Office Squared
Over the weekend I had a chance to try out one of the first non-Apple word processors optimized for the iPad: Office² HD developed by Byte (iTunes link). This entire post was written using the app’s word processor (images were added and HTML cleaned up on the desktop). As Byte describes the product:
Office² HD is a Microsoft Word compatible word processor and Microsoft Excel compatible spreadsheet for the iPad.
The other two major players in this field, QuickOffice and Documents To Go, have not yet released iPad specific versions of their respective products. So, Office² HD gets first mover advantage in what will likely become a very competitive space. No PowerPoint compatible spreadsheet program is included in Office² HD at this time.
On the word processing side, Office² HD has the basic word processing features that you would expect, including:
- bold, italic and underline formatting colored text and highlighting
- basic font choices and text sizing
- basic paragraph formatting (justification, numbering, bullets, indenting)
- ability to insert tables and images
- document search
- last 100 action undo and redo
Probably the most notable omission in the word processing program of interest to lawyers is the inability to display or create tracked changes. Another omission that will be noticed by many lawyers is he ability to create more “outline” (I. A. 1. A. i.) or “contract” (1., 1.1, 1.1.1., etc) style numbering.
Couple features I really like about the word processor:
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Inline Help - Office Squared
There is a comprehensive help system onboard that can be displayed in the left pane when in landscape mode. The help is concise, annotated with pictures and hyperlinked. While most of the features are fairly straightforward, it is a new interface with a learning curve.
- The button bar at the top is easy and intuitive to use. Only a handful of choices are available, but additional features can be accessed by swiping the button bar.
- Unlike Pages for iPad, the button bar containing the various formatting functions is conveniently available in portrait and landscape modes (Pages for iPad obey inexplicably only reveals the button bar in portrait mode, making for lots of flipping and rotating of the iPad if you like to format as you type)
I successfully emailed a simple doc from the program and was able to open the file without problem in Pages (desktop and iPad), Microsoft Word and in my file viewer of choice (GoodReader). Opening basic documents worked fine, but the app did struggle with imports of more complexly formatted documents (just like Pages for iPad). Office² HD connects to your iDisk, box.net, Google Docs or similar cloud based service but does not connect with Dropbox.
Office Squared - Insert Image
I had some problems inserting images. The program allows you to images saved onto your iPad. Once selected, you are offered a Move and Scale panel, but I was unable to do either. Images larger than the mask offered by the app were simply cropped. I was also unable to adjust image size once the image was inserted. By contrast, Pages for iPad handles images and masks very well. I don’t think this is a major issue for legal writers as inserting images is not something done often.
If you never work in Pages, then Office² HD may be a good choice for you as an iPad word processor. Not only would using Office² HD eliminate the need for exporting to .doc format, but Office² HD is also considerably cheaper (each of the iWork apps for iPad is $9.99). The integrated file manager is also a plus. While the absence of track changes support is disappointing, none of the word processors for the iPhone OS can do so either.
At this point, I am only reviewing the word processor. I plan to tackle the spreadsheet app at another time. You can purchase the Office² HD suite for $7.99 in the App Store. If you don’t need spreadsheet or advanced file access capabilities, you can get Docs² as a stand alone for $5.99. The spreadsheet and file manager aspects of Office² HD can be purchased individually for $5.99 and $3.99, respectively.
Just a quick note to say that we at the Colorado Bar Association CLE love what you’re doing with this blog.
Exhibit A:
http://thelearnedlawyer.com/index.php/2010/04/legal-bloggers-dish-about-the-ipad/
Keep up the great work!
I have Office2HD. It can’t seem to open an Excel spreadsheet that needs a password to open. Has anyone found anything that will yet on the iPad?
Documents to Go Premium supports password protected dox. It is still iPhone only, but they are advertising that the next update will provide full iPad support. Head over to iPhone J.D. for a tons of coverage about DTG and the main competitor in this area, QuickOffice.
an other big issue is the problem with office 2010 documents. actually it’s not possible to edit such docuemnts (read only @the moment).
maybe update fix this soon !
Hi, I just purchased Office2 HD for my I Pad, while playing with it, to learn how it works, I created in Local Files, under the Folders section, a new folder that I called “TEST”. But now I cannot delete that file (that is empty). I unsuccessfully have tried to find and answer online… Does anyone know HOW CAN I DELETE THIS FOLDER?
Tap the trash icon at the bottom of the screen beneath the folder list. Then tap the small circle to the left of the TEST folder. Then tap the Delete button at the bottom left of the screen. Deleted!
Hey –
super blog….must have a great wife supporting your efforts!
Looking forward on more Office capacity for the IPad before I take the plunge….
THANKS!
Hey, Ann. Thanks for checking out the blog and the comment! Jump in and get an iPad. You won’t regret it!
I just bought Office(squared) and I love it. Being able to merge cells is a must, and from what I’ve searched over, Office(squared) is the only app as of June 2011 to provide it. The app provides arrow key navigation with an external keyboard (another must), and draws borders, although a bit quirky, to make my worksheets look better organized.
There’s one thing I can’t find how to do, and that referencing to a cell from a different worksheet. I’ve requested the feature be either added, or that they include it in their FAQ and/or help file.
I suspect links between files won’t be possible because of how iOS manages files, but that is just my guess. Perhaps something that can be addressed in iOS 5.
I have a problem using office2 HD with dropbox. When I go to sub folders in dropbox I can’t go back to the root folder. I can’t even choose to save the file locally. I can’t seem to find back tab to go back to the root folder,where you can choose to save file locally or to dropbox folder. I tried switching off the ipad and restart, it works but it is time comsuming. I think there should be a better way. Can anyone help??
Please help! i received a word doc through email, opened it tried to save and it says save failed the folder is read-only!!!!
I have a question. I just bought an IPad2 for the law office I’m at. All of our documents are either on Word or CorelWP. I can view Word documents but cannot edit. I called Apple last night. The tech suggested I buy Pages. So between Pages and this one you posted- which is best? I need an application that I work on a Word document and be able to save it back by email or USB to the office.
I don’t want to return the IPad but if its not going to work for my office on documents- then I’m lost on this.
Thanks!
First things first, I did like your article which led me to buy the App. Unfortunately when I used your link to the Appstore I ended up at the iPhone version not the iPAD version. Not expecting this I did not realise the mistake and now downloaded both version. Thanks for that … Of cause this can´t be undone so what ever.
But it might me nice to correct this mistake so future readers woun´t suffer the same unfortune as I did.
Best regards,
Stefan
Apologies. I updated the link.