Office for iPad to arrive by summer, says sources

Microsoft Office for iPad has been teased for a while now, with news concerning it arising in various bits and leaks over the course of many months. The latest among them is word from various sources that Microsoft plans to roll out its productivity software in the first half of this year, a jump from the previously-projected Fall timeline.



The information comes from the folks at ZDNet, which says both Microsoft officials and other sources have confirmed Office for iPad is not only in the works, but coming sooner than has been anticipated. Until now, word has had it Office for iPad was slated to arrive after the Metro-style variety of Office, which is codenamed Gemini.

According to the sources, the decision to launch Office for iPad after the launch of the Metro version was nixed late last year, with Microsoft instead deciding to launch the iPad version when it is ready. As such, the sources are saying it'll be available in the first half of this year, which means we'll see it by the middle of this summer, if all pans out.

Microsoft has declined commenting on the latest news. It still isn't clear how Office for iPad will be offered -- whether as part of an Office 365 subscription or something else altogether. If the sources are correct, however, we only have a few months at the most left of waiting, so we'll find out soon enough regardless.

SOURCE: ZDNet

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Crooks near San Francisco are ripping off Apple iPad buyers using floor tiles

In the past, we've seen a mirror, note pads and a block of wood sold to unsuspecting buyers as an Apple iPad. Now, folks in a city near San Francisco are getting ripped off by the latest iPad scam. People walking in Ceres, a city south of Modesto, are being approached by sellers, offering them iPads for cut rate prices. Those that took the bait ended up shelling out hundreds of dollars for what they thought was a brand new tablet.

Once at home, the buyer would quickly open the box only to find that what they paid all that money for, was a tile with an Apple logo pasted on it, or a box full of packaging peanuts. By including some of the proper documentation and placing the Apple logo in the right spot, the scammers are able to pull one over on their marks, even if they make a quick perusal of the inside of the box.

If you're going to buy an iPad from someone standing on a street corner, you need to open the box and take out the device to examine it. Otherwise you just might find that you've been ripped off. While this has been happening often in Ceres, it is a scam that can happen anyplace. Don't be foolish.
Scammers are replacing Apple iPads with tiles and selling them to unsuspecting buyersFullscreen





source: SFGate via BGR

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IRL: the iPad Air

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.



By now, we've written nearly everything there is to say about the iPad Air, but that doesn't mean we can't revisit it here in "IRL." In particular, our own Jon Fingas bought one to see if it was lighter and faster than his third-gen model. Surprise: it is.


I like big-screen tablets, but I'm not a fan of the bulk that comes with them -- a 1.5-pound slab isn't especially comfortable to hold during an hour-long reading session. That's why I leaped on the iPad Air when it launched this fall. In theory, it's a large tablet that's as nice to hold as more compact devices, including the iPad mini. But does it really defy the laws of physics?

Almost. The Air isn't quite weightless, but it's still wonderfully compact and light. I have no problems holding the tablet while I'm reading a couple of book chapters or playing an involving game. I can even thumb type with it, which wasn't realistically possible with previous full-size iPads. It's hard to imagine going back to any heavier slate after this; I'd rather carry an Ultrabook instead, since the added weight at least comes with more functionality.

The Air is also one of the quickest mobile OS tablets I've used. Web browsing is about as fast as you'd expect from a desktop, and most current apps don't seem to faze it. I just wish developers would make better use of the A7 chip; right now, the best showcases for its processing power are media editing tools and intensive games like Infinity Blade III. iOS 7 runs smoothly and is certainly easy to use, although I've very occasionally seen the iPad crash without warning. It's clear the software is still rough around the edges.

If there's any major concern, it's simply that the iPad Air won't sway those who want a more PC-like experience. If you want to view more than one app at a time, you'll have to get a suitably equipped Android or Windows tablet. There also aren't any widgets, live tiles or other elements that would make better use of the screen real estate. While the iPad is excellent at most everything it does, there's room for it to do more.

-- Jon Fingas

source:

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Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air Review

The iPad Air is perhaps the first full-size tablet that doesn’t require a case to not feel out of place in the hand. No matter what kind of tablet it is, I don’t like holding it and keeping direct contact with the hardware. A case made of cloth or leather is always more comfortable and always feels better, especially for longer periods of use. Not everyone shares the same sentiment; however, the iPad Air is the first slate that I can and do use without a case because it isn’t too uncomfortable to hold.

For those who love showing off the beauty of Apple’s biggest iOS product but still want a keyboard, the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air is the best piece of hardware you can buy. It provides the security of a Smart Cover for that gorgeous display with an excellent full-size keyboard. Snap the cover on for travel. Slip it off and snap the iPad into the magnetic slit for typing. Easy peasy.
Just like Logitech’s keyboard cases, the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover comes with a slew of iOS-specific functions like activating the home button, locking, activating Siri, media and volume controls, and multitasking. The keyboard itself is spacious, though not as good as the Ultrathin Keyboard Folio’s. The difference is slight but highly noticeable: the Cover has smaller, more tightly packed keys, and they don’t stand out as much so typing produces less feedback. The Folio’s keyboard is definitely the better of the two; the Cover is a fairly close second.



Like all of today’s mobile keyboards, the battery life on the Keyboard Cover is exceptional. It’s rated for three months of continuous use (for two hours of use a day), and in my testing I haven’t found anything to the contrary. Since I began testing the Keyboard Cover over a month ago I haven’t needed to charge it once.
The reason the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover stands out from the iPad Air keyboard cases is because it’s a no-compromise accessory. It does everything right. It’s safe to travel with and won’t accidentally activate the iPad due to a weak magnet that activates the iPad in a bag. The full keyboard doesn’t have any keys moved to weird places or bunch keys together for secondary functions. It feels great to hold and carry thanks to an aluminum outside cover which matches the iPad very well, even though the aluminum is a darker shade that’s more grey than silver.
For $100, the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is a pricey but excellent iPad keyboard. It provides everything that a keyboard cover should, and at the level of quality that iPad owners have come to expect from Apple’s tablet.

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