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 Fun, since running a fresh Metro application (like the XBox Live one) on the iPad accentuates just how outdated and archaic iOS really looks and feels next to Metro.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).
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.
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.
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
Nobody’s perfect
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
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.
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.
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.
Now this I want to see badly. Jebus, this year is going to be awesome.
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
“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.
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.
…when Hell froze over at Redmond. 🙂
Edited 2012-02-21 16:58 UTC
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
And lets not forget that Excel started its life as a Mac application.
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…
“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