Microsoft Office was recently released for the iPad, giving users the opportunity to manage and share documents on a device that bridges the gap between desktop computers and smartphones. Microsoft offers separate applications for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for the iPad, rather than one all-inclusive app. The iPad versions of these programs offer many features familiar to Office users in a touch-screen format. When users are ready to save their work, they can either save the document directly onto the iPad for offline use or to OneDrive. One of the great things about this platform is that the compatibility Microsoft Office users experience is still present. Office makes it simple for users to connect and collaborate with each other by sharing documents with a person-shaped button in the upper right corner of each app. The button gives users multiple sharing options including: sending a link via email, emailing the document as an attachment, or copying the link to the document on OneDrive. This allows users to edit a document simultaneously and work on a project together in real time. Office for iPad allows users to get real work done on their tablet, rather than just views documents and make small changes—a frustration of iPhone users. Although they are still not as strong as the desktop version, these new apps effectively function as a link between Office on a desktop and on a smartphone.
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