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The OnLive Desktop app is definitely the answer to this problem so long as you maintain internet connectivity at all times. You get the full Office suite at your disposal for FREE, and there's only a touch of latency in my experience using it. I am averse to spending money on things Microsoft makes. I started in the tech industry on their side of the fence, and with all I've seen over the years there's the idealistic side of me that screams "Don't give them anything!!!"

Not trying to be petty. I just don't think a company should continue making money when they seem to care so little about the people who are giving it to them. I've converted countless people to iWork, and I will continue steadily on that course as often as people are receptive to different options, and realistically most people do not need the ultra fine-point features of Word and Excel. They just need basic docs and spreadsheets. As far as presentations go, I think Keynote is already dominating that slice of things, so hopefully Apple will ramp up Pages and Numbers so it becomes even easier to avoid Microsoft altogether. Fingers crossed.
 
I want it as fully functional as possible (as close to the PC version), making full use of retina (just image Word looking like an actual paper and Excel with dozens of columns and rows). I still want an easier route to transferring files than emailing though. The 4:3 ratio is super welcome for productivity.

Also, this might be asking for much but it would be great to be able to purchase them individually at $5 a go.
 
Pretty sure MS is in no rush to get this out of the door for iOS users. Once their windows tablets "take off" like they expect it will then, maybe, they'll make it available for iOS devices. My guess is that even if they do make one for iOS, it'll be limited compared to the Windows tablet version. That and it'll probably be like $25 per app or some crap like that. I'd love to have Office for iPad however I'm expecting a big failure if they ever get around to doing it.
 
I think it needs to be priced competitively with the iWorks suite in order to achieve high sales.

Not ofor me and I bet many others. I repeat, I would pay LOTS for MS Office, iWorks is not even considered for me.
 
I'd snap up Office in a heartbeat if and when they release it. I actually think it will come out sooner rather than later.
 
I have started to use iwork at work exclusively.
Keynote rocks!
Pages, good but I do not use it a lot.
Numbers, ok but simple functions like hiding columns are absent. I know there are work arounds, but include some more basic functions and I may forget about office.
I have experienced only a few issues with saving to the office formats, mainly fonts and column headings.

I may be in the minority here but I think Microsft will release their office apps for iPad sooner than later. Here is my thought process
1. The iPad is making huge inroads into corporate. Recent poles show 80% of corporations buying tablets In the next 90 days will buy iPads.
2. People are now finding work arounds for not having office. Microsoft cannot let the corporate tablet revolution take off without office.
3. If given the choice I think corporate will take the iPad without office rather than not having the iPad.
4. Windows 8 tablets may turn out to be good/great, but microsoft cannot ignore the iPad forever.
Just my thoughts, hopes;)
 
Hang on - I thought Microsoft was going to make some kind of announcement in a few weeks (after denying the MS Office iPad app was not theres)??????/
 
I would love a real MS Office program for iOS--the apps out there are pretty much a pathetic joke when it comes to full featured support of the Office file format. I've used various mobile Office programs throughout the late 1990s-2000s, beginning on Windows CE, then on Palm OS, then on Windows CE again (reborn as Windows Mobile)...and they've all sucked. The sad thing is that the current crop of iOS Office-like apps are about the same as the old Windows Mobile versions in functionality. Pages and Numbers both suck up about 350 MB and have, at best, mediocre Office compatibility and functionality. Clearly MS couldn't set the price anywhere near as high as their traditionally absurd ~$300 mark, but perhaps $30-40 for a credible, decent Office adaptation with real font typesetting support and file compatibility.

But why would they? Windows 8 is positioned as a tablet-only OS as of the public beta, so MS will probably be keeping any Office program close to home. Of course, with the hipster ultra-minimalist Metro UI, it likely won't be very functional either.
 
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As long as it does not have Metro interface, I'd welcome it. It would look way out of place on an iPad. Also, those with Professional (Plus included) MS Office suites should get the app for free, but I'm not holding my breath for that to be the case.
 
Even with limited functions ... but if iPad MS office will allow me to edit all Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files and in the same time maintain the axact original formating, fonts, arrangements and display them on the iPad exactly like a PC and save the files as PDF.

I will pay $70 for it...
 
Did you forget about:

Xbox 360
Kinect
Zune
Mice & keyboards
Webcams

I should have clarified--

In terms of Office, they have nothing to lose by offering it for iPad. There is no MS tablet. All they will do is get MORE sales of Office. Having Office available for Windows 8 tablets only would be a mistake. What if Windows 8 tablets don't even sell all that well?
 
Ummmmmm, that's not what 90% of businesses use. Heck, even our Mac guys use Office for Mac....

but you can export in office formats, and considering what microsoft would cut from office to make it a decent size on an iPad, its really going to be functionally identical. You'll likely be able to do the same things with pages, etc that you can with office. Then just export as an office doc and you're good to go.

I'm not saying that office won't be better...microsoft is king of that industry of a reason (though I did prefer pages until office 11 came out, which is imo the best version of office ever made), but I don't think the difference will be worth the wait
 
I should have clarified--

In terms of Office, they have nothing to lose by offering it for iPad. There is no MS tablet. All they will do is get MORE sales of Office. Having Office available for Windows 8 tablets only would be a mistake. What if Windows 8 tablets don't even sell all that well?

That was my point, MS Office would help sell the Windows 8 tablets and set them apart from the iPad.

Microsoft would get money for the Windows 8 Tablet OS and their version of MS Office for the tablet.

By holding out on Office for the iPad, they will be in a better position to gain sales/market share on their Windows 8 tablet OS.

Yes, I hope I'm wrong....
 
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