $5 payments then they stop.
Again, I'm not advocating this in general, simply that, we are not used to it, and one could argue also it forces products to be always made better.
Well, here's a question for you:
In a world where it is less about getting a copy of "Software X" for my PC, and getting "Software X" on my PC/Tablet/Phone, how do I fund "Software X"?
Do I ask for a one-time payment for each platform they want to use it on, and make them rebuy it when they switch platforms for any reason (iOS -> Android for example, or Win -> Mac)? How do I then fund each version when certain markets are hostile to upgrade pricing (iOS/Mac App Store, Android), with the difficulty of telling folks that the new version is out?
Or do I sell my software with one single fee, let them use the app on whatever platform they happen to be using, and run it like a service, and attach features that can only be done under the "Software as a Service" model?
So yes, a smaller, more frequent, fee does encourage the company to keep rolling new versions out to keep your business, and the ability to jump out at any time when it stops meeting your needs is a bit of a benefit to the customer, but I think in reality, there's simply the difficulty of being able to monetize apps like Evernote, Office, etc across all these platforms without turning it into a service or extracting tolls on every platform for every version the user wants (which itself is user hostile and messy).
Pdf
I understand printing is essential but since the iPad is more of a portable device the chances of having a printer with you when using Office is slim. Have they heard of printing to a PDF so you can email? I wanted to use Excel on my iPad for doing estimates/quotes while on the road and simply email! I guess I will stick with Numbers on the pad and excel at the office.
I understand printing is essential but since the iPad is more of a portable device the chances of having a printer with you when using Office is slim. Have they heard of printing to a PDF so you can email? I wanted to use Excel on my iPad for doing estimates/quotes while on the road and simply email! I guess I will stick with Numbers on the pad and excel at the office.
You can always just purchase this software and use any printer you already have at home. I purchased it awhile ago when it was called Fingerprint but I guess they changed the name to Presto.
http://www.collobos.com/
http://www.cnet.com/news/fingerprint-turns-any-printer-into-an-airprint-printer/
Anyway, when you go to the print feature in iOS it will find the printer you have attached to your computer (my Mac Mini is upstairs and runs all the time since it serves as a media server for the rest of my house). I use this option or if I can I print from Chrome since I have my printer setup with Google.
Some options other than buying a new, AirPrint enabled printer.
EDIT: I bought it back in the day when it was not a subscription service.
http://www.collobos.com/
http://www.cnet.com/news/fingerprint-turns-any-printer-into-an-airprint-printer/
Anyway, when you go to the print feature in iOS it will find the printer you have attached to your computer (my Mac Mini is upstairs and runs all the time since it serves as a media server for the rest of my house). I use this option or if I can I print from Chrome since I have my printer setup with Google.
Some options other than buying a new, AirPrint enabled printer.
EDIT: I bought it back in the day when it was not a subscription service.
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For those who don't have AirPrint printers, I have been using HandyPrint that runs on a Mac and makes any printer look like an AirPrint compatible printer. Yes, the big issue with it is that it needs to be running all the time (I happen to run a server so it's always active). It really works great; thus I recommend it for anyone who can set it up and want to print occasionally from their phone or iPad.
The image from Microsoft is a little misleading. Why is there an image of Outlook running on an iPhone? Outlook isn't included in the offerings for iOS.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/owa-for-iphone/id659503543?mt=8