Office suite in your pocket
If you want to work on documents or presentations on the move, consider the following mobile office suites.
Office suite is, perhaps, the one
software, apart from e-mail client and Web browser, that is used most
frequently by people. It is a collection of applications that lets you create
documents, spreadsheets, and the like. It typically comprises a word processor,
spreadsheet and a presentation tool, which enables the users to create and
share their work in the form of documents, graphs or presentations. As we have
evolved from computers to tablets and cellphones, using these gadgets for the
above-mentioned tasks, the office suites have also seen a gradual shift to
mobile devices. In fact, these days it is rare to see a high-end tablet or
smartphone that does not come with some sort of office suite, even if it is a
read-only application. These seldom have as many features as their desktop
counterparts, but let you undertake the basic editing and writing tasks without
too many hassles and having to boot your computer or notebook. So if you want
to be able to work on your documents and presentations on the move, when you do
not have a computer handy, consider investing in one of the following mobile
office suites depending on your requirements:
Buy a Windows Phone, get an office suite free
One of the most compelling reasons for purchasing a Windows Phone device, such as the Lumia 800, Lumia 710 and the Samsung Omnia W, is the fact that you get a mobile version of the MS Office completely free with it. This avatar of the MS Office comes with the mobile-friendly versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint pre-installed in the device. This means that you can create or review a document, edit or make changes in it, add numbers to the Excel file, even make alterations in the PowerPoint presentation, all on your mobile phone. And of course, you will suffer no compatibility issues with the desktop version of the MS Office.
Documents to Go
One of the oldest players in the mobile office space, Documents to Go, often abbreviated to Docs to Go, is notable for the fact that it works on most smartphone and tablet platforms. There are versions for Palm and Symbian, apart from iOS, Android and BlackBerry. The suite comes with a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation tool, and in the case of Android and iOS, also a desktop synchronisation software. This lets you sync your files on the device and desktop, which means that you can work on either device at any time. You can view, create and edit files without any fuss (the latest version of MS Office is supported) and can save your results not just on your device, but also on the cloud (Google Docs and Dropbox are supported). The interface is not the greatest and you will have to look around to find different editing options, but in terms of solidity and performance, this is one of the best mobile office suites.
Available at: http://www.dataviz.com/DTG_home. html
Price:
$9.99 ( 555) for Docs to Go (iOS); $16.99( 945) for Docs to Go Premium (iOS); 854(approx) for Android. Varies as per the version; $ 14.99 ( 834)for Docs to Go Premium (BlackBerry); 25for Docs to Go Premium (Symbian).
Quick Office
Recently acquired byGoogle, QuickOffice is another powerful office suite that has full compatibility with MS Office file formats, letting you create and edit files in that format. What’s more, you can view the PDF files and annotate them, and open and browse zipped files in some versions. Like Documents to Go, it too lets you open and save files from and on cloud services like Google Docs, DropBox and Evernote. Our favourite feature is the presence of a file explorer that lets you browse files on your device and is often better than the one that comes pre-installed. It takes some getting used to but is updated regularly and is available on Symbian, iOS and Android.
Available at: http://www.quickoffice.com/
Price: $19.99( 1,112)for QuickOffice Pro HD (iOS and Android tablets); $ 14.99( 834) for QuickOffice Pro (iOS and Android); $ 7.99 ( 445)for QuickOffice Pro for Symbian S60
Pages/Keynote/Numbers If you are looking for a desktop-like editing and creating experience on the go, and you possess an iPad and/or an iPhone, then this troika of apps is perhaps the best you can get. While these are not sold as an office suite (you have to buy each of the three apps separately), these apps are the closest a tablet can get to a desktop in terms of document, spreadsheet and presentation work. Unlike other mobile office suites, which tend to cut corners, Pages, Keynote and Numbers go the whole hog and offer you most of the editing options you would get on computers. You can literally design a magazine using Pages, and make a multimedia presentation with Keynote, using an interface very similar to the one on your computer. The catch is that these are hefty downloads and come with equally hefty price tags. And yes, as of now, they work only on the iPad and iPhone.
Available at:iTunes App Store Price: $9.99 ( 555)each
Kingsoft Office
Most office suites with document editing and creating facilities come for a price. However, Kingsoft Office is a full-fledged office suite that is available free of cost for Android devices users and comes with no restrictions whatsoever. It supports the MS Office file format, letting you create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations, and also view PDF files. The onscreen icons are a bit on the smaller side, so you might have to squint a bit at times, but if you are using an Android mobile device, this is one office suite that you cannot afford to miss. Be patient with the odd crash and save your work regularly.
Available at:Google Play
Price: Free
Google Drive
Most people think that Google Drive is basically an online storage option. However, it not only lets you store your files online but also comes with a word processor and spreadsheet on Android, letting you write and enter figures on your device, as well as download and edit files that you have already stored in Google Drive. The editing options are very basic, though you can play around with fonts and the like. It is a light download and is totally free. If you want detailed editing options, you can access the site on your browser.
Available at: Google Play
Price: Free
Buy a Windows Phone, get an office suite free
One of the most compelling reasons for purchasing a Windows Phone device, such as the Lumia 800, Lumia 710 and the Samsung Omnia W, is the fact that you get a mobile version of the MS Office completely free with it. This avatar of the MS Office comes with the mobile-friendly versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint pre-installed in the device. This means that you can create or review a document, edit or make changes in it, add numbers to the Excel file, even make alterations in the PowerPoint presentation, all on your mobile phone. And of course, you will suffer no compatibility issues with the desktop version of the MS Office.
Documents to Go
One of the oldest players in the mobile office space, Documents to Go, often abbreviated to Docs to Go, is notable for the fact that it works on most smartphone and tablet platforms. There are versions for Palm and Symbian, apart from iOS, Android and BlackBerry. The suite comes with a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation tool, and in the case of Android and iOS, also a desktop synchronisation software. This lets you sync your files on the device and desktop, which means that you can work on either device at any time. You can view, create and edit files without any fuss (the latest version of MS Office is supported) and can save your results not just on your device, but also on the cloud (Google Docs and Dropbox are supported). The interface is not the greatest and you will have to look around to find different editing options, but in terms of solidity and performance, this is one of the best mobile office suites.
Available at: http://www.dataviz.com/DTG_home. html
Price:
$9.99 ( 555) for Docs to Go (iOS); $16.99( 945) for Docs to Go Premium (iOS); 854(approx) for Android. Varies as per the version; $ 14.99 ( 834)for Docs to Go Premium (BlackBerry); 25for Docs to Go Premium (Symbian).
Quick Office
Recently acquired byGoogle, QuickOffice is another powerful office suite that has full compatibility with MS Office file formats, letting you create and edit files in that format. What’s more, you can view the PDF files and annotate them, and open and browse zipped files in some versions. Like Documents to Go, it too lets you open and save files from and on cloud services like Google Docs, DropBox and Evernote. Our favourite feature is the presence of a file explorer that lets you browse files on your device and is often better than the one that comes pre-installed. It takes some getting used to but is updated regularly and is available on Symbian, iOS and Android.
Available at: http://www.quickoffice.com/
Price: $19.99( 1,112)for QuickOffice Pro HD (iOS and Android tablets); $ 14.99( 834) for QuickOffice Pro (iOS and Android); $ 7.99 ( 445)for QuickOffice Pro for Symbian S60
Pages/Keynote/Numbers If you are looking for a desktop-like editing and creating experience on the go, and you possess an iPad and/or an iPhone, then this troika of apps is perhaps the best you can get. While these are not sold as an office suite (you have to buy each of the three apps separately), these apps are the closest a tablet can get to a desktop in terms of document, spreadsheet and presentation work. Unlike other mobile office suites, which tend to cut corners, Pages, Keynote and Numbers go the whole hog and offer you most of the editing options you would get on computers. You can literally design a magazine using Pages, and make a multimedia presentation with Keynote, using an interface very similar to the one on your computer. The catch is that these are hefty downloads and come with equally hefty price tags. And yes, as of now, they work only on the iPad and iPhone.
Available at:iTunes App Store Price: $9.99 ( 555)each
Kingsoft Office
Most office suites with document editing and creating facilities come for a price. However, Kingsoft Office is a full-fledged office suite that is available free of cost for Android devices users and comes with no restrictions whatsoever. It supports the MS Office file format, letting you create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations, and also view PDF files. The onscreen icons are a bit on the smaller side, so you might have to squint a bit at times, but if you are using an Android mobile device, this is one office suite that you cannot afford to miss. Be patient with the odd crash and save your work regularly.
Available at:Google Play
Price: Free
Google Drive
Most people think that Google Drive is basically an online storage option. However, it not only lets you store your files online but also comes with a word processor and spreadsheet on Android, letting you write and enter figures on your device, as well as download and edit files that you have already stored in Google Drive. The editing options are very basic, though you can play around with fonts and the like. It is a light download and is totally free. If you want detailed editing options, you can access the site on your browser.
Available at: Google Play
Price: Free
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