While we wait for Microsoft to release Office apps for iPad and iPhone, CloudOn - Silicon Valley based startup has released an free app in the App Store that brings Microsoft Office functionality to the iPad.
CloudOn app allows you to do the following:
- Use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint on your iPad to create or edit documents.
- Rename, delete and manage documents with your Dropbox account
- Display, edit or create charts, change formatting, spell check, insert comments, into any Word, Excel or PowerPoint files
- Track changes while reviewing Word documents
- Use pivot tables and insert formulas in Excel workbooks
- Display and edit animation or transitions in PowerPoint presentations
- Present in full PowerPoint mode (not in PDF)
- Open files directly from your iPad email accounts or Dropbox account
- Automatically save documents to avoid losing changes
Based on initial reports, the app works exactly as advertised. However, it is not clear how CloudOn has managed to pull this off and if Microsoft will demand it to be pulled from the App Store when it finds out.
You can download CloudOn from the App Store using this iTunes link. Grab it while it is still available in the App Store. It looks like the app is currently available only in the U.S. App Store.
Update 1:
Guess it was too good to be true, the app is no longer available in the U.S. App Store. We're not sure if the app was voluntarily removed by CloudOn due to the surge in traffic it might have received due to the media buzz around the app or Microsoft sent a take down notice to Apple. We won't be surprised if it is the latter. Thanks Jacob for the tip!
Update 2:
It looks like CloudOn has voluntarily removed the app from the App Store.
Thanks for your support of CloudOn! We're currently sold out. We look forward to the feedback we will receive as we continue to support the many users that have registered in this first phase.
You can sign up here if you want to be notified when the app is available again.
As always, let us know what you think of the CloudOn app in the comments.
This is not available on the UK site
The app has been taken down in the US
It figures. As soon as someone develops something USEFUL, it gets flagged and taken down, but the hundreds of inane and useless apps remain.
The app has barely worked since I downloaded it earlier today. They were obviously overwhelmed and voluntarily removed the app.
Of course, you’d know that if you actually visited their website: http://cloudon.com
(Note that you’ll currently need a browser that identifies itself as something other than a mobile browser to visit the site. The mobile version is broken.)
Not sure if you were addressing me, but FWIW, my remarks were relative to the potential usefulness of such an app. I happened to see this story here, and, having read that it was taken down, it obviated the need (IMHO) to visit the website.
Getting tired of apple taking down apps
I got it before it was taking down tanks guys your tweet really are helpfull
Bummer it’s already “sold out”
Damn it, I just thought there is something useful on the app store! lol
could someone host ipa somewhere ?
How can you be sold out on an app?
I’m guessing they mean that they have ran out of cloud space??