Office2HD: Finally, Edit Google Docs on Your iPad!

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I have come to really like my iPad. Even though I was at first skeptical about its real utility, I have nonetheless become somewhat enamored of things like its immediate availabtility, immersive user experience, and wonderful screen quality. And I've found a few really useful apps, including replacing my Kindle2 with my iPad and the Kindle app.

Still, there has been one massive hole in the app scene without which I could not declare the iPad a suitable productivity tool: a way to create and edit Google Docs (and as a nice bonus, work with documents in my Dropbox account).

That gap seems to have slammed shut with the recent release of a highly usable version of Office2 HD from byteSquared.

I’ve written this review by starting it out on my iPad using Office2 HD, saving it locally, then moving it to my gDocs directory, opening it and editing some more. Then I saved it on gDocs and went back to the iPad to load the revised version. It all flowed quite smoothly.

Then I tried moving the document from the local Office2 directory to my Dropbox on my iPad. That, too, went flawlessly in both directions. You can either move or copy files to and from all of these sources. If, e.g., I move a document from gDocs to my local files on my iPad, the file disappears from gDocs. I can then edit it in Office2, then save it to any of the three locations: back in gDocs, over to Dropbox or locally.

The basic word processor in Office2 seems quite capable. Though it only supports commands for font and size and formatting for bold, italic, underlined, color, highlight and alignment, it does those things quite smoothly and efficiently.

I've hooked up an Apple Wireless Keyboardn to the iPad (something I had no reason to do before) and turned my iPad into a highy useful portable document editor. It is capable of editing formatted text documents and spreadsheet files within some limits but I'm sure that the program will continue to evolve.

One thing you do have to be careful about is to keep track of where the version of the document you are now editing is stored. If you press the iPad Home button in mid-edit, you're fine as long as the document is on your local file system. But if it's stored remotely, you lose all unsaved edits by doing that. I recommend always copying or moving the document from the remote server to the local iPad and editing it there, then saving it back when finished. It's a couple of extra steps but the security will be worth it.

I did document one apparent bug. If you have a local document saved and you want to move it to Dropbox, and a document of the same name already appears in DropBox, the file fails to save silently, leaving the old, presumably obsolete document in place on the Dropbox server. This is particularly problematic because the iPad version of the Dropbox app does not allow you to delete items. Ouch.

At $7.99, though, Office2 HD is a real bargain. Highly recommended.

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August 2, 2010 · Posted in General  
　　　　

Two Very Slick Interfaces on iPad

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The emergence of the iPad with its seductively immersive potential for user experience design has produced some brand-new approaches to interaction, some of which are remarkably cool. Sure, there's also been a fair amount of garbage and some UXes that have been designed, it seems, merely to prove that one can break all the rules. But I've found two experiences that are decidedly worth noting and emulating.

 

Pulse is a newsreader app that uses a stack of sliding image panels to present feeds horizontally and stories in each feed as separate link boxes that have images if the posts themselves do. But the quality of the Pulse UX goes beyond the main screen. Back-navigation is intuitive and smooth and it is simplicity itself to share a post and to view it either as text or as a Web page. This UX is really well suited to the touch-screen interface of the iPad. It conveys an overall sense of fluid exploration and does a fine job of maintaining your context as you move around inside the Pulse space.

 

Flipboard converts your Twitter feeds and Facebook updates from plain text into a virtual magazine layout that is stunning in its layout and inviting in its approach. It is by far the best Twitter reader I've seen yet, on any platform. A couple of the folks I follow on Twitter upload lots of photos and Flipboard sprinkles them throughout the magazine-style layout it generates so that every page looks slick and polished. Given its name, it's not surprising that it uses a page-flip paradigm for moving around inside the content, so context isn't really a major issue. This is an extremely well-executed design.

 

I'm sure there are many other iPad apps out there that have elegant interfaces perfectly suited to the iPad format. I'd love to hear about others so if you know any, please post them in response here or send me an email note.

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July 22, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

Apple Does Right by iPhone 4 Users Despite Dismissal of Serious Problem

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Steve Jobs just finished his press conference on the iPhone 4 and its widely reported antenna problems. In essence, he said this is not an iPhone 4 specific problem, it's a widespread, perhaps universal, smartphone problem. He demonstrated several other popular models exhibiting the same behavior. Interestingly, Consumer Reports' review, which was the straw that broke the camel's back and led to this press conference, said explicitly it had tested numerous other phones and not found the same problem. 

After sharing some stats from AT&T that seemed to prove that the 4 isn't much worse than the 3GS, Jobs hinted that because far more iPhone 4 owners leave the store without buying a case, this may be the root of the perception that the 4 drops more calls than it actually does. He admits this is his "pet theory."

Even though the problem is, Jobs says, overstated dramatically, still Apple wants to do something to fix it. So they've:

  • released iOS 4.0.1 that fixes some of the algorithm problems that result in the display of bars updating incorrectly
  • offered a free bumper (or other selected) case to every iPhone 4 owner and a refund to those who already bought one (this was widely expected)
  • extended a full-refund offer to anyone who still isn't happy

I don't see how Apple could have done more here but I'm sure its critics will be howling about something before my blog post is even public. This blemish clearly hurt Apple a bit but it's a small bruise on a pretty largely untarnished Apple product line. (But don't get me started on Apple policies, which are a much nastier defect.)

As I said yesterday, my iPhone 4 does not seem to me to drop more calls or lose more bars than my 3G did and I just don't experience the problems others are reporting. I'll probably get a case for it on the chance it improves performance somehow. 

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July 16, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

Should Apple Recall iPhone 4?

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Apple has announced it will hold a press conference Friday, July 16, regarding its hottest product, the iPhone 4. Speculation is rampant that the company will issue a recall notice for all of the phones due to a problem with reduced cell phone reliability and reception when it is held in certain positions. Others think the company will not recall the phones but offer a free new enclosure for it that overcomes the shortcomings of the present design.

For my part, I'm relatively unconcerned. While it is true that if I hold my iPhone 4 in a particular way — a way that is not my usual use but which I understand reflects the way many hold their cell phones — I can see a noticeable drop in the number of AT&T bars displayed and that the same action can cause calls to drop more frequently than I'm happy about, it's also true that avoiding the problem just isn't that hard for me. I'm not saying it isn't for others. Nor am I absolving Apple of any responsibility for fixing the problem, at least on request from any phone owner who is troubled by it. But it does seem to me that forcing or even expecting a mass recall of the product is a massive over-reaction. After all, nobody gets sick or dies. Children don't choke on small parts. The environment isn't damaged except possibly by the air turning slightly blue in the immediate area surrounding some users whose dropped-call frustration reaches a certain threshold.

You know that I'm a bit of an Apple apologist, though I have occasionally been harshly critical of the company and its products. For the most part, I'm a pretty big Apple fan and a serious user of their technology. I have certainly tried to be objective here and I just can't see justification for a blanket recall. Let those who have problems be given a path to their solution and let those of us who are happy just stay that way.

I mean, if you seriously think I"m sending my iPhone 4 back to Apple to wait days without it while awaiting a replacement, you're loonier than Sharron Angle. And trust me nobody's loonier than that woman.

:-)

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July 14, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

New iPhone 4 Arrives

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As promised by Apple, my new iPhone 4 arrived today. I’ve already done all the activation and update stuff and it’s running fine.

It feels a lot faster than my 3G but it may just be my imagination.
I’ve restored the 3G so someone can use it as an iPod Touch or get service and turn it back into a phone. Now to figure out what to do with it. Hmmmmm.

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July 2, 2010 · Posted in General  
　　　　

Safe Boot Fixes OS X Upgrade Disaster

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Well, it only took about 15 minutes on the phone with a very knowledgeable Apple tech support person and my iMac is as good as new after yesterday’s software updater disaster. Rebooting in Safe Mode did a good job of repairing whatever the problem was, so I’m back among the happy MacCampers again.

Next time, I’ll do a Safe Reboot before I call Apple!

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July 1, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

Mac OS Upgrade Proves Disastrous

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This afternoon I finally decided I’d upgrade my iPhone 3G to iOS4 even though I have an iPhone4 on order. So I backed up the phone, hooked up to iTunes, and began the process. Imagine my surprise when I was confronted with a list of a handful of upgrades that were necessary to my system, including, as expected iTunes 9.2. I authorized the upgrades and took a break.

When I came back, my system was running so I launched iTunes. And it promptly quit without starting. I did this two more times. Then I restarted my system. Tried again. Same result. This time when my system came back up, two other apps that depend to one degree or another on a Net connection crashed when auto-launched during the startup process. One of these is Skype. I tried all the usual remedies with Skype (removing the plist, removing the prefs, etc.) to no avail.
This is the kind of crap Windows users have to put up with all the time. But there’s nothing so non-standard about this system (10.6.4) that should cause this much disruption. Yet my quick search before I head for home hasn’t revealed any other reports of similar problems and, of course, now the Software Updater says there’s nothing I need to update. I feel hosed and not a little discouraged.
Any pointers? I’m going to look around harder on the Web when I get home and get some food in me but this is just ludicrous.

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June 30, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

Chipp Says iPad App Quality Not What Steve Jobs Claims it Is

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In a post on his personal blog today, my business partner and friend Chipp Walters challenges Steve Jobs’ oft-asserted claim that it is only to maintain high quality that Apple refuses to allow iPad apps created with non-Apple technologies to be sold in its online monopoly store.

Chipp took a quick run through the first few pages of apps that come up in the Apple AppStore when you browse it and found quite a few that were stupid, poorly designed, overpriced or in several cases all three.
It does make me wonder what Steve means by “high quality”. Any clarification, Apple?

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June 20, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

Still Can’t Pre-Order iPhone4

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I guess AT&T and Apple have never heard of virtual servers and on-demand capacity. Both of their systems appear overwhelmed this morning by people attempting to pre-order the iPhone4. It’s not a big deal, in all likelihood; the only advantage of early pre-ordering might be that if the demand greatly exceeds supply they may cut off pre-orders before I can get mine in. Given their apparent incompetence at forecasting demand, that wouldn’t surprise me.

The thing I sort of wonder about is these guys’ inability to be prepared — time after time after time — for what they had to know would be a huge onslaught of activity. This doesn’t require extra people, people! Just more bandwidth, more servers. How hard should that be for either of you, let alone both of you in tandem? This sort of thing makes you look stupid at regular intervals. You’d think Jobs would hire someone who could actually fix this problem.
Sheesh.
(BTW, neither Radio Shack nor Best Buy’s Web sites have any mention of the iPhone 4 pre-order process. Radio Shack has several accessories available for it already but on neither site can I find a link through which to pre-order. Just dumb planning.)

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June 15, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

Apple Blows First Night of iPhone4 Pre-Orders Big Time

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Apple is supposed to be the master of the sales event. Well, they flat blew it on the iPhone4 pre-order system tonight.

I sat on my computer and hatched the browser until the instant the Apple store displayed the link to pre-order the new phone. I figured they’d be ready at midnight but they missed that by about 40 minutes.

So I enter the requisite data, and I get to a screen that says, “Please wait while we access your AT&T account information.” I figure I’m hosed. But no, I actually get past that screen. I spec out the order and I’m at the final screen when I see a message that says my session timed out due to inactivity.

I made 12 more attempts to pre-order the phone. Not once did the process complete.

On top of that, they didn’t even keep their toll-free number operational on a crucial product launch pre-order night. Wow.

As I type this, I’m watching chasing arrows go around and around for over 10 minutes at the AT&T account screen. I’m clearly not going to get this done tonight. It’s not a huge deal, but it bodes ill for the iPhone4 that they can’t get this right on the first night when there isn’t likely to be that much traffic given the hour Pacific time.

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June 15, 2010 · Posted in Technology  
　　　　

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