iWork for iCloud gets iOS7-inspired look, new document and security features
Apple on Thursday rolled out another update to its nascent iWork for iCloud web productivity suite that brought a new flat user interface and added key features like password protection and keyboard shortcuts.
The most prominent of Thursday's changes revolved around the suite's trumpeted collaboration features. Users can now add passwords to spreadsheets, presentations, and documents and share those password-protected files with others.
In addition, the apps sport a new way for users to see which files they have been granted access to by others. VoiceOver support has also been improved for accessibility-minded users, and new keyboard shortcuts for rotating, resizing, and repositioning objects have been added.
Numbers was given the ability to flow text into adjacent cells and to apply rich text formatting to text in table cells, features present in the desktop version but missing from the web variant until now. Users can also take advan
Both Pages and Keynote now support tables with customizable formatting. Pages also gained support for styling anchored and inline images, shapes, and text boxes, as well as the ability to edit endnotes in Microsoft Word documents.
Alongside the new features, Apple promises its usual smattering of bug fixes and stability improvements.
The most prominent of Thursday's changes revolved around the suite's trumpeted collaboration features. Users can now add passwords to spreadsheets, presentations, and documents and share those password-protected files with others.
In addition, the apps sport a new way for users to see which files they have been granted access to by others. VoiceOver support has also been improved for accessibility-minded users, and new keyboard shortcuts for rotating, resizing, and repositioning objects have been added.
Numbers was given the ability to flow text into adjacent cells and to apply rich text formatting to text in table cells, features present in the desktop version but missing from the web variant until now. Users can also take advan
Both Pages and Keynote now support tables with customizable formatting. Pages also gained support for styling anchored and inline images, shapes, and text boxes, as well as the ability to edit endnotes in Microsoft Word documents.
Alongside the new features, Apple promises its usual smattering of bug fixes and stability improvements.
Comments
Not sure if this sinew (is to me), but I noticed how notifications now pop in at the top of the browser window. iCloud is coming of age.
If this is 'coming of age,' then all I can say is that we, as Apple fans, must have rather low expectations.
At the moment, iCloud is a pathetically limited product in terms of functionality. Unless I can store all forms of data and can have substantially more storage cheaper on a per GB basis, it is not useful for much more cute-sy home-related media. (Granted, the one useful feature is iTunes Match). There are many better alternatives.
Incidentally, does anyone know: did the ability to export files to iWork09 disappear in iCloud? If so, it has become all more useless for my needs!
Add: This is was in reply to paxman.
The whole point of being able to share documents is the ability to track changes between editors. The fact that Apple didn't add this is a major oversight on their part. When they add this, then I will use iWorks for iCloud a lot more often.
@anantksundaram Think you may be looking for a Google Drive or DropBox type service, both available FOC.
While I don't think iCloud is as full featured as some of the competition, I think with the new leadership structure, things are moving at a better clip than before.
I will say this though. My mom loves using iCloud on her MacBook Air and iPad. It is infinitely easier for her than using something like Dropbox which depends on file structure.
Quote:
If this is 'coming of age,' then all I can say is that we, as Apple fans, must have rather low expectations.
At the moment, iCloud is a pathetically limited product in terms of functionality. Unless I can store all forms of data and can have substantially more storage cheaper on a per GB basis, it is not useful for much more cute-sy home-related media. (Granted, the one useful feature is iTunes Match). There are many better alternatives.
Incidentally, does anyone know: did the ability to export files to iWork09 disappear in iCloud? If so, it has become all more useless for my needs!
Add: This is was in reply to paxman.
I will say this though. My mom loves using iCloud on her MacBook Air and iPad.
Kind of proves my point....
The more stuff looks like iOS7, the less I am impressed.
We are regressing.
Kind of proves my point....
I wasn't arguing against you. I was simply stating that for the majority of users outside of the technically savvy bunch, I think it works well. Although, my mom runs her business on it with documents and spreadsheets all stored in it, so I wouldn't say just cutesy home-related media stuff.
I, like you, think that the cost of increased storage is bonkers. Hopefully they tweak that this year. Arguing against myself though, Apple doesn't deduct space from your iCloud allotment for people that are really into the ecosystem and buying movies, tv shows and music from iTunes, so it is a bit different than some other alternative ways of having increased storage like Dropbox. Ultimately, iCloud isn't the best solution for everyone, but for a lot of people, dare I say most, it is a solid solution. I absolutely think it can be improved upon, but for those that just want a simple and straight forward solution, it isn't bad.
As a side note, I'd like to see Apple open up the OS a little so there is a bit more interoperability. There have been an increasing number of signs that they have been working on APIs to do just that. Hopefully we see them in iOS 8.
Kind of proves my point....
I wasn't arguing against you. I was simply stating that for the majority of users outside of the technically savvy bunch, I think it works well. Although, my mom runs her business on it with documents and spreadsheets all stored in it, so I wouldn't say just cutesy home-related media stuff.
I, like you, think that the cost of increased storage is bonkers. Hopefully they tweak that this year. Arguing against myself though, Apple doesn't deduct space from your iCloud allotment for people that are really into the ecosystem and buying movies, tv shows and music from iTunes, so it is a bit different than some other alternative ways of having increased storage like Dropbox. Ultimately, iCloud isn't the best solution for everyone, but for a lot of people, dare I say most, it is a solid solution. I absolutely think it can be improved upon, but for those that just want a simple and straight forward solution, it isn't bad.
As a side note, I'd like to see Apple open up the OS a little so there is a bit more interoperability. There have been an increasing number of signs that they have been working on APIs to do just that. Hopefully we see them in iOS 8.
I realize.... I was just kidding. No offense intended!
I realize.... I was just kidding. No offense intended!
I know you were.
If this is 'coming of age,' then all I can say is that we, as Apple fans, must have rather low expectations.
At the moment, iCloud is a pathetically limited product in terms of functionality. Unless I can store all forms of data and can have substantially more storage cheaper on a per GB basis, it is not useful for much more cute-sy home-related media. (Granted, the one useful feature is iTunes Match). There are many better alternatives.
Incidentally, does anyone know: did the ability to export files to iWork09 disappear in iCloud? If so, it has become all more useless for my needs!
Add: This is was in reply to paxman.
Sure, I know what you are saying and I realize Numbers and Pages will never match the functionality of MS Office, and I am absolutely fine with that. But iCloud is getting better and very much more useful and I am conveniently committed to the platform. Simplicity is worth a lot if the functionality is sufficient.
There are other very useful services, I agree. I particularly like Google Forms. Very quick to create and use and a great way to enter data consistently. I also use DropBox.
I don't think iCloud will ever turn into a feature heavy service for semi-pros. I, like everybody else here, I suspect, would have liked Apple to own DropBox, however. (I'd also like Apple to own Weebly, though I'm sure it never will)
The whole iOS 7 look is extremely nauseating and difficult to use. It's not intuitive as the iOS 6. It has WAY too much whiteness. The text are anorexic. And the icons are way too gaudy that makes reading more difficult. I had to configure my iPhone to emulate iOS6 as much as possible - dark backgrounds, bold text, and so forth. But the overall UI is just NOT pleasant.
May switch to Windoze and Samsung phones on next major purchases. I just cannot stand iOS7.
Kind of proves my point....
All it proves is his mum understands what iCloud is all about and you don't.
We don't need file structure any more we need application dependant storage because application dependant storage makes more sense than file structure.
File structure makes for a convoluted display of files that have nothing to do with the application at hand. Why do I need to see PDFs in Pages when Pages can't do anything with PDFs? Why do I need to see Excel spreadsheets in Pages when once again I can't do anything with them.
However the current approach whereby in iCloud I can see only the files Pages can handle just makes logical sense. I don't need to file things in anything other than folders of documents that should be grouped together. I don't need to worry about whether or not my application can indeed do something with the files in the list I KNOW it can.
A file structure display is so '90s and needs to die.
Yes!! I can't believe this is considered "good". Ive is not a GUI designer. He's ruining Apple's sense of GUI design excellence. Clueless!!!
With all due respect, you sound like a home user with delusions of tech grandeur.
But I am glad the future of file structures work for you.
Yes!! I can't believe this is considered "good". Ive is not a GUI designer. He's ruining Apple's sense of GUI design excellence. Clueless!!!
What don't you like about it? I didn't use it a lot since the update, but it looks fine.
I don't see how something can regress if they add back features.
And it's not like Ive is doing all the work by himself, isolated in his office.
With all due respect, you sound like a home user with delusions of tech grandeur.
But I am glad the future of file structures work for you.
With all due respect you don't know what you're talking about.
I work in IT I use nothing but iWork apps for my word-processing and spreadsheet needs and that includes writing documentation and processes and the like.
I need mobility, portability, and while I might not need a whole lot of power, from what I've seen from large corporations and government departments that I work for neither do MOST people.
File structures are ridiculous and when you see the amount of effort that's required on large scales you quickly come to the realisation that they are inefficient and something better MUST come soon and it MUST be done at an OS level otherwise no one will accept it readily.
Document management systems are good but you have to get everyone using it and when you're working over different departments you need to spend a whole lot of time and money to give people only the access they need. You can't do it on the web because it's too cumbersome and reliant on plugins like Java and Flash. You can work it into the OS quite easily though and that's what I believe Apple is doing.
The old idea of the file structure is too convoluted for today's massive data needs. File get missing because we forget where we put it or someone has moved it. By having something like the iCloud screen for documents you've made it much easier to see what's going on because you've removed all of the crap that isn't applicable to the task you are currently in the process of.
Name me one good reason that the current file structure methodology makes sense given the amount of data we use daily.
With all due respect you don't know what you're talking about.
I work in IT I use nothing but iWork apps for my word-processing and spreadsheet needs and that includes writing documentation and processes and the like.
I need mobility, portability, and while I might not need a whole lot of power, from what I've seen from large corporations and government departments that I work for neither do MOST people.
File structures are ridiculous and when you see the amount of effort that's required on large scales you quickly come to the realisation that they are inefficient and something better MUST come soon and it MUST be done at an OS level otherwise no one will accept it readily.
Document management systems are good but you have to get everyone using it and when you're working over different departments you need to spend a whole lot of time and money to give people only the access they need. You can't do it on the web because it's too cumbersome and reliant on plugins like Java and Flash. You can work it into the OS quite easily though and that's what I believe Apple is doing.
The old idea of the file structure is too convoluted for today's massive data needs. File get missing because we forget where we put it or someone has moved it. By having something like the iCloud screen for documents you've made it much easier to see what's going on because you've removed all of the crap that isn't applicable to the task you are currently in the process of.
Name me one good reason that the current file structure methodology makes sense given the amount of data we use daily.
What a rambling, nonsensical post.
First, it would appear that you work for yourself, and don’t have to share a whole heck of a lot of different file formats (other than Pages and Numbers) with a whole heck of a lot of people. Second, you go on mobility and portability, but no cloud – including Apple’s – is anywhere near foolproof and 100% reliable with either. Third, you confuse the fact that something MUST come soon and MUST be done with the solution somehow being found in what you think Apple is currently doing. Fourth, you conflate issues of file structures with pap about Java and Flash. Fifth, you talk about people’s ‘massive data needs’ and yet, in Para 2 you say ‘most people’ are unlikely to need lots of power.
I could go on.
Most importantly, you appear to have not read my original post, which was only about three things (and a side question) – openness to all file types, larger storage, and cost per GB: it would really help if you are capable of following a thread of ideas, rather than jump in with self-important, confusing, contradictory ideas half-way through a conversation.