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[Q] Polaris Office - reviewing documents

I'm wavering between Transformer and an ultraportable. One of the key features I'm looking for is an ability to edit Word documents. For those who already received their Transformer (lucky dogs), can you please describe if the ability to review (track changes, make comments, etc.) exist in Polaris Office or any other document editing application on Honeycomb? And if so, how fully featured is it?
Thanks!

todroid said:
I'm wavering between Transformer and an ultraportable. One of the key features I'm looking for is an ability to edit Word documents. For those who already received their Transformer (lucky dogs), can you please describe if the ability to review (track changes, make comments, etc.) exist in Polaris Office or any other document editing application on Honeycomb? And if so, how fully featured is it?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Polaris Office suite is pretty good. It opens Word docs and PDFs pretty quickly and you can switch to edit mode with just a single click. To test mine I opened a 350 page Word doc and not only did it open quick but I was able to finger flip scan down the pages very fast. Again it is just a single click to change view modes etc.
I have not tried other MS Office docs yet but it seems that Polaris is pretty efficient. The 10.1 inch screen on the Transformer makes it PERFECT for emails, e books and docs.
Other big names to look at are QuickOffice Pro(they also have a tablet version called QuickOffice Pro HD) and Documents to Go.
But there is no reason you have to worry about doing edits on Word docs with the Transformer.
I returned my Xoom to get the Transformer (and I'm NOT sorry at all) and the Xoom comes with QuickOffice just like my EVO did.

todroid said:
I'm wavering between Transformer and an ultraportable. One of the key features I'm looking for is an ability to edit Word documents. For those who already received their Transformer (lucky dogs), can you please describe if the ability to review (track changes, make comments, etc.) exist in Polaris Office or any other document editing application on Honeycomb? And if so, how fully featured is it?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried Polaris, but I didn't see the ability to track changes or make comments in the office suites I've tried.

polarise office
For your purposes I'd think an ultraportable would suit you better,
Polarise office and open and edit MS office files with no problem,
but the function (comment/ tracking changes) function only exist in Microsoft office
so I think you are better off with an netbook/laptop.

andyxover said:
For your purposes I'd think an ultraportable would suit you better,
Polarise office and open and edit MS office files with no problem,
but the function (comment/ tracking changes) function only exist in Microsoft office
so I think you are better off with an netbook/laptop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to all those who answered. I have the transformer on order, was going to try it out before an ultraportable, but may cancel it. Sometimes the function has to dictate the form. Oh, well...

[Q] Office Mobile fully functional?

Hi guys,
I've searched this forum and haven't found an answer to my question, so I'm gonna post it here. (Hopefully I did the search right and didn't commit the felony of a double post. )
I'm planning on buying a new phone, mainly because my old HTC Charmer (WM 6.1) doesn't support SDHC cards and the maximum of 4GB of the cards I can use with it is just not enough any more.
So far, I've read quite some disappointing details about Windows Phone 7:
- No more "free" apps (by which I mean apps programmed by someone and offered somewhere, now it's the same sh** as with an iPhone or an Android phone)
- No direct USB-sync, which means you have to send your private information to the cloud in order to sync
- No "real" support for SD-Cards (and getting more storage space is the whole da** point here, otherwise I'm quite happy with my Charmer)
So, basically I thought about getting a second hand HTC Touch Pro II running WM 6.5 AND supporting NORMAL SDHC cards (meaning ALL cards which comply with the standard, not just the ones "certified by Microsoft").
But there might be one killer feature which could make me, well, not really forget, but maybe turn a blind eye to WP7's SHAMEFUL flaws: The new Microsoft Office Mobile. Often, I have some Excel spreadsheets which I need for work at different places. This is the only reason I have to take a laptop computer with me, apart from that my phone would be fine.
Office Mobile in WM 6.1 (or 6.5) couldn't display / make use of all the features the Desktop-Version offered (like extremely complicated formulae or spreadsheets and of course macros), and, moreover, after having worked on and saved an Office document on a phone, the features would even have been removed from the file in the conversion process, so the file was useless on the desktop as well.
Thus, I'm asking the following questions (which surprisingly haven't been answered on the net so far, or am I just too stupid to google it right?):
- Is the Office in WM 7 fully functional, meaning you can work on Excel sheets with the most complicated formulae and macros, or, asked more simple, can you do everything you can do with the Desktop version on your phone as well?
- If it doesn't offer everything the desktop versions offers, does it at least keep everything that was there in the original file after you change and save it on your phone? I mean, even if I can't use macros on the Windows Phone, it might still be helpful to open an .xls file on the phone, make a few changes (which don't require macros), save the file on the phone and after putting it back on a desktop computer having the file "unharmed" (meaning except for the small change I made on the phone everything else is as it was)?
Hopefully, I made my point clear enough, if not, I'm happy to answer questions on what it is exactly that I want to know. I think many users here already having a Windows phone will have tried working on Office documents on their phones and I hope those will share their experiences with me.
Many thanks for reading my post and even more thanks for answering.
Peter

Firstly,in terms of the functionalities of the excel,I don't think WP7 is suitable for you.
Furthermore,personally I prefer USB drag and drop the documents to my device,maybe you can call me old school.I just find the office useless for me since I don't have sharepoint,I don't want create a dropbox account just to upload my file to cloud and download it to my device again and I don't have a data plan.Therefore,until now, I still didn't use the office app once.
In your situation,I think you need an android phone to handle your job this moment,you can just purchase quick office,docs to go,depends on your personal preference.In addition,the only office app available is just microsoft office,no other choices.furthermore,as you said,you want transfer it back to your desktop unharm,therefore it is good to have drag and drop file transfer function rather than rely on dropbox,upload to the cloud and download on your desktop again.
On the other hand,there is no clear information about the mango updates which add more features to the office.So,I'll would suggest you to go with Android or iOS for this moment.

Thank you for the answer.

No more "free" apps (by which I mean apps programmed by someone and offered somewhere, now it's the same sh** as with an iPhone or an Android phone)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Free, in cost, there are plenty. Free as in not first checked by MS, kinda but no. You can developer unlock your device and sideload apps. However, that being said, MS are pretty good, they're only blocking apps which don't meet quality control standards (which I think is a good thing) or, somewhat contentiously, are "adult". They're not playing the same game as Apple.
I'm confused by you saying Android though. You can easily download and install programs (apk) on your device from any source (you just have to choose that option in the settings).
Office in Mango is improving - specifically:
1. Better support for formulae
2. Skydrive sync
So, yes, formulae can be created and manipulated in Excel, though I wouldn't say it's a replacement for the real Excel. It certainly can't run macros.
Skydrive is still "in the cloud" however, you're automatically registered to the free account by the virtue of having a live id. I still believe we should have USB file transfer but at least this is better than nothing.
Casey

best way to make tablet more productive ?

i have evernote so i can take notes in class, i have the calendar to schedule appointments but what else can i be using for a business solution ? or just productive in general. i have splashtop HD but how can i move files on my home computer to my tablet ?
what other things do you recommend to make this tablet do some work !

A little research on the forum wouldn't hurt. Have a look at the list of the apps for the Infinity we've been jointly creating.

they are all either for games or for general tablet use, i want specificially named apps that would make the tablet a workstation, or creative ways to use this, not just apps themselves. for example, people shouldnt wait for a 3g model, root your phone and wifi tether your already exsisting data plan.
so far the only office suit ive found for free is kingssuite office , and using BOX from this thread gives 50 free gb of cloud storage http://lifehacker.com/5887769/grab-50gb-of-free-storage-for-life-on-box-by-using-the-android-app other tips are welcome

If you root and own a keyboard dock, you might want to check out setting up a Debian or Ubuntu chroot. Think of it like desktop linux in an application, letting you run software like Libreoffice or Gimp. Since those applications are made for desktop computers and laptops instead of tablets, they're a lot more flexible.
I've got a Debian chroot set up and its pretty sweet. Apps are a little slow to launch, but once they're up they act pretty fast. I'd write a tutorial, but I"m having trouble getting it to cleanly shut down. If you're not afraid to do a little googling, you should be able to set one up for yourself without too much trouble.

Often wondered why I have a tablet
Probably an ages old question...
I know the main reason is because I am a gadgeteer.
I do use the tab for navigation and other home user stuff.
Seeing more and more ipads and android phones used by small business owners.
A coffee hut near us is using a tablet as an order slate and a cash register.
The last time we dined at Chevy's grill they have tabs on the tables for gaming, texting, ordering drinks and cashing out.
As far as personal use for this owner I'm still looking for an application that will make the tab an indispensable item.
Maybe some day a tablet device will help an old-timer like me organize his thoughts :highfive:

Crizthakidd said:
i have evernote so i can take notes in class, i have the calendar to schedule appointments but what else can i be using for a business solution ? or just productive in general. i have splashtop HD but how can i move files on my home computer to my tablet ?
what other things do you recommend to make this tablet do some work !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to agree with everyone else. Google or search the forums. But I will play your game sir...
Airdroid - hands down you have to download today, if you want to move files.
Splashtop is alright, I also like 2X Client
EverNote = yes
Box.net + Browser for Skydrive + Dropbox + Google Drive
Google Chrome
Pocket - read websites at a later time

Team viewer has been the best remote software on my prime and Infinity for work. Much better than splash top, Log me in, etc all have issues where teamviewer has always been super smooth and consistent. Use it from my phone too.

Why I got a tablet
I admit I'm a bit of a gadget junkie, but I got mine for work as much as home. I'm a teacher of sorts. For a couple years now, I've been floating the idea of getting tablets for the instructors, rather than having multiple binders and notebooks (the analog kind) cluttering up a desk or podium.
I've taken all the PowerPoint slides I use for work, typed all the hand-written notes I had in multiple binders into the Notes Page view of PP, and I view them on my Infinity while I teach. I use EZ pdf to view them. While there are multiple apps that view .pdf files -- like Polaris Office, which comes with the Infinity -- EZ pdf allows me to write on them, using my finger or a stylus.
In addition, I've got my work schedule (multiple schedules, actually) in separate Google calendars, and I view them on Business Calendar or Calendar Pad. I keep a ton of notes in OneNote, though I'm thinking of going back to Evernote.
I've got a bunch of reference material and research articles in .pdf format, and I've bought the Kindle versions of several books that we reference. You can't beat having an entire bookcase in the palm of your hand.

Crizthakidd said:
i have evernote so i can take notes in class, i have the calendar to schedule appointments but what else can i be using for a business solution ? or just productive in general. i have splashtop HD but how can i move files on my home computer to my tablet ?
what other things do you recommend to make this tablet do some work !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just use google drive (or dropbox) to save your files too, no need to connect to your desktop.
edit: does polaris allow you to show powerpoints through hdmi but show any powerpoint slide notes on the tablet at the same time?

[Q] Capable of Annotating large PDFs?

I've purchased a Note 10.1 recently but haven't actually opened the box. I first need to know whether the Note is capable of opening 1000 page PDFs with Repligo/iAnnotate/EzPDF etc and annotating them without lag, or is this far too much to ask from the Note? Would an Atom tablet be more capable of this? I wish to use the tablet for reading while on public transport and simply highlighting and writing quick notes in the PDF, and then when I get home, reading through the edited document and making my actual notes in OneNote. I've watched videos of other people annotating documents on other tablets, but I'd like to be certain with the tablet and whether it can handle such large files.
ALSO: Is it possible to open the OneNote web (not mobile) application via an android browser (accessed via SkyDrive). I merely want to view my notes through the web app, but not edit them.
Thanks.

Carrl said:
I've purchased a Note 10.1 recently but haven't actually opened the box. I first need to know whether the Note is capable of opening 1000 page PDFs with Repligo/iAnnotate/EzPDF etc and annotating them without lag, or is this far too much to ask from the Note? Would an Atom tablet be more capable of this? I wish to use the tablet for reading while on public transport and simply highlighting and writing quick notes in the PDF, and then when I get home, reading through the edited document and making my actual notes in OneNote. I've watched videos of other people annotating documents on other tablets, but I'd like to be certain with the tablet and whether it can handle such large files.
ALSO: Is it possible to open the OneNote web (not mobile) application via an android browser (accessed via SkyDrive). I merely want to view my notes through the web app, but not edit them.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congrats on the new purchase.
Essentially all android tablets are the same from a sofware stand point.
Yes you can easily edit pdf's that are huge that come into many 1000 pages. I use ezpdf now as it seem to offer what i need. But as you said you have to test out yourself and see what suits you the best.
You cannot open onenote in android browser. All you can do is see the files. I tried the default, chrome and dolphin browsers and none of them seem to open one note files.
It might just be easier to use the android app

aalupatti said:
Congrats on the new purchase.
Essentially all android tablets are the same from a sofware stand point.
Yes you can easily edit pdf's that are huge that come into many 1000 pages. I use ezpdf now as it seem to offer what i need. But as you said you have to test out yourself and see what suits you the best.
You cannot open onenote in android browser. All you can do is see the files. I tried the default, chrome and dolphin browsers and none of them seem to open one note files.
It might just be easier to use the android app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! Thank you for the reply. If the worst comes to worst, I'll just have to export all my OneNote files each week for uni...

Carrl said:
Great! Thank you for the reply. If the worst comes to worst, I'll just have to export all my OneNote files each week for uni...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is an app called mobilenoter in the market. Worth a shot for taking notes.
The editing options are very limited but may be good enough for basic note taking.

Two things ...
1st. For your Purpose Mantano Reader Is Best !!! Am using it since a long period of time.
2nd. OneNote is available in Playstore.
Sent from my GT-N8000 using xda premium

How does the TF700T function for word processing and spreadsheets?

Hi,
I'd like to purchase a tablet to allow for easier reading of PDF textbooks, but I need some decent word processing and spreadsheet capabilities to make it worthwhile. I love the idea of the TF700T's attachable keyboard with trackpad, but I'm not sure if Android's apps are capable of accommodating my needs.
How does a TF700T compare to a laptop with Open, Microsoft or Libre Office? I'll be writing lab reports, so I need to be able to use 1.5 and double spacing, create bulleted and numbered lists, paste jpeg and gif graphics from the internet, include tables and graphs from a spreadsheet application, and spell check. Is the TF700T capable of this level of functionality?
How does the right-click feature function--can I copy, paste, spell check, etc. with the right app?
Of course I'll be rooting this device.
Thanks,
Zach

If you plan to reading pdf's mantano reader performs well. Stay away from adobe reader, its very laggy and freezes up tablet.

Hi mate. Basically I've needed the same function for university so can say a few things
Word processing is good with the right programme. Office suite pro is expensive but the best IMO. Can read PDF well with it's own reader and had complete functionality. Line spacing, fonts, spell check, photo,graph etc it's complete worth the little bit eextra!

zzmm said:
Hi,
I'd like to purchase a tablet to allow for easier reading of PDF textbooks, but I need some decent word processing and spreadsheet capabilities to make it worthwhile. I love the idea of the TF700T's attachable keyboard with trackpad, but I'm not sure if Android's apps are capable of accommodating my needs.
How does a TF700T compare to a laptop with Open, Microsoft or Libre Office? I'll be writing lab reports, so I need to be able to use 1.5 and double spacing, create bulleted and numbered lists, paste jpeg and gif graphics from the internet, include tables and graphs from a spreadsheet application, and spell check. Is the TF700T capable of this level of functionality?
How does the right-click feature function--can I copy, paste, spell check, etc. with the right app?
Of course I'll be rooting this device.
Thanks,
Zach
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My personal experience is quite good with the Infinity, despite a few quirks. In terms of Office suite, I've settled with Kingsoft Office (free), but note that I do mainly word processing so haven't really tried the spreadsheet/presentation parts of it. It displays Word documents nicely and integrates with could services. One glitch is that I can't seem to type accented characters in the document, but I've resorted to a find & replace after completing the text to correct.
For PDF I use ezPDF (paid version). It's relatively fast, though not as fast as on a desktop. Its editing capabilities are great: underline/highlight text, add comments and annotations, etc.
If you rely heavily on images/spreadsheets for your lab reports I'd advise you to try one out at a store that has one on display. As long as it's set up to go to the Play store you can grab Kingsoft Office and give it a go. For paid Office apps I can't really help you.

If you are planning to use spreadsheets a lot...the Tab button is not working in most office apps like Office suite pro and Kingsoft office...SO frustrating.
Polaris which is installed on stock asus rom is working fine though.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app

I've been using Polaris Office for a while and I find it to be fairly useful in simple edits. You can change line spacing, create bullets/numbered lists, and paste images saved on your tablet. But I wouldn't say it's comparable to MS Office on a computer. For example, while you can create simple bullets/numbered lists, I don't think it can create multi-level lists (ex. numbers for top heading, letters for sub headings). And it doesn't have a spell checker. Also, one thing I do a lot in creating reports with MS Office is manipulate images and Office gives you lots of options for that (like cropping, changing brightness/contrast, wrapping) - Polaris Office lets you change the size of the images but I think that's about it.
Copy and paste is done by double-clicking on a word and then expanding the selection with your mouse/finger. I think right-click in Polaris = BACK button.
I've also never been a fan of using the trackpad while doing document edits on the tablet. But that's probably because my hand droops while typing and accidentally changes the edit location, and I start editing documents in all the wrong places-but this also happens to me when I'm using my laptop.
So I would say that I've been using my tablet/Polaris to do some simple text/number edits while away from my computer. There may be other programs for android that is more of a MS Office replacement but I haven't looked for it.
If you decide to get TF700 for word processing, then I would also recommend setting up a sync with your computer/google account/etc or saving your docs on an external memory card. I once did a complete wipe of my tablet to install a new ROM and accidentally deleted all my docs in internal memory.