To compete with Google Drive and Microsoft Office in the cloud, Apple is bringing iWork to the browser through its iCloud service. We went hands-on with Pages, Numbers and Keynote, currently available in beta, to see how it compares to more established online offerings.
Setup
Apple recommends using Safari 6.0.3 or later, Internet Explorer 9.0.8 or later, or Chrome 27.0.1 or later; the company warns that earlier versions of those browsers, as well as Firefox, may result in some features not working. Upon navigating to icloud.com, you’re prompted to enter your Apple ID and password. You’re then presented with seven icons (Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Reminders, Find my iPhone, Pages, Numbers and Keynote) that are large versions of what you’d find on iOS. Simply click on the app you wish to use, and it will open in that tab.
Setup
Apple recommends using Safari 6.0.3 or later, Internet Explorer 9.0.8 or later, or Chrome 27.0.1 or later; the company warns that earlier versions of those browsers, as well as Firefox, may result in some features not working. Upon navigating to icloud.com, you’re prompted to enter your Apple ID and password. You’re then presented with seven icons (Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Reminders, Find my iPhone, Pages, Numbers and Keynote) that are large versions of what you’d find on iOS. Simply click on the app you wish to use, and it will open in that tab.
Pages
Upon first opening Apple’s cloud-based word processor, the other iCloud icons float away and a document manager takes it place on top of the company’s signature textured backdrop. From there, pressing the giant plus symbol will open a window within your browser tab that shows 16 templates. Choosing a template then creates a new document in a new tab or window.
The Pages editor makes use of a contextual sidebar known as the Format Panel, meaning its contents change depending upon what type of content you have selected. This allows for far more room for each tool, which makes things much easier to find than in Google Drive, which hides many of its tools behind drop down boxes and tiny icons. Up top, users will find a series of options that don’t change much across the iWork suite, including zoom, undo/redo functions, text and shape creators along with an image uploader tool. Clicking a Tools button reveals Find & Replace, Spell Check and formatting guides. Of course, all of these features are accessible via the expected hotkeys.
It’s clear that Apple is set on mirroring the premium look and feel of its dedicated iWork apps in the browser, but currently offers the bare necessities for word processing: alignment, margin sliders, lists, header/footer creation and other features that we often take for granted in competing offerings. There are also a respectable amount of fonts and colors available for use, but not even close to what’s available in Google Drive. (For instance, Helvetica, Arial and Times New Roman are accounted for, but where’s our Comic Sans?) Another bummer is the lack of change tracking in the current release, though Apple promises that this feature is coming soon.
Upon first opening Apple’s cloud-based word processor, the other iCloud icons float away and a document manager takes it place on top of the company’s signature textured backdrop. From there, pressing the giant plus symbol will open a window within your browser tab that shows 16 templates. Choosing a template then creates a new document in a new tab or window.
The Pages editor makes use of a contextual sidebar known as the Format Panel, meaning its contents change depending upon what type of content you have selected. This allows for far more room for each tool, which makes things much easier to find than in Google Drive, which hides many of its tools behind drop down boxes and tiny icons. Up top, users will find a series of options that don’t change much across the iWork suite, including zoom, undo/redo functions, text and shape creators along with an image uploader tool. Clicking a Tools button reveals Find & Replace, Spell Check and formatting guides. Of course, all of these features are accessible via the expected hotkeys.
It’s clear that Apple is set on mirroring the premium look and feel of its dedicated iWork apps in the browser, but currently offers the bare necessities for word processing: alignment, margin sliders, lists, header/footer creation and other features that we often take for granted in competing offerings. There are also a respectable amount of fonts and colors available for use, but not even close to what’s available in Google Drive. (For instance, Helvetica, Arial and Times New Roman are accounted for, but where’s our Comic Sans?) Another bummer is the lack of change tracking in the current release, though Apple promises that this feature is coming soon.
Adding images to documents was as simple as click and drag. Once an image is selected, the side pane of tools changes to a number of image-related tools, such as effects, borders, sizing, alignment and more.
Pressing the share button in the upper right corner allows you to convert your project into either Pages, Word or PDF format and send it as an email attachment — no inviting fellow users to a document via email, a la Google Drive, unfortunately. (Though, Apple has a similar feature, known as “sending a link to a document,” in the works.) After creating the document, a separate window opens through which you can send the email with the document attached.
Users can send feedback directly to Apple through a dedicated button. This opens a separate webpage with a series of fields through which you can submit bug reports. While this is a welcome feature, it would be nice to have this built within the app rather than have it redirect to another page.
Pressing the share button in the upper right corner allows you to convert your project into either Pages, Word or PDF format and send it as an email attachment — no inviting fellow users to a document via email, a la Google Drive, unfortunately. (Though, Apple has a similar feature, known as “sending a link to a document,” in the works.) After creating the document, a separate window opens through which you can send the email with the document attached.
Users can send feedback directly to Apple through a dedicated button. This opens a separate webpage with a series of fields through which you can submit bug reports. While this is a welcome feature, it would be nice to have this built within the app rather than have it redirect to another page.
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