StarHub retail outlets will offer the new iPad Pros from June 13

StarHub will offer the all-new 10.5" iPad Pro and new 12.9" iPad Pro from Apple, featuring the world’s most advanced display with ProMotion technology and enhanced performance with the new A10X Fusion chip.

Source: Apple. The iPad Pro from Apple features what the company says is the world’s most advanced display and incredible performance. 

“These are by far the most powerful iPads we’ve ever created with the world’s most advanced displays featuring ProMotion, the powerful new A10X Fusion chip and the advanced camera system of iPhone 7,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s VP, Product Marketing at the time of the launch, on June 5. “Together with iOS 11 these new iPad Pro models will radically change what users can do with iPad.”

The new 10.5" model reduces the borders by nearly 40% and still weighs 1 pound (about 0.45 kg). Combined with new iPad features in iOS 11 coming this year, like the all-new Files app, customisable Dock, improved multitasking and deeper integration of Apple Pencil, iPad Pro gives users the ability to be even more productive and creative.

iPad Pro's redesigned Retina display features ProMotion, a new technology that delivers refresh rates up to 120Hz for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion content. With ProMotion, Apple Pencil is even more responsive with an industry-best, 20-millisecond latency for even more fluid and natural drawing. ProMotion also improves display quality and reduces power consumption by automatically adjusting the display refresh rate to match the movement of the content.

The Retina display is Apple's brightest iPad display yet and features an antireflective coating. True Tone dynamically adjusts the white balance of the display to match the light around you for a more natural and accurate viewing experience and a wide colour gamut enables iPad Pro to deliver digital cinema-standard colours.

The 64-bit A10X Fusion chip provides performance that is faster than most PC laptops shipping today. A six-core CPU and 12-core GPU deliver 30% faster CPU performance and 40% faster graphics performance than the A9X chip, while delivering all-day battery life*. The iPad Pro features  the same advanced front- and back-facing cameras as iPhone 7, including a 12-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation and a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, as well as a four-speaker audio system.

Support for LTE Advanced and 802.11ac Wi-Fi makes it easier to stay connected when travelling in more than 180 countries and regions.

Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard are available for purchase separately. Advanced sensors in Apple Pencil measure both pressure and tilt for a natural drawing, annotating and note-taking. A new full-sized Smart Keyboard has been custom-designed for the 10.5" iPad Pro, offering a thin yet durable keyboard that never needs to be charged or paired over Bluetooth and is foldable into a protective Smart Cover.

The new iOS 11 will include new features for the iPad, including:

• A new customisable Dock that provides quick access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen;

• Improved multitasking, including a redesigned app switcher that brings Spaces to iOS, making it easier to move between apps or pairs of active apps, used in Split View and now Slide Over;

• The new Files app that keeps everything in one place, whether files are stored locally, in iCloud Drive or across other providers like Box, Dropbox and more;

• Multi-Touch Drag and Drop, which is available across the system to move text, photos and files from one app to another, anywhere on the screen;

• A new document scanner in Notes, which lets users easily scan single or multipage documents, removes shadows and uses powerful image filters to enhance readability; and

• Deeper integration with Apple Pencil, with support for inline drawing to write along text in Notes and Mail, Instant Markup to easily sign documents, annotate PDFs or draw on screenshots, and a new Instant Notes feature, which opens Notes from the Lock Screen by simply tapping Apple Pencil on the display. New searchable handwriting makes it easy to search for handwritten text or characters.

Interested?

Customers will be able to buy the 10.5" iPad Pro and 12.9" iPad Pro at all StarHub retail outlets starting June 13. View pricing details

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary.  

Singtel announces availability of the iPad Pro

Source: Apple.

The new iPad Pro with Wi-Fi + Cellular is now available from Singtel. The tablet features a 12.9" Retina display with 5.6 million pixels, an extremely high resolution and in a size that rivals some laptops. Smart cases and silicone covers are also on offer.

"Singtel will offer iPad Pro with a range of attractive data plans that will allow customers to connect to its tri-band 4G network," said a Singtel spokesperson.

Apple made the iPad Pro available to order online from November 11. “The early response to iPad Pro from app developers and our customers has been incredible, and we’re excited to get iPad Pro into the hands of customers around the world this week,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing at the time. “iPad Pro is the most powerful iPad we’ve ever made, giving users the ability to be even more creative and more productive with the epic 12.9" Retina display, powerful 64-bit A9X chip and groundbreaking Apple Pencil and new Smart Keyboard. We can’t wait to see what they do with iPad Pro.”

“iPad Pro enables new forms of mobile creativity that will help transform how creatives work,” said Scott Belsky, VP of Products at Adobe. “With the larger iPad Pro screen and lightning-fast performance, creatives will be able to take full advantage of Adobe’s family of Creative Cloud mobile apps. For example, the ability to manipulate a 50-megapixel image right on iPad Pro in Photoshop Fix and then send that image to Photoshop CC on a desktop, for further refinement, is the kind of industry-advancing collaboration that millions of Adobe and Apple customers will benefit from.”

“Creative thinkers worldwide use Paper* as part of their workflow, designing everything from flow charts, to storyboards, to wireframes, to architectural sketches. iPad Pro is the ultimate platform for Paper, with a powerful 12.9" Retina display and A9X chip that deliver performance rivaling most portable PCs,” said Georg Petschnigg, CEO and co-founder of FiftyThree. “iPad Pro gives Paper users an even bigger and more dynamic canvas on which to rapidly capture ideas however they strike — as notes, photos, sketches or diagrams.”

Interested?

The iPad Pro is available from Singtel in Singapore for S$1,628 and upwards. Compare the different iPad models available at Singtel or look at available plans

In Asia Pacific and Middle East the iPad Pro is also available in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, Turkey, and UAE

*Paper is a versatile sketching app on iOS

iOS conceptualisation tool Instaviz 2.0 debuts

Pixelglow Software, which focuses on developing intuitive business applications, has launched Instaviz 2.0. Released in December 2008, Instaviz allows users to visualise, refine and share ideas and concepts, and is one of the most popular diagramming apps on the iOS platform.

Source: Pixelglow Software. Click on the image to view a larger version.

Instaviz is regularly seen in the Top 100 Business Apps list at the App Store, and over 17,700 copies have been purchased, Pixelglow says. Users have rated it three-and-a-half out of five stars at the App Store.

"Here's what I like about it," said Terry White, Worldwide Design Evangelist for Adobe Systems. "I don't have to worry about picking tools to draw the various shapes. I have a tool right here: it's my finger!"

Users start by sketching some rough shapes, adding some text, then linking the shapes together. Instaviz neatens the shapes and arranges them elegantly as the users work, turning them into coherent diagrams that can be customised with different fonts, colours, styles and shapes. The work can be shared through email, messages, or AirDrop, as well as on social media such as Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp.

Version 2.0 is a major rewrite of what the company says is the first iOS diagram sketcher. Diagrams, mind maps and flowcharts can be shared more easily with the new version, said Australia-based Pixelglow Developer Glen Low.

"I've always seen Instaviz as an extension of my mind," Low said. "When I have an idea or relation in my head, I want to get it down quickly without fussing about where to place the concepts, or getting stuck in endless popups and modes. In pursuing that seamless experience for all users, I've rebuilt the app from the ground up over 4.5 years to create this new version."

Low has revamped the user interface and included help demo videos for the upgraded app. New features include:

• Fresh graphics, icons and toolbars
• Improved layout, text, animation, interaction and rendering
• Enhanced font, colour and style settings
• Sharing through email, message, print, over-the-air and social media
• Help demo videos
• Support for iOS 7 and 8
• Compatibility with iPhone 5, 6, and 6+ screen formats

Instaviz 2.0* is US$7.99 and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store Productivity category. Existing users can upgrade for free. Multiple languages are supported, including English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), and Japanese.

Interested?

Purchase the app

*Device requirements: iPhone 4, iPad 2, iPod Touch 5G or better; iOS 7, 8 or better; 4MB of space.

itSeez3D updates 3D scanner app for iPad

Source: itSeez3D page on the App Store.

ItSeez3D, a mobile scanning software maker, has updated to its 3D scanner application, also called itSeez3D. Designed to work with the Occipital Structure Sensor 3D sensor for mobile devices, itSeez3D now allows the iPad to create realistic full-body models from 3D scans.

The updated app provides a convenient tool for the 3D printing industry, allowing for the scanning of a colour figurine model in less than two minutes. A new option allows scanning of textures at more than 50% higher resolution.

The iPad app basically works with the Structure Sensor to collect 3D data of a scanned object, using the iPad's RGB camera as an additional source to collect images from multiple viewpoints. It then reconstructs the object's shape online to provide visual feedback and guide the user through the scanning process. Once scanning is complete, the app sends all data over to the cloud, where an algorithm stitches 3D point clouds and RGB images from multiple viewpoints into a single colour 3D model that is then sent back to the iPad. This model can be printed with a colour 3D printer.

According to Victor Erukhimov, CEO, itSeez, there is demand for 3D printing from industries that create figurines, virtual clothing and medical applications, including scanning for plastic surgery.

"itSeez3D provides a fast and easy way to capture a very realistic colour model of a human body," Erukhimov said. "We have invested a lot of thinking into making our cloud service convenient for integration with 3D printing and other practical use cases. We also believe there is a lot of potential for full body scanning in the entertainment industry. Eventually, 3D photos will become as essential as 2D photos are today."

The new version of the itSeez3D app is available for download in the App Store. The app is free for non-commercial use, while businesses are charged per printed model. Comments as of early February note that the scanner does not seem to work with the iPad Air 2.

Parallels Access 2.5 now available on Google Play and App Store worldwide

Source: Parallels website.

Parallels, a cross-platform solution provider, has made Parallels Access 2.5 available on Google Play and the App Store worldwide. Parallels Access enables users to be effective anytime and anywhere, even with a mobile device or a borrowed computer. 

The company says Access works well with 3G connections, and has applification” technology that lets users run desktop applications as if they were native apps for the iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

The app includes new features such as a universal file manager, computer-to-computer remote access and more support for Samsung devices. The new release also supports the recently released OS X Yosemite and Windows 10 Technical Preview.

“In our new era of even more devices, interfaces and form factors, it is extremely important for people to have a consistent application experience from any device, anywhere. Today’s workers need tools that connect the applications they depend on with devices and services from multiple platforms for a seamless user experience,” said Parallels President Jack Zubarev. 

Features include:

· Universal file manager: A cross-platform mobile experience for accessing all your files across remote locations, including computers and the cloud (iOS today, Android soon). Most local and remote files can be previewed.

· Samsung Galaxy Tab S and Galaxy Note 4: Access your computer and files from Samsung’s latest phones and tablets. There is full support for S Pen input on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge.

· iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus: Optimised for new iPhone screen sizes and resolutions.

· Kindle Fire: Optimised for Kindle Fire.

· Sound where you want it: Users decide where they want to hear audio – on the mobile device or the computer.

View the associated videos here (iOS), here (Android) and here (computer to computer).

Parallels Access 2.5 is available now on the App Store, Google Play, Samsung Galaxy Apps and the Amazon Appstore for Android with a two-week free trial. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge customers receive a free six-month subscription to Parallels Access as part of their Galaxy Gifts. Current customers get Parallels Access 2.5 for free. 

Individual subscriptions are available for S$25.98 for one year or S$44.98 for two years, and they include the ability to access up to five remote computers from an unlimited number of iOS and Android tablets and phones, and an unlimited number of computer-to-computer connections. 

Parallels Access for Business is available for a 30-day free trial, after which it costs S$59 for five computers and unlimited devices. 

Bosign expands tech collection

Bosign, a privately owned Swedish company that specialises in the design, patenting, and manufacturing of high quality, affordable Scandinavian lifestyle products, has launched a number of tech accessories for mobile device owners.

The key feature of the new iPad Carrying Sleeve are its camouflaged leather fold-up handles, which provide an alternative way to carry the iPad. The iPad Carrying Sleeve, measuring 28cm (W) by 21cm (H) by 1.2cm (D), is made from felt to protect the iPad from scratches and dust. 

The sleeve body is padded to protect the iPad against light impact damage. There is room for a charger and small items too. The sleeve is available in a wide range of colours, including dark blue with dark grey and a mix of turquoise, grey and chestnut.

The soft and adjustable Tabletpillow 2, the latest addition to Bosign’s Surfpillow range, is an improved version of the original Tabletpillow. Bosign’s Tabletpillow can be placed on any surface for safe, comfortable tablet use. The pillow is filled with micro spherical beads to adjust to various working angles.

Two extra inner pockets serve as a protective sleeve for the tablet and provide ideal storage for memory sticks, chargers, and pens. The pillowcase is made of water-repellent, washable material, and covered in an anti-slip silicon print that grasps hard, uneven or soft surfaces and holds the tablet in place. 

The Tabletpillow 2 is available in black, lime, turquoise, wine red and chocolate brown together with black accents. It measures 27cm (W) by 9.5cm (H) by 22cm (D).

Bosign also launched its Hideaway cable organiser in white. The easy-clean, fireproof Hideaway is available in the medium size (30cm (W) by 13.5cm (H) by 18cm (D). It is designed to hide the cables for electronic equipment and provide a single place for all chargers.


All products are available through the Visceral Goods online store, which offers free shipping for Singapore and charges affordable shipping rates for international orders.

*All images from Bosign.

Microsoft makes Office experience free on iPhone and iPad, Android tablets next

Microsoft has brought out new Office apps and experiences for the iPhone and iPad, as well as a preview of Office apps for Android tablets. Users of these devices will be able to create and edit Office content without a subscription.

“Anytime someone has an idea or an inspiration, we want to empower them to take action,” said John Case, Corporate VP, Office, Microsoft. “With over a billion Office customers worldwide, and over 40 million downloads on the iPad, it’s clear that Office applications are what people want to use to get things done.”

As of November 6 US time, iPhone users can download new Office for iPhone apps for Word, Excel and PowerPoint with the iPad experience, but optimised for the iPhone.

A preview of Office apps for Android tablets brings the Word, Excel and PowerPoint to Android tablet users, who can sign up for the Preview now. General availability is expected in early 2015.

Source: Microsoft.
View and edit
Word files on the
iPhone.

Microsoft has also updated Office for iPad apps for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Customers can download the new apps today. The new Office for iPad and Office for iPhone apps are available in 29 languages and 136 countries. The apps require an iPad or iPhone running iOS 7.0 or later. 

The company also presented an expanded look at the new “touch-optimised” Office for Windows 10. Additional details will be shared at a later date, the company said.

For a more complete experience, the full Office 365 subscription includes 1 TB of OneDrive online storage, with unlimited storage on the way. 

More information about the news can be found on the Official Microsoft blog.

Flickr App for iPad is optimised for iOS 8

Yahoo has announced the new Flickr App for iPad, which makes it easy manage images on its Flickr photo sharing app from any device. According to Yahoo, the app delivers a better experience with iOS 8 for capturing, improving, and exploring images. 

Source: Yahoo.

Users who already have Flickr on their iPads can just update it, while those who would like to download the app can do so at the App store. The app is available in English, French, Indonesian, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese, among other languages. Learn more about the app here.

Companies which use Flickr include Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Huawei, and IBM for Watson.

Flickr has advice on operating Flickr business accounts here, and best practices on how to use Flickr for sharing business information here.

Apple's new iPad Air 2 is thinner

Apple has introduced its iPad Air 2, its thinnest iPad ever in a highly anticipated event on October 16 (US time).

The new iPad features an improved Retina display for enhanced contrast and richer, more vibrant colours , and better cameras. Now available in gold, as well as the traditional silver and space gray, the iPad Air 2 and the new iPad mini 3 offer Touch ID and — in the US — a new payment method called Apple Pay.

“iPad is a magical piece of glass that runs more than 675,000 apps specifically designed for it, and is thin and light enough that you can comfortably hold it all day; the new iPad Air 2 is packed with amazing new innovations, weighs less than a pound, and at just 6.1 mm is the thinnest tablet in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing.

“iPad Air 2 has a new Retina display with anti-reflective coating, second generation 64-bit A8X chip, all-new iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, faster Wi-Fi and LTE wireless, and includes the revolutionary Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.”

Feedback on Twitter was positive for the better cameras and the ability to use a fingerprint to unlock the device. Many also liked the introduction of a gold iPad. There were however jokes about whether the device would bend if it is in a pocket, in reference to reports that this can happen to the recently launched Phones.

Engineered for portability and ease of use, iPad Air 2 has a unibody of anodised aluminum. The improved Retina display features a custom-designed anti-reflective coating which reduces glare by 56 percent*. The new Apple-designed A8X chip delivers a 40% improvement in CPU performance and 2.5 times the graphics performance of iPad Air, but maintains the up to 10-hour battery life**.

Combined with the new Metal graphics technology in iOS 8, the A8X chip unlocks realistic visual effects which Apple says is comparable to the most advanced gaming consoles. iPad Air 2 also includes the M8 motion coprocessor that gathers motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and an all-new barometer which senses air pressure to provide relative elevation.

Innovations to the iSight and FaceTime HD cameras in iPad Air 2 enable better photos and videos, with an 8MP sensor and advanced optics in the iSight camera to help capture rich, detailed images and add new features including panoramic photos, time-lapse video, slo-mo and 1080p HD video. The FaceTime HD camera now captures over 80% more light than iPad Air’s camera, and features burst mode as well as HDR stills and video.

iPad Air 2 delivers faster connectivity with 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) technology for 2.8 times the Wi-Fi performance of iPad Air at data rates up to 866 Mbps***. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular integrates even more LTE bands and comes with expanded LTE for up to 50% faster cellular connections****, plus support for other fast cellular technology around the world (DC-HSDPA, HSPA+).

Touch ID gives iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 users a simple and secure way to unlock iPad with just the touch of a finger, plus the ability to authenticate within apps to better protect logins and data. Touch ID can be used as a secure way to approve purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store or iBooks Store, and with Apple Pay, when paying for physical goods and services within apps.

The new iPads come with iOS 8.1 including Continuity features across iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite that enable all your Apple products to work together seamlessly. Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to another, and when your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network, you can make and receive phone calls right from your iPad.

Available for pre-order, both iPads will be available starting later next week in the Australia, mainland China (Wi-Fi models only), Hong Kong, Japan, Macau (Wi-Fi models only), New Zealand, and Singapore. Availability in Turkey, UAE and elsewhere around the world, will continue through the end of October with additional global availability in the coming months. iPads are sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through selected Apple Authorized Resellers.

The iPad mini line has been updated to include iPad mini 3 with Touch ID and iPad mini with Retina display, now called iPad mini 2 and starting at US$299. Both iPads feature Retina displays, A7 chips, 5MP iSight cameras, FaceTime HD cameras and ultrafast wireless connections. The iPad mini is available at US$249.

Both the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 come in three metallic finishes: gold, silver and space gray. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$499 for the 16GB model, US$599 for the 64GB model and US$699 for the 128GB model. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$629 for the 16GB model, US$729 for the 64GB model and US$829 for the 128GB model. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$399 for the 16GB model, US$499 for the 64GB model and US$599 for the 128GB model. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$529 for the 16GB model, US$629 for the 64GB model and US$729 for the 128GB model.

iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and iPad mini, available in silver or space gray, are offered at now more affordable prices. iPad Air starts at $399 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model, iPad mini 2 starts at $299 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model, and iPad mini starts at $249 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model.

To complement the new iPads, a range of cases and covers offer both protection and customisation. iPad Air and iPad mini Smart Covers are available in seven colours and Smart Cases for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini now come in five new shades. Custom-designed polyurethane Smart Covers for iPad Air and iPad mini will be available for a suggested retail price of US$39 in black, white, blue, green, pink, yellow and red, which Apple has named '(RED)'. iPad Air 2 Smart Cases are available in leather in midnight blue, olive brown, black, soft pink and (RED) for a suggested retail price of US$79 with Smart Cases for iPad mini available in the same colours at a suggested retail price of US$69. Smart Covers and Smart Cases are available through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and selected Apple Authorized Resellers.

*Over the previous generation iPad Air.
**Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary.
***Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.
****LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks. Check with your carrier for details.

Evernote announces new app, revamped app, app redesign

Evernote has announced three updates for its users, which it bills as "one entirely new app. One hugely improved feature. One major app redesign". 

In a blog post the company revealed that it will launch a mobile app for scanning called Scannable. Scannable will make small items like business cards and receipts "actionable and sharable", and also controls the ScanSnap Evernote Edition desktop scanner, allowing others on a user's network to scan. This in effect turns the desktop scanner into an office scanner.

The improved presentation mode feature for the main Evernote app eliminates the need for slides by sharing the mobile device screen on a PC. The company said it would introduce features that allow users to control how a slide might appear on the larger screen. 

The Penultimate handwriting app for iPad will be redesigned for a more "lifelike" writing experience. The connection between Penultimate and the Adonit Jot Script Stylus will be enhanced.

*Images from the Evernote blog.

Emirates sees 20% of users visit website through iPads, makes iPad app

Emirates airline has launched the Emirates App for iPad on the global App Store.
 

Source: Emirates. The Emirates App for iPad, now available globally on the App Store, allows users to explore destinations and manage their travel on Emirates at a tap of their fingers.

Through the app, users can now explore over 130 Emirates destinations on six continents, and learn more about its world-class services at a tap of a finger.

The Emirates App for iPad also makes it even easier for Emirates customers to manage their bookings, whether on the road, in the air or at home. They can book flights, select seats and meals, manage their Emirates Skywards frequent flyer accounts, check in online, and download their boarding pass directly from the app, amongst other features.

Personal flight details, product and service information are stored in the app, so users can view it offline too.

“The Emirates App was designed for today’s new tribe of global travellers – what we term 'globalistas' – who are curious about the world, are mobile and digitally connected, and expect simplicity at their fingertips,” said Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, Product, Publishing, Digital and Events.

“In some markets, we already see about 20% of visitors to emirates.com using iPads, and our customers are increasingly using their iPads and mobile devices to book and manage their travel. The Emirates App has been designed to make this process even easier, faster and significantly more convenient, and many more enhancements are already in development.

"We first launched The Emirates App in the UAE Apple store, our home market, a couple of weeks ago and the response has been tremendously positive. We are now working to make the App available on the iPhone and Android, and will be introducing many new features in the coming months.” 

Download the App here or visit the App Store and search for ‘Emirates’.

Office for the iPad, finally

Microsoft has announced Microsoft Office for iPad, targeting the more than 170 million iPads shipped to date. 

Nadella discusses the intersection of cloud and mobile in the US.

“Microsoft is focused on delivering the cloud for everyone, on every device. It’s a unique approach that centres on people — enabling the devices you love, work with the services you love, and in a way that works for IT and developers,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft.
 

Office 365 subscribers can now add an iPad as one of their chosen devices included in their subscription benefits, and begin creating and editing documents with Word for iPad, PowerPoint for iPad and Excel for iPad in 29 languages. Office for iPad apps retain the Office look and feel but are built from the ground up for the iPad.

Office for iPad brings full file fidelity across Office on PC, Mac, tablet and phone, and along with cloud storage from OneDrive or OneDrive for Business so files are up to date, wherever needed, on whatever device as required. The apps are available as free downloads from the App Store and will work with iOS 7 or later, but only for reading, viewing and presenting documents, spreadsheets and presentations. To get the full editing and creation experience, an Office 365 subscription is required. More detail the announcements can be found in the Office blog.

In addition to Office for iPad, Microsoft also offers other iPad-optimised productivity applications, including OneNote, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX, Bing, Lync, Outlook Web Access, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, Yammer and Skype.

Industry observers have noted that the push for iPad share may be a little late as iPad users have had ample time to make use of productivity software from other companies, including Apple itself. The familiarity of Office may still be a draw, however. The number of downloads for Office for iPad will be a good indication of interest.

*Images from Microsoft.