Microsoft Office for iPad spotted?
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 21st Feb 2012 14:02 UTC
Microsoft So, Microsoft Office for the iPad is supposedly coming, dressed in a Metro user interface. Fun, since running a fresh Metro application (like the XBox Live one) on the iPad accentuates just how outdated and archaic iOS really looks and feels next to Metro. An Android version is supposedly not in the works, but that's to be expected - Apple and Microsoft have long been best buds (although this is still a total and utter surprise to some, which is kind of precious in a Bambi's-first-steps kind of way).
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surprising indeed
by Poseidon on Tue 21st Feb 2012 14:16 UTC
Poseidon
Member since:
2009-10-31

I was surprised they released xbox live for ios, guess the world is coming to an end now with office.

Now on a serious note, metro interface? big blocks chunked together like a collage? No thanks I'll pass that interface.

Reply Score: 3

RE: surprising indeed
by pandronic on Tue 21st Feb 2012 14:55 UTC in reply to "surprising indeed"
pandronic Member since:
2006-05-18

Well, I guess up to a point, design is a matter of personal preference. With that being said I think that Metro looks great, while iOS looks like it's made for a 3 year old. Apple's condescendence towards its users is showing especially in the UI design.

Reply Score: 2

RE[2]: surprising indeed
by JAlexoid on Tue 21st Feb 2012 15:07 UTC in reply to "RE: surprising indeed"
JAlexoid Member since:
2009-05-19

Well, I guess up to a point, design is a matter of personal preference. With that being said I think that Metro looks like 1930ies posters and iOS is riddled with fake realisms.

/s

Reply Score: 4

RE[3]: surprising indeed
by pandronic on Tue 21st Feb 2012 16:36 UTC in reply to "RE[2]: surprising indeed"
pandronic Member since:
2006-05-18

Nobody's perfect ;)

Reply Score: 3

RE[3]: surprising indeed
by lucas_maximus on Tue 21st Feb 2012 20:24 UTC in reply to "RE[2]: surprising indeed"
lucas_maximus Member since:
2009-08-18

The OSNEWS guy that will pander to the majority ;)

Metro looks pretty good, I prefer classic Windows but it looks nice for a tablet interface. Lets see if it actually works (metro)

I have quite a few IRL friends that are using the developer preview as their main OS on a traditional desktop and loving it.

But keep on slagging metro and Windows off because that is "cool".

Edited 2012-02-21 20:25 UTC

Reply Score: 2

RE[4]: surprising indeed
by JAlexoid on Wed 22nd Feb 2012 16:36 UTC in reply to "RE[3]: surprising indeed"
JAlexoid Member since:
2009-05-19

And you seem to miss the sarcasm sign.

Let alone putting me in the column of people that dislike Metro UI.
Thou make too many assumptions, sir.

Reply Score: 2

RE[4]: surprising indeed
by Laurence on Thu 23rd Feb 2012 14:50 UTC in reply to "RE[3]: surprising indeed"
Laurence Member since:
2007-03-26

The OSNEWS guy that will pander to the majority ;)

Metro looks pretty good, I prefer classic Windows but it looks nice for a tablet interface. Lets see if it actually works (metro)

I have quite a few IRL friends that are using the developer preview as their main OS on a traditional desktop and loving it.

But keep on slagging metro and Windows off because that is "cool".


You do realise that it's entirely down to opinion as to whether one likes Metro or hates it? There's no "right" or "wrong" personal preference when it comes to GUIs. So it's pretty pointless you arguing about your "real life friends" as if that some how proves the former commentators opinion is invalid.

The reason it may seem "cool" to you that people slag off Metro is simply because plenty of people genuinely don't like it. In fact, I'm one of those people. However I would never go around saying "you're wrong and my proof is these anonymous guys I know", because quite frankly, you're entitled to love Metro just as equally as I am entitled to hate it.

So please show people a little respect and don't just assume that because our opinions differ from yours, that we must automatically be wrong.

Reply Score: 3

RE[2]: surprising indeed
by leos on Wed 22nd Feb 2012 04:41 UTC in reply to "RE: surprising indeed"
leos Member since:
2005-09-21

Apple's condescendence towards its users is showing especially in the UI design.


I see it differently. By not wasting my precious few inches of screen real estate, Apple is respecting that I actually want to use the thing for real work, and not just gawk at the 90 point title that wastes the top third of the screen.

Reply Score: 2

Metro Office
by ronaldst on Tue 21st Feb 2012 14:23 UTC
ronaldst
Member since:
2005-06-29

Now this I want to see badly. Jebus, this year is going to be awesome.

Reply Score: 3

This all makes sense.
by dsmogor on Tue 21st Feb 2012 14:55 UTC
dsmogor
Member since:
2005-09-01

IPads are invading enterprise and MS can't let other companies establish on this turf and create a beachhead.
Besides, they can test new UI and work out all the kinks before it becomes critical for Win8 tablets success.
A guess, after Win8 gets traction they will happily drop IOS version.

Edited 2012-02-21 15:00 UTC

Reply Score: 2

no Metro UI
by puenktchen on Tue 21st Feb 2012 15:03 UTC
puenktchen
Member since:
2007-07-27

"dressed in a Metro user interface" ≠ "The app’s user interface is similar to the current OneNote app, but it has hints of Metro"

And Metro isn't a GUI but a "design language" anyway. I can't really imagine how all that blocks would be useful for an office program anyway.

Reply Score: 2

Android is the enemy
by siki_miki on Tue 21st Feb 2012 15:48 UTC
siki_miki
Member since:
2006-01-17

So MS releases Office for iOS and Android is ignored. We are still short of the 'historical' MS Office for Linux. It still isn't going to help WP7.

Google should sponsor someone to speed up porting of LibreOffice to Android (and why not also WP7) for retaliation.

Reply Score: 2

RE: Android is the enemy
by Laurence on Thu 23rd Feb 2012 14:54 UTC in reply to "Android is the enemy"
Laurence Member since:
2007-03-26

So MS releases Office for iOS and Android is ignored. We are still short of the 'historical' MS Office for Linux. It still isn't going to help WP7.

Google should sponsor someone to speed up porting of LibreOffice to Android (and why not also WP7) for retaliation.

There's already Office suites for Android - ones purpose built for compact touch screen devices.

Reply Score: 2

Seems 2012 is the year
by nefer on Tue 21st Feb 2012 16:57 UTC
nefer
Member since:
2012-02-15

...when Hell froze over at Redmond. :-)

Edited 2012-02-21 16:58 UTC

Reply Score: 1

RE: Seems 2012 is the year
by Bill Shooter of Bul on Tue 21st Feb 2012 19:17 UTC in reply to "Seems 2012 is the year"
Bill Shooter of Bul Member since:
2006-07-14

Hell hasn't frozen this much over since, uhm well,

1984, 1987,1991,1992,1994,1998,2001,2004,2008, or 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms_office#Macintosh_versions

Reply Score: 3

RE[2]: Seems 2012 is the year
by moondevil on Tue 21st Feb 2012 19:27 UTC in reply to "RE: Seems 2012 is the year"
moondevil Member since:
2005-07-08

And lets not forget that Excel started its life as a Mac application.

Reply Score: 3

Probing the market
by ddc_ on Tue 21st Feb 2012 21:14 UTC
ddc_
Member since:
2006-12-05

I may be wrong, but I see a nice rationale behind Microsoft Office for iPad, that has nothing to do with iPad's popularity.

As I get it, the iPad user share is less geeky then that of other tablet platforms, so the number of MS Office users among iPad is probably ways higher then that of other tablet brands.

At the same time, Microsoft made a bit on Metro, so they just want to probe the market for a tablet version of the MS Office: the stream of criticism will be analyzed and used for fine-tuning the Metro-based Office experience.

So, once done, Microsoft ends up with Office for iPad and a better office for Windows 8 with Metro-based interface. Clear win...

Reply Score: 1

Microsoft staying Mum
by lemur2 on Wed 22nd Feb 2012 03:07 UTC
lemur2
Member since:
2007-02-17

"Leaked" Office iPad app seems questionable, and Microsoft is staying mum

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/microsoft-staying-mum-on-...

Update: Microsoft has confirmed that the photos published by The Daily do not show an actual Microsoft product. The company is still staying silent, however, on the question of whether Office is ultimately coming to the iPad.

Edited 2012-02-22 03:08 UTC

Reply Score: 2

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