Office no longer an iOS must-have, unless you're Microsoft

Office no longer an iOS must-have, unless you're Microsoft

In the early days of the iPhone and later the iPad, pundits and consumers alike questioned how useful the devices could be without Microsoft's Office productivity suite. For many, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook are synonymous with business and getting things done. The iPhone launched over five years ago, and the iPad is coming up on three years, but in all that time they've yet to have an official Microsoft Office app suite, and with more than 100 million units sold each, sales have clearly suffered tremendously.

That's not to say that a solid word processor, spreadsheet cruncher, and presentation building app aren't essential for the platform - they are, and that's exactly why Apple built Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for iOS. Apple also sells the three iWork apps for $29.97 combined. That's ninety dollars less than the lowest available tier of Microsoft Office for PC or Mac, and that tier is intended for "home and student" use. It's another eighty bucks if you want a version meant for use in your business. The iOS iWork trifecta, however, continues to be less than thirty dollars, no matter what you intend to use it for.

To be fair, there's a fairly large and vocal contingent that insists they need Office. Numbers still isn't as robust as Excel (as any accountant will tell you), for one. But there's also a large institutional memory barrier to be overcome. Business believe that in order to conduct business, they need Office. That barrier is slowly coming down, one business at a time, with more and more picking up iPads in lieu of PCs.

With the iPad approaching its third birthday after completely turning the idea of what a tablet could be on its head while simultaneously and singlehandedly obliterating the netbook market, Microsoft finds themselves in an interesting predicament. Millions upon millions of iPad users have gotten by without Office, and they've flourished without Office. More and more, people are beginning to realize that they don't need Office to crunch numbers or draft documents or create presentations. With their email and contacts and calendar already in the cloud, they don't need Outlook.

Office for iPhone mockup

Microsoft let a golden opportunity pass with iOS. For years and years they've managed to convince the overwhelming majority of Windows users that they need to have Office, and those customers have overwhelmingly ponied up for a license. Microsoft has profited mightily from this impression, with even Mac switchers being willing to plop down the extra cash to purchase a copy of Office for their new OS X machines.

But on iOS they have yet to have that opportunity. Hundreds of millions of iOS devices are out there, with not a single installation of Office in the public. Now, with Microsoft finally ready to roll out Office onto iOS, they've run into loggerheads with Apple over how much of a cut Apple should be able to take for sales made through the app. Specifically, Apple is keen to take a 30% cut of the sale price of any app sold through the App Store and 30% of any purchase made in that app using Apple's App Store backend - subscriptions included. The rules are the rules.

Microsoft's much-rumored Office for iOS is likely to take the form of an Office 365 subscription, which if purchased through Apple would result in a 30% commission for Apple into perpetuity, even if the subscriber switches to another platform (unless they opt to shut down their account and start from scratch - unlikely to say the least). Unsurprisingly, Apple's not budging on this. Not only have they made a lot of money off this model and stand to make even more off of Microsoft's work, but they don't need it.

In the early days of iOS, those questions of how well the platform could succeed without Office support were loud and ongoing. Had Microsoft launched Office on the iPhone and iPad early on, they could have furthered the impression that Office was a must-have for anybody serious about anything, even on iOS. But they let years pass, and now Microsoft's flagship applications aren't so must-have anymore and Apple isn't overly eager to accommodate them. It's easy to imagine that four years ago when preparing to launch the iPhone App Store Apple may have been more willing to negotiate with Microsoft to get flagship apps like Word and Excel on the smartphone. But today? Apple's doing just fine without them.

Office for iPad mockup

Apple doesn't need Office, and if they can't get past the issue of Apple's cut of revenue, then Apple will happily move on without Office. Apple is a "my way or the highway" company, and that shouldn't surprise anybody. Would Apple get additional App Store income and sell even more iPhones and iPads with Office available? Sure. But that's not going to happen if Microsoft isn't willing to accept Apple's terms.

One could argue, on the other hand, that Microsoft needs iOS. While the "Maybe I don't need Office…" effect is one that is obviously of great concern to Microsoft's cash cow software, the potential of that realization for potential customers leads to further realizations: "Maybe I don't need a PC at all."

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is betting the entire company on Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Phone. They've finally recognized that mobility is the future and they've built two-and-a-half operating systems that embrace that future. Windows RT and Windows Phone both come out of the box with Microsoft Office, an implicit admission that Office is a selling point for customers.

Office is synonymous with Windows in the minds of many, and once they realize that they don't necessarily need Office, then they don't need Windows either. By letting the world's most popular smartphone and tablet go for all these years without Office and giving Apple long enough to cement the stronger negotiating position, Microsoft's sacrificed the opportunity to breed another generation of users who absolutely, unequivocally, must have Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook. And that could very well be Microsoft's undoing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/zo59uLYro3k/story01.htm

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Your chance to invest in America’s return to graphite production

This post brought to you by GRPH. All opinions are 100% mine.

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When you hear the word “graphite”, what do you think of?  Number 2 pencils, right?  I don’t think graphite is actually used in most pencils these days, but still graphite is a very important mineral used in a multitude of products – some say it’s the most important industrial mineral of the 21st century.  You might be as surprised as I was to know that graphite is used in everything from iron and steel manufacturing to car parts to kitchen appliances to modern electronics.  Most graphite right now is used in the manufacture of the ubiquitous lithium-ion battery, which actually requires up to 30 times more graphite than lithium to manufacture.  Demand for graphite increased by 50% while prices quadrupled in a six-year period.  Despite the increasing demand for this mineral, the US produced no graphite in 2011, and hasn’t for more than 20 years.  Graphite Corporation is focused on developing properties with a history of  graphite production in the United States. 

Graphite’s properties make it extremely useful for a variety of current and future purposes.  Graphite is a polymeric form of carbon that is electrically conductive, compressible, and flexible; it’s able to withstand corrosive environments and extreme heat.  In addition to its many uses today, future uses for graphite include construction of safer nuclear reactors and hydrogen fuel cells that will power energy-efficient cars.  Graphene, a derivative of graphite, is a flexible, transparent film of graphite only one molecule thick that retains the properties of graphite.  It’s electrically conductive and 200 times stronger than steel; the NSA calls it the next silicon.

Graphite Corp. has already acquired stakes in two historically graphite-rich production sites in Alabama and Montana.  The Alabama site is the location of the “most significant source of high-value flake graphite” in the US.  Their focus is to acquire and develop sources of graphite in the US to help meet the growing need for graphite in industry.   Right now, China controls about 80% of the world’s graphite production, and that supply is endangered by problems in China’s mining industry and by export restrictions.  Graphite Corp is dedicated to making the US an important player in the graphite industry.  A dependable domestic supply of graphite is important to protect the manufacture of a multitude of products the US relies on today and will require in the future.

Graphite Corp is currently seeking investors.  Visit Graphite Corp’s web page to learn how you can invest in America’s future production of this vital mineral.  Also read the Industry Growth Report Newsletter to learn more about graphite investment opportunities.

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Your chance to invest in America’s return to graphite production originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 13, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive
When Amazon Appstore for Android launched last week, one of its primary features -- Test Drive -- was disabled just a few minutes after it opened. With no try-before-you-buy, no refund process, and 1-Click purchasing ready to strike at any moment, this caused some problems. Anyway, don't despair: Test Drive is now enabled.

Before you get your hopes up, Test Drive doesn't work with every app. The IMDb app works fine -- you can even watch movie trailers on it! -- but the Angry Birds games are sadly not enabled. Some games work surprisingly well, though, like Bubble Buster. There's very little latency, and the framerate is really rather good. The Test Drive experience is so true to life that you even get ads; how cool is that?

Continue reading Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/amazon-appstore-for-android-test-drive-hands-on-surprisingly-co/

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Android Central Podcast - Live!

Show starts at 9 p.m. EST

(or thereabouts)

The Android Central Podcast is recorded live in front of a live studio audience, so you can catch us in the act.

Watch us live from your phone
with the UStream app. (Search for MobileNations.)


Miss a show? You can listen to every episode of the Android Central Podcast online.
Web | RSS | iTunes | Stitcher

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/PApJyaDNAhM/story01.htm

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Official Google Maps app for iPhone now available

Official Google Maps app for iPhone now available

The rumors are true! Google Maps for iPhone is now available in the App Store. One of the biggest things it offers that Apple Maps doesn't (other than not getting you lost in Australia), is public transit directions by train, bus, or subway.

The main features of Google Maps includes built-in Google local search, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation, public transit directions, and Google Street View. You can also discover places to eat, drink, shop, and play including rating and reviews. If you sign in, you can save and quickly access all your past searches and direction from your computer, right on your iPhone.

Additionally, Google Maps lets you access live traffic information in cities across the world, see inside more that 100,000 businesses worldwide, and view high resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.

Personally, I'm having issues installing Google Maps and keep getting a "this item is no longer available" error, but others are able to download it fine. We've heard installing through iTunes on your computer might be a good work around as well.

When you get it installed, let us know what you think!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/QT8Ou7PpB54/story01.htm

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Organize Your Desk With a Boat

You should see my desk. It's a goddamn nightmare explosion of pens, business cards, empty coffee cups, and random crap. These modular Desktructure Organizers would more than do the job of sprucing things up. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5v1h-7Kfp-w/organize-your-desk-with-a-boat

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Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus

jetbus
Once upon a time, there used to be a DOS game with a caveman and a human powered helicopter. The caveman would shuttle around the screen, madly trying to get customers to where they wanted to go.

Jetbus is not that game, but it's obviously inspired by it. You're driving a yellow school bus which has jets. I guess the jet engine takes quite a bit of space inside the bus, because you can only pick up one person at a time.

There are several doors on the screen, each with its own number. As you pick up a person, the status bar at the bottom of the screen shows you which number door you have to take them to.

You must fly your bus carefully, because if it gets bumped around too much, you lose. You earn money on each level, and can visit the garage to buy better jets and damping, power-ups, or even a whole new vehicle.

So while this game isn't made as well as the original that inspired it, it does provide a few minutes of fun. And now, which one of you guys remembers the original and feels like pointing to it in the comments?

Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/jetbus-is-a-retro-tastic-physics-game-with-a-bus/

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Burrito Bison is a simple game for gummy bear lovers

burritobison
Burrito Bison is a pretty simple game, but if you're into gummy bears you might find it addictive.

As you may have guessed from the name, you're a bison (not a burrito, though). In the course of your day-to-day grocery shopping, you're abducted into a bag of gummy bears, and must now fend for yourself.

At the beginning of each round you launch yourself onto the marching gummy (gummi?) bears, while you're being watched by a huge crowd of even more gummy bears. Your goal is to keep bouncing on the bears and earn more and more money while you do it. Every time you hit a gummy bear, you lose some momentum. If you hit the floor, you basically lose all of it.

But don't give up just yet! You have an emergency thrust which you can use to gain some momentum and keep bouncing on those bears. This extra thrust gets refilled as you hit more bears.

There are also special gummy bears that give you extra thrust or extra money. The money comes in handy at the end of each round, when you can shop for cool stuff to make your bison even more effective against those gummy bears.

It's a fun and colorful game that kept my interest for quite some time, and almost sent me running to the closest store to get some gummy bears!

Burrito Bison is a simple game for gummy bear lovers originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/26/burrito-bison-is-a-simple-game-for-gummy-bear-lovers/

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House of Marley Exodus on-ear headphones

house-of-marley-exodus-headphonesWe’ve told you about House of Marley products before.  Their headphones, earbuds, speakers, and bags are made of eco-friendly materials and created with the same high standards Bob Marley applied to his music.  I haven’t had a chance to try any of their headphones, earbuds, or speakers, so I can’t speak to how they sound, but I find their designs very appealing.  I think the Exodus on-ear headphones are beautiful.  They are made with “FSC certified Beech wood, recyclable aluminum, copper and ultra-soft leather that adds to durability and keeps materials out of the waste stream.”  They have 40mm drivers, gold-plated connectors, and a 52″ cloth-covered cord to reduce static noise.  The Exodus headphones will be available soon for $149.99.

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House of Marley Exodus on-ear headphones originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 12, 2012 at 10:00 am.